Tag: Lethbridge-West by-election

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Alberta Politics

Danielle Smith’s big pre-recorded policy announcements

Premier Danielle Smith delivered a pre-recorded televised address on September 17 (screenshot source: Your Alberta/YouTube)
Premier Danielle Smith delivered a pre-recorded televised address on September 17 (screenshot source: Your Alberta/YouTube)

Another way for politicians to control the message and avoid facing tough questions

In the span of one week, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith released two pre-recorded video messages announcing major changes to the United Conservative Party government’s political agenda.

The first was an 8-minute broadcast online and on television featuring Smith announcing new funding for school construction and taking political jabs at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over the federal government’s immigration policies.

A second 3-minute video featured the Premier announcing the rumoured amendments to the Alberta Bill of Rights she argued would enshrine protections for people who refuse get vaccinated and people who own firearms and property.

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Alberta Politics

Long list of COVID-19 grievances could head to UCP AGM policy debate

Premier Danielle Smith and Innisfail-Sylvan Lake UCP MLA Devin Dreeshen at a UCP member only town hall meeting (source: United Conservative Party / Facebook)
Premier Danielle Smith and Innisfail-Sylvan Lake UCP MLA Devin Dreeshen at a UCP member only town hall meeting (source: United Conservative Party / Facebook)

It’s hard to imagine the old PC Party getting bogged down by this debate

If I had walked into the Alberta Legislature ten years ago and told an MLA, staffer, or journalist that in 2024 the province’s political landscape would be a competitive two-party system, I probably would have been laughed out of the Rotunda. They might have even alerted a security guard if I’d been so out of my mind to predict that the New Democratic Party would be competing with the conservatives to form Alberta’s government.

Until that point ten years ago, only twice in the Progressive Conservative Party’s four decades of uninterrupted majority governments had the dynasty been seriously challenged in an election. The PC Party was unquestionably Alberta’s Natural Governing Party.

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Alberta Politics

Once upon a time Alberta MLAs had meaningful ideas about Senate Reform

Strengthening Canada Reform of Canadas Senate

Until last weekend, 2 of Alberta’s 6 seats in the Canadian Senate sat empty for years

Did you know that until recently, two of Alberta’s six seats in the Canadian Senate had been vacant for years?

You’re not alone if you didn’t know before last weekend. Most Albertans probably didn’t know.

You’re also not alone if you didn’t even hear about the appointments, because it was out of the news-cycle in about 24 hours.

Despite playing a big role in how federal laws are shaped in our country, the profile of Canada’s Senate, a place of sober second thought, usually flies far under the radar of most Canadians.

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Alberta Politics

Ask me anything about Alberta politics

Alberta’s Legislature grounds in Edmonton under construction in July 2024 (photo: Dave Cournoyer)
Alberta’s Legislature grounds in Edmonton under construction in July 2024 (photo: Dave Cournoyer)

With the end of summer fast approaching and the Labour Day long-weekend just days away, I’ve opened up the mailbag to answer a few Alberta politics questions about health care privatization, early election speculation, and small nuclear reactors sent in by Daveberta subscribers. Read it all on the Daveberta Substack.

 

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Alberta Politics

The stakes are high for Nenshi’s NDP in the Lethbridge-West by-election

Two former City Councillors running for NDP nomination

The stakes are high for Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi in the upcoming Lethbridge-West by-election. This will be the new NDP leader’s first electoral test since his landslide victory in June and, because of that, it’s also a race that Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative Party really want to win.

The by-election to choose who will succeed former three-term NDP MLA Shannon Phillips’ hasn’t been called yet but the date of the vote will need to be set by January 1, 2025. The NDP and UCP have both started their nomination process to select candidates.

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Alberta Politics

Nenshi wins Alberta NDP leadership vote in a landslide victory

Rachel Notley and Naheed Nenshi at the announcement of the NDP leadership vote results (source: Alberta NDP / YouTube)
Rachel Notley and Naheed Nenshi at the announcement of the NDP leadership vote results (source: Alberta NDP / YouTube)

Former Calgary mayor wins with a record 62,746 votes on the first ballot

Naheed Nenshi is the new leader of the Alberta NDP. The former Calgary mayor won with a huge landslide victory on the first ballot.

Here are the results of the NDP leadership vote:

  1. Naheed Nenshi: 62,746 (86%)
  2. Kathleen Ganley: 5,899 (8%)
  3. Sarah Hoffman: 3,063 (4%)
  4. Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse: 1,222 (2%)

Nenshi’s three-terms as mayor of Alberta’s largest city have made him one of the province’s most recognizable politicians. That name recognition and his history of electoral success in Calgary almost certainly helped carry him to his landslide first place finish in the race to replace Rachel Notley.

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Alberta Politics

NDP MLA Shannon Phillips stepping down, opening Lethbridge-West by-election

Lethbridge-West MLA Shannon Phillips (source: Shannon Phillips / Facebook)
Lethbridge-West MLA Shannon Phillips (source: Shannon Phillips / Facebook)

I usually share Daveberta newsletters later in the week, but with MLA Shannon Phillips announcing her resignation yesterday, I wanted to share my thoughts earlier this week. Enjoy!

Shannon Phillips is smart as a whip and tough as nails but after nine years in the Alberta Legislature, she is stepping down as the NDP MLA for Lethbridge-West.

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