I know I already posted one of the videos already, but four new online videos have been released with Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft speaking about the Alberta Liberal plan for affordable housing, Alberta’s Creative Economy, Alberta’s Water, and Sustaining Alberta’s future.
The official candidates list has been released for the June 12 by-elections in Calgary Elbow and Drumheller-Stettler. There are seven candidates in each race (and there’s no shortage of right-wing candidates to split up the right-of-centre vote).
CALGARY ELBOW
Al Brown, NDP
Craig Cheffins, Alberta Liberal
Jane Greydanus, Alliance
Trevor Grover, Social Credit
Brian Heninger, PC
George Read, Green
Jeff Willerton, Independent
DRUMHELLER-STETTLER
Richard Bough, NDP
Larry Davidson, Social Credit
Tom Dooley, Alberta Liberal
Dave France, Alliance
Jack Hayden, PC
John Rew, Independent
Jennifer Wigmore, Greens
Though it’s not unexpected, I’m still a little surprised at the amount of right-wing candidates that appeared out of the woodwork to run in these by-elections. Though Calgary Elbow still remains a race between Craig Cheffins and Brian Heninger, the Drumheller-Stettler race could end up having very interesting results depending on the vote split between Jack Hayden, Tom Dooley, Dave France, Larry Davidson, and Jennifer Wigmore.
(Apologies for the lame Lord of the Rings reference in the title…)
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note to self.
I’m wondering if this is what Ed Stelmach’s notebook looks like…
Note to self- if the going gets rough, blame market forces!
(I wish I were the one who came up with this, but I stole it from someone far more intelligent than I. I’m sure she won’t mind.)
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two ads.
I thought these were pretty clever. And they’re lot easier on the brain cells than the most recent ads from the other side.
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trouble in toryland.
The outgoing President of the Young Tories took a parting shot at Premier Ed Stelmach on the front page of today’s Calgary Herald.
Outgoing executive members of the Alberta PC youth wing continued their assault Monday against the Tories and the Stelmach government, arguing their policies are rural, stale and ensuring a “slow death march” for the party.
[…]
The entire nine-member executive has resigned from the youth wing, largely due to the party’s and government’s lack of vision and attempts to muzzle young Tories, insist the former executive members.
“PC Alberta will continue its slow death march, to the beat of a rural drum and tired, stale policies,” outgoing president David McColl, 26, wrote in an op-ed letter to the Herald.
There is also a surprisingly nasty letter on the front page of the YAPCA website. The Herald described the situation well.
Some of the outgoing members of the youth wing say they’re disillusioned with the party’s lack of vision and the way it kept the lid on their views and input. It is difficult to gauge the overall mood in the whole wing from a handful of dissenters, but what should worry Stelmach is that these are more people adding their voices to a chorus of disillusionment with his government that is growing steadily louder.
On that note, today’s Herald also included a new poll showing Premier Ed Stelmach’s disapproval rating in Calgary and Edmonton doubling to 29%, from 15% in January. In Calgary, the poll shows that Stelmach’s disapproval rating has soared to 39% (from 18% in January) and is coming close to challenging his approval ratings of 44% in Calgary (down from 52% in January). The poll also showed that 41% of Calgarians believe Premier Stelmach is leading Alberta in the wrong direction (35% think he’s taking Alberta down the right path).
I thought this was a pretty smart ad on Alberta’s affordable housing crisis and the provincial Tory government’s lack of action on the issue. Credit goes to Dave Sawchuk and Q99 FM Radio in Grande Prairie for doing this one up.
Props to the daveberta reader who sent this my way.
The Prince Edward Island provincial election is today. A CRA Poll released on May 17 had the Robert Ghiz’s Liberals at 49% to Premier Pat Binns Tories 42%. The Greens were at 5% and the New Democrats at 4%.
Closer to home, I spent Saturday campaigning in Calgary Elbow with Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft and candidate Craig Cheffins. Both were very well received at the doors in Elbow.
I’m still blown away by the amount of hostility the voters I spoke with held towards Premier Ed Stelmach and his cabinet. It’s not just Mayor Dave Bronconnier who’s unhappy with the Tories…
It’s quite an excting by-election campaign. There are lawn signs everywhere as both the Alberta Liberal and Tory canadidates are campaigning hard in this riding.
Also, I can personally confirm that there is one more ‘R’ in Calgary Elbow than there was two weeks ago…
The By-Elections in Calgary Elbow and Drumheller-Stettler are set for Tuesday June 12.
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homelessness on the radar.
The Canada West Foundation released a new survey on urban issues this morning…
The Looking West 2007 Survey finds that the majority of urbanites in western Canada and Toronto rate reducing homelessness as a high priority, and that they tend to favour increased affordable housing and increased programs and services for homeless people over an increase in shelter beds as a solution to homelessness. In addition, the survey finds that many urbanites feel that governments are doing a poor job addressing urban social issues such as poverty.
According to the survey, 68.8% of Edmontonians and 66.9% of Calgarians surveyed identified “reducing homelessness” as a ‘very high priority’ or ‘high priority.’ The survey also showed that only 17.6% of Edmontonians and 23.4% of Calgarians surveyed believed that governments were doing a ‘good job’ or ‘very good job’ addressing social issues (38.4% of Edmontonians and 34.9% of Calgarians surveyed believed that governments were doing a ‘poor job’ or ‘very poor job’ at addressing this issue).
Though I’m still fairly skeptical of surveys and polls, I do find these numbers quite interesting. With the affordable housing in Alberta becoming harder to find, I can only see this issue becoming more important in the future.
Read the survey here
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roster change.
The Edmonton City Council election roster looks like it’s up for a bit of a bench change after the October elections.
Councillors who have announced they are not seeking re-election include Janice Melnychuk (Ward 3), Michael Phair (Ward 4), and Terry Cavanaugh (Ward 6). Councillors who have announced (or are expected to announce) their intentions for re-election include Linda Sloan (Ward 1), Karen Leibovici (Ward 1), Kim Krushell (Ward 2), Ron Hayter (Ward 2), Ed Gibbons (Ward 3), Jane Batty (Ward 4), Bryan Anderson (Ward 5), Mike Nickel (Ward 5), and Dave Thiele (Ward 6).
Council hopefuls lining up for October 2007 include Don Iveson (Ward 5), Ben Henderson (Ward 4), Amarjeet Sohi (Ward 6), Chinwe Okelu (Ward 6), Ton Caterina (Ward 3), and Donna Finucane (Ward 5).
The Mayoral election is expected to be a cake-walk for popular incumbent Mayor Stephen Mandel. Other Mayoral candidates that I know of include Dave Loken (who placed third in the 2004 Ward 2 Election) and perenial candidate Dave Dowling.
Mandel’s popularity still amazes me. I know Liberals, Conservatives, and New Democrats who all have no problem supporting declaring their support for him. He’s done an amazing job solidifying his support. Though I believe Mandel has been doing a superb job as Mayor, I tend to believe that public reaction to his performance has been boosted by the nine-years of the mediocre Bill Smith Mayorship.
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-r.
I heard that Mr. Heninger removed his campaign office sign today…
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best headquaters ever!
I wouldn’t have thought Ed Stelmach would be one to create random patronage positions, but seeing as how the position of Alberta’s Ambassador to the United States is already taken…
It was reported last week that former Tory leadership candidate Mark Norris is being touted as Alberta’s Ambassador-Extraordinary and Pleni-potentiary to the Olympics.
Norris served as the PC MLA for Edmonton McClung and Economic Development Minister from 2001 until 2004. In the 2004 provincial election, Norris was defeated by Alberta Liberal Mo Elsalhy.
Norris placed 6th in the 2006 Alberta Tory leadership race, garnering 6.9% of the vote and endorsed Ed Stelmach during the second round of voting.
“One of Canada’s top experts on the Olympics questioned why Alberta needs a promoter, since enthusiasm for the Winter Games is already high here, and many Albertans are likely to visit the West Coast for the events without the government having to drum up interest.
“I don’t think you have to. I think there’s some motive going unexplained, to create a whole post for that,” said Bob Barney, founding director of International Centre for Olympic Studies at the University of Western Ontario.
He said Olympic host cities routinely name ambassadors, but he’s never heard of a position like that in outside jurisdictions.”
Indeed…
I hope everyone is having a good weekend. It’s rained over the past couple of days in Edmonton, but thankfully it’s not raining today. Here’s a bit of a roundup from a busy week.
– Long-time Ward 6 Edmonton City Councillor Terry Cavanagh announced that after 27 years on Council he won’t be seeking re-election in the October 2007 Municipal Elections. In April, Ward 4 City Councillor Michael Phair also announced that he won’t be seeking re-election this Fall. Also, Dave Dowling is running for Mayor again…
Also, make sure to check out the Edmonton Municipal Politics blog.
– The Alberta Teacher’s Association rebuffed Tory Education Minister Ron Liepert’s Pension liability proposal.
– The Calgary Elbow and Drumheller-Stettler by-elections continue this week.
– I saw the film Radiant City on Wednesday night. Playing at the Princess II Theatre on Whyte, Radiant City is a documentary filmed in Calgary highlighting the problems emanating from the post-WWII suburban boom. Anyone who’s traveled to either Calgary or Edmonton in the past 5 years will see that these two cities are now dealing with many of these issues. I’d stronly recommend that more people go and see this film.
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a 3 dressed up as a 9.
This is why I chose to stay away from today’s affordable housing rally at the Alberta Legislature:
“Was it a housing rally or a commercial for the New Democratic Party?
Most of the 300 or so on hand for the protest Thursday at noon at the legislature didn’t seem to mind much, but a few weren’t cheering as the third party used the rally to introduce candidates in the next provincial election and slam the oppositon Liberals with as much vigour as the government.
“I didn’t realize the NDP was going to do a rally here, I thought it was for housing. That’s really why I actually came down,” said Dave, a young married guy who wouldn’t give his last name. Dave and his wife have been evicted twice in the last two years for condo conversion and recently saw his rent go up $450.
Grandstanding, anyone?
Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft on Affordable Housing