Third-party in Alberta full-circle?

Well it looks as though history just might be repeating itself. As Stemach announces that he will have more involvement from Calgary and Edmonton MLA's in the cabinet, in Red Deer today a right wing party is having their founding meeting. They do not want the Liberals to win by default in the next election so they hope to have their party ready for the next election.
Although Alberta has a long history (better yet, its whole history) based on third parties (UFA, Social Credit, PC), what is the likelihood that another 3rd party will take the helm in governing Alberta?
Unlikely...why? Alberta's demographics are quickly changing with the upsurge in immigration. Urban outnumber rural Albertans, where urban is more likely to vote for parties that are not conservative, let alone a right-wing party that will probably more right than the current PC government.
Second, in all of Alberta's governing parties, it has always been the third leader of the government that brought the party down...Charles Stewart (Liberal), Richard Reid (UFA), Harry Strom (SC), however Klein, being the third Premier from the PC's was to be the one to bring the party down. The tradition of third leaders bringing their third party down has been broken with Stemach being elected the fourth Premier from the Progressive Conservatives. Therefore, the likelihood of a third party coming to take control of government is not looking very promising…the cycle may just be broken.
What happened to the good old days when third parties could do some good? Manning needs to come out of hiding...

Summer reading suggestion

I just finished reading an autobiography by Ayann Hirsi Ali titled Infidel and thought if you have any interest in politics and social policy towards religious toleration, then this is a book you need to read.
Ayann was an Islamic Somalian who was born into political, religious and cultural turmoil. Without giving the book away, this woman managed to receive refugee status and later citizenship in Holland where she became a Member of Parliament in 2002. Her life has been threatened on many occasions; however she still speaks out about women’s rights.
In the book and though out her stay in Holland, she has been outspoken about the cruel world that Islam forces women to live in, and in come cases die from. She goes into great detail about her abuse and treatment as a woman in an Islamic world. Some of the subject matter will be disturbing, but after reading this book, my eyes were opened to how far society is willing to turn a blind eye to women’s treatment in one particular religion as to not disturb the delicate balance in multicultural society.
Her message is straight forward—Islam needs to allow critical thinking and modernization. If it continues to teach total submission, than Islamic societies will continue to lag behind. Furthermore, if the Western world continues to accept religious toleration with Islam, then women will continue to live a life of torture, honour killings, beatings and submission.
I am, by no means attempting to start a political debate about religious toleration nor expressing my beliefs, what I am doing is introducing an alternative perspective.

Long-Term Bill shelved…Good!

I was glad to see that the Senate shelved the Tory’ bill to set Senator’s term limits eight years. If this legislation were to pass, it could enable a long serving Prime Minister to appoint most and in an extreme case all of the Senators. This is the major reason behind the Liberal majority Senate decision to delay it. Without elected senators, the Tory bill does not make the Senate more accountable, but more of a puppet to the Prime Minister.

However, this is not a blog that supports elected senators. I have always stood my ground on this contested issue and despite having many characteristics from Alberta; this is one that I do not share. Elected senators will lead to delayed legislation, power politics between the house and the senate and most of all, Senators who focus more on being re-elected than on being the House of “sober second thought”.

Senators do a respectable job in committees, research and issue awareness and if they have to focus on being re-elected then their duty to Canadians become second to fundraising and campaigning. There is no better example than our neighbour to the south where Senators spend most of their time in office campaigning.

Calvert calls Harper’s bluff

Just days after Harper told the provinces that if they have a problem with the budget they can take him to court; Saskatchewan’s Lorne Calvert might do just that. With the new equalization formula in the budget, Saskatchewan is set to loose millions of dollars from the inclusion of non-renewable resources with the “O’Brian Report” being used by the federal government. Saskatchewan has been on the border between being a have/have not, however if NRR are included (as they will be with the O’Brian Report) then Saskatchewan will receive no equalization payments.

The inclusion of NRR is another broken promise of Harper government. Harper campaigned in Saskatchewan during the 2006 election that he would not include NRR in the equalization formula, and by that managed to win 12 seats in the province.

Premier’s Danny Williams (NFLD) and Rodney MacDonald (NS) said they would testify in court if it went that far. Calvert is welcoming them to join him in his intent to sue the federal government.

Harpo can lie to the Canadian people that he did not break his promise and that the provinces are better off, but the facts prove just the opposite. He breaks promises…leaders don’t break promises…Stephen Harper is not a leader!

Alberta Grits take Calgary-Elbow

Way to go Craig Cheffins! Calgarians have spoken and they are not happy with how Stelmach is treating Calgary. In Drumheller-Strathmore, a honest hard fought campaign by Tom Dooley and supporters…however, rural Albertans still are not ready for change.
Next step…defeat the Tories in the next provincial election.

Caucus split or Caucus blip?

Tonight’s budget vote is going to be an interesting one. Will tonight’s federal budget third and final vote end up in a Tory caucus split or just a blip on the radar screen. With two Nova Scotia MPs already voicing their concerns and the expectation of Saskatchewan’s Lorne Calvert that none of the 12 Tory MP’s in that province will support it…tonight is shaping up to be a very exciting night.

O’l Harpo can say again and again until he is blue in the face that he didn’t break any promises, but Canadians know he has. As Premier Rodney MacDonald stated this morning, “A deal is a deal and a deal is being broken.” By threatening the Provinces to take him to court Harper has told Canadians that he does not want to govern this country in dignity and respect to alternative opinions—a pillar of democracy.

If you care about Alberta politics, tonight is also going to be an exciting night as Albertans go to the polls in Calgary-Elbow (Klien’s old riding) and Drumheller-Strathmore. More than just your usual bi-election, tonight’s vote will give either a thumbs up or down to Stemach’s first 6 months in office. Even if one goes to the Liberals tonight, it will spell disapproval and could be hard for the Government to smooth over. PC’ers are so nervous about Calgary-Elbow that they have called in the big guns. Runner up in the PC leadership and popular former minister, Jim Dinning has been seen door knocking in the riding.

Municipal infrastructure deficit getting addressed by Dion

In Calgary this weekend Dion gave the Big Cities Mayor’s Caucus what they wanted and desperately need. Municipalities have been at the short end of the stick for way too long by not being able to raise money to deal with aging infrastructure and in Alberta’s case, the need to expand due to increasing population growth. Dion’s statements this weekend was a breath of fresh air, albeit that he did not promise Mayor’s and city manager’s that if he was elected Prime Minister, he would give them 1% of the GST, he did promise them substantial future funding. Adding to his promise to permanently transfer the gas tax, Dion also promised to develop a 20-year strategy to deal with Canada’s infrastructure deficit.
Municipalities have always been considered the inferior of three levels of government, however with the world’s population increasingly moving into urban areas, the 21st century is proving to be the century of the city. The two higher levels of government need to stop treating the cities like a child as it is the cities that are the moving forces behind our growing economy. A city is where research and development, corporate headquarters, manufacturing, governmental institutions, trade and commerce are located. Without out the growth of cities, the industrial revolution would have never happened. It is cities that fuel our future and it is Dion’s promise this weekend that will hopefully open doors to further transferring of capital and one day greater responsibilities and revenue raising possibilities for cities.

Forget the belt…Harper’s cheap shots will try to hit you everywhere

Another round of attack ads…
This subject has been one that I have found myself in many arguments with my conservative friends. They view the Conservative attack ads as being good policy which shows they are the stronger party. This could not be further from the truth. Attack ads, although effective in putting a different light on an individual or subject, do not show strength, but desperation.
Harper has not been able to capitalise on his previous attack ads against Dion’s leadership and the conservatives are still almost head to head with the liberals. Going into the summer break without an opportunity to have an election, the Tories feel it necessary to inappropriately misconstrue the information in hopes of getting Canadians to think that they are the victims of a very turmoil filled session in the House.
They spend more time spin doctoring than they do governing and I hope that Canadians are starting to catch on to the Tories’ childish behaviour. I guess one cannot expect a party who acts like children in the House to act any different in the real world.
I am please to see the new commercials that the Young Liberals are now airing, a comedic spin on the very visible difference between the two parties…we just need more money to run them on tv.