The Alison Redford transgressions thread. Update- Redford quits.

[RedHot25]

Thanks everyone. I get it now. I had no clue about the electrician stuff. This is a big shake down by the looks of it!

[Dion]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

We need a poll on how this plays out

A. Redford stays as premier, all is well
B. Redford stays, cabinet shuffle
C. Redford stays, cabinet shuffle and her Premier's office staff is replaced/sacrificed
D. Redford stays, some pc MLAs leave the party
E. redford resigns, leadership race called
F. Redford is forced out but fights to retain leadership through procedural wrangling
G. Redford stays, party in turmoil, spring session is abbreviated as the PCs end it early rather than face more critique in question period

The damage to Redford and her image with the voting public is beyond repair. People who make regular donations to the party will say no more until she is gone, Without the donations the party is in real trouble and the party bigwigs have to know this.

There is also a fracture in the caucus that can only be repaired is she is asked to step down. Redford cannot effectively run a govt when not all members are on board. She needs full support of the caucus and we know she doesn't have that.

Finally, can she swallow her pride and admit she is arrogant and self entitled and make the change for the good? No way

Then a sub poll

A. Jansen removed as minister
B. griffiths removed as minister
C. Johnson removed as minister
D. Lukaszuk runs for leadership
E. former Edm Mayor Stephen Mandell runs for leadership
F. Jim Dinning runs for leadership
G. Gary Mar runs for leadership
H. Rob Anders somehow enters the fray and makes things worse

I can see Griffiths and Jansen removed but after that who knows. Exciting times ahead as the PC party tries to shuffle the deck chairs on the Titanic

[killer_carlson]

I suspect info will start leaking at lunch, with more coming out tonight.

[pylon]

So much cattiness!

Rawr!

[Dion]

As Premier Alison Redford met behind closed doors with the Progressive Conservative party’s board of directors, another Tory MLA said Redford must make major changes to her leadership style to carry on.

Red Deer North MLA Mary Anne Jablonski said she is not calling for Redford to step down but said she and other MLAs and party members have major concerns about her leadership.

Issues around expenses, entitlements and how Redford deals with people are significant issues that the premier must address, she said.

“If she can change the way she treats others, then we have hope,” said Jablonski.

Jablonski said she resents how these issues have distracted from Alberta’s booming economy and high quality of life under the PC government.

Jablonski said she has not experienced Redford being a bully to staff and MLAs.

She said she had no intention of crossing the floor.

“Why should I have to leave my party, my principles?” said Jablonski, who noted that other members of caucus share her feelings.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/po...452/story.html

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

We need a poll on how this plays out

A. Redford stays as premier, all is well
B. Redford stays, cabinet shuffle
C. Redford stays, cabinet shuffle and her Premier's office staff is replaced/sacrificed
D. Redford stays, some pc MLAs leave the party
E. redford resigns, leadership race called
F. Redford is forced out but fights to retain leadership through procedural wrangling
G. Redford stays, party in turmoil, spring session is abbreviated as the PCs end it early rather than face more critique in question period

Then a sub poll

A. Jansen removed as minister
B. griffiths removed as minister
C. Johnson removed as minister
D. Lukaszuk runs for leadership
E. former Edm Mayor Stephen Mandell runs for leadership
F. Jim Dinning runs for leadership
G. Gary Mar runs for leadership
H. Rob Anders somehow enters the fray and makes things worse

How about Doug Horner running for leadership?

[Slava]

It seems like nothing is going to happen today. I think a lot of us want something to...at least partially for the pure entertainment value, and the media definitely wants something to happen. Just seems like it's not going to, at least there are no leaks or anything that I can see. Hopefully I'm wrong and we get some excitement!

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Slava

It seems like nothing is going to happen today. I think a lot of us want something to...at least partially for the pure entertainment value, and the media definitely wants something to happen. Just seems like it's not going to, at least there are no leaks or anything that I can see. Hopefully I'm wrong and we get some excitement!

The party does not have any constitutional mechanism to remove Redford from her position. Looks like we're stuck with her till the next election.

[killer_carlson]

IMO Doug Horner's chances at leadership went to zero when he came up with the "two sets of books" concept of budgeting. As Finance Minister he is #2 responsible for the debt.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Fozzie_DeBear

How about Doug Horner running for leadership?

He says he doesn't want to.

[c.t.ner]

Originally Posted by Slava

It seems like nothing is going to happen today. I think a lot of us want something to...at least partially for the pure entertainment value, and the media definitely wants something to happen. Just seems like it's not going to, at least there are no leaks or anything that I can see. Hopefully I'm wrong and we get some excitement!

If anything happens it'll happen next week.

A plan may have been set, but there is no way the meeting was going conclude and she would be done right then and there. That would have been a PR disaster.

Not that this whole ordeal isn't a massive PR Disaster.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Dion

The party does not have any constitutional mechanism to remove Redford from her position. Looks like we're stuck with her till the next election.

Nah , she'll resign. She's not stupid. If her caucus is going great to openly revolt, she's smart enough to pull the plug.

Originally Posted by c.t.ner

If anything happens it'll happen next week.

A plan may have been set, but there is no way the meeting was going conclude and she would be done right then and there. That would have been a PR disaster.

Not that this whole ordeal isn't a massive PR Disaster.

It's a train wreck and that's what makes it so awesome! It doesn't matter who you support or don't, it's compelling to watch self destruction and in fighting.

I still think the PC's aren't done though. The fact is you have to vote for someone, and no party has stepped up to capture the voters who will be displaced in this mess. The Wild Rose of course would tell you that they have, but there is an awful lot of "I would never vote for them" in the general public. The Liberals have shown almost nothing in terms of generating public interest and the NDP is in just as bad of shape. Something has to fill the massive vacuum there... doesn't it?

[Jacks]

[darklord700]

She'll not resign voluntarily. She'll rather drag the whole party down and there's no mechanism to remove her at this point. My expert prediction is nothing will happen today and then a few PC MLAs will leave.

And how ironic this could turn out to be? Alison was denied her SA citizenship application and that led her to becoming an MLA and then the premier of AB. And her attending Mendela's funeral could potentially spell the end of her political career. And Albertans are a few billions in debt in the process. Poetic justice anyone?

[Dion]

660 news is reporting that Redford is going to remain as party leader. Meanwhile the WRP is quietly celebrating the good news.

[Dion]

But she and Progressive Conservative party president Jim McCormick emerged from the four-and-a-half-hour gathering showing a united front.

The "$45,000 question" was discussed, said McCormick, referring to the premier's costly trip to South Africa to attend Nelson Mandela's funeral in December.

"The premier did an excellent job. She didn't back away from any of the rather hard-hitting questions that she was asked. And she was very frank with us as we were very frank with her."

"It was a wide-ranging no-holds barred discussion," he said.

The grilling took place at a regularly scheduled meeting with the party's board of directors, including dozens of volunteers from across the province.

"The premier received a standing ovation," said McCormick. "Absolutely everybody was on their feet."

http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/alber...ting-1.1730911

[darklord700]

The PC Board is dumber than I thought and they didn't even know that a leopard never changes its spots.

Congrats to the WR as they just dodged a bullet.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by darklord700

The PC Board is dumber than I thought and they didn't even know that a leopard never changes its spots.

Congrats to the WR as they just dodged a bullet.

WR was going to come out ahead on this no matter how it turned out. But yes, keeping the Empress in charge makes their job easier by virtue of the PCs making their own job harder - they'd have an easier time convincing the public that they have reformed with a new leader. Instead, we now get to listen to Redford talk about breaking old habits, which is exactly what she talked about upon being elected leader. And, as we all well know, Redford's talk comes extremely cheap.

[darklord700]

On the other hand, this could be a delay tactic by PC to put Redford on "adult supervision" as the Herald coined it until a suitable replacement is found.

[Jacks]

I'd be surprised if she makes it through the summer, there is blood in the water now. Between the WR digging up dirt, the media digging around and the obvious fractures in the caucus there are bound to be more problems coming for the PC's. Look at some of the tweets that we've seen in the last couple days, those hard feelings aren't going to disappear quickly. The PC's are sitting at about 25% in the polls right now and Redford is personally polling lower. I expect a new poll soon that looks even worse.