Premier Redford tells schoolkids to beware of such opponents as Wildrose Party

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by Makarov

Perhaps the relevant legislation which granted the Province the authority to collect that revenue requires surpluses to be returned to municipalities?

That may be. I don't claim to be an expert on this legislation. Perhaps you can reference it.

Either way, as I understand it the 50M were excess "educational portion of taxes". So it's very confusing that on one hand they say "we don't have the money to fund new schools" and then on the other they are "here have 50M back, we don't need it".

[troutman]

The Sun and QR 77 should be quiet about Redford, and let her hang herself and the party. When they add to the backlash against her, the PCs will remove her, and increase their chances in the next election substantially.

[corporatejay]

Smart person, horrible politician.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Red-Mile-DJ

Yah, but we're looking to move. So one of the criteria we're looking at is easy (walking distance) access to elementary and junior high schools for our son. Specifically Catholic school. So this narrows down the selection choices of communities. As well as house size (bungalow or split) and several other criteria.

Right now where we live, Martindale, we'd have to drive our son to Elementary or K through 6 school.

Like I said, I'll believe these new schools will go up when they're built or they start building.

Yeah, we live on the wrong side of Martindale for public schools.

Anyway, I've never heard of any schools announced like this before that didn't get built right away.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by troutman

The Sun and QR 77 should be quiet about Redford, and let her hang herself and the party. When they add to the backlash against her, the PCs will remove her, and increase their chances in the next election substantially.

Yes, there are already a lot of rumblings about her review this year.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/04...ership-review/

Was a bit surprised this paragraph made it in there...

Unlike Mr. Stelmach, Ms. Redford has one mark against her that makes the upcoming leadership review even more volatile. Many don’t consider her to be likable. Her office is recording high staff turnover, she’s been known to reduce underlings to tears and, in the words of one senior Tory aide who spoke on condition of anonymity, the screaming matches in her office are “legendary.”

This is pretty common knowledge in political circles - along with her habit of throwing things (staplers, pylons in parking lot, etc) - but I would have thought the media would steer clear of it.

[CaptainCrunch]

I question that she's all that smart. She might be book smart, she might have been decent at her job at the UN, but the bar there is pretty low.

She's been a disaster at every level in this job.

On top of that it still appears that she's spends a lot of time at the trough helping out family members and friends and people with check books.

I'd heard that she is a nasty mean spirited arrogant person behind the scenes, the stuff above is sad to hear.

The Sun and Wildrose' worst night mare is Redford being bounced, but they don't have anybody better behind her that can take up the reigns do they.

Lukaszuk is pretty much a Redford clone and has been an absolute public relations disaster.


Horner is not perceived as all that honest and is the architech of the financial disaster that this government has become

Denis my MLA has a become an absolute joke and basically vanished during the Wildcat strike at the prisons. He's also become an arrogant p$$$k

McIvor has done nothing and looks like a lap dog.

And we don't hear anything from anywhere else.

I mean the logical thing to do is move our Mayor into that role, but will Albertan's vote for another Red Tory after the disaster that is Redford? I don't know.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by First Lady

Yes, there are already a lot of rumblings about her review this year.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/04...ership-review/

Was a bit surprised this paragraph made it in there...



This is pretty common knowledge in political circles - along with her habit of throwing things (staplers, pylons in parking lot, etc) - but I would have thought the media would steer clear of it.

I've always wanted to say this sooooo.


Ahem

Clears throat

"But it goes towards character your honor"

Fist pumps and struts out the door

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I mean the logical thing to do is move our Mayor into that role, but will Albertan's vote for another Red Tory after the disaster that is Redford? I don't know.

Absolutely. Hell, Nenshi's personality alone would make him far easier to elect than Redford, mainly because people wouldn't feel like they have to hold their noses while marking their Xes.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Nenshi would wipe the floor with the Wildrose. They'd win exactly 0 seats in Calgary and Edmonton, and that would be that.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Nenshi would wipe the floor with the Wildrose. They'd win exactly 0 seats in Calgary and Edmonton, and that would be that.

I get the cheerleading for him and whatever, hey voted for him in the last election.. But that party has a huge credibility issue, its not just Redford that's the problem, she's a big part of the problem but she's not the only problem.

He strikes me as having some of the same kind of issues in terms of arrogance and at times struggling to get along with people.

The possible preference for me in this case would be the dreaded minority government.

[crazy_eoj]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I get the cheerleading for him and whatever, hey voted for him in the last election.. But that party has a huge credibility issue, its not just Redford that's the problem, she's a big part of the problem but she's not the only problem.

He strikes me as having some of the same kind of issues in terms of arrogance and at times struggling to get along with people.

The possible preference for me in this case would be the dreaded minority government.

Not to mention one of Nenshi's greatest strengths is his non-affiliation with any distinct party platform.

However, does anyone know how much Calgary's taxes have increased since he has taken office? I think it's effectively somewhere around 15%, could be more especially with the yearly education tax-grabs.

I'm not sure most Albertans would be in favor of that; although if it avoided taking on these huge debts it would be an improvement for the PC's IMO.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Nenshi would wipe the floor with the Wildrose. They'd win exactly 0 seats in Calgary and Edmonton, and that would be that.

IIRC, the Wildrose won exactly 2 seats in Calgary and 0 in Edmonton in the last election. A hypothetical PC Party led by Nenshi doesn't make much of a difference to the urban vote either way, although I suppose it could mean seats in Calgary/Edmonton currently held by the Liberals or NDP might flip blue.

[Edit]
Link to election result map courtesy of wikipedia: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...5/Alta2012.png

[mariners_fever]

Originally Posted by Makarov

I guess, but she's the Premier, so she won't always be able to attend every session of the Legislature. It seems like a bit of a moot point to make.

In any event, I suppose I take your real point, which I presume to be that it was stupid of her to make those kinds of remarks to elementary students. Agreed.

Agreed that she has business to tend to, but the Alberta Legislature sits fewer days than any other legislative body in Canada as it is.

I think even PM Harper shows up for more sessions with as much work he has than Alberta has scheduled legislative sessions.

She seems to suffer from poor scheduling because with how few days the legislature sits, she should have no problem fulfilling both of her obligations.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by First Lady

Either way, as I understand it the 50M were excess "educational portion of taxes". So it's very confusing that on one hand they say "we don't have the money to fund new schools" and then on the other they are "here have 50M back, we don't need it".

Pretty sure this 50M came from eliminating the "growth mitigation formula" of the property tax formula. I don't think it changed the total property tax revenue taken at all, it just leveled the playing field so that some communities (e.g. Blackfalds, Chestermere) stopped getting special treatment at the expense of others (e.g. Calgary, Edmonton).

I could be mistaken about it being revenue-neutral at a province-wide level, but it's my guess based on reading between the lines of the media articles I have read about it. When some journalists don't even manage to tell you that the $50M is annual, there's a lot of reading between the lines that is required.

====================

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Why do you need to pander to 8-year olds? Its not like they can vote, and really, its not like they're going to listen to what adults say anyways.

I think if you'd ask Nenshi, he considers the school visits he made an important part of his campaign. Kids influence their parents.

[nik-]

They need to replace her, but I doubt they have the balls to.

[Frequitude]

Redford's gotta be surrounding herself with idiots. She's just so terrible at delivering her message without looking like an idiot herself.

Doubt she makes it out of the PC leadership vote alive. If the PC's are smart that is.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Nenshi would wipe the floor with the Wildrose. They'd win exactly 0 seats in Calgary and Edmonton, and that would be that.

Nenshi with more taxing power would be scary thing. As a mayor he is fine, you can only increase property taxes so much.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by First Lady

Maybe if she attended more sessions at the Legislature she wouldn't feel do compelled to lash out elsewhere.

Agreed! She comes across as thin skinned and I realy think she's feeling the heat of the pollling results and the constant attacks her party is getting from the WRP. Desperate times call for desperate measures and it's clear to me she is in panic mode and fearful of the leadership convention coming up.

The best thing the PC party could do is jettison Redford and attempt to rebuild voter confidence under a new party leader.

[GreenLantern2814]

Why would you waste time politicking directly to people who are a decade away from voting? Does she actually think parents are going to be swayed on who to vote for based in the endorsement of their school aged child?

She might as well have said 'wild rose is coming for your guns'

[Eric Vail]

I am surprised the Wild Rose gang haven't called for Danielle Smith's head. With all the problems the conservative government have, she has been unable to convince Albertans that they are a viable alternative. I don't see them winning anything significant with her in charge.