The Alison Redford transgressions thread. Update- Redford quits.

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I didn't realize how weak the PC party's bull pen was in terms of leadership potential.

The fact that 3 years ago, Redford can win the leadership race with no party support except for some bought teachers' votes already showed how week the PC bull pen was.

But if you take Smith, Brian May and Sherman out, their parties look pretty weak too.

Provincial politic is small potato in the grand scheme of things. Nobody bats an eye on these guys outside of their own province. I see this three level of governmentship in Canada a waste of resources in these days and age where information travels by electrons.

[Slava]

Ya but can you imagine the awesomeness of a Lukaszuk vs. Rob Anderson election? Just for the viewers it would be great!

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

He claimed that the hotel wi-fi was not secure. Whether that excuse is acceptable or not I will leave as an exercise to the reader.

Hotel Wifi is about as insecure as you can get, barely a step above Starbucks.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by Rathji

Hotel Wifi is about as insecure as you can get, barely a step above Starbucks.

Ya I was in Chicago last year, and logged into hotel wifi. I always wondered what was floating on the network. So just using Windows Network Browsing I was able to see half a dozen computers. When I clicked in I was looking at a bunch of stuff I probably shouldn't be seeing, photos, bills, work documents.

People basically had their entire My Documents on share with no protection. Blew me away, but in this era of "I click that blue E to get my bingos site" I am not surprised.

[Kjesse]

So the court case itself is under a publication ban, but what I'm hearing is that it wasn't even government business at all-- it was a family dispute involving an MLA who was also in cabinet.

This just gets worse and worse. The PC's are turning out to be total crooks. And I want to like them, actually. A few of the PC MLAs, I actually like very much. But it seems the organization is rotten to the core.

Edit: Annnddd... the Herald has picked this up and has more detail than I: http://www.calgaryherald.com/opinion...041/story.html

[Kjesse]

The CBC has further details, including this gem:

“It turned out that this was a matter that did not touch government,” Lukaszuk said. “The cabinet minister retained independent, privately legal counsel. And that was the end of the matter.”

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmont...ness-1.2748969

So how long until he pulls a Redford and agrees to pay the money back? He handles other things just like her, might as well do this as well.

Edit: The Herald article now also discloses who he was with, see my first post on this issue, I thought it was odd he's with that guy then that guy's firm is handling government business... and perhaps more troubling now is, when pressed to come clean on Monday Lukaszuk effectively lied-- obviously thinking he'd get away with it. He's not competent enough to be a cabinet minister let alone an MLA.

[transplant99]

But but but...the WRA is worse/cant be trusted/lesser of two evils...rabble rabble rabble

[Clarkey]

Luchuckezek has that creepy/ridiculous John Mar haircut. A grown man who sports that lettuce while wearing a business suit is almost guaranteed to be a complete tool.

[CaptainCrunch]

Watching the self destruction that's going on is fascinating political theater.

I wouldn't put it past Prentice or McIver to have arranged for these documents to get out.

[LanceUppercut]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Watching the self destruction that's going on is fascinating political theater.

I wouldn't put it past Prentice or McIver to have arranged for these documents to get out.

I hope it was Prentice's campaign and the CPS can prove the connection to the fraudulent use of an identity. It would provide an amazing amount of hilarity in my humble opinion.

[Dion]

....and then there were two left in the leadership race.

Lukaszuk should do the honourable thing and pay it back an step down as MLA for Castle Downs.

[Tyler]

Originally Posted by Dion

....and then there were two left in the leadership race.

Lukaszuk should do the honourable thing and pay it back an step down as MLA for Castle Downs.

Over a phone bill? You're crazy.

[Resolute 14]

Lukaszuk needs to step down as MLA for the same reason Anders needs to step down as MP.

Both are annoying gits who could be replaced by houseplants with no loss in representation for their constituents.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by transplant99

But but but...the WRA is worse/cant be trusted/lesser of two evils...rabble rabble rabble

That's a great point, but why are you deflecting?

Really the whole thing comes down to trust. The PC's have lost theirs one way or another, so now when something looks the least bit concerning everyone assumes the worst. I have no idea what happened here (and the storyline sounds like something from a soap opera), but as soon as there was a $20k phone bill the public assumes the worst. I think that if this happened to someone in another level of government or from another party the reaction could possibly be different. At least in those scenarios people might give them the benefit of explaining what happened and things like that. The PC's have lost that kind of chance though.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Slava

That's a great point, but why are you deflecting?

Really the whole thing comes down to trust. The PC's have lost theirs one way or another, so now when something looks the least bit concerning everyone assumes the worst. I have no idea what happened here (and the storyline sounds like something from a soap opera), but as soon as there was a $20k phone bill the public assumes the worst. I think that if this happened to someone in another level of government or from another party the reaction could possibly be different. At least in those scenarios people might give them the benefit of explaining what happened and things like that. The PC's have lost that kind of chance though.

You cannot be serious....can you?

You are the grand master of deflecting EVERYTHING the PC's do, and turning it into "well the WRA would be worse or don't have a plan or are making a big deal out of nothing" etc etc.....all the while ignoring....you know....who is/was actually at fault or who/what the story is about.

Remarkable.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Tyler

Over a phone bill? You're crazy.

Its not about the bill itself...but it appears he has been blatently lieing as to what the bill was for.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by transplant99

You cannot be serious....can you?

You are the grand master of deflecting EVERYTHING the PC's do, and turning it into "well the WRA would be worse or don't have a plan or are making a big deal out of nothing" etc etc.....all the while ignoring....you know....who is/was actually at fault or who/what the story is about.

Remarkable.

This is a hilarious post on so many levels. I can't believe what was so obviously a joke got you that riled up! I knew you were pointing that comment at me because you and Resolute so often accuse me of it.

Of course the other comedy comes from the fact that I am a card carrying member of another party (not the PC's). But go on, tell me how I'm their most ardent defender. Just out of curiosity, did you read the other paragraph I wrote beneath my joke?

[RedHot25]

Well, this is now interesting...

http://m.edmontonsun.com/2014/08/27/...m0qOSA.twitter

I'm on a phone so quoting not really available, but according to anonymous opposition MLAs and their staff, Minister Manmeet Bhullar is to have allegedly tried to get them to FOIP Lukasuzuk and Minister Diana McQueen's cell phone bills.

If I remember correctly, isn't Bhullar one of Prentice's campaign co-chairs or something like that?

Edit: quotes from the article below:

An opposition MLA, who would only speak on the condition of anonymity, said he first heard mention of the bill in April 2014 when he received a call from Bhullar, now Minister of Human Services and co-chair of the leadership campaign for Calgary lawyer Jim Prentice.

"It was Minister Bhullar who called me and he wanted to give me information on Diana McQueen and Thomas Lukaszuk's cell bills," said the source, adding "that's not evidence or proof that he's the one who leaked it (to media)."


The MLA declined the alleged offer. A staff member for the MLA confirmed that the MLA told him the same story in April.


A second staff member from a different opposition party, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that he was also approached by Bhullar in April 2014. The pair were discussing the fallout of former premier Alison Redford's tenure at the time.


"He pitched me the story that I should go FOIP Thomas Lukaszuk's cell phone records," said the staff member.

Bhullar vehemently denied the allegations on Wednesday and refused to comment on "legislature hallway gossip."


"I have nothing to do with this (leak) and to insinuate otherwise is defamatory and I will consider all of my legal options," he said.

[nik-]

never mess with Manmeet.

[Schraderbrau]

Originally Posted by Slava

First of all, I can't stand Lukaszuk. Second though, the fact that a company can send that invoice and expect to have it paid is basically criminal. The telecommunications industry in Canada is ridiculous.

This is a great point. Why isn't the media putting more focus on the fact that a cell provider can charge 20k for a phone bill. That's so ridiculous it's funny.