The Alison Redford transgressions thread. Update- Redford quits.

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by Handsome B. Wonderful

Redford said rumours that she drank to excess, cheated on her husband and once slapped a Sheriff across the face were orchestrated against her by the opposition

I thought she was divorced so I don't know where 2 time her hubby came from.

[Dion]

She can't get a job due to the way she left the party. That interview was all about rebuilding an image she thinks she can repair. Throw everyone under the bus and garner some sympathy.

Good luck with that Redford!

[Slava]

Originally Posted by darklord700

I thought she was divorced so I don't know where 2 time her hubby came from.

I thought she was divorced also, otherwise I guess I definitely heard the rumours there and didn't even realize it. Politicians can do whatever they want in their personal lives though, I couldn't possibly care less.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by darklord700

I thought she was divorced so I don't know where 2 time her hubby came from.

She is divorced from her first husband but I have not heard anything about a divorce from her second husband.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Handsome B. Wonderful

Redford said rumours that she drank to excess, cheated on her husband and once slapped a Sheriff across the face were orchestrated against her by the opposition

This was such a very well orchestrated smear campaign that I've never heard these rumours until now. And if you google them, there's no results. Someone just wants to portray herself as a victim.

Ha. For sure.

I followed along at least to the level of watching the news and reading the paper, and I never heard any of this either. And even if these rumours were out there, they aren't why she got in trouble.

And come on, it's Alberta! We're going to tsk tsk tsk a politician for drinking too much? I don't think so.

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by redforever

She is divorced from her first husband but I have not heard anything about a divorce from her second husband.

I don't she was married while being the premier because she kept bringing up the fact that being a single mom entitled her to certain perks, like flying her daughter together with her.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by darklord700

I don't she was married while being the premier because she kept bringing up the fact that being a single mom entitled her to certain perks, like flying her daughter together with her.

I am not sure if she referred to herself as a single mom...maybe working mom?

Anyhow, she missed the boat on the issue of travelling with her daughter. She could have aligned herself with working parents and the problems that all working parents face these days. Instead she hid the fact that she travelled with her daughter to get in some mother/daughter time.

And those gov't planes cost the same if travelling with one passenger, or two, or ten. If she would have explained that, she might have got some sympathy from the electorate.

That was one of her main problems. Outside of meeting one on one with some flood victims in High river and holding the PC Stampede barbecue there, you just never saw her interacting with Albertans.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by redforever

I am not sure if she referred to herself as a single mom...maybe working mom?

Anyhow, she missed the boat on the issue of travelling with her daughter. She could have aligned herself with working parents and the problems that all working parents face these days. Instead she hid the fact that she travelled with her daughter to get in some mother/daughter time.

And those gov't planes cost the same if travelling with one passenger, or two, or ten. If she would have explained that, she might have got some sympathy from the electorate.

That was one of her main problems. Outside of meeting one on one with some flood victims in High river and holding the PC Stampede barbecue there, you just never saw her interacting with Albertans.

She tried the working mother thing, in fact she had and I forget who it was, but one of her cabinet members snottily screaming at reporters that she had the right to do it because she was a working mother.

It fell flat because even most working mothers realize that they have to sacrifice, but their companies wouldn't let her put in expenses on the company car to drive her daughter to banff and then bill the hotel over the weekend to the employer.

And it costs the same whether a plane has two or ten passengers, that's not the point. But because she was using it as a ferrying service for her and her daughter, or her nanny outside of government business, it was costs that shouldn't have been incurred.

Frankly whenever I look at Redford, she was a useless combination of arrogant, worthless and a political opportunist who was more interested in the benefits of the job then doing her job.

She should go down as not only one of the worst premiers of her time, but as one of the worst public servants of her day and age and that's pretty tough when she's competing with Kathleen Wynne.

She's a cautionary tail of what happens when your so arrogant and so deluded that nothing else matters, the only thing that would have been a better service to this province if if she had been fired publicly instead of being allowed to resign.

Just reading that interview is infuriating because its a masterfull piece of taking a very large clump of BS and spreading it on a piece of bread with a smile and expecting us to eat it and thank her.

I would hope that every employer looks at that interview and her record as premier and laughs in her face when she approaches them for employment.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

She tried the working mother thing, in fact she had and I forget who it was, but one of her cabinet members snottily screaming at reporters that she had the right to do it because she was a working mother.

It fell flat because even most working mothers realize that they have to sacrifice, but their companies wouldn't let her put in expenses on the company car to drive her daughter to banff and then bill the hotel over the weekend to the employer.

And it costs the same whether a plane has two or ten passengers, that's not the point. But because she was using it as a ferrying service for her and her daughter, or her nanny outside of government business, it was costs that shouldn't have been incurred.

Frankly whenever I look at Redford, she was a useless combination of arrogant, worthless and a political opportunist who was more interested in the benefits of the job then doing her job.

She should go down as not only one of the worst premiers of her time, but as one of the worst public servants of her day and age and that's pretty tough when she's competing with Kathleen Wynne.

She's a cautionary tail of what happens when your so arrogant and so deluded that nothing else matters, the only thing that would have been a better service to this province if if she had been fired publicly instead of being allowed to resign.

Just reading that interview is infuriating because its a masterfull piece of taking a very large clump of BS and spreading it on a piece of bread with a smile and expecting us to eat it and thank her.

I would hope that every employer looks at that interview and her record as premier and laughs in her face when she approaches them for employment.

As I said, she missed the whole boat on the working mother thing and totally mishandled it.

You don't earn brownie points by having someone from your cabinet snottily trying to explain your actions. That was the responsibility of Alison Redford.

If she had been upfront from the beginning and perhaps had a public conversation as to her travel intents with her daughter, at the same time saying there would be no cost to the electorate, she might have come across as reasonable and approachable.

But that was never her style and I doubt she is capable of it. Instead she covered things up and was consequently always on the defensive.

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by redforever

As I said, she missed the whole boat on the working mother thing and totally mishandled it.

You don't earn brownie points by having someone from your cabinet snottily trying to explain your actions. That was the responsibility of Alison Redford.

If she had been upfront from the beginning and perhaps had a public conversation as to her travel intents with her daughter, at the same time saying there would be no cost to the electorate, she might have come across as reasonable and approachable.

But that was never her style and I doubt she is capable of it. Instead she covered things up and was consequently always on the defensive.

Ditto on the $45k South African trip, she spent more time/energy into denying all knowledge and throwing her staff under the bus that ended up looking so much worse for her then if she had simply owned up.

Instead of just owning up to it "I felt it was important for me and my staff to be there" she went on the defensive, and ended up looking incompetent as a result.

[OMG!WTF!]

Originally Posted by jaydorn

Instead of just owning up to it "I felt it was important for me and my staff to be there" she went on the defensive, and ended up looking incompetent as a result.

The problem is, it wasn't important for her or her staff to be there. Canada was well represented federally as were most countries by their heads of state. Redford worked with the guy for a while so it was important for her personally to be there. There was no "owning up to" a freebie trip.

[darklord700]

Owning up was nerver Queen Alison's style. Morale of the story is people who think they are smarter and holier than others generally aren't. I'm puzzled that the media and other people still describe her as smart. I'll be hard pressed to describe any of her actions as being smart. Going to bed with the unions to win the premiership was smart but that was Stephen Carter's idea.

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by OMG!WTF!

The problem is, it wasn't important for her or her staff to be there. Canada was well represented federally as were most countries by their heads of state. Redford worked with the guy for a while so it was important for her personally to be there. There was no "owning up to" a freebie trip.

That's true, but to me you retain a shred of credibility when you own up to your decisions/mistakes, where as denying all responsibility makes you look worse overall.

Should she have taken the private jet and her staff to South Africa? No, absolutely not on the tax payers dime. But she made it worse for herself with her "I'm surprised to cost that much, I expect better of my staff" act.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by OMG!WTF!

The problem is, it wasn't important for her or her staff to be there. Canada was well represented federally as were most countries by their heads of state. Redford worked with the guy for a while so it was important for her personally to be there. There was no "owning up to" a freebie trip.

This is one thing I disagree with.

She had worked in South Africa and knew Nelson Mandela and as such, I have no problem with her attending his funeral. In fact, she probably would have been a better representative than some of PM Harper's entourage.

I do have a problem with how she handled her travel plans though.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by redforever

This is one thing I disagree with.

She had worked in South Africa and knew Nelson Mandela and as such, I have no problem with her attending his funeral. In fact, she probably would have been a better representative than some of PM Harper's entourage.

I do have a problem with how she handled her travel plans though.

If I remember the story right, her and other premiers that did go to the funeral were denied entry and Harper basically got her in.

She was offered a free flight to the funeral with the Prime Minster all she had to do was get there. But she intended on taking the private plane all the time. IIRC correctly she was caught in a lie about being able to get to Harper's plane on time by using commercial air.

"who's she"

"I'm Alison Redford, I worked with the South African Government and was a great friend of Nelson's"

"Yeah you're not on the list, next"

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by redforever

She had worked in South Africa and knew Nelson Mandela and as such

I'm going by my memory only but a detailed article described her acquintance with Mendela to be passing at best. Something alone the line that she met Mendela at a dinner party and that's about it. I remembered this because I too thought she was a friend or colleague with Mandela but that's not the case.

And let's just say her work in SA wasn't anything impressive or substantial to me because I hardly remember the details of them from that lengthy article.

This wasn't the lengthy article I was referring to but you'll get the idea what I was talking about.

http://www.macleans.ca/politics/conn...itical-career/

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

And it costs the same whether a plane has two or ten passengers, that's not the point. But because she was using it as a ferrying service for her and her daughter, or her nanny outside of government business, it was costs that shouldn't have been incurred.

Not to mention booking up the other seats then cancelling them at the last moment so she had the plane to herself and didn't have to associate with the lesser people.

Originally Posted by OMG!WTF!

The problem is, it wasn't important for her or her staff to be there. Canada was well represented federally as were most countries by their heads of state. Redford worked with the guy for a while so it was important for her personally to be there. There was no "owning up to" a freebie trip.

I doubt anyone would have cared at all if she had just gone with the PM. Flying out her assistant and then skipping the free flight back was the silly part.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by darklord700

I'm going by my memory only but a detailed article described her acquintance with Mendela to be passing at best. Something alone the line that she met Mendela at a dinner party and that's about it. I remembered this because I too thought she was a friend or colleague with Mandela but that's not the case.

And let's just say her work in SA wasn't anything impressive or substantial to me because I hardly remember the details of them from that lengthy article.

This wasn't the lengthy article I was referring to but you'll get the idea what I was talking about.

http://www.macleans.ca/politics/conn...itical-career/

That article actually speaks quite favorably of her and intimates that she actually did quite a bit of work in South Africa. If she was close friends with Mandela really matters not. She at least knew him and had done some work to further the cause of democracy in his country. She was probably more deserving to represent Canada than some in Harper's entourage.

What does matter is how abysmally she managed travel plans to his funeral.

[automaton 3]

I personally had no issue with her taking her daughter with her on government business, if there was legitimately an available seat.

The issue was how the flight manifests were blocked off so that she could fly alone, plus the personal use of government planes when much cheaper commercial options (or basically free on the PM's plane in the case of the trip to SA) were readily available.

We haven't even touched on the fleet of new Cadillacs, that she needed her own personal bodyguard and how Provincial Sheriffs weren't good enough for some reason so CPS was also hired for her protection at great expense. Plus the strange denials with respect to the hiring of her ex-husbands' firm. Plus what taxpayers were paying her personal advisers and their golden parachutes when she let office.

The list goes on.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by OMG!WTF!

The problem is, it wasn't important for her or her staff to be there. Canada was well represented federally as were most countries by their heads of state. Redford worked with the guy for a while so it was important for her personally to be there. There was no "owning up to" a freebie trip.

Given her ties, I would have had no issue with her going. What got Redford in trouble there was not that she went, but that she used a private jet to fly directly instead of travelling commercial to Ottawa then getting on the federal government plane. She then lied about how she couldn't make that flight in time - something I am fairly certain one of the Edmonton papers debunked.

Of course, none of what she is saying now should come as a surprise, as she is pretty much a textbook example of narcissistic personality disorder.