Liberal party abstains from voting on throne speech

[llama64]

Originally Posted by Slava

I will wait to see him in a live, unscripted event before I agree with this. Anyone can look good when you can do numerous takes and have a tried and true script!

Too true.

I usually judge a leader by their policies and actions rather then their fancy speeches, but given the vision that Ed presented, I can't help but feel a bit optimistic that the Conservatives will deliver.

And if they don't, the Liberals are becoming a viable alternative.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by llama64

If Premier Stelmach can live up to even half of his public address, he's convinced me that the Conservatives are worth every vote. This coming from someone who voted Liberal in the last provincial election.

It was strange. I watched the full address, got a little miffed that he skated over the royalty commission but then got excited about the rest of his message. I went from thinking Stelmach was a waffling leader with no direction to seeing a man that could lead Alberta to where we should be.

That's because his message was a typical 'Chicken in every pot' infomercial typically heard coming from the doublespeaking mouth of a Liberal Candidate in an election race. There was no outlined plans for anything. Just talk of all the things that 'All Albertans rightfully deserve' without actually doing anything for themselves. All he did was try to emotionally connect with every possible issue one could come up with and responded with some airy fairy phrase 'we're working on it.' Watch the Stelmach speech and then watch the Paul Martin Liberal commercials from the last federal election where he was trying to run on his 'record'. Both examples of a dithering leader trying to come down on all four sides of an issue.

[Bobblehead]

I've been impressed by Harper in his term, and unimpressed with any of the other parties. There are a few issues with the PCs I would like to see them address, but I doubt they will ever be addressed to my satisfaction, at least judging by how they have been handled so far (the Rob Anders issue for one, muzzling of MPs, the handling of the National media, just to name a few).

But there is still a while until another election. Lots can still happen.

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by Lurch

How is this different to how Harper is pandering to Quebec to get votes?

I think I've come to the conclusion over the past year or two that I really don't care who is in power, as long as a changeover occurs every 2 or 3 terms (i.e. I hope the Conservatives win the next election, and the Liberals the one after that). That said, Alberta is in a sad state of affairs and desperately needs a change, so maybe Farmer Ed really is the best premier for the province in that I doubt anyone else could do a better job of helping out opposition parties.

I would say that pandering to Quebec was something that didn't really leave the general sphere of Canadian Conservatism. They are very big on federalism and part of that is allowing distinctive regions to grow within Canada, rather than grow out of Canada. Tossing money at problems is found in all sides of the spectrum, moreso on the left, but prevalent in both.

I see a real leadership vacuum in Alberta, which is not a good thing. Stelmach won because the other candidates were either brutal, and/or alienated too much of the province. He is Alberta's Mr. Dithers, a true contempory of Harry Strom... in other words, a Caretaker. No new ideas, no strong stands, just the same recycled rhetoric and feelgood promises and ideas that Ralph Klein spewed wrapped up in a pretty bow on TV. His infrastructure monies were something a blind monkey would do, as the PC governance had watched infrastructure go from strained to beyond the breaking point in many places. But who delivers the big KO to Ed?

Taft can play Prime Minister Forever - Canada on the computer, cause thats as close as he'll ever get to be Premier. He's got the leadership quotient of a pet rock, and many of his ideas are not desirable or even a compromise to a majority of voters. This is not to say the Liberals can't knock the PCs on their ass, but definitely not with Taft.

Mason and his Dippers are a joke, and the Alliance has a ton of work to do to even become a viable opposition. Right now, it looks like either the Liberals completely overhaul themselves, the Alliance strike gold, or there's a rift in the PC party creating a new alternative.

[llama64]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

That's because his message was a typical 'Chicken in every pot' infomercial typically heard coming from the doublespeaking mouth of a Liberal Candidate in an election race. There was no outlined plans for anything. Just talk of all the things that 'All Albertans rightfully deserve' without actually doing anything for themselves. All he did was try to emotionally connect with every possible issue one could come up with and responded with some airy fairy phrase 'we're working on it.' Watch the Stelmach speech and then watch the Paul Martin Liberal commercials from the last federal election where he was trying to run on his 'record'. Both examples of a dithering leader trying to come down on all four sides of an issue.

Did you watch the address? What Stelmach said is Alberta has problems, his government has plans, they will be introducing those plans in the near future.

To go back to what I originally said, if they come through it will be a good thing. If not, at least we have alternatives.

Thanks for the insight into myself though.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by llama64

Did you watch the address? What Stelmach said is Alberta has problems, his government has plans, they will be introducing those plans in the near future.

To go back to what I originally said, if they come through it will be a good thing. If not, at least we have alternatives.

Thanks for the insight into myself though.

I didn't mean to come across insulting. As a former PC voter whose seen his party move too far left for my liking, I just wanted to point out to other posters that he's now far enough left that former Liberal voters like what he says. Very telling indeed! Too many people are out there decrying economic prosperity in this province and ignoring that the infrastructure deficit isn't a factor of industries being too hot but rather due to the fact that this government has failed to spend money wisely(Twice the amount on a per capita basis than any other provincial government).

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by llama64

Too true.

I usually judge a leader by their policies and actions rather then their fancy speeches, but given the vision that Ed presented, I can't help but feel a bit optimistic that the Conservatives will deliver.

And if they don't, the Liberals are becoming a viable alternative.

Not with that great leader Kevin Taft at the helm.. Hes about as palatable as Jack Layton.. I loved his, "I would implement the entire royalty report as is" based solely on a brief meeting he had with the panelists yesterday.. I guess after an hour long meeting he has decided the whole thing is a work of art and should be implemented as is.. Yikes

[Azure]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

I may have mis spoke about Lethbridge, I just always have this view of a fat MP who was a rancher who wouldnt shut up last election, he normally has a massive belt buckle and back cowboy hat on. He had some pretty infamous comments that were printed in the Globe and Star about a week before the last election.

I thought his name was Mel something and he was from Lethbridge but I was obviously mistaken.

He is from Medicine Hat.

I think.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Slava

I'm glad that you said it this time. When I said something similar I got trounced by everyone in the board in mere moments!

Probably because it is a pretty useless statement that can be applied to any political party. Conservative MP's don't have the market cornered on saying things the voters don't want to hear and marginalizing possible supporters.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by moon

Probably because it is a pretty useless statement that can be applied to any political party. Conservative MP's don't have the market cornered on saying things the voters don't want to hear and marginalizing possible supporters.

No they dont, however the way in the past they have picked candidates based on local opinion/popularity doesnt always fly when you need to win seats in Ontario or Quebec - especuially when you have a media that is dying for those types of quotes.

Please provide examples where NDP or Liberal candidates ever said something that made the CBC, GnM, Star, etc go gaga over the magical and mysterious hidden agenda.

[moon]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

No they dont, however the way in the past they have picked candidates based on local opinion/popularity doesnt always fly when you need to win seats in Ontario or Quebec - especuially when you have a media that is dying for those types of quotes.

Please provide examples where NDP or Liberal candidates ever said something that made the CBC, GnM, Star, etc go gaga over the magical and mysterious hidden agenda.

I would say that the the Conservatives did a decent job picking their candidates last election.

I don't really concern myslef with anything that makes the CBC go gaga.

Looking at the last election Martin/Chretin obviously had done and said things that made people feel like they could not be trusted.

I would say every time that Jack Layton opens his mouth something stupid comes out and people all over the country realise that the NDP is not a viable choice.

It would seem to me that all these "comments" and "hidden agendas" haven't killed the Conservatives yet so to single them out as likely to be hurt by what MP says seems to be fairly shortsighted and just as likely to come from a member of the other parties as well.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

No they dont, however the way in the past they have picked candidates based on local opinion/popularity doesnt always fly when you need to win seats in Ontario or Quebec - especuially when you have a media that is dying for those types of quotes.

Please provide examples where NDP or Liberal candidates ever said something that made the CBC, GnM, Star, etc go gaga over the magical and mysterious hidden agenda.

Hedy Fry and her -Crosses are being burned in Prince George as we speak quote.

Her referal to the Chinese community as "Those people with their little issues"

Chretien stating that he hated dealing with the West because he couldn't figure out how we think.

The whole troops in the street advertising.