Alberta Provincial By-Elections - Fall 2014 Editions

[mariners_fever]

Originally Posted by c.t.ner

Here's some intereting info from Daveberta on the by elections.

http://daveberta.ca/2014/09/calgary-...d-by-election/





The PCAA has an incredible war chest that they're sitting on for the Elbow riding.

Indeed, but in an election of this size, anything past $55k-$60k is just buying bells and whistles, like promo pens with your name on it.

You need $55k-$60 to run as robust a messaging campaign as is possible for signs, literature, robocalls, polls, mail, all that jazz.

If money is the tale, I'd actually say the Wildrose disadvantage is negligible because they can run the same scale of campaign and then some with that amount.

That said, I'm pretty sure that number pales in comparison to how much the Wildrose ran their last campaign in Elbow with over $120k.

[FLAMESRULE]

Are the constituencies able to transfer money between themselves?? Could the WRP/Libs from outside Calgary Elbow "donate" or transfer funds to that riding to help push out the PC's??

[Maccalus]

The Party can transfer funds to constituencies

[c.t.ner]

Added Tim Grover as the candidate for the WRP in Whitemud and Bob Turner for the NDP in Whitemud.

[J epworth]

That Susan Wright girl has a very unfortunate name to run for the liberals... first search result for her is about the murderer Susan Wright.

[killer_carlson]

I thought Tim Grover was the candidate in the adjacent riding. Interesting choice.

[killer_carlson]

Oh, but what I came in here to say is that you can guarantee the by-elections will include the fact that one of Prentice's cabinet members stated that the province is looking long and hard as a sales tax. Prentice denied it in no uncertain terms, but Dorward has apparently gone quiet.

Rick Bell article in the Sun.

it's another example of a cabinet member going off message early in the Prentice regime.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

Oh, but what I came in here to say is that you can guarantee the by-elections will include the fact that one of Prentice's cabinet members stated that the province is looking long and hard as a sales tax. Prentice denied it in no uncertain terms, but Dorward has apparently gone quiet.

Rick Bell article in the Sun.

it's another example of a cabinet member going off message early in the Prentice regime.

I would love it if we could have an adult conversation about that. The problem is that it gets derailed immediately into a mess.

[killer_carlson]

When you have record revenue and still can't balance the books, it is pretty tough to say you need more money.

[Slava]

Its not about more money to me. Its about how its collected. I would rather consumption taxes than income taxes. Its just far more sensible.

[killer_carlson]

Just had a look at he candidates against Mandel.

The WR is running a guy who I think may be doing it just to raise his profile or the adjacent idling in the big election (which is a riding the WR can win).

More interesting bough is the NDP running an oncology surgeon who is ripping Mandl a new one on AHS. The closest hospital in that riding is the miseracordia, which is falling apart.

NDP will run 2nd in this riding, but if the PC campaign hits another scandal, they might pull this one off

[SebC]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

Rick Bell article in the Sun.

If Rick Bell had a sense of humour he'd be The Onion.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by SebC

If Rick Bell had a sense of humour he'd be The Onion.

All he has is sarcasm and nothing else.

[c.t.ner]

A little saturday night speculation for people to digest, but current independant MLA for Calgary-Foothills Len Webber just won the CPC nomination for Calgary Confederation.

https://twitter.com/Webber4Confed/st...42679365292033

Some people are speculating that since Len is an MLA in Calgary NW (although an independant) he'll resign from his seat in the legislature and that will open up a by-election that will allow Prentice to run in Calgary-Foothills.

Seems like the most logical, but differs from the riding that I heard a couple of months ago.

[killer_carlson]

The way the PC establishment treated Webber, including Hancock, there must have been quite the deal struck to get any favors out of him now.

[goodyear]

Quick question about byelection and the candidates,

Do all the candidates have to live in the riding? Or are they 'parachuted' in?

[Slava]

Originally Posted by goodyear

Quick question about byelection and the candidates,

Do all the candidates have to live in the riding? Or are they 'parachuted' in?

They can live elsewhere (must be Alberta for a provincial campaign). For some reason in Canada we like local representation, but stop short of actually making sure that the representatives are local. Its a pet peeve of mine I suppose.

[c.t.ner]

Ken Hughes has stepped down this morning in addition to Len Webber, so it looks like we have 4 by-elections.

@ChrisVarcoe Follow Four byelections coming: Cgy-West Ken Hughes says he has resigned as MLA in order to "continue to create opportunities for renewal." #ableg


Hughes' Calgary-West was the area that I was told he would probably run. So this makes it interesting. Does Dirks consider running in Calgary-Foothills instead of Calgary-Elbow?

[Slava]

That's interesting. I wonder if the PC's were prepared for 4 seats or they are now stuck with an announcement and only 3 candidates to run?

[c.t.ner]

Originally Posted by Slava

That's interesting. I wonder if the PC's were prepared for 4 seats or they are now stuck with an announcement and only 3 candidates to run?

My guess is that they've been prepared for 4 all along. I heard that Ken would be stepping down during the leadership campaign, but maybe Webber was an uncertainty though.