Alberta Politics & Government Thread 3.0

[Slava]

Originally Posted by puffnstuff

In regards to Smith having her husband at meetings...
From the article I posted previously
Asked at a June press conference in Calgary about Moretta's participation in meetings, the premier said her husband's advice has been useful.

"My husband's an adviser to me, and that's allowed because he's married to me, so I can ask for his advice on anything I choose," Smith said. "And he happens to have 25 years in media, much of it covering issues of rail. And so I asked for his advice as we had a multitude of different projects coming forward to seek guidance on the path forward."

Spouse of Rachel Notley, Lou Arab, posted this on threads
I am married to former Alberta Premier Rachel Notley.
When she was in office, despite my having two decades of professional experience in labour relations, I was not allowed within 10 light years of setting labour policy.
I was not actually allowed to lobby any minister on ANY subject whatsoever.
And that wasn’t just good ethics, that was the law. Enforced by the ethics commissionor.
Danielle Smith is full of it.

Of course, there's an issue there. He might be the most excellent expert the world has ever known on rail or whatever topic...but he was never elected. You can't just have the guy involved in policy decisions because his wife is the Premier. Can anyone imagine a business where the wife of the CEO was making decisions or involved in this? The knives would be out immediately.

[Fuzz]

He really likes trains, and his wife wants to make him a happy man, so she's gonna make sure taxpayers get him his train set. It's a good thing he's not into rockets.


Not any more complicated than that.

[Geraldsh]

In your typical small business you will find the wife is the receptionist/office manager/brains behind the company - I don’t think that’s the case here.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Geraldsh

In your typical small business you will find the wife is the receptionist/office manager/brains behind the company - I don’t think that’s the case here.

Possible. But, there are no brains involved in this operation.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Geraldsh

In your typical small business you will find the wife is the receptionist/office manager/brains behind the company - I don’t think that’s the case here.

I agree, but we're not talking about a small business here. This is more like a big, publicly traded organization if we're using that kind of comparison. There is no way that any company with good governance and a proper board of directors would tolerate that kind of thing.

[Locke]

Its all coming together...

[Geraldsh]

Originally Posted by Slava

I agree, but we're not talking about a small business here. This is more like a big, publicly traded organization if we're using that kind of comparison. There is no way that any company with good governance and a proper board of directors would tolerate that kind of thing.

True, but her actions put me in mind of a radio host trying to run a small business on the side. A little grifting to her husband is icing on the cake for her.

[KelVarnsen]

I am more surprised someone actually got married to Marlaina then the UCP being corrupt

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by puffnstuff

In regards to Smith having her husband at meetings...
From the article I posted previously
Asked at a June press conference in Calgary about Moretta's participation in meetings, the premier said her husband's advice has been useful.

"My husband's an adviser to me, and that's allowed because he's married to me, so I can ask for his advice on anything I choose," Smith said. "And he happens to have 25 years in media, much of it covering issues of rail. And so I asked for his advice as we had a multitude of different projects coming forward to seek guidance on the path forward."

Spouse of Rachel Notley, Lou Arab, posted this on threads
I am married to former Alberta Premier Rachel Notley.
When she was in office, despite my having two decades of professional experience in labour relations, I was not allowed within 10 light years of setting labour policy.
I was not actually allowed to lobby any minister on ANY subject whatsoever.
And that wasn’t just good ethics, that was the law. Enforced by the ethics commissionor.
Danielle Smith is full of it.

No! You absolutely cannot!
I'm sure there are a whole lot of things that are/should be confidential that someone should not be privy to just because they are your spouse.

Neither my wife nor I are the Premiere, and there are a ton of work things we aren't allowed to talk to each other about.

[Julio]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

No! You absolutely cannot!
I'm sure there are a whole lot of things that are/should be confidential that someone should not be privy to just because they are your spouse.

Neither my wife nor I are the Premiere, and there are a ton of work things we aren't allowed to talk to each other about.

She's not also in the Ministry of Awesome?

[Fuzz]

Sometimes announcements that seem good or innocuous tend to have hidden agendas, and I think this is one of them.

Improving private land conservation

Alberta’s government is investing $10 million and making it easier for landowners to conserve natural areas while keeping people working.

Cool!

Improved program, new name

Under the newly created Private Land Conservation Program, formerly the Land Trust Grant Program, funding will be distributed to Alberta-based land trusts only, ensuring money meant for conservation in Alberta stays in the province and benefits Albertans. New term conservation easements will also ensure maximum flexibility for future landowners while still protecting the environment. Term conservation easements, which can last up to 50 years, offer an effective way to conserve land for a generation while allowing future flexibility for landowners and communities.

https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?x...F831B185C7EE6C


Keeping the money in Canada makes sense, but this feels like another attempt to put up another wall against the rest of the country. One agency, the Nature Conservancy of Canada has done a lot for Alberta. But I guess they'll be shut out of grant money now...for...reasons?

The Nature Conservancy of Canada's first project in Alberta was in 1970 with the acquisition of Wagner Natural Area — 130 hectares of highly significant wetland habitat. Since then, we have protected close to 455,000 hectares of this province's most ecologically significant land and water. Today, the Alberta Region continues to work with our partners to protect and steward Alberta's natural heritage.

https://www.natureconservancy.ca/en/...-work/alberta/


And now they will also have 50 year term limits? I don't know much about these, and they sure don't share much but that seems new and slid in. Will be interesting to see how agencies respond to this, but my gut feeling is we lose a lot of national organizations and the collective good they do, and will have Alberta specific ones. Is that better? Maybe if you want to separate from Canada...


Was this a thing that needed fixing, or is this part of the broader strategy of sovereignty focused stuff that doesn't make sense through any other lens? I don't trust them.

[Fuzz]

Applicants
Land Trusts based in Alberta that operate and deliver conservation programs exclusively in Alberta and that are not associated with any entity operating outside of Alberta are eligible to apply

https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/af6f...-2025-2026.pdf


They really want to make it clear that "#### you and #### off Canada, you suck" is our mantra, don't they?


I wonder how many new Alberta conservation organizations pop up that are run by UCP friendly stooges that find new ways to siphon tax dollars...

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Julio

She's not also in the Ministry of Awesome?

She didn't apply...thats a blast from the past!

[Faust]

David Moretta has in-depth experience in owning a train car:

https://rabble.ca/politics/canadian-...t-up-for-sale/