Redford Accused of Conflict of Interest

[Slava]

^ I'll admit I voted for them. I think my decision wasn't unlike a lot of voters. I didn't think that he would win (my MLA now), the PC was a floor crosser who lived elsewhere, the Wildrose candidate was a religious right candidate, the Liberals and Alberta Party had parachute candidates. So was I endorsing the NDP policies? Hardly. I just picked the least offensive candidate and figured that the Wildrose or PC would win handily.

I can't even say that I'm ashamed or anything. I didn't think they would win and I certainly didn't think they would get a majority.

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

I agree that the Mandela thing was relatively minor. But it wasn't as simple as the one incident. If that all there was to it then yes I agree that would be a stupid reason to change governments.

That was merely one if many straws that broke the camel's back. I'm not going to bother listing the Redford government's grievances because they've been discussed to death for ages already.

Alberta bled blue to the death prior to her election. Stelmach was a bit of an idiot, but yet we still voted PC without the blink of an eye.

Redford was bad and I don't believe should be defended for her term in office. And not incompetent? This law suit is a pretty solid example of incompetence.

[PaperBagger'14]

I voted NDP, unfortunately. My thought process was similar to many others, wild rose dingbat, complete distrust of the PCs and I'd be dead before voting liberal. The 2nd part of the thought process was that Notley was just spewing a bunch of fluff as far as her campaigning went and that once she was in power, her tune would change. Thirdly I expected a NDP minority.

I was wrong on every part of it, mistakes were made but they won't be made twice.

[nik-]

I'm not sure I understand the mentality of would never vote Liberal so vote NDP. In Canadian politics, your MLA isn't really much of anything, a vote for them is a vote for the party leader and their platform.

[Erick Estrada]

IMO Liberal was the best alternative if you weren't going to vote conservative and I'm no Liberal supporter by any means but just looking at what would have been best for the province if it wasn't goin to be CP.

[Slava]

Its hard though. I gladly would vote Liberal, but I refuse to vote for a parachute candidate who is just a name on a ballot. If you want to be an MLA (or MP when it comes to that), put some effort in.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Mister Yamoto

We the voters are the sole reason that the NDP are in power. That election shouldn't have even happened. Our government fell over a $45,000 travel expense. Getting back that $45,000 (assuming that Redford kept her word and paid the money back) will cost Albertans billions.

Maybe we as society could save a lot of money and be much better off in the long run if we just concede the fact that our leaders need to travel all over the world and that costs money.

Now, I realize that Redford is a perfect example of a politician with a bull#### sense of entitlement. But in this instance I don't think that taking a private jet to Ottawa so she could catch a flight to Nelson Mandellas' funeral (whom she had had history with) was even close to being out of line.

We are becoming a society of finger pointing Rick Bell type ninnys. Ya know what? If the king and queen of Zimbabwe just happen to show up at Allison Redfords' hotel room and then his majesty orders an eight dollar orange juice we the Alberta tax-payers can find a way to cover it. If the king comments on how good the orange juice tastes then order a dozen more glasses because the queen and all of the secret service agents might enjoy a glass as well. No big deal. Same thing for Notley. She should be able to have all the eight dollar orange juice she wants.

And to the PC government being corrupt and incompetent. O.K., I'll give you corrupt. But incompetent? I have read every page on this thread and as far as I can tell there hasn't been one negative comment about her policies. Not one.

The biggest difference between Allison Redfords' government and Rachael Notleys' is that the PCs at least were able give off the impression that they had somewhat of a clue.

Enjoy your $45,000 Albertans. It will cost us billions. This is a decision that we made. Seems like a really bad way to get $45,000 to me.

The thing and one of the only things about Redford that to this day gives me cheer, is that all of her supporters think that she had some mythical high level connection with Mandela. But at the end of the day she flew all the way around the world, screwing the tax payers out of money. And she arrived there and there wasn't even a seat waiting for her at the funeral.

Basically that evil Stephen Harper had to prop over a backstage door so she and a bunch of other government hanger ons could get into the funeral and sit in the cheap seats.

Alison Redford is a completely useless human being, and it goes back to her working with the UN, a completely useless organization that's a make work project for worthless people like her.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Slava

Its hard though. I gladly would vote Liberal, but I refuse to vote for a parachute candidate who is just a name on a ballot. If you want to be an MLA (or MP when it comes to that), put some effort in.

The one election that they didn't have a yogic flyer candidate or a dope party candidate in my riding.

You're welcome Marxist Lenninist party

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Slava

Its hard though. I gladly would vote Liberal, but I refuse to vote for a parachute candidate who is just a name on a ballot. If you want to be an MLA (or MP when it comes to that), put some effort in.

You're saying this as if the NDP put a ton of effort putting people in ridings ahead of the election.

In Canadian politics, a vote for the MLA, regardless of how long they've been there, is a vote for the leader and the party platform. For better or worse.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by nik-

You're saying this as if the NDP put a ton of effort putting people in ridings ahead of the election.

In Canadian politics, a vote for the MLA, regardless of how long they've been there, is a vote for the leader and the party platform. For better or worse.

Actually the guy in my riding worked pretty hard. He realistically had no chance at the outset, but was still out there campaigning. So while the other parties had a name on the ballot and nothing more, he at least tried.

[CliffFletcher]

Albertans were fed up with the PCs. The Wildrose is a non-starter for most urban Albertans - especially women. Opposition to the status quo gathered around the NDP because they had a base already (unlike the Liberals and Alberta party), and because Notley was by far the most appealing and dynamic campaigner. Not sure why that's so hard to understand.

[LanceUppercut]

I wonder how Redford sleeps at night when reflecting on what happened to Alberta after her "reign".

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Originally Posted by LanceUppercut

I wonder how Redford sleeps at night when reflecting on what happened to Alberta after her "reign".

Very comfortably, on a big pile of Murray Edwards' money.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

IMO Liberal was the best alternative if you weren't going to vote conservative and I'm no Liberal supporter by any means but just looking at what would have been best for the province if it wasn't goin to be CP.

The problem with the Liberals is that they have become nothing more than a placeholder for undecided voters. Their leaders are lacking, their policies are invisible, their tiny little tent is shared with the Alberta Party, and with the NDP becoming relevant and the PCs moving to the centre, really have no reason to exist.

So even though they are polling double digits right now, the end result in 2019 is going to be the same thing 2012 and 2015 were: they will move en masse to whatever party they feel is least bad.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

The problem with the Liberals is that they have become nothing more than a placeholder for undecided voters. Their leaders are lacking, their policies are invisible, their tiny little tent is shared with the Alberta Party, and with the NDP becoming relevant and the PCs moving to the centre, really have no reason to exist.

It remains to be seen if the PCs will remain in the centre. I doubt a Kenney-led party would appeal to the same voters who gave the Redford-led PCs 61 seats.

Until the PC/Wild Rose split is sorted out, all bets are off in Alberta politics. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see a minority government after the next election.

[Resolute 14]

Granted, but I think it remains fact that the people currently throwing their support behind the Liberals when Angus Reid calls are doing so only because they aren't sure whether they want to hold their nose and vote PC or hold their nose and vote NDP.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by Mister Yamoto

We the voters are the sole reason that the NDP are in power. That election shouldn't have even happened. Our government fell over a $45,000 travel expense. Getting back that $45,000 (assuming that Redford kept her word and paid the money back) will cost Albertans billions.

Maybe we as society could save a lot of money and be much better off in the long run if we just concede the fact that our leaders need to travel all over the world and that costs money.

No Redford fell because Albertan's have a deep seated hatred of pretentiousness, entitlement, greed, and dishonesty. Funny how the anecdote you posted also references a monarchy and drinking over priced juice. Redford would agree with you, that she is above scrutiny because well she is who she is.

I too am saddened by the NDP running up the middle and getting in power. I can sleep well knowing I voted for Dr. David Swann. I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing I voted for ideological NDP, ideological Wild Rose, Uppity Redford, or opportunistic Prentice.

Ralph Klien was a drunk goofball, but he knew Alberta well. Albertans do like to be ruled, but not overtly. His populism is what kept him going. Redford, Notley, Prentice et al. all show that a less qualified person can go farther than them if they put down the fancy Orange Juice roll up the sleeves and squeeze their own.

It's something Albertan's should be proud of quite frankly. Although sometimes flawed, its a principled stance (Another Albertan characteristic)

[Bill Bumface]

I think the Liberals need to change their party name.

The amount of people that won't vote Liberal because of their distaste for the Federal Liberals is significant, although ridiculous.

That said, the Liberals didn't do themselves many favors. They should have been the next stop for those pissed off with the PCs, but they didn't take advantage.

I was lucky enough to live in David Swann's riding, and what do you know, where they had a strong candidate, they won the riding.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Bill Bumface

The amount of people that won't vote Liberal because of their distaste for the Federal Liberals is significant, although ridiculous.

They should just merge with the Alberta Party and keep the Alberta Party name.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

They should just merge with the Alberta Party and keep the Alberta Party name.

Apparently it's not legal to merge parties in Alberta, not sure why but I doubt the NDP will allow that to change when facing a possible merging on the right. From what I understand you can fold one party but then the party assets are lost, the Liberals probably don't have much for assets anyway but it's a stupid rule.