Alberta Politics Thread

[the_only_turek_fan]

Originally Posted by Slava

What's the end game here then? Like what master plan is there for this to somehow gain her something?

And really, how shocking is it that people wrote insults on her nomination papers? I am not shocked by this at all, as we all know there is some bad blood between these groups.

Public sympathy and maybe re-entering the race as a victim of Jason Kenney?

No one drops out this early unless there is a fundraising or support issue.

[Bootsy]

Another view from the president of the PCYA.

https://www.facebook.com/sonia.kont....78648329358331

I think the reason for Sandra Jansen and Donna Kennedy-Glans dropping out has a lot to do with the big splash Kenney made at the PC convention and how well Richard Starke did at the forum. They underestimated Kenney and realized splitting votes between 5 delegates who don't want to merge with the Wildrose and Kenney who does would not be wise. I wouldn't be surprised if other candidates drop out soon and back Starke, as I see him has the best bet to beat Kenney.

I don't doubt there was some harassment towards Jansen I also don't doubt she's playing it up. The harassment a side which is always wrong, I'm happy she is out of the race. I don't see her as a centrist , shes a liberal and carries the same entitlement that the previous PC's got voted out for.

I watched the forum on the facebook feed and could definitely get on board with Starke , who I view as a true centrist more in touch with average Albertans than someone like Jansen.
I could also see myself voting Kenney because I don't think merging with the Wildrose would be a bad thing but it has to be under the right circumstances.
There is a misconception that all Wildrose members are hardcore social conservatives. There's a big section of Wildrose members that are center right who disdain big government but don't think religion and politics should mix, they only moved to Wildrose because of Stelmach or Redford, these members could easily fit in with center right PCs.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by Slava

What's the end game here then? Like what master plan is there for this to somehow gain her something?

And really, how shocking is it that people wrote insults on her nomination papers? I am not shocked by this at all, as we all know there is some bad blood between these groups.

Watching from afar it would seem her end game is one or both of two outcomes, of which the political narrative benefits from trumping up what happened to her on the weekend.

Outcome #1 - Her claim all along is that she's a centrist Albertan who espouses to a progressive agenda. The PC party under Kenny will no longer fit the definition of progressive so if she can see that she doesn't stand a chance of winning the leadership then she can rally behind a PC establishment candidate who best can fend off Kenney ala Starke

Outcome #2 - She can leave the PC party completely and join the NDP. She can use her version of what happened on the weekend of further evidence that the PC party has 'abandoned the centre' to benefit her re-alignment.

She doesn't strike me as someone who's ambitions would leave her comfortable being a government backbench MLA (which is all she would be in a Jason Kenny led PC government) or serving very long in opposition (which is probably what moving to the Liberals or Alberta Party would mean for her). So if she doesn't think she can win the PC leadership then her Plan A would be to rally around Starke, and if he wins, he owes her one and she would stand to be a cabinet minister again. If he loses, then she can leave the party and cross to the NDP who could benefit from her defection and make her an obvious choice to be named a cabinet minister there.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by Bootsy

I could also see myself voting Kenney because I don't think merging with the Wildrose would be a bad thing but it has to be under the right circumstances.
There is a misconception that all Wildrose members are hardcore social conservatives. There's a big section of Wildrose members that are center right who disdain big government but don't think religion and politics should mix, they only moved to Wildrose because of Stelmach or Redford, these members could easily fit in with center right PCs.

Sounds like me.

[GGG]

When did the PCs go back to a leadership convention rather than member vote?

[Bownesian]

Talks to change the process happened after the Alberta Teacher's Union hijacked the party and we ended up with Alison Redford.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

They underestimated Kenney and realized splitting votes between 5 delegates who don't want to merge with the Wildrose and Kenney who does would not be wise.

It's a delegated convention... vote splitting doesn't matter since delegates can just move on subsequent ballots.

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

She doesn't strike me as someone who's ambitions would leave her comfortable being a government backbench MLA (which is all she would be in a Jason Kenny led PC government) or serving very long in opposition (which is probably what moving to the Liberals or Alberta Party would mean for her).

I dunno... if we're talking political fan fiction here then I think it'd be interesting to see the ALP basically fold up shop (they're practically dead already) and basically get absorbed into the Alberta Party then have a big chunk of the remaining PC caucus (led by Sandra Jansen) cross the floor to the Alberta Party.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Parallex

It's a delegated convention... vote splitting doesn't matter since delegates can just move on subsequent ballots.



I dunno... if we're talking political fan fiction here then I think it'd be interesting to see the ALP basically fold up shop (they're practically dead already) and basically get absorbed into the Alberta Party then have a big chunk of the remaining PC caucus (led by Sandra Jansen) cross the floor to the Alberta Party.

Who do you think has less at this point? The ALP or Alberta Party? To me it looks like a pair of parties, both with zero and rather than cooperating in any way they're going bash each others brains in for 4th place. The lack of pragmatism is astounding really! And these people want to govern the province.

[Resolute 14]

The latest polls argue the Alberta Party is dead. The problem with the Liberals flirting with 10% provincially and 12% in Calgary and Edmonton is how flighty that is. They are basically a proxy for undecided, and given the division in Alberta politics right now are more likely to go NDP or PC depending on need. It would be interesting to see if they can find someone to lead that allows that very soft support to stay put.

Edit: looking at 308's polling averages, I note with quite a bit of surprise that the latest update (to October 22), has a statistical dead heat in Edmonton: 32.2 NDP against 31.2 PC. Even in her stronghold, Notley is falling like a rock. That is something the PC party should consider when looking at whether someone like Kenney would work as a potential leader.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Slava

Who do you think has less at this point? The ALP or Alberta Party? To me it looks like a pair of parties, both with zero and rather than cooperating in any way they're going bash each others brains in for 4th place. The lack of pragmatism is astounding really! And these people want to govern the province.

To me it seems obvious that you keep the Alberta Party, or at least the name. For every person in this province who has some kind of affinity for the Liberal Party, there are two or three for whom the brand is toxic. There is no net gain from using the Liberal brand versus some random party name.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Slava

Who do you think has less at this point? The ALP or Alberta Party?

Less present support? Probably the Alberta Party... who has their #### together less? Probably the ALP.

The ALP is at this point an old tired brand. The Alberta Party at least has a chance to be the new hotness. If Clarke could get Swann (plus what meager organizational support the ALP has) to join him and then draw in disaffected centrist Tories I think that could trigger something.

[Dion]

Great Western Brewing, Steam Whistle granted injunction against NDP beer markup

An Alberta court has sided with two out-of-province breweries and granted an injunction against Alberta's new beer markup policy.

Ontario-based Steam Whistle Brewing and Saskatchewan-based Great Western Brewing Company have both alleged that the new rules announced by the Alberta government in August are unconstitutional, in that they build barriers against craft brewers from outside the province.

"We are very pleased by the court’s judgment, as this decision will enable us to continue our efforts to encourage freedom, competition, and fairness in the marketplace,” said Great Western CEO Michael Micovcin in a statement.

"Steam Whistle took on this crusade with the intention to make beer tax policy fair and equitable in all jurisdictions across the country," said Steam Whistle Brewing co-founder Greg Taylor in a statement. "We applaud Saskatchewan’s leadership with its recent introduction of a new graduated craft beer tax program open to any brewer, regardless of origin. This is the future for craft beer in Canada.”

http://www.calgarysun.com/2016/11/10...dp-beer-markup

[Locke]

Yeah...thats like Rachel Notley standing underneath the basket at an NBA slam-dunk competition. Nothing but net.

I cant believe this clown and co. represents us. I hate to imagine how many clowns they left in the car.

[Resolute 14]

The government is now oh-for-two in this regard. Now the question: Do they try a third time to pass an unconstitutional tax? Or do they finally yield to reality and just let sleeping dogs lie?

[IliketoPuck]

The price of beer caused me to stop drinking beer.

Now I'm in the best shape of my life having lost ten pounds.

My soul is so very conflicted.

Thanks Notley?

[CliffFletcher]

The cost of beer has become ridiculous. There has to be a limit to what the market will bear.

[Weitz]

I literally think that the difference in Trump and Notley will be this:

Trump realized he was voted in as a protest vote and will try and make everyone happy. Notley is so thick headed that she thinks she has a mandate to do whatever she wants. And is slowly but surely trying to kill this province with #### plans.

[Resolute 14]

I honestly don't think Trump cares about anyone but himself. He will do what he wants, and if it makes someone else happy, that's largely by fluke. The real question is what the people pulling his strings in the background want.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Locke

Yeah...thats like Rachel Notley standing underneath the basket at an NBA slam-dunk competition. Nothing but net.

I cant believe this clown and co. represents us. I hate to imagine how many clowns they left in the car.

[CaptainCrunch]

Notley and Ceci versus the Beer Companies