[GT] Alberta Votes 2023.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

I don't understand. One can't read this thread and have any idea what is actually happening.

The more concerning part in my view is that aside from a few posters I really have no idea what people who voted for either party wanted in a platform.

[V]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

I'm very interested in any alternative to a carbon tax that would help us meet our international obligations. What would you offer as an alternative?

Carbon taxes work extremely well (with other policies of course), and if done properly with other polkicy supports to shift consumption patterns, then they don't cost the average family much more, sometimes even less. Home heating accounts for a large portion of our emissions, and efficiencies/technologies need to move in the right direction and need policy support to do that.

For your home heating example, a carbon tax would make high efficency furnaces and heat pumps become more cost effective when carbon pricing is implements correctly. Of course there needs to be means testing involved somehow to avoid the poorest having the hardest time adjusting. Canada's current plan is far from perfect, but I think does a decent job of trying to bridge that gap:

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/en...buildings.html

Due to the carbon tax I didn't heat my garage this last winter. We also bought a little car for our errands instead of the SUV we use when we drive our whole family around. I don't think we're the only ones that made decisions to decrease our consumption. If it wasn't for the carbon tax I wouldn't have made those changes. Maybe it's good, and maybe it's bad, but whatever it is, it is effective.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by V

Due to the carbon tax I didn't heat my garage this last winter. We also bought a little car for our errands instead of the SUV we use when we drive our whole family around. I don't think we're the only ones that made decisions to decrease our consumption. If it wasn't for the carbon tax I wouldn't have made those changes. Maybe it's good, and maybe it's bad, but whatever it is, it is effective.

Yup, the carbon tax was one of the reasons I went with an on demand HWH, and figured it was worth all the effort of re-insulating my home. I'll do my windows soon. These nudges can reduce consumption.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

A true satirist. Love it.

If it is satire, it's absolutely despicable.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Yoho

It’s fear mongering, they’ve either left already or it’s just a toothless threat.

In any case no one is going to hold the Province hostage over the same concerns that every Province has.

No one’s falling for it anymore except the alarmist that didn’t get their way this election.

You're my favourite naive participant.

[RogerWilco]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Join the club born and raised here isn’t a badge.

An election was had and you and a large majority of CP voted for the losing party there is no emergency or crisis.

You don’t see conservatives in the federal thread saying “I just am not inspired” by Liberals.

We know it’s a #%*+ sandwich till the next election.

You voted and lost, you are the minority in this Province move on best of luck next time.

This doesn’t require a public inquiry.

Not saying born and raised is a badge. I was saying that even though I have been here most of my life from but a wee child, I have no idea what we are trying to take "Alberta Back" from. It is those who are trying to "take Alberta back" that are working to force their values on others.

Smith was on the radio just this morning refusing to answer questions about how much influence TBA actually has on the UCP.

[Red Slinger]

Originally Posted by Cappy

It's not the government, though. It's the ideology of the majority in this province. It's not the election, its the views that people actually vote for.

Danielle Smith could die tomorrow, but UCP would just appoint some other wingbat to take over and 53% of the province would vote for that person.

It's not one election. It's the changing tides of political discourse in the western world, unfortunately. Some provinces have just done a better job at holding back the tide

I'm not sure I agree.

Alberta has always been a right-leaning province, firstly due to our rural roots and then largely because our energy sector aligned moreso with conservative values than liberal ones. Only once in half a century has Alberta voted for the non-right wing party and almost immediately there was buyers remorse from many. The ANDP, which in any other province would be seen as centrist or even slightly right-leaning, have the stain of being the 'not conservative option' in Alberta and so will always have an uphill battle. It's similar to how many US states almost always vote blue or red and there are only a handful of states that actually decide presidential elections. I don't think people in Alberta have gotten worse, I just think most voters don't make rational choices but instead go with their 'team'. So, I don't think the wingbats of the UCP necessarily represent most Albertans. I think most Albertans wouldn't classify themselves as libertarian anti-vaxers. They just don't pay close enough attention or they fall prey to the lies and propaganda and bumper-sticker politics of right-wing populism.

The western world has seen some pretty serious swings over to the far-right populism in the past. The US, for most of it's history, was a de facto fascist democracy. Nixon was as bad or worse than DeSantis and possibly even Trump. Canada was not much better until well into the 20th century. Generally, there's been a steady line of progress in the western world towards human rights, social programs and other "left" values, even if occasionally, we take a backward step.

There will always be the Danielle Smith's of the world: career politicians who are stupid enough to believe in a cynical ideology that simply doesn't fit human reality, but are charismatic enough to weasel their way up the ladder. The first line of defense against these people are the moderate conservatives, and usually they are pretty good at weeding out the wingbats, relatively speaking. But the political pendulum is always swinging and the reactionary rats will find a gap to exploit. At that point, it's up to the general populace to check them. But even then, there will be times, less frequently than with moderate conservatives, that the extremists will find their way through to the top of the political pyramid. Danielle Smith and the Take Back Alberta cretins, through perseverance, planning and good fortune found their moment. Fortunately, the Alberta Premier doesn't have exclusive power in this jurisdiction (unless she gets her way with the Police and pensions) and there are federal checks and balances as well as the rule of law. But even so, now we must ensure that we hold this government to account while also encouraging new centrist leaders to step up. Albertans are the same as people everywhere else; we care about others but are also primarily invested in our self-interest. At some point, it will be clear, even to many of those that may now support the libertarian anti-vaxxer in-office*, that she and her ilk are not good for the people of Alberta.

*May not apply to the Yoho's of the world

[Monahammer]

I'm happy to say that I've now received messages confirming my resident location beneath the skin of certain national parks. I will endeavor to remain an irritant for some time.

[Muta]

Not sure who albertaworker.ca is, but here's a site tracking notices of doctor/office closures/departures in Alberta. Updated as recently as today:

https://albertaworker.ca/news/a-list...g-doctor-care/

[blender]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

You should delete this advice. You are minimizing potentially very real and serious concerns, especially as it relates to mental health.

ynma03: If you are in distress, please immediately call Alberta Mental Health Help Line at 1-(877)-303-2642

I'm not trying to minimize anything. MAiD is not an avenue for with people with mental health issues in any case, so my advice is sound.
Whether his needs are serious or not, he is being flippant about MAiD and he shouldn't be. I've know two people who went through that process, one which I signed the documents for, so excuse me if I'm a bit sensitive about it.
I'll edit my post regarding "real" problems.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by blender

I'm not trying to minimize anything. MAiD is not an avenue for with people with mental health issues in any case, so my advice is sound.
Whether his needs are serious or not, he is being flippant about MAiD and he shouldn't be. I've know two people who went through that process, one which I signed the documents for, so excuse me if I'm a bit sensitive about it.
I'll edit my post regarding "real" problems.

Not for long, and it should have been included earlier this year:

https://www.camh.ca/en/camh-news-and...l-illness-faqs

And yes, you did minimize his potential mental health issues. You cannot discredit or patronize people's issues if they are in crisis. And it's extremely hard to tell over a computer. These sort of things - whether being flippant or not - need tact and understanding. You don't know what could really be going on in that poster's real life.

[Captain Otto]

Originally Posted by Muta

Not sure who albertaworker.ca is, but here's a site tracking notices of doctor/office closures/departures in Alberta. Updated as recently as today:

https://albertaworker.ca/news/a-list...g-doctor-care/

That. Is. Astonishing.

I haven't posted much in here but how does a guy like Yoho come to terms with this? I get the right wing conservative has this idea that, unless it affects me, I don't care, but this HAS to be concerning on some level.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Captain Otto

That. Is. Astonishing.

I haven't posted much in here but how does a guy like Yoho come to terms with this? I get the right wing conservative has this idea that, unless it affects me, I don't care, but this HAS to be concerning on some level.

I can confirm to you as well those are just the publicized ones this particular blogger has chosen to share. There are far more over the last four years that go under the radar.

[Johnny Makarov]

I guess the ONLY good thing with the UCP winning is that Oiler fans are going to pay a part for our new building. They deserve at least 2 banners for giving us millions...

[Derek Sutton]

Originally Posted by Muta

Not sure who albertaworker.ca is, but here's a site tracking notices of doctor/office closures/departures in Alberta. Updated as recently as today:

https://albertaworker.ca/news/a-list...g-doctor-care/

Kim Siever, reasonable person
https://globalnews.ca/news/8887330/c...e-pride-month/

This site has nothing to do with Net +/- doctors in the province.... Many of the stories also go back to the provinces/ doctors compensation disagreements and resignations and notices were retracted. I know the doctor shortage is a crisis in the province, but if someone is looking for incomplete information, Kim does a great job!! This is the equivalent of referencing the Western Standard.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by Captain Otto

I haven't posted much in here but how does a guy like Yoho come to terms with this?

He doesn't; he just tells others to get over it. If he does bother responding, it's either patronizing people that don't vote UCP, or it's something something Notley/Trudeau/Jagmeet alliance, WEF, freedom convoy, Monster energy drinks and Oakleys, yadda yadda yadda.... so in other words, the regular ramblings of tired and uneducated right-wing bull####.

[belsarius]

Originally Posted by Derek Sutton

Kim Siever, reasonable person
https://globalnews.ca/news/8887330/c...e-pride-month/

This site has nothing to do with Net +/- doctors in the province.... Many of the stories also go back to the provinces/ doctors compensation disagreements and resignations and notices were retracted. I know the doctor shortage is a crisis in the province, but if someone is only looking incomplete information, Kim does a great job!! This is the equivalent of referencing the Western Standard.

What does the article about Kim Siever painting their house rainbow have to do with doctors in the province? It looks awesome.

[pepper24]

Glad the UPC won and best choice IMO. Alberta is a conservative province and will always be one.

NDP had an uphill battle not campaigning on their record when in office and instead going after Danielle Smith.

It was over when they got Todd Hirsch involved and knew that would hurt them in Calgary. The backlash from the firework debacle didn't help either.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by pepper24

Glad the UPC won and best choice IMO. Alberta is a conservative province and will always be one.

I’d say right now only around 52% of the voting public is conservative.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by pepper24

It was over when they got Todd Hirsch involved and knew that would hurt them in Calgary.

Wait what?!!?