The Alison Redford transgressions thread. Update- Redford quits.

[Resolute 14]

Hmm. Perhaps I was hasty in suggesting that it was all a bluff.

What is interesting is that seven of these ten are from the Edmonton area (Five urban, two rural). One from Red Deer and two from Calgary. Since Calgary/southern Alberta is the most likely place for Wildrose to make gains, having the Tories disintegrate in the capital would be a huge blow.

[the_only_turek_fan]

More from the Redford camp:

“If Len had such a problem with what he perceived as bullying, he should perhaps reconsider his decision to step into federal politics — maybe he should go back to being an electrician,” Associate Minister of Family and Community Safety Sandra Jansen said of Calgary-Foothills MLA.

http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/03/14...per-len-webber

Sorry if this was already posted.

Redford is such a bitch.

[darklord700]

Sandra Jansen is Redford's friend and crony. I'll take whatever she says with a bucket of salt.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

More from the Redford camp:

“If Len had such a problem with what he perceived as bullying, he should perhaps reconsider his decision to step into federal politics — maybe he should go back to being an electrician,” Associate Minister of Family and Community Safety Sandra Jansen said of Calgary-Foothills MLA.

http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/03/14...per-len-webber

Sorry if this was already posted.

Redford is such a bitch.

Originally Posted by darklord700

Sandra Jansen is Redford's friend and crony. I'll take whatever she says with a bucket of salt.

Well what if she's right? I personally think its funny to suggest that Redford "isn't nice" because it has nothing to do with anything. Who cares? These people basically get paid to argue and debate. Being nice isn't really a big deal, is it?

So he says she isn't very nice and makes the jump to federal politics....could be that these women are just plain right about this.

[the_only_turek_fan]

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

Bolded.

[Resolute 14]

The number of people who have taken Webber's accusation that Redford is a "bully" seriously suggests you probably shouldn't be blindly defending Redford, Slava. Particularly given her own party has saddled her with a "work plan".

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Slava

Well what if she's right? I personally think its funny to suggest that Redford "isn't nice" because it has nothing to do with anything. Who cares? These people basically get paid to argue and debate. Being nice isn't really a big deal, is it?

So he says she isn't very nice and makes the jump to federal politics....could be that these women are just plain right about this.

Women are not judged the same way as men for the same behavior.

[Dion]

Embattled Alberta Premier Alison Redford is expected to address her restless caucus Monday to sell them on a “work plan” – probation, in essence – as a new poll shows the Progressive Conservatives’ 43-year run in power is on track to come to an end.

If she doesn’t meet the goals, some Tories expect the next step would be a snap meeting of the party to call another confidence vote. Ms. Redford faced such a vote in the fall, earning 77 per cent support. It was a poor showing in that type of vote that ultimately forced out Ralph Klein, while caucus dissent forced out his successor, and Ms. Redford’s predecessor, Ed Stelmach.

“A group of us wanted to get together and talk,” Mr. Young said in an interview Monday. “There was a party meeting on the weekend. We hadn’t heard anything other than it’s a great meeting. Twitter was saying otherwise, so we wanted to have a discussion on what our thoughts are.”

Mr. Young said the mood of constituents in his Edmonton riding is critical of the government.

“There needs to be some kind of change, whether that’s in terms of behaviour or what have you. But the mood, and that’s a good way to describe it, is not favourable, unless there are people who think otherwise that are not coming into my office,” he said.

Asked if he was considering leaving the caucus, he replied: “There’s no secret, those are options for any MLA… right now, I’m just waiting and seeing what all those options are.”

Ms. Redford’s former deputy premier, Thomas Lukaszuk, issued a cryptic message for those following political news in the province on Twitter. “Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!! Some will need more luck than others,” he wrote.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle17517299/

[Rerun]

Dogged by a series of controversies in recent weeks, the Progressive Conservative Party is losing more ground to the Official Opposition, a new poll suggests.
If an election were held today in Alberta, nearly half of voters would pick the Wildrose Party, according to an Angus Reid poll conducted online between March 3 and 9. The poll shows that 46 per cent of Albertans would give their vote to the Wildrose, compared to 23 per cent who would pick the PCs.
“Under no analysis are these good numbers for (Premier) Alison Redford or for the Alberta Tories. There’s really no way to paper over this,” said Shachi Kurl, vice-president of Angus Reid Global.

Six hundred and ninety-eight Albertans responded to the poll, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.

The poll showed that the Liberals would get 15 per cent support, the NDP 13 per cent and the Green party three per cent if an election were held today.

However, Kurl said it’s important to be mindful that there can be major shifts in public opinion during election campaigns, as seen in 2012 with the Wildrose.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Wildr...678/story.html

[Bigtime]

Calgary Varsity Progressive Conservative MLA Donna Kennedy-Glans to sit as an independent.

Blowing up on twitter right now.

[automaton 3]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

SOP, actually.

People hoping for a mass exodus of PC MLAs are probably living in a dream world. They may threaten it internally to try and oust Redford, but it was always a bluff, and I think it got called this weekend. The only thing a mass crossing of the floor would do is cause the government to collapse, and since independents almost never win elections, they would be largely out of a job.

So now that that bluff has been called, and given the party can't actually force her out apparently, it comes down to damage control. The whole "promise to do better" part is Redford's side of that deal, and the impression of support is the rest of the party's. Thus, the standing ovation. They are screwed if they don't appear unified as the next election approaches, and they know it. This is simple self-preservation politics.

That is only the public face of it, however. How many daggers remain unsheathed in the shadows is unknown.

Oh I agree, and this approach has certainly worked for them in the past.

I think they have miscalculated this time. People are downright angry, and the standard smoke and mirrors/duck and cover strategies aren't going to cut it this time around.

Edit to add: the rubber likely will hit the road on fundraising. Once people start sitting on their wallets and refusing to donate, or even worse for the PCs - increases donations to other parties we will likely see some more dramatic action.

[nik-]

It will suck if all that comes out of this is us being stuck with the Wildrose as the governing party.

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Calgary Varsity Progressive Conservative MLA Donna Kennedy-Glans to sit as an independent.

So falls the first domino. The MLAs who want to serve the public will leave and those who don't will stay. I hope the voters remember if their PC MLA stay or leave in two years time.

[killer_carlson]

WHOA!

If that is true, she isn't a back bench MLA. She is an associate Minister! That's a cabinet member.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by nik-

It will suck if all that comes out of this is us being stuck with the Wildrose as the governing party.

Maybe, I'm not making a judgement on that til an election drops and I hear their platform and see if they control some of the more obnoxious elements.

Right now the PC party is pretty much dead,

[Bigtime]

Oh yeah it's true.

[Knalus]

Originally Posted by nik-

It will suck if all that comes out of this is us being stuck with the Wildrose as the governing party.

It's a disgrace that Albertans ever actually voted for her in a province wide election, and that sentiment, and people like you, are the reason that we are stuck with this gong show in the first place.

[GP_Matt]

Here is her resignation letter.
https://www.facebook.com/EJPaulaSimo...17168108306318

She doesn't come off as opportunistic or spiteful. It seems like she is someone who was convinced to run rather than someone who wants to make a career of it. Her stepping down means a lot more than Len Webber.

Also of note is that she wasn't one of the ten who met last night. She seems to be stepping down simply because she doesn't want to be associated with the PC leadership right now.

[Rerun]

It will suck if all that comes out of this is us being stuck with the PC's as the governing party.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Knalus

It's a disgrace that Albertans ever actually voted for her in a province wide election, and that sentiment, and people like you, are the reason that we are stuck with this gong show in the first place.

Two gong shows don't make a right.