The Alison Redford transgressions thread. Update- Redford quits.

[GaiJin]

Originally Posted by Clarkey

It's painful to watch Alison continue to make these type of mistakes when we have true vanguards in like Lucasazuck waiting in the wings...

I hope you were trying to be sarcastic.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

These aren't mistakes, she knows the rules, and ignorance of them isn't an excuse. We're moving into heavy corruption allegations.

She knows that she can't use the plane for PC business, she knows that there wasn't a formal announcement happening.

It isn't like its the first time she's misused official government activities to promote personal or party agendas.

(and which was mocked by the opposition)

[darklord700]

The WR attach on PC putting up signs is juvenile and I don't care and so do a lot of people. I like how Smith is now focusing on all Tory MLAs and not just Alison lest Alison is punted before the next election.

Alison's approval rating is low enough so there isn't much more to gain by exposing her even more. As much as I disklike Alison, I actually should thank her for opening up my eyes. Had Gary Mar won the PC leadership role, I probably would have had remained a PC voter.

[GP_Matt]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Unfortunately the PC's have a majority so they will go to the last possible minute before calling an election.

Playing with election dates the way they do does a great job of preventing a lot of potentially great candidates from running.
Someone who is interested in running has to commit in advance to drop everything at a moments notice in case an election is called. This means their work has to suffer for up to a year and they can't take a single vacation or plan anything in advance because some time in 2016 there will likely be an election.
I know politicians of all stripes love the power of being able to game the election date to their advantage but it is so frustrating for anyone who wants to enter politics. (Other than career politicians of course)

[darklord700]

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/po...358/story.html

Raj Sherman calling the planes "Redforce One" and the Tories "Imperial Court" is brilliant.

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

but it is so frustrating for anyone who wants to enter politics. (Other than career politicians of course)

After I retire I'll enter politics as a Tory. Sounds like a cushy job when you only work a few months a year for $100K a year plus benefits. It'll help keep my mind sharp and hopefully I can avoide falling asleep on the backbench.

[FLAMESRULE]

Not sure this belongs in the "Redforce One" thread, but I work O+G and this is odd, borderline ######ed. Not sure what value Suncor can add to a 6 year olds education in a curriculum redesign...maybe in high school for career planning etc...but 6 years old eat dirt, they don't want to study dirt.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/al...121/story.html

[Slava]

Originally Posted by darklord700

After I retire I'll enter politics as a Tory. Sounds like a cushy job when you only work a few months a year for $100K a year plus benefits. It'll help keep my mind sharp and hopefully I can avoide falling asleep on the backbench.

I know that sounds so awesome. Having a good friend who is an MLA though I can tell you that they work extremely hard. Granted he is in the opposition, but its pretty thankless and harder work than what people think.

[darklord700]

http://www.calgaryherald.com/opinion...800/story.html

I actually feel for Alison. When it rains it pours.

"The so-called executive protection vehicle fleet, which consists of six 2012 Buick Enclaves, two 2012 Chevrolet Suburbans, a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee and a 2008 Pontiac Torrent, primarily serves the premier, though the cars can also be used by other dignitaries on occasion.

This compares to the fleet of five modest Ford Tauruses that her predecessor, Ed Stelmach, had at his beck and call. And as a comparison, a spokesman for Christy Clark says the B.C. premier travels in an RCMP-provided minivan when she’s on official business.

Redford’s sense of entitlement isn’t limited to transportation, of course. When the budget was crafted, Redford ensured she had a nine per cent increase in her office’s spending — this as the government borrows $6.1 billion this fiscal year alone for essentials such as roads, hospitals and schools. Some of the debt won’t be paid off for another three decades, when Redford is 79."

[CaptainCrunch]

I don't feel for her at all, she's the architect of her own destruction here and her legacy is going to be brutal.

I'm glad to see that she's not able to sweep this under the carpet.

[killer_carlson]

If the major employers are telling the government that we don't have enough domestic skill sets to fill their demands over the next 20 years, then I have no problem having them at the table to some degree.

That's where many of today's students will find employment, or in a related field. Ignoring their input is folly.

(PS, I am NOT a fan of Johnson, but I give him a pass on this)

[darklord700]

Another questionable miss use of public money.

What does Travel Alberta really do? And if I were interviewing for a job, I go to my employer's place for an interview, not the other way around. But I'm not in Singapore so what do I know.

---------------------------------------
http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald...tml?id=9604069

- A Travel Alberta executive spent nearly $9,000 for a three-day trip to Singapore and dropped more than $800 on a dinner at a swank restaurant that was on his “bucket list,” "

-Travel Alberta CEO Bruce Okabe flew to Singapore solely to negotiate a contract with Sandip Lalli, whom he hired as chief financial officer and vice-president of operations.

- the CEO of Travel Alberta, who makes $240,000 in salary plus $150,000 in benefits, saw fit to bill taxpayers for a $150 tuxedo rental as a hospitality expense,”

[manwiches]

They should throw Alison Redford and Druh Farrell in a room and they can pity party themselves to death


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MarchHare]

- A Travel Alberta executive spent nearly $9,000 for a three-day trip to Singapore and dropped more than $800 on a dinner at a swank restaurant that was on his “bucket list,” "

Some added context from the Herald article. The "swank restaurant" was the Banff Grizzly House, and the $800 bill was for a party of 14, or an average cost of $57 per person. So long as hosting the dinner was actually a legitimate business expense (the article didn't say either way), I don't see anything wrong with that expense.

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Some added context from the Herald article. The "swank restaurant" was the Banff Grizzly House,

Probably but using public money to cross out items on his "bucket list" and brag about it are dumb.

What does Travel Alberta do anyway? At 240K salary plus 150K benefits and an expense account, it sounds cushier than being an MLA.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by darklord700

What does Travel Alberta really do? And if I were interviewing for a job, I go to my employer's place for an interview, not the other way around. But I'm not in Singapore so what do I know.

I also don't have as much of an issue with this. To have somebody come to Canada for a job interview raises all sorts of work visa questions by Immigration. Traveling there could be the better way to conduct business.

I know from my own experience in the private sector, I was interviewing with a Seattle based company. They flew us all to Vancouver for the interviews, and the interviewers also came up to Vancouver.

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by ken0042

To have somebody come to Canada for a job interview raises all sorts of work visa questions by Immigration.

I wonder if this Sandip Lalli wasn't in Singapore but in Mozambique, would the Travel Alberta CEO still go there for an interview.

[Maccalus]

I will be among those at the front of the line to criticize expense spending, but all of those expenses seem justified to me.

-When hiring for an important positions, it is important for face to face meetings to take place. Having the travel Alberta guy go there, or paying to have the guy from Singapore come here probably wounldn't change the cost much.

-Taking people out for dinner is firmly in the travel alberta job description if I had to guess.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by darklord700

Another questionable miss use of public money.


- A Travel Alberta executive spent nearly $9,000 for a three-day trip to Singapore and dropped more than $800 on a dinner at a swank restaurant that was on his “bucket list,” "

-Travel Alberta CEO Bruce Okabe flew to Singapore solely to negotiate a contract with Sandip Lalli, whom he hired as chief financial officer and vice-president of operations.

- the CEO of Travel Alberta, who makes $240,000 in salary plus $150,000 in benefits, saw fit to bill taxpayers for a $150 tuxedo rental as a hospitality expense,”

I can't see anything wrong with these expenses.

The trip seems reasonably priced, considering the 3 days and the distance traveled. You put this next to the cost of the South Africa trip and it is a huge bargain.

The dinner is not overly expensive, unless you think that these people should be eating at Burger King. Even eating at a place like the Keg with a single drink per person could easily be $45 each.

The tux rental, if used during a work function seems like a normal thing to do. I have only ever rented a tux for a wedding, but if I needed one for a work function I would certainly be trying to expense it.

I get that many are seeing blood in the water and want to pile on Redford and the whole government, but these things seem quite tame.

Out of curiosity, how does Travel Alberta rank in the hierarchy of the government? Do they report to a minister for funding like this? How much money does tourism bring in or can that kind of thing really be quantified?

[Jacks]

Ya, I'm surprised they're bothering with small potatoes like this. They should stick to the misuse of government planes, that is actual fraud by the Premier and cabinet ministers.