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Alberta Politics

the big donation.

The Alberta Party kicked off their Big Momentum campaign with a big donation today by announcing a $15,000 donation from Patricia Cochrane and Joel Cochrane of Calgary. Some people may know Mrs. Cochrane from her role as a Trustee and Chair of the Calgary Board of Education. A message from the Cochrane’s was posted on the Alberta Party website:

We’ve been conscious of a need for a new approach to politics for sometime now. Alberta is a place of potential and creativity, and Albertans have much more in common than we have things to divide us. We all work hard to contribute to a society that is abundant in resources, compassionate and progressive. As citizens, we deserve a political culture that reflects that reality.

The Alberta Party brings together community members who share our sense that we don’t just need a new government, but a whole new way of doing politics. Old, polarizing schools of thought, organized around right vs. left, rural vs. urban, haves vs. have nots, prevent Albertans from collaborating to make our province the best it can be for everyone. The Alberta Party, and the Big Listen, promise a better approach, and we want to see this work continue. That’s why we’ve decided to make a leadership gift to the Big Momentum campaign, so this movement can grow and thrive. We encourage you to join us and make your gift to the Alberta Party today.

-Pat and Joel Cochrane, Calgary

A search of the Elections Alberta financial contribution database shows that the Cochrane’s have made a number of political donations in the past.

2004: Joel Cochrane donated $500 to Liberal candidate Dave Taylor‘s campaign in Calgary-Currie.
2006: Patricia Cochrane donated $1,000 to the Liberal Party.
2007: Joel and Patricia Cochrane donated $1,000 each to the Liberal Party.
2008: Joel Cochrane donated $1,000 to the Alberta Green Party.

10 replies on “the big donation.”

I might suggest this payment is less an indication of growth of the Alberta Party, and more a sign of just how low the Alberta Liberal Party has sunk.

A $15,000.00 contribution from a past party contributor now going to a fledgling party with virtually no traction at all.. after a small flirtation with the Green Party.

Note to Liberals: Turf David Swann, and seek to rebuild from the middle.

Rob, a maximum donation of 15k looks like the start to some pretty good traction. I’m impressed with what I’ve seen the Alberta Party promote so far. It’s new and different.

Good news!

Old polarizing politics ideas are driving people away from elections. Time for new ideas.

$15,000 is a huge donation, but I have to say the Alberta Party looks less like a grassroots movement and more like a small club of people with high opinions of themselves.

Membership numbers are terrible, their board is consumed with infighting, the big listens have never involved anybody below the level of “wonk”. Any growth or suggestions to the contrary are bullshit spin.

This isn’t a new political party, it’s a debating society with tax status. It kind of offends me how far they’ve deviated from their stated purpose and how much they’ll massage reality to pretend otherwise. Bring back Renew!

The Big Listens have been 95% non wonk- FYI. The Big Listen process has been successful up to this point based on level of participation, diversity and the new relationships being built across Alberta. It promises to become even more so as we move into the fall. New politics takes new imagination. Let’s see what happens this fall before we get too critical. The Alberta party has been around in its current state since March. The other opposition parties have been around for decades and have accomplished very little and have gained absolutely nothing in rural Alberta. I think we can have some patience with the Alberta Party and a lot of hope.

Response: “The Big Deal”.

The Libs had many times this in donations from one source during the last campaign…and look where it got them.

Dear Flintstone,

No wonk, I! Membership numbers ARE terrible… but improving… and I don’t actually have that inflated an opinion of myself and am willing to talk/debate with anyone.

The current board does have problems… mostly because of the change that is going on within the party and the new people it is attracting. This was inevitable and perhaps will do damage to the party. However, an open and competitive leadership race will do wonders for that situation… and it’s coming.

Criticise away… but perhaps leave just a little bit of yourself open to the idea that the AP can evolve and mature into something worth looking at. If it doesn’t, what do you lose by keeping an open mind?

Dear F. Astaire,
Try not to be so offensive to people you’ve never met, eh? The people I’ve met at Big Listens aren’t exactly “wonks;” more like “people who have a damn to give but aren’t sure who to give it to.”

As for “below the level of wonk,” that would be “hacks.” People who are above the level of wonk are the ones giving the Big Listens a good faith try.

Feel free to come out to one, if you’d like.

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