From the 2005-06 Alberta Advanced Education Annual Report released this week…
Public Agreement that the Learning System is Within the Means of Most Albertans
Target – 56%
2005-06 – 48%
2004-05 – 46%
2003-04 – 50%
2002-03 – 52%
2001-02 – 63%
2000-01 – 75%
Though I’m not very sure that Hedy Fry’s endorsement of Bob Rae really means much in a physical sense of an organizational term, but I’m starting to get very concerned that everyone else is seeing something in Bob Rae that I’m not (or vice-versa)…
As for Belinda Stronach’s alleged affair with Tie Domi, I really can’t express to you how much I really don’t care.
How about let’s talk about the things in the world that really matter.
If you haven’t seen it yet, I really enjoyed this new ad from the World Wild Life Foundation.
I think I may hold a Summit on Global Warming myself. I could invite George W. Bush, Hugo Chavez, and Kofi Annan. I’ll send out the invites first thing tomorrow morning.
It’s Saturday. Here are some upcoming events here in Edmonton…
Coast Edmonton Plaza Hotel (Downtown)
10155 – 105 Street, Edmonton
Parking available adjacent to and across from
$45.00 per person – Includes breakfast
$15.00 (Student/Senior/Underemployed)
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Tickets available: Contact Heather Grab at 233-8941 or heathergrab@yahoo.com
and…
Peter C. Newman, is a legendary Canadian journalist, the recipient of numerous honorary degrees and distinguished awards and a best-selling author of twenty books. His memoir: Here be Dragons: Telling Tales of People, Passion and Power, was released in 2004 and his latest book The Secret Mulroney Tapes: Unguarded Confessions of a Prime Minister (2005) is now available in paperback.
Sponsored by the Mel Hurtig Annual Lecture Funds and the Department of Political Science
As mentioned here, I met Federal Liberal leadership candidate Gerard Kennedy on Tuesday evening at a BBQ at the Ottwell Community Hall here in Edmonton (Also, today’s Globe & Mail has an article about Kennedy).
The event was decently attended with around 60ish people packed into the community hall. Kennedy’s speech was good, and the question and answer portion following his speech was typical of these types of events. It was the one-on-one conversation that I had with Kennedy that impressed me the most.
During the question and answer session, Kennedy answered a question by talking about graduate education and innovation. Towards the end of the event, I approached Kennedy and asked him what his ideas were on the Federal Government’s role in Post-Secondary Education.
As c-lo agrees, I was quite pleased with Kennedy’s response:
1. Creation of a national ministry of education.
2. Creation of national standards for quality and accessibility.
3. Creation of a dedicated transfer to PSE which will reward provinces who meet those national standards.
4. Creation of more federal grants for students over loans.
5. Setting student loan caps where any extra debt is forgiven.
Though I may continue to have major issues and skepticisms about the Liberal Party of Canada, but my hope that Gerard Kennedy will lead that party continues.
Only somewhat…
I missed it, but apparently Richard Dawkins was a guest on Avi Lewis’ new CBC show The Big Picture. Other guests included Ronald de Sousa (Emeritus Professor, University of Toronto, Philosophy Department, Atheist extraordinaire), Cheri DiNovo (NDP MPP & Reverend, Emmanuel-Howard Park United Church), Charles McVety (President, Canada Christian College
Imam Aly Hindy, Salaheddin Islamic Centre), Alia Hogben (Executive Director, Canadian Council of Muslim Women, Led the fight against bringing Sharia Law to Ontario), Joseph Ben-Ami (Executive Director, Institute for Canadian Values (faith based public policy think tank)), and Anver Emon (Islamic law historian, University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law, Specializes in Religious Fundamentalism). Check out the video on the Big Picture website.
(Props to c-lo for the linkage…)
The 2006 Canadian Blogging Awards are coming up! As some of you may remember, this blog placed a strong second in the 2005 Best Personal Blog category against the wonderful Samantha Burns (the final result was 248-245).
Here is the timeline set out for the 2006 competition:
Timetable
Nominations Open: Monday October 2, 2006
Nominations Close: Sunday November 12, 2006
Round 1 Voting Opens: Wednesday November 15, 2006
Round 1 Voting Closes: Tuesday November 21, 2006
Round 1 Results: Thursday November 23, 2006
Round 2 Voting Opens: Saturday November 25, 2006
Round 2 Voting Closes: Friday December 1, 2006
Round 2 Results: Sunday December 3, 2006 9pm EST
So, *cough* feel free to nominate this blog on October 2nd…
Sad news yesterday. Former Edmonton ITV Weatherman Bill Matheson has passed away at the age of 80. Matheson was the weatherman for that station (which is now Global Edmonton) from 1976 to 1999.
As one of many Albertans who grew up watching Bill Matheson talk about the weather on the 6pm news, I am sad to hear that he passed away.
Alberta PC Party President Doug Graham released the rules of their fall leadership race this afternoon in Red Deer. According to the Press Release…
Those interested in being a candidate must meet the following requirements:
• A candidate shall be an eligible voter as defined in the Constitution and shall be a member in good standing of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta, A candidate for nomination shall file nomination papers signed by at least five hundred (500) members of the PCAA,
• A candidate shall provide a non-refundable payment of $15,000 to defray the costs of conducting the leadership selection process,
• Candidates must pledge to support the successful candidate and to abide by the Constitution of the PCAA and the Rules, Guidelines and Procedures established by the Leadership Election Committee,
• Nomination papers must be submitted at or prior to 5:00 p.m. October 16, 2006.
Election day has been set for November 25, 2006. If a second ballot is necessary a second election will be held on December 2, 2006. Polls will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on both days.
I’m betting that not all of the 9 candidates for the Tory leadership will fullfill these requirements.
They have also updated their website with somewhat vague leadership information.
A political era in Alberta will end later this year when Ralph Klein, the most colourful Canadian politician in recent memory, steps down after 14 years in office.
Klein, who went from most popular premier in Alberta’s history to being forced out of office by his own party, has formally submitted his resignation to the Conservative party. In a letter sent to party officials Saturday, he said he will step down when his successor is chosen, likely in November or December.
His resignation formally kicks off the race to replace him, which has been under way unofficially for more than a year.
Tory Premier Ralph Klein is said to be sending in his letter of resignation today. Also, in Red Deer, the Alberta PC establishment is expected to gather and announce the final rules for the replacement race for Mr. Klein.
Will the rules be fair? Will the rules be transparent? Will the rules be accountable?
I guess we’ll find out today.
Yes, that’s right. I met Gerard Kennedy tonight at a BBQ at the Ottwell Community Hall in Edmonton. It was a decent event, with about 60 people turning out. I’ll give more details later, but I really liked the outcome of the conversation I had with him about national post-secondary education and the role of the federal government…
More soon…
Last night attended a meeting of St. Albert City Council. I found it really interesting to see how a the Council of a municipality like St. Albert operates. Though they deal with their own unique challenges it must always seem like the big capital city, Edmonton, is lurking above them (In sheer size, St. Albert is probably around 6% the size of its capital neighbour).
As my attending was completely work related I’m not going to mention what I was there advocating for, but I would like to give full props to St. Albert Aldermen Christine Brown, Len Bracko, Lorie Garrity, James Burrows, Nolan Crouse, and Neil Korotash for making a positive choice and being leaders in the Capital Region!
(Also, for a more entertaining background on St. Albert municipal politics, I defer to an ancient post by Mr. Smith…)
On the provincial level there are some interesting things going on in St. Albert’s political world. St. Albert incumbent Liberal MLA Jack Flaherty has announced his intentions to seek re-election – Flaherty defeated two-term Tory MLA Mary O’Neill in 2004 with a 410-vote margin. Rumours as to who the Tories will run range from Mary O’Neill to former Mayor Richard Plain. I’m sure we’ll start seeing more movement from the Tories after they pick a new leader.
In the other semi-St. Albert provincial riding – Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert – Tory Agriculture Minister Doug Horner is one of two PC MLA’s supporting leadership candidate Mark Norris (the other being Airdrie-Chestermere MLA Carol Haley). Though Horner will most likely face a tough fight for his seat in the next election (he defeated Liberal Ray Boudreau by a slim 581 votes in 2004) he has been a decent MLA as far as I can tell.
On the federal side of things, the fight to replace long-time Edmonton-St. Albert Reform/Canadian Alliance/Conservative MP John Williams is in full gear.
This fight has former Tory MLA Brent Rathgeber facing former Tory MP Scott Thorkelson and John Kennair for the nomination.
Rathgeber was elected MLA for Edmonton Calder in 2001 by defeating Liberal MLA Lance White. In 2004, Rathgeber was defeated in a tight battle with now NDP MLA Dave Eggen. Thorkelson was the Tory MLA for Edmonton Strathcona from 1988 to 1993 and is the brother of former Paul Martin PMO insider Ruth Thorkelson.
I will keep an eye on this one…
AUPE President Dan MacLennan is resigning as the leader of Alberta’s largest union…
President of Alberta’s largest union resigns
Dan MacLennan is quitting as head of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), marking the end of an era for the province’s biggest union.
MacLennan announced Monday that he will be taking a job with Calgary’s Bantrel Constructors Co.
Though there have long been rumours about McLennan seeking public office, but recent rumours hint that MacLennan may be seeking a nomination in the next provincial election… could it be with Kevin Taft’s Alberta Liberals?
