Calgary - Glenmore by-election called for Sept 14

[longsuffering]

Originally Posted by First Lady

Ha ha, I will still be here regardless of outcome....

If Hinman wins, it may well be the last hurrah for the WRA anyway.

Your Party may not survive the leadership convention. It looks like you've got one viable candidate and two anti-gay, anti-abortion fringe candidates. One is an outright loon, who fought gay pride demonstrators.

For two candidates the most important issue seems to be their right to speak out against the evils of homosexuality.

There appears to be a ton of in fighting and name calling already.

Even if Danielle Smith wins the leadership, the Party may well be splintered.

http://www.bloggingtories.ca/forums/topic7885.html

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by longsuffering

If Hinman wins, it may well be the last hurrah for the WRA anyway.

Your Party may not survive the leadership convention. It looks like you've got one viable candidate and two anti-gay, anti-abortion fringe candidates. One is an outright loon, who fought gay pride demonstrators.

For two candidates the most important issue seems to be their right to speak out against the evils of homosexuality.

There appears to be a ton of in fighting and name calling already.

Even if Danielle Smith wins the leadership, the Party may well be splintered.

http://www.bloggingtories.ca/forums/topic7885.html

It begs the question then, where is the party heading? For those of you who don't think the PCs are being true to their conservative roots anymore and would like a change, why wait until after the leadership convention to see who wins? Why not join and have a vote so the leader you would like to see wins?

The only way to make the party a viable alternative is to have a strong membership elect the right leader. The only way to get the Conservatives out of office is to have a viable alternative.

[REDVAN]

Originally Posted by Rerun

FYI.... here is a picture of the riding

This riding covers the mid south west portion of Calgary and contains the neighborhoods of Palliser, Pump Hill, Oakridge, Bayview, Southwood, Haysboro, Braeside and Cedarbrae.






If I lived in this riding I'd vote for Diane Colley-Urquhart.

EDIT: you mean the provincial riding... not the ward 13 like I thought. Sorry for the mistake.

ward 13 doesn't include oakridge/braeside etc

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by longsuffering

If Hinman wins, it may well be the last hurrah for the WRA anyway.

Your Party may not survive the leadership convention. It looks like you've got one viable candidate and two anti-gay, anti-abortion fringe candidates. One is an outright loon, who fought gay pride demonstrators.

For two candidates the most important issue seems to be their right to speak out against the evils of homosexuality.

There appears to be a ton of in fighting and name calling already.

Even if Danielle Smith wins the leadership, the Party may well be splintered.

Thankfully I am subject to this:

http://www.wildrosealliance.ca/content/view/161/190/

So I can't say anything about the topic you have brought up.... which is anyway.

[flamingreen]

Originally Posted by longsuffering

If Hinman wins, it may well be the last hurrah for the WRA anyway.

Your Party may not survive the leadership convention. It looks like you've got one viable candidate and two anti-gay, anti-abortion fringe candidates. One is an outright loon, who fought gay pride demonstrators.

For two candidates the most important issue seems to be their right to speak out against the evils of homosexuality.

There appears to be a ton of in fighting and name calling already.

Even if Danielle Smith wins the leadership, the Party may well be splintered.

http://www.bloggingtories.ca/forums/topic7885.html

Jeff Willerton's website is good for a few laughs. Comparing himself to John Diefenbaker, Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln had me rolling. Not to mention his paragraph on how he isn't a separatist by outlining how we will separate if the Liberals were ever elected again. What a goof.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by REDVAN

Too bad ward 13 couldn't have correct representation. I'd run, if I had election money.

Your failure to show up for key games against CP SW Softball would definitely become a political issue!

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Personally, I think it would send a bigger message than electing the Liberals would.

Lose the seat to Roberts, and the PCs might consider it just a case of centrist voters switching over, perhaps as a one time thing as noted in a previous by-election in the last legislature.

Lose a seat to the WRA, and it would be a sign that the PCs are bleeding support in multiple directions. Because if the more conservative voters are moving away, they can also be certain the moderates will be moving as well.

It wouldn't be the first time that the WRA has taken a seat from the Tories and we saw the enormous impact that had. In fact the seat that they took prior was Cardston Taber Warner which I would say was considered one of the safest in the province! If anyone wins this other than the Tories it sends a similar message to them. If someone steals the seat and holds it in the next general election though that would be interesting for sure.

[moon]

Originally Posted by FireFly

why wait until after the leadership convention to see who wins? Why not join and have a vote so the leader you would like to see wins?

Many people already have done that and because of the stupid election process the third choice won and the party got an incompetent boob as a leader. Not sure that instills much confidence in people to use the leadership convention to change the party.

Originally Posted by Slava

It wouldn't be the first time that the WRA has taken a seat from the Tories and we saw the enormous impact that had. In fact the seat that they took prior was Cardston Taber Warner which I would say was considered one of the safest in the province! If anyone wins this other than the Tories it sends a similar message to them. If someone steals the seat and holds it in the next general election though that would be interesting for sure.

It wouldn't be the first time a Liberal has taken a seat and we have seen repeatedly the enormous impact that that has had.

Voting for the WRA may not mean much to the PC's but it at least means as much as voting for a Liberal does. Both parties have about as much power and relevance in provincial politics and adding one more MLA from either party doesn't effect the PC's at all.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by moon

Many people already have done that and because of the stupid election process the third choice won and the party got an incompetent boob as a leader. Not sure that instills much confidence in people to use the leadership convention to change the party.



It wouldn't be the first time a Liberal has taken a seat and we have seen repeatedly the enormous impact that that has had.

Voting for the WRA may not mean much to the PC's but it at least means as much as voting for a Liberal does. Both parties have about as much power and relevance in provincial politics and adding one more MLA from either party doesn't effect the PC's at all.

I think that it has an effect for sure. Last time when the Liberals took Elbow Calgary suddenly got representation in the cabinet and more resources began to be focused here. The campaign for the Tories to re-take this riding wasn't exactly a landslide and they pushed very hard to make that happen.

My point is that the WRA winning the seat is a pure protest vote. Its no more impactful than the greens winning the seat, or an independent.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Slava

I think that it has an effect for sure.

Of course you do.

Last time when the Liberals took Elbow Calgary suddenly got representation in the cabinet and more resources began to be focused here. The campaign for the Tories to re-take this riding wasn't exactly a landslide and they pushed very hard to make that happen.

My point is that the WRA winning the seat is a pure protest vote. Its no more impactful than the greens winning the seat, or an independent.

But people are talking about making their vote as a protest vote because they are unhappy with Stelmach.

In terms of showing the PC's that you are unhappy with them and trying to get them to change their platform, a vote for the Liberals isn't going to make the PC's change what they do anymore than a vote for the WRA is.

Perhaps a vote for the Liberals might get the riding more concessions, but in terms of sending Ed a message both parties are so irrelevant that voting for either isn't going to make a difference either way.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by Rerun

I don't see a problem with that unless it interferes with performing her duties as an alderman (alderwoman?).

If you decided to run for election, would you quit your job before you were actually elected? I doubt it. There aren't many of us who could afford to do that... just the very wealthy.

How many employers would allow to collect your pay when you don't show up for over a month; or in Dianes case over 3 months !!

Now that the writ has dropped, I have this as a poll question on my blog.

http://janemorgan.blogspot.com/

Should Diane Colley-Urquhart take a leave of absence "without" pay from her Aldermanic position?

[First Lady]

Well Ms Colley-Urquhart has had a change of heart.

Now she's not even taking a leave of absence.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/sto...socialcomments

I guess that confirms that she will be keeping the salary paid while out campaigning since June.

Still time to vote on my poll. http://janemorgan.blogspot.com/

[Slava]

"But Wildrose Alliance candidate Paul Hinman says the matter is between Colley-Urquhart and voters in Ward 13."

Way to take a stand

Did you close your business when you ran last time around FL?

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by Slava

"But Wildrose Alliance candidate Paul Hinman says the matter is between Colley-Urquhart and voters in Ward 13."

Way to take a stand

Did you close your business when you ran last time around FL?

I did; both times and lost a number of clients because of it. There are not many private individuals or businesses that will put up with losing an employee for the 30 or so days of an election; let alone the 100+ she claims to have been campaigning.

The other important distinction is that her salary is paid by taxpayers dollars.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by First Lady

I did; both times and lost a number of clients because of it. There are not many private individuals or businesses that will put up with losing an employee for the 30 or so days of an election; let alone the 100+ she claims to have been campaigning.

The other important distinction is that her salary is paid by taxpayers dollars.

This might shock you, but we agree again here FL! Diane CU attending city functions while obviously in the midst of the campaign is ridiculous. She is currently the deputy mayor no less (I am pretty sure that is a rotated position between all of the alderman) and this affords her more publicity.

I am a hypocrite here though, in the sense that if I were to run I would not give up my practice. I would hire someone on, or make some arrangements to have someone help me out, but almost certainly not give up my business.

[yads]

Originally Posted by Slava

This might shock you, but we agree again here FL! Diane CU attending city functions while obviously in the midst of the campaign is ridiculous. She is currently the deputy mayor no less (I am pretty sure that is a rotated position between all of the alderman) and this affords her more publicity.

I am a hypocrite here though, in the sense that if I were to run I would not give up my practice. I would hire someone on, or make some arrangements to have someone help me out, but almost certainly not give up my business.

Right, but you likely wouldn't run for office unless you could take a leave of absence no? Besides, even if you did, your practice is a private venture. If it's impacted by the campaign, you're the only one (and your family I guess) that would suffer the consequences. However, she is in public office and if she can't perform her duties. We as tax payers (whom she is only concerned about when it benefits her political standing) suffer.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by yads

Right, but you likely wouldn't run for office unless you could take a leave of absence no? Besides, even if you did, your practice is a private venture. If it's impacted by the campaign, you're the only one (and your family I guess) that would suffer the consequences. However, she is in public office and if she can't perform her duties. We as tax payers (whom she is only concerned about when it benefits her political standing) suffer.

You're right here. But I would also argue that Ward 13 hasn't been negatively affected by her campaigning. As far as I can tell she did nothing for us before, and the trend continues as she campaigns. Its bothersome that she gets the free publicity and in effect gets paid by the tax payer to campaign though.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by Slava

You're right here. But I would also argue that Ward 13 hasn't been negatively affected by her campaigning. As far as I can tell she did nothing for us before, and the trend continues as she campaigns.

I had a commenter on my blog had this to say;

I live in ward 13. One thing I have notices since my Alderman's absence from her duties is a certain ongoing problem on my block is being dealt with unlike the YEARS previous while she was 'watching out for us'.

Originally Posted by Slava

Its bothersome that she gets the free publicity and in effect gets paid by the tax payer to campaign though.

Exactly. She attended an event this past week as the "Deputy Mayor". She had her picture taken with Harper and was blogging and tweeting about it like it was an endorsement.