Author: Dave Cournoyer

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Edmonton Centre Laurie Blakeman

eggs with your favorite grit.

Here’s a free pitch for one of my favorite MLA’s…

Have Eggs With Your Favorite Grit Friends of Laurie Blakeman invite you to attend a vitally important re-election fundraiser

Bring your friends and family for a scrumptious brunch by one of Edmonton’s most popular caterers

Bring your chequebook and bid on some fabulous items like a Peter Field ‘Chicken’ painting, a cooking class with Gail Hall, theatre subscriptions, and other fun stuff at the Sunny-Side-Up Silent Auction

Sunday, February 11, 2007 12-3 pm
St. Andrews Centre 12720-111th Avenue
Tickets: $35.00
Tables of 8: $245.00
TICKET PURCHASES: Sarah at 886-1588 or scrummy@ualberta.ca
AUCTION CONTRIBUTIONS: Deanne at 452-1338 or deanne.timmons@ualberta.ca

Sponsored by the Friends of Laurie Blakeman

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Aqua Teen Hunger Force Mooninites Terrorism

ignignokt and err strike again!

I have to say that this is one of the greatest and most bizarre stories I’ve ever heard…

Two held after ad campaign triggers Boston bomb scare
POSTED: 1447 GMT (2247 HKT), February 1, 2007

BOSTON, Massachusetts (CNN) — Authorities have arrested two men in connection with electronic light boards depicting a middle-finger-waving moon man that triggered repeated bomb scares around Boston on Wednesday and prompted the closure of bridges and a stretch of the Charles River.

Meanwhile, police and prosecutors vented their anger at Turner Broadcasting System Inc., the parent company of CNN, which said the battery-operated light boards were aimed at promoting the late-night Adult Swim cartoon “Aqua Teen Hunger Force.”

We are the mooninites and our culture is advanced beyond all that you can possibly comprehend with 100% of your brain…

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Ed Stelmach Media Paul Stanway Public Affairs Bureau Tom Olsen

the media becomes media affairs.

Not to totally regurgitate an Alberta’s Public Affairs Bureau media release, but this is somewhat significant news:

Edmonton… Two veteran journalists will join Premier Ed Stelmach’s office in key communications roles. Premier Stelmach announced the appointment of Paul Stanway as Director of Communications and Tom Olsen as Director of Media Relations.

Tom Olsen and Paul Stanway are two well-known very predictably Conservative columnists from conservative Calgary newspapers. Olsen’s brother worked as part of Ralph Klein’s communications team back in the 1990’s. Other than bringing in two right-wing media pundits into his inner circle, it’s too early to tell how this move will turn out for Stelmach. I guess it may depend on how good of a relationship these two actually have with their soon to be former collegues.

It should also be interesting to look up what Stelmach’s two new spin-doctors have written about him in the past. Google is both a wonderful and dangerous thing.

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BBC Environment Global Dimming

beware of global dimming.

I thought some folks would be interested in taking a look at this BBC documentary on global dimming. I found it very interesting.

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Canadian Politics

trying to be somewhat creative in the face of a seemingly overwhelming lack of anything else to blog about.

Yes, these ads. By now I’m sure most of you have heard about the Federal Conservatives attack ad’s aimed at Federal Liberal leader Stephane Dion which are to be broadcast during next weeks SuperBowl.

To be clear, I’m not a fan of political attack ads, but that doesn’t mean I won’t give the Harper Tories credit for starting their anti-Dion campaign early. None of the major parties own the highground when it comes to negative attack ads, so it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that the Tories are running a pre-election Blitzkrieg on Dion’s leadership abilities.

The Paul Martin’s Federal Liberals ran negative ads in the past two elections and it looks like the Tories are trying to do the same thing to Dion that the Chretien Liberals did to Stockwell Day in 2000 (Anyone remember the Reform Alliance and their hidden agenda?).

Whether the ads will be effective or is anot nother issue. They’re not the fanciest or even the damning attack ads I’ve seen, so It should be interesting to see the reaction that Canadian football fans give when they see the ads next weekend.

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Bill Aberhart Campaign Finance Ed Stelmach

ed’s back to the bible hour?

Not that I have a problem with men of faith, but I couldn’t help but think of Social Credit Premiers “Bible” Bill Aberhart and Ernest Manning’s Back to the Bible Radio Hour when I read about this.

Also, what happened to all those $5,000 donations? Yes, those donations.

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Canadian Politics polls

greens at 9%.

A new Angus-Reid poll is out and is showing the Federal Conservatives 3% ahead of the Federal Liberals. It also shows Elizabeth May’s Green Party of Canada on a bit of an upswing at the expense of the Federal NDP. Here are the results compared with results from November and May, 2006:

Jan. 2007

Nov. 2006

May 2006

Conservative

35%

34%

40%

Liberal

32%

32%

30%
New Democratic Party

13%

15%

13%
Green

9%

6%

7%

Bloc Québécois

8%

10%

9%
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ATM-fees Jack Layton Stephane Dion Stephen Harper University of Alberta

$1.50.

I’m starting to get the hang of this “new blogger” and “new template,” but feel free to drop some suggestions in my inbox if you have thoughts on how I can make this blog even better than the best blog ever it already is.

A couple of updates and thoughts…

Last week, Federal NDP leader Jack Layton swung through Edmonton. I was lucky enough to be part of a three-on-one meeting with Mr. Layton that afternoon. It was a good meeting, interesting disucussion, but he looked like he had been up since 5am (which was probably the case).

Afterwards, Layton spoke to a large group at the U of A and I think he did fairly well doing the question and answer thing. Layton’s jaunt through Edmonton followed Federal Liberal leader Stephane Dion‘s stop at the U of A campus a week ago. I can’t remember the last time Prime Minister Stephen Harper stopped by the University of Alberta…

Though my good friend may have mocked Layton’s recent anti-ATM fee announcement, I actually don’t think it’s a bad idea (I don’t think it’s going to be the next election’s “wedge issue,” but I surely don’t appreciated getting gauged $1.50 everytime I use a non-credit union ATM).

And finally, I seem to have missed the second anniversary of this blog back on January 20. Two more years! Two more years

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daveberta.ca

fancy new daveberta.

As you may have noticed, the template of this blog has changed a bit. I’m proud to announce that this blog has joined 2007 and changed over to the “new blogger.” The jury is still out on the changes to blogger, but look forward to new and exciting changes to this blog in the near future (including my finishing updating the blog links on the recommended reading bar).

On another note, my life is returning to a semi-regular normality once again, so you can be sure to expect more regular posting in the forseeable future.

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American Politics Rudy Guiliani

what not to let slip.

Though I’m sure every other blogger and their dog will or have posted this already, here is a fun leak in the Rudy Guiliani 2008 Campaign for U.S. President: a 140 page campaign plan dossier…

props to anonymotron for the link.

(via the politico)

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Alberta Politics

budget delays…

More substantive posts coming in the near future, but here is an interesting twist…

Alberta budget won’t be ready until April; Oberg
Jan, 23 2007 – 4:20 PM

EDMONTON – Finance Minister Lyle Oberg has confirmed the new Alberta budget won’t be ready until April, several weeks later than usual.

Oberg says he’s putting in place a whole new budgeting process that brings the government caucus into the decision-making process.

But, the new finance minister says this is taking some extra time even though completing the budget is now his top priority.

Oberg says Albertans shouldn’t expect to see any spending cuts in the new budget given that the province is facing an inflation rate of 4.5 percent, but he says they may curtail spending increases.

However, a budget arriving after the current fiscal year ends on March 31 means the legislature would have to approve interim financing until a new budget is passed.

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Alberta Politics Canadian Politics

rough waters ahead?

1. Ed Stelmach’s PC Government doesn’t seem to be getting the same smooth ride from the media the 13 year Ralph Klein’s PC’s received.

Following the cancellation of the $5,000 a ticket exclusive Tory fundraiser, there appears to be no shortage of tension coming from Stelmach’s first cabinet as Health Minister Dave Hancock (Edmonton Whitemud) is being openly scolded by fellow Tories Ty Lund (Rocky Mountain House) and Treasury Board President Lloyd Snelgrove (Vermilion-Lloydminster) for talking to the media about a Province-wide smoking ban.

2. Alberta Liberal MLA Hugh MacDonald (Edmonton Gold Bar) has discovered that the Alberta Tories have failed to file mandatory reports to Elections Alberta since 1987. From the Edmonton Sun…

The situation involves a secret “foundation fund” the party was allowed to keep after the financial disclosure law was passed in 1978, provided it filed annual reports on transfers from it.
Deputy Electoral Officer Bill Sage told the Sun he failed to notice that the statements stopped coming.

“I was responsible for it. I was the director of financial operations at the time. It was something that escaped me and I didn’t realize it until just recently.”
He said Elections Alberta has requested the Tory party to provide the missing
statements, but is still waiting for them.

2.For someone who pledged to get the Government of Alberta “out of the business of business,” former Tory Premier Ralph Klein sure hopped on the business bandwagon quickly as a Senior Business Advisor for Borden Ladner Gervais LLP in Calgary.

3. The salary of the chairman of Horse Racing Alberta has risen 217% in just four years. According to Alberta Liberal MLA Maurice Tougas (Edmonton Meadowlark):

…in just four years, Horse Racing Alberta has received more than $136 million from slot machine revenue. The government estimates another $60 million could pour into HRA this year, bringing the total subsidy to almost $200 million.

4. On the federal side of things, Stephane Dion has announced the Federal Liberals massive 47 MP shadow cabinet. The Harper Conservatives are framing it as a “Blast from the Past.” It should be interesting to see how the well the Federal Liberals regroup before the next election.

5. Anne McLellan has announced that she will not be seeking the Federal Liberal nomination to challenge Tory MP Laurie Hawn in Edmonton Centre. Names that I’ve heard being bantered around for Liberal candidates include Jim Jacuta, Randy Boissonnault, and 2006 Edmonton East candidate Nicole Martel…

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Alberta Politics

session on the horizon…

The rumour mill has rolled out February 26 as the beginning of the 2007 Spring session of the Alberta Legislature.

It’s also likely that the first Bill presented by Premier Ed Stelmach‘s PC Government will be a pseudo-Accountability Act, which among other things would propose the creation of the long-overdue Lobbyist Registry.

The creation of a Lobbyist Registry is something that the Liberal Opposition has been strongly calling for over the past few years.

I’ve been fairly busy lately, but will roll out with more regular blogging in the coming weeks…

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Alberta Politics Campaign Finance Elections Alberta

the money of politics in alberta.

Elections Alberta has quietly launched the new online electoral finance website.

Though the website only contains political financial contribution records dating back to 2004, it is quite an interesting read and it will save you from having to go down to the Elections Alberta office and sort through the paper copies…

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David Swann Federal Liberals Federal NDP Jack Layton Stephane Dion University of Alberta

housekeeping.

I’d like to draw some quick attention to some new additions to the amazing blogroll to your right, they include the Enlightened Savage, The Prairie Wrangler, and thoughts interrupted, as well as Calgary Mountain View MLA David Swann’s new blog.

Also, I’m working on some exciting template changes that are going to blow your mind!

As well, last week I attended a luncheon for Federal Liberal leader Stephane Dion at the University of Alberta‘s Campus St. Jean. The room was packed to the brims, Dion’s speech was good, and I was impressed with his self-deprecating humour. It’s always nice to see politicians who don’t take themselves too seriously.

I’ll be looking to see how serious Federal NDP leader Jack Layton takes himself when he jets through Edmonton later this week.

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