Alberta's Wildrose object to 9 a.m. legislature sittings

[Swift]

I guess I don't even understand the issue. If they're all already at work, what's the problem with shuffling along to the big meeting room an hour earlier?

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Cameron Swift

I guess I don't even understand the issue. If they're all already at work, what's the problem with shuffling along to the big meeting room an hour earlier?

The issue is the NDP did it. That's it. Nobody really cares (or even knew) what the schedule was supposed to be before this "scandal". Nobody really cares that they are now supposed to be there an hour earlier two days a week (because who would?). And nobody really cares about "but they had a schedule and now they changed it thus breaking a sacred trust" (because nobody cares or even knew about the schedule in the first place).

The NDP did it, and that's why it's a problem.

I can say, completely honestly, that as a leftie (though not an NDP supporter) that if the Conservative government tweaked the schedule around once in the last 40 years, I didn't care, I didn't know, I don't care, and I never would have. And I HATE the Conservatives. But I guess I don't hate them enough to feign outrage over this hilarious little non-issue.

[Amethyst]

Originally Posted by adc

This has nothing to do with getting to work earlier. The MLAs are likely already at work earlier than the start of Legislature.

Why do some people keep trying to spin this as some sort of way for MLA's to sleep in?

So basically, their hours of work haven't changed, just the time for a meeting has been slightly altered.

And this is an outrage why?

[adc]

Originally Posted by Amethyst

So basically, their hours of work haven't changed, just the time for a meeting has been slightly altered.

And this is an outrage why?

The only outrage I see if from people whinning about the Wild Rose for objecting to the ND changing what was agreed on.

[GaiJin]

Jesus christ on a bike.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/brian-...ings-1.3297959

[Coach]

Originally Posted by adc

The only outrage I see if from people whinning about the Wild Rose for objecting to the ND changing what was agreed on.

Yeah, who needs change? It's not like they were elected to make and amend laws and rules of our province. Why are people even going there anyways? They should be staying out of my business and worrying about how to make their institutions run more effectively. Waste.

Where am I?

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by adc

This has nothing to do with getting to work earlier. The MLAs are likely already at work earlier than the start of Legislature.

Why do some people keep trying to spin this as some sort of way for MLA's to sleep in?

Political hypocrisy. Some of the people criticizing the Wildrose here are people who would criticize a Wildrose MLA for rushing into a burning building to save a child because it took a job away from a unionized firefighter.

Incidentally, Brian Jean himself also proposed convening the Legislature during normal business hours - so despite the politically motivated claims from the left, "wanting to sleep in" isn't why Wildrose are objecting to the NDP reneging on an agreement. They are angry because Notley is stifling the Wildrose's ability to debate and challenge government bills and to hold the government to account.

The "young families" argument is bunk, incidentally. Most MLAs are more than 3 hours away from Edmonton, and won't be able to spend time with their families when the legislature is sitting anyway.

[darklord700]

I support moving the meeting time to 9am to allow the NDP MLAs to return in time for their night classes.

[WilsonFourTwo]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

so despite the politically motivated claims from the left, "wanting to sleep in" isn't why Wildrose are objecting to the NDP reneging on an agreement. They are angry because Notley is stifling the Wildrose's ability to debate and challenge government bills and to hold the government to account.

I don't get that? How does changing the sitting times stifle the Opposition's ability to debate and challenge the Government?

Maybe I'm missing some sort of key detail here? It's being argued that all MLAs are already 'In the office' and the only thing changing is the start time.
It's the same work, done with the same people, during a slightly different period of the same workday.

I have two (painfully long, haha) recurring meetings each week. I don't get angry when the start times get periodically changed. I amend my calendar and carry on with business.

[GaiJin]

Try watching the CBC link a couple of posts up.

[Resolute 14]

In fairness to those that didn't watch it, that CBC video was cringe worthy. The interviewer was running her own agenda pretty damn hard.

WilsonFourTwo - Jean is upset because as part of the NDP's reneging on the previously agreed start times (10AM for all days, iirc), he says they are cutting question period pretty much in half - which denies the opposition the opportunity to question the government - and are planning to rush a massive number of bills through without proper debate in either committees or the Legislature itself. Basically, he's saying Notley is acting every bit as autocratic and antidemocratic as the PCs were ever accused of being.

[Joborule]

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

[GaiJin]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

In fairness to those that didn't watch it, that CBC video was cringe worthy. The interviewer was running her own agenda pretty damn hard.

WilsonFourTwo - Jean is upset because as part of the NDP's reneging on the previously agreed start times (10AM for all days, iirc), he says they are cutting question period pretty much in half - which denies the opposition the opportunity to question the government - and are planning to rush a massive number of bills through without proper debate in either committees or the Legislature itself. Basically, he's saying Notley is acting every bit as autocratic and antidemocratic as the PCs were ever accused of being.

True, but Jean steered it back onto the subject matter at hand each time she tried to make it go sideways, and he explained his position.

[RougeUnderoos]

Oh geez, the Conservatives are out of touch again...

"Ric McIver who, on this topic at least, probably speaks for all Albertans with this dismissive comment: “The public doesn’t want to hear their politicians whining, moaning, complaining about their working conditions.”

Going by this thread, Albertans are clearly concerned about the harsh working conditions facing our MLAs.

I have to admit this argument from a WR MLA does make some sense...

"Then we had the Luddite argument from Wildrose MLA Don MacIntyre, who worries how he’ll get his computer running at 6 a.m.: “If I have a technological problem, you all know IT (information technology) isn’t going to be there to give me a hand and I am technologically illiterate.”

What we need now is a representative who wants the day to start a little later because he is, in his own words, "technologically illiterate".

http://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/c...hill-to-die-on

When you are shooting the messenger on this one, make sure you do it with a musket.

[GaiJin]

Originally Posted by Joborule

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

The NDP is proving that to be true, aren't they? It's ok to stand up and tell torqued stories and rebuttals because it's their torqued stories and rebuttals. It's ok to appoint long time party hacks and cronies to plum jobs because it is their long time hacks and cronies. In a practical and ethical sense, we've gone nowhere despite a complete change in government.

[para transit fellow]

It looks like the outrage is about a presumption of a morning session question period.

This article covers the drama

http://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/c...hill-to-die-on

WRP proposed morning sessions during campaign. NDP implemented morning session with earlier start... But...

WRP presumed that morning sessions would have an additional question period. Now WRP math claims that NDP has cut question period in half as NDP never considered a morning question period.

I have heard two different political commentators mention that WRP is undergoing an internal civil war. There will be more of these bozo eruptions.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

So WRP is fine with the hours procided they get additional question period time commensurate with the extension.

Okay... Seems fair to me?