daveberta.ca - Alberta Politics and Elections

“Stumbling Tory MP Grewal hasn’t exactly acted like a 007 agent, but more like a suicide bomber”

– Angelo Persichilli, the Hill Times

I thought this picture was funny and appropriate at the same time….

Today, Alberta Advanced Education Minister Dave Hancock announced the composition of a committee that will review Post-Secondary Education in Alberta. No student or faculty representatives are on the committee, but not surprisingly there are 3 Tory MLA’s on it.

(On another note: This story caught my eye.)

Tory Minister Guy Boutilier got into a shouting match with ND MLA Ray Martin yesterday afternoon!

According to CBC, Martin wanted to know why a developer that has donated money to the Fort McMurray MLA got what the NDP is calling a sweetheart deal on 900 acres of government land in Fort McMurray, with no public tender.

Boutilier, who was elected MLA for Fort McMurray in 1997 is currently Alberta’s Minister of the Environment. Boutilier was Mayor of Fort McMurray from 1992 to 1997, when he jumped to the provincial scene following the retirement of Fort McMurray Liberal MLA Adam Germain.

Ray Martin is the ND MLA for Edmonton Beverly Clareview. Martin served as MLA for Edmonton Norwood from 1982 to 1993 and ND Leader from 1984 to 1994. In 1993, Martin was defeated in Norwood by Liberal Andrew Beniuk. Last November, Martin returned to provincial politics after being elected in the Edmonton Beverly Clareview riding.

More Boutilier outrage can be found here, here, and here.

It seems I have AGAIN had the privilege of gracing the pages of another forces of darkness blog! Two in one week! Wow. Peter Rempel must be a trend-setter.

This time, it happens to be on the nicely designed RootleWeb blog, run by a Blogger known only as Ruth.

It appears that Ms. Ruth has taken exception with my fourth criterion of selecting “le blog of the week.” In a recent posting about the tolerance level of “lefties,” Ms. Ruth wrote:

“Now consider Daveberta’s criteria for his blog of the week:
1. Smart
2. Entertaining
3. Informative
4. Not crazy right-wing.
Why the need to add the last criterion? If everyone is entitled to their opinion and we must be tolerant of all, then why not select a blog that is smart, entertaining, informative and also crazy right wing. The combination does exist. Captain’s Quarters is a perfect example.”

First, I would like to thank Ms. Ruth for her post.

Second, I agree that everyone is entitled to their opinion (no matter how crazy that opinion may be).

Third, I would like to point out that I have not excluded all right-wing blogs, only those which I consider “crazy-right wing.” So, there still is potential for 2 or 3 of the hundred or so blogging forces of darkness to make “le blog of the week.”

Don’t Click Here

Former Liberal MP Pat O’Brien has said that he and another (unnamed) Liberal MP may vote against the Government in tonight’s budget vote if the Government did not delay the Same-Sex Marriage Bill.

So, assuming all MP’s show up, and the O’Brien senario plays out, that would make it:

131 Liberals (-the Speaker and the ‘unnamed Liberal MP’)
19 ND’s
= 150

96 Tories (minus Gurmant Grewal and David Chatters (Chatters for sure), and perhaps Darrell Stinson)
54 Bloc Quebecois
1 Independent (O’Brien)
1 Liberal (My bets are on Tom Wappell)
= 152

WILD CARD: 2 other Independent MP’s (Parrish and Kilgour)

So, if this senario plays out and both Parrish and Kilgour vote with the Lib/ND Coalition, then the Speaker will break the tie, if not…

Read more on CBC.

This really ticked me off.

Last week, the US House Appropriations Subcommittee voted to slash the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s budget for next year by $100 million and eliminated another $23 million used to pay for shows such as Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow, and Arthur.

They also voted to cut funding entirely from the Corporation for Publc Broadcasting within 2 years!

This seems to be a direct result of Bush’s appointment of Roveite and outed-O’Reilly Factor fan, Kenneth Tomlinson, as the Chair of the CPB Board of Directors.

According to the group People for the American Way, Tomlinson has claimed to have concerns about the “objectivity and balance” of the CPB and PBS, Tomlinson has taken a series of steps to ensure that their programming better reflects the Republican mandate. In response, he has:

– Created programs to showcase conservative views such as “Tucker Carlson Unfiltered” and “The Journal Editorial Report.”

– Hired a White House staffer to draft guidelines for a new PBS ombudsman to monitor programs for bias.

– Filled the ombudsman positions with one conservative and one “liberal” who endorsed Bush’s former Office of Management and Budget director Mitch Daniels in his run for governor of Indiana.

– Replaced the CPB’s chief executive officer with a top Republican advisor to former chairman of the FCC, Michael Powell.

As if this wasn’t bad enough, Tomlinson is now pushing for the appointment of Patricia Harrison, a former co-chair of the Republican National Committee, to serve as the board’s next president.

What’s next? Jerry Falwell’s Sesame Street Hour with Big Bird, the happy and abstinent heterosexual freedom bird?

Read more: here, here, and here.

It looks like I’ve again had the privilege of gracing the pages of our right-wing blog friend, Rempelia Prime. RP is one of my favorite blogs on the forces of darkness blogroll.

Thanks for the coverage, Peter.

I still think that this was one of the funnest (and one of the most unexpected) results from last November’s provincial election.

Liberal candidate Jack Flaherty went up against two-term Tory MLA Mary O’Neill in St. Albert and won. Flaherty spent $14,003, and O’Neill spent $61,434.

Businesses boosted Tory candidate’s campaign

By Mark Wells
Staff Writer
St. Albert Gazette

Money isn’t everything when it comes to politics.

Incumbent Tory MLA Mary O’Neill had a whopping $112,931 on hand for her unsuccessful 2004 bid for re-election, according to financial statements released by Alberta’s Chief Electoral Officer.

But the two-term MLA was upset by Liberal newcomer Jack Flaherty in a close race, where the challenger spent $14,003. All polls counted, Flaherty won 6,474 votes to O’Neill’s 6,064. Flaherty’s campaign focused on issues like instituting smoking legislation, funding for seniors and the disabled and improving education.

The Liberal MLA managed to raise $9,985 in donations of $375 or less and $1,900 in donations over $375. The only business to contribute to Flaherty’s campaign was Hole’s Greenhouses, with a $500 donation. Edmonton-based Alberta and Northwest Territories Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied Workers gave $400. The remainder of Flaherty’s campaign funding came from the St. Albert Liberal constituency association. Read the rest here!

This “[t]he biggest donors to O’Neill’s campaign were Saint City News owner June Warren Publishing Ltd., which provided $2,000…” pretty much cleared up to me why the SCN editorial pages were so pissed off that Flaherty won.

Oh well. This is what electoral competition looks like, guys!

Dear loyal readers,

Along with updating my ‘les blogs’ section, I’ve added a new feature on the side bar called ‘le blog of the week.’ Hopefully, every week or two, I’ll put some special blogger’s blog in the spotlight and single them out for being:

1. Smart
2. Entertaining
3. Informative
4. Not crazy right-wing.

The very first ‘blog of the week’ is Buckets of Grewal. Buckets is a hard working Hamilton blogger who has taken the blog-o-sphere by storm in gathering info on “Grewal-gate.” Along with co-posters, Edward T. Bear and the Shoveller, Buckets of Grewal is kept crisp and up to date. Buckets even made it on the CTV website!

As all epic battles, the forces of darkness have begun to muster their armies in an attempt to discredit hard-working Buckets.

Alas, Buckets can rest assured that he or she has the full support of daveberta and my small but dedicated band of recycling downtown dwellers.

Keep up it up!

D : )

I thought this was fun. Check out the civilized right-wing response here. I wish people hated me that much 😛

Thanks to Nic at GoPolitical for the heads up.

I watched Back to the Future II last night. Though I am a long time fan of the BTTF Trilogy, this is my least favorite of the three. For those of you not familiar with the second film, here is the just of it (if you haven’t seen it and don’t want me to spoil it for you, leave now and if you stay, I’m assuming you saw the first film).

The movie picks up just before the end of the first film: Marty returns to 1985 and discovers his “present” has been pleasantly changed: his dad is now a successful author, his mom is a hottie, and he is now the proud owner of a super cool black truck, and Biff is now his dad’s *slave*, and Lea Thompson is still hot. Just as Marty and Jennifer (Thompson) reunite, Doc Brown returns in the Delorian (which can now fly). He rushes Marty and Jennifer into the Delorian and tells them they have to come with him to 2015 to save their future son, Marty Jr., from being thrown in jail for some unexplained reason.

So, Doc, Marty, and Jennifer travel from 1985 to 2015 and discover a Hill Valley filled with flying cars, 80’s retro cafes, automatic fitting coats, and hover boards (very cool). Marty intervenes and pretends to be his son, and takes on Griff (who’s Biff’s grandson, and I’m assuming is Needles’ son). Mayhem ensues as Marty out hover boards Griff and his gang of hyper implanted hoodlums. Just when Doc and Marty are ready to return to 1985, the cops pick up and unconscious Jennifer (who Doc zapped to sleep when the first arrived in 2015) and use her finger prints to identify her as Jennifer McFly. Still unconscious, they bring her to her 2015 home in what is then a complete ghetto.

This post by Robert over at MyBlahg

was just too good not to link to.

Enjoy.

D : )

Here are some of the races from last November’s Provincial Election which I thought showed some interesting differences in campaign spending…

Calgary Currie (Margin of Victory: 634)

One of the high profile races in Calgary. Former radio talk show host, Dave Taylor, took on 1 term Tory MLA and former City Councillor Jon Lord.

Dave Taylor (Liberal) – Elected
Total Spent: $30,523
Total Votes: 5046
Cost per Vote: $6.29

Jon Lord* (PC)
Total Spent: $49,211
Total Votes: 4412
Cost per Vote: $16.19

Calgary Glenmore (MOV: 1899)

This race had then Gaming Minister Ron Stevens up against former Friends of Medicare Chairperson, Avalon Roberts.

Ron Stevens (PC) – Re-Elected
Total Spent: $118,688
Total Votes: 6263
Cost per Vote: $18.95

Avalon Roberts (Liberal)
Total Spent: $22,058
Total Votes: 4364
Cost per Vote: $5.05

Calgary Mountain View (MOV: 3074)

This race saw Dr. David Swann, anti-War activist and former Chief Medical Officer of the Palliser Health Authority go up against three-term MLA Mark Hlady.

David Swann (Liberal) – Elected
Total Spent: $50,863
Total Votes: 7162
Cost per Vote: $7.10

Mark Hlady* (PC)
Total Spent: $75,411
Total Votes: 4088
Cost per Vote: $18.45

Calgary Varsity (MOV: 756)

One of the upsets of this election. Liberal Harry Chase snuck by rookie candidate Mike Smyth in the race to replace former Energy Czar and current Alberta Ambassador to D.C., Murray Smith.

Harry Chase (Liberal) – Elected
Total Spent: $17,295
Total Votes: 6347
Cost per Vote: $2.72

Mike Smyth
Total Spent: $57,396
Total Votes: 5591
Cost per Vote: $10.27

Edmonton Centre (MOV: 3541)

Laurie Blakeman slammed third-time challenger Don Weideman. Nuff, said. Laurie rocks.

Laurie Blakeman* (Liberal) – Re-Elected
Total Spent: $24,600
Total Votes: 6203
Cost per Vote: $3.97

Don Wiedeman (PC)
Total Spent: $33,629
Total Votes: 2662
Cost per Vote: $12.63

Edmonton Decore (MOV: 1427)

School Trustee Bill Bonko knocked off vintage 1980’s Tory MLA Walter Swender and Tory-turned-Alliance MLA, Gary Masyk.

Bill Bonko (Liberal) – Elected
Total Spent: $12,754
Total Votes: 4434
Cost per Vote: $2.88

Walter Swender (PC)
Total Spent: $39,942
Total Votes: 3007
Cost per Vote: $13.28

Gary Masyk (Alliance)
Total Spent: $40,059
Total Votes: 831
Cost per Vote: $48.21

Edmonton Ellerslie (MOV: 201)

In the race to replace three-term Liberal Debby Carlson, Bharat Agnihotri slid to a narrow victory against his Tory challenger.

Bharat Agnihotri (Liberal) – Elected
Total Spent: $17,545
Total Votes: 3446
Cost per Vote: $5.09

Gurnam Dodd (PC)
Total Spent: $85,609
Total Votes: 3245
Cost per Vote: $26.38

Edmonton Glenora (MOV: 552)

THE MOST WATCHED RACE IN THE PROVINCE – Battle of the Titans (and Drew Hutton). Reverend Bruce Miller won this tight horse race between ND Candidate and former ATA President, Larry Booi, and incumbent Tory, Drew Hutton.

Bruce Miler (Liberal) – Elected
Total Spent: $29,468
Total Votes: 4604
Cost per Vote: $6.40

Larry Booi (ND)
Total Spent: $46,454
Total Votes: 4052
Cost per Vote: $11.46

Drew Hutton* (PC)
Total Spent: $107,822
Total Votes: 3759
Cost per Vote: $28.68

Edmonton Gold Bar (MOV: 6236)

Gold Bar has been Liberal since 1986. Not much more to say.

Hugh MacDonald* (Liberal) – Re-Elected
Total Spent: $30,311
Total Votes: 8798
Cost per Vote: $3.45

Manjit Dhaliwal (PC)
Total Spent: $46,467
Total Votes: 2562
Cost per Vote: $18.07

Keith Turnbull (ND)
Total Spent: $12,783
Total Votes: 1967
Cost per Vote: $6.50

Edmonton Highlands-Norwood (MOV: 3846)

ND Leader Brian Mason was easily re-elected after the Tories found a replacement candidate (their original candidate dropped out).

Brian Mason (ND) – Re-Elected
Total Spent: $32,173
Total Votes: 6054
Cost per Vote: $5.31

Tony Martiniuk (PC)
Total Spent: $33,572
Total Votes: 2208
Cost per Vote: $15.20

Edmonton McClung (MOV: 526)

Liberal Mo Elsalhy took out Economic Development Minister, Mark Norris, and retured McClung to its Liberal roots (since 1986).

Mo Elsalhy (Liberal) – Elected
Total Spent: $26,126
Total Votes: 5859
Cost per Vote: $4.46

Mark Norris* (PC)
Total Spent: $115,264
Total Votes: 5333
Cost per Vote: $21.61

Edmonton Meadowlark (MOV: 193)

This is the craziest race of them all! Take a look at those numbers! Way to go, Maurice! wow.

Maurice Tougas (Liberal) – Elected
Total Spent: $5,367
Total Votes: 4435
Cost per Vote: $1.21

Bob Maskell* (PC)
Total Spent: $46,457
Total Votes: 4242
Cost per Vote: $10.95

Edmonton Mill Woods (MOV: 2020)

Liberal Weslyn Mather easily cleaned house in this race.

Weslyn Mather (Liberal) – Elected
Total Spent: $36,164
Total Votes: 5012
Cost per Vote: $7.22

Naresh Bhardwaj (PC)
Total Spent: $49,211
Total Votes: 2992
Cost per Vote: $16.45

Edmonton Riverview (MOV: 6705)

Wow.

Kevin Taft* (Liberal) – Re-Elected
Total Spent: $30,043
Total Votes: 10280
Cost per Vote: $2.92

Fred Horne (PC)
Total Spent: $49,211
Total Votes: 3575
Cost per Vote: $24.15

Edmonton Rutherford (MOV: 3048)

In a re-match from the 2001 election, Rick Miller reclaimed the seat that was once held by Percy Wickman.

Rick Miller (Liberal) – Elected
Total Spent: $13,224
Total Votes: 7221
Cost per Vote: $1.83

Ian McClelland* (PC)
Total Spent: $38,432
Total Votes: 4173
Cost per Vote: $9.21

Edmonton Whitemud (MOV: 926)

I couldn’t believe it was this close. Wow. Dave Hancock, then Justice Minister, suprisingly was only elected by 926 votes.

Dave Hancock* (PC) – Re-Elected
Total Spent: $104,004
Total Votes: 7494
Cost per Vote: $13.88

Donna Lynn Smith (Liberal)
Total Spent: $18,985
Total Votes: 6568
Cost per Vote: $2.89

(*incumbent)

Any thoughts?

why does this guy have to be so evil?