Alberta’s Environment Minister Rob Renner (at least partly and possibly) steps in line with 1990s thinking on climate change:
“I’m of the opinion (human activity is) at least partly responsible and possibly mostly responsible for climate change.”
Edmonton City Council will be holding a public hearing this afternoon about whether the time has come to change the current six Ward/two Councillor system to a Twelve Wards/One Councillor system. Though the Edmonton Journal framed the decision as a fait accompli late last year, this isn’t the first time the idea has been debated by Council.
As Edmonton is one of the last of Canada’s larger urban municipalities to still be using the two Councillors per Ward system, I think the time to change the system has come. With each Ward holding over 100,000 citizens, creating smaller and more manageable Wards will make it much easier for Councillors to represent the interests of Edmontonians in City Hall.
The public hearing is set to begin at 1:30pm in Council Chamber, second floor City Hall. To register to speak, call the Office of the City Clerk at 780-496-8176 or register online.
UPDATE: Council is moving ahead with plans for a 12 Ward system…
Just another day for the brave men and woman defending our skies from foreign threats…
Norad alerted officials in Ottawa, who in turn got in touch with emergency officials in Alberta.
Colin Lloyd, executive director of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, said they set up an emergency command centre and alerted the premier.
Lloyd said a public warning notice was about to be sent out at 10:46 a.m.
“As one of our staff was about to press the button to launch the message that would go out to members of the public alerting them of the event, we received notification from the government operations centre in Ottawa that in fact the debris had … sheared off [in] the atmosphere and was now actually in the Atlantic Ocean.”
Lloyd said it was a morning at work that he won’t forget.
UPDATE: When I first heard of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, I couldn’t help but think of another emergency management agency…
I was surprised to see my name once again grace the glorious pages of the Calgary Herald last week. When I was first named as a member of a secret political conspiracy group in the Herald a month ago, I didn’t believe the story was worth responding to on this blog, but as my name showed up again last week, I thought I’d provide my readers with a little insight into what I’ve been up to.
Since the March 2008 election, I have been involved in many political discussions and debates with a group of friends and colleagues about the best ways to achieve a more democratic, responsible, and sustainable Alberta. One of my goals is to find an effective way to help build a better Alberta by contributing to positive meaningful change for Albertans who aren’t being well served by the current government.
As seen by the Herald story, even the mention of starting a new political movement can generate a lot of interest, and that’s great, because there’s no reason why political discussions in Alberta should be limited to the traditional political parties.
Will a new political movement be created? At this point, it has yet to go beyond the stage of conversation, but you can sure bet that you will read about it again if one does.
I have been a little shocked at the way these casual chats have been blown out of proportion, as I’ve had countless conversations (generally over coffee or beer) with different people across and outside of party-lines over the past year. Their political bents vary, but they have one thing in common, they are passionate accomplished Albertans who are hungry for something better, but don’t see any of the current political parties as vehicles to create positive change.
If you’re an Albertan interested in meeting me for a coffee and conversation about creating meaningful positive change in this province, send me an email at daveberta.ca@gmail.com.
And remember, everything is up for debate, and I like coffee (and beer).
As far as I know, Alberta’s anti-deficit law, the Fiscal Responsibility Act, has no accountability enforcement mechanism, so I was surprised to learn that British Columbia’s Balanced Budget and Ministerial Accountability Act does:
…cabinet ministers and Premier will still lose 10 per cent of their ministerial salaries, the penalty prescribed by the balanced-budget law. For the Premier, that’s roughly $9,000 of his salary next year, while his cabinet ministers will pay a penalty of about $5,000. (Globe & Mail)
Both Alberta and BC are set to run deficit budgets (although Alberta will be running a ‘technical deficit’ while dipping into the province’s Sustainability Fund).
I should also note that I have a hard time believing Alberta’s anti-deficit laws are much more than legislated political spin (and even more so if there is no accountability mechanism).
A group of New Democrats, Liberals, and Greens supporters uniting under the banner of the Alberta’s Democratic Renewal Project have launched their website. I haven’t been involved in this group, but a friend who has described it as being focused on uniting Liberals, New Democratic Party, Greens, and Independents to create an alternative coalition to the ruling PCs.
Being involved in Alberta politics can be pretty disheartening, frustrating, and alienating if you’re not a member of the Progressive Conservative or Conservative parties, but I am easily refreshed when I see politically engaged Albertans looking beyond traditional party stripes to engage each other in dialogue about Alberta’s future.
As a good friend put it, this would mean something if it were in a joint statement, or publicly agreed upon by the Speaker of the Assembly.
It was not, and will therefore be easily brushed aside.
– They get around. CBC has an interactive map tracking recent junkets by PC Cabinet Ministers.
– I’ve heard that oil companies are continuing to buy farmland to build Upgraders near Redwater, so I wasn’t surprised to read this story.
– Jason Morris at Gauntlet.ca has written up an easy to follow timeline following the RCMP raids of Alberta Justice and Service Alberta offices. More here.
– The Canadian Political Science Students’ Association (CPSSA) are holding their national conference in Edmonton from February 4 to 7th. Hosted by the University of Alberta Political Science Undergraduate Association, the conference, ‘Challenges to Peace,’ will feature speakers from across Canada.
– Ken Chapman has written an interesting post on bonuses in the bailed out banking industry.
I suppose Albertans are supposed to be grateful about the proposed voluntary salary freeze by PC MLAs? But just how seriously should we take this move?
It was only 8 months ago, when the price of oil was rolling high, that Premier Ed Stelmach and his Cabinet gave themselves a 30% to 34% pay hike in a closed-door meeting where Ministers hiked their salaries by $42,000, to $184,000, and Stelmach’s by $54,000, to $213,450 (making Stelmach the highest paid Premier in Canada). As far as I can’t remember, none of the 71 other PC MLAs publicly questioned the pay hike.
Albertans may also remember that in another closed-door Cabinet meeting nearly a year ago, Stelmach and his cabinet changed Alberta’s proposed conflict-of-interest rules so that they wouldn’t apply to any PC Ministers retiring or defeated after the March 3, 2008 election. This decision was made behind closed doors only hours before Stelmach called the 2008 election, and exempted out-going Ministers such as former Finance Minister Lyle Oberg and Energy Minister Greg Melchin.
So, when I hear Premier Stelmach tell Albertans that PC MLAs are “going to show leadership in this regard,” I can’t help but wonder why they didn’t start showing leadership a year ago?
After yesterday’s 7 minute and 30 second Speech from the Throne, I have some serious questions about the purpose of the Governor General in Canada (questions like, why do we still see fit to continue having a Governor General?). I posed this question on twitter, and received some great responses (I feel like @ricksanchezcnn!).
Question: davecournoyer Could someone please remind me why we have a Governor General?
Responses:
crazydan @davecournoyer I wish we have a “strong” republican movement in Canada like Australia. But that’s a long-shot dream.
dkaszor @davecournoyer To take ceremonial and some diplomatic duties off of the plate of the PM.
CitizenFish @davecournoyer Oh, you know. “Tradition”
bgrier @davecournoyer Uh, in case the government has ‘…fallen and can’t get up.’?
ConalPierse @davecournoyer Because somebody needs to wear all those fancy capes we have lying around, and Mr Dress-up is gone, man. Gone
glenkruger @davecournoyer so the PM can tell them what to do
djkelly @davecournoyer Because no federal politician wants to re-open the constitution
jdarrah @davecournoyer I have no idea. “Throne” is keeping Canada from an identity as a place in the world.
phendrana @davecournoyer To represent the state in a non-partisan fashion – sometimes it is really needed. She was doing a different function today.
KenChapman46 @davecournoyer To give retired CBC on-air people a job?
chrishenderson @davecournoyer those sad European monuments don’t tour themselves.
keppykarpala @davecournoyer not only that but why is the Queen still the head of state? It’s all about tradition and ritual.
AB_get_rich @davecournoyer Because its one of the few visible things that make us not American.
chigaze @davecournoyer http://tinyurl.com/24dlww 😉
You probably don’t know it, but when you wake up at 7am tomorrow morning to the sound of your alarm clock, the Board of Governors of the University of Alberta will be preparing to increase student fees for the 2009/2010 academic year.
Held at the ungodly hour of 7am each year, tomorrow morning’s BOG meeting will increase tuition fees by CPI and hike residence rent by 8%. This means that over the past 3 years, Alberta students living in residences at the U of A have seen their rent increase by almost 30% (over $1,000). Put another way: residence rates at the U of A will have increased by $220 per month since 2006 (private University-area housing has only seen an average increase of $205 per month since 2006).
Highlighting the challenges created by increased costs, the U of A Students’ Union has been running the Restricted Access campaign and will be showing their presence at a rally tomorrow morning. I will be joining them and may have a chance to post my thoughts live from the Board of Governors meeting if I can get a seat.
Alberta’s Opposition should look for critics outside its ranks.
Though the Official Opposition has just released a new lineup of MLA critic roles for the upcoming Legislative session, newly elected leader David Swann should look outside the ranks of the nine-member Liberal Caucus to fill some roles.
Just as Stephen Harper appointed Josée Verner to represent Quebec in the Federal Conservative caucus in 2004, and Stéphane Dion appointed Bob Rae and Gerard Kennedy to the Federal Liberal shadow cabinet in 2007, similar moves in Alberta could be a game changer for the Opposition. As both the Liberals and New Democrats only succeeded in electing MLAs from Calgary, Edmonton, and Lethbridge, appointing critics from outside the Legislature could: 1) strengthen voices from regions of Alberta that aren’t represented by the Opposition in the Legislature; 2) make critic responsibilities more manageable for sitting MLAs; and 3) strengthen the quality of opposition critiques and responses to Government decisions.
Though these critics would not have a seat in the Legislature, the Opposition in Alberta is hardly in a position to be picky. After 37 years of one-party government, it’s long past due for the Opposition to start acting outside the traditional political structure. With traditional politics failing to connect with Albertans on a meaningful level (as demonstrated by the 60% of Albertans who did not vote in the March 2008 election), this is one example of how the political establishment in the Legislature could approach politics differently.
A change like this may seem minuscule or insignificant in the short-term, but it has the potential to change the long-term culture of politics in Alberta. By bringing a larger diversity of ideas and voices into the political debate, there is a chance it could make democracy in Alberta a little more competitive, and in turn, a little healthier.
Can Alberta clean up its energy production?
The Pembina Institute released a major report today outlining a strategy for Alberta to switch its main source of electricity from coal to cleaner renewable energy within 20 years. Pembina’s Jeff Bell and Tim Weis will be presenting and discussing the report tonight at an event hosted by the University of Alberta Energy Club.
Where & When
Humanities Centre Lecture 1, University of Alberta
January 14, 2009 at 6:30 p.m.
1) Oil is sitting at $38 a barrel.
2) Calgary-Buffalo MLA Kent Hehr has launched a website to support Bill 201, a piece of legislation that would give Police more powers in fighting gang violence. Hehr will be introducing this bill in next session of the Alberta Legislature, set to begin on Tuesday, February 10, 2009.
3) The RCMP are investigating alleged misuse of Wheat Board voters lists by five Conservative MPs. Alleged to have been involved are Crowfoot MP Kevin Sorenson, and Saskatchewan MPs David Anderson, Randy Hoback, Andrew Scheer and Ed Komarnicki.
4) Molotov cocktails are reported to be the source of an arson against the Edmonton home of former Syncrude President James Carter.
5) The University of Alberta Students’ Union has launched their Restricted Access campaign, and in today’s edition the Gateway has an interview with Advanced Education Minister Doug Horner.
