Decision 2012: Alberta Politics Thread - Page 13

Blader · #**241** Posted **Apr 22, 2012, 3:37 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

Where do you live and what is your goal?

live in Calgary McCall
goal to defeat Wildrose.

Oh, and I've friends in Calgary Foothills who share my sentiment and are seeking guidance.

MalcolmTucker · #**242** Posted **Apr 22, 2012, 3:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blader

live in Calgary McCall
goal to defeat Wildrose.

Mostly due to the changing boundaries, that is one where it is likely the Liberals will come in third, but it will likely be a tight race all around.

You have to think, one more PC MLA can stop Smith from becoming Premier, but one more Liberal MLA cannot if the seat count is tight.

One of the eccentricities of our system.

Blader · #**243** Posted **Apr 22, 2012, 4:12 AM**

^^^
Thank you - that's my read of Calgary McCall.

I edited my post with an additional comment - you likely posted to my unedited post.
So to repeat, I have friends in Calgary Foothills, who share my sentiment - what's your take there.

CCF · #**244** Posted **Apr 22, 2012, 1:42 PM**

As an outsider looking in - are the Wild Rose party going to win? That wouldn't be good for Western Canada, in my opinion. That being said, maybe I don't really know enough about the party and the others Anyone want to shed some slight on what's going on in Alberta politics?

Thanks.

ChillN · #**245** Posted **Apr 22, 2012, 2:10 PM**

It will be within a couple seats I think. We can only pray they won't. Don't let us all down Calgary...

MalcolmTucker · #**246** Posted **Apr 22, 2012, 3:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blader

^^^
Thank you - that's my read of Calgary McCall.

I edited my post with an additional comment - you likely posted to my unedited post.
So to repeat, I have friends in Calgary Foothills, who share my sentiment - what's your take there.

Outside of the incumbent NDP and Liberal ridings (minus Currie and McCall which were heavily redistricted) it is almost exclusively a race between the PCs and the Wildrose.

suburbia · #**247** Posted **Apr 23, 2012, 5:53 AM**

I just read a facebook post where the author hits it home. The guy was saying that if he were in Afghanistan, he wouldn't vote for the Wild Poppy Party as they are intolerant ... hmmm

Anyway, get out there and vote ya' all!

suburbia · #**248** Posted **Apr 23, 2012, 6:12 AM**

Someone sent me this video earlier today, but I just watched it now. Pretty much to the point:

• Video Link

Black Star · #**249** Posted **Apr 23, 2012, 6:13 AM**

I have a question maybe someone can answer.

If the WR gets in as a minority Govt...would they be able to still cancel the Alberta Museum? Or would this make a complicated situation more of a complicated situation?

Yes lets vote......Go PC

gammell · #**250** Posted **Apr 23, 2012, 8:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by suburbia

Someone sent me this video earlier today, but I just watched it now. Pretty much to the point:

Interesting how that video cuts the Ron Leech interview just before the interviewer says, "I agree. I totally agree with that part." I guess that would detract from the scariness.

The interviewer's response has me curious to know if Leech was trying to address/tap into a concern among the Punjabi community (and perhaps other groups) about racial disenfranchisement. That seems like an important question that just got missed.

MalcolmTucker · #**251** Posted **Apr 23, 2012, 2:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BLACK STAR

I have a question maybe someone can answer.

If the WR gets in as a minority Govt...would they be able to still cancel the Alberta Museum? Or would this make a complicated situation more of a complicated situation?

Yes lets vote......Go PC

Cancelling projects would be order in council, only requiring cabinet, perhaps even only the Treasury Board. The assumption works that they will later need to amend the budget to reflect the change (in fact they have promised to immediately balance the budget), and if the change doesn't have the support of the house the government will fall.

So in a messy government situation it can be fubar'd pretty fast, which will be very hard to undo.

Cage · #**252** Posted **Apr 23, 2012, 2:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

Cancelling projects would be order in council, only requiring cabinet, perhaps even only the Treasury Board. The assumption works that they will later need to amend the budget to reflect the change (in fact they have promised to immediately balance the budget), and if the change doesn't have the support of the house the government will fall.

So in a messy government situation it can be fubar'd pretty fast, which will be very hard to undo.

My expectation is that a WR minority will push through a min budget in the fall legislature sitting. Infrastructure funding and other campaign promises qwill get put through at that time. So yes there is a good chance to AB Museum project will get axed.

Now lets switch the tables to a PC minority. My bold prediction is the same result, reduction to infrastructure spending (however the PCs will do everything right away as Order in Council and not call a budget on Fall siting) similar to WR campaign proposals. Why? The public fight between the WR and PC will move inside the PC caucus and fracture the party. The "Conservative" side of the party will be all "told you so" to the "Progressive" side of the party. Progressives will be forced to back track or could be tossed from power from within the PC party.

MalcolmTucker · #**253** Posted **Apr 23, 2012, 3:15 PM**

Personally I don't think a minority either way is possible – with the way the splits go in Calgary.

DoubleK · #**254** Posted **Apr 23, 2012, 4:08 PM**

Hope everyone makes the effort to get out to vote today. This is a pretty big moment in Alberta politics.

suburbia · #**255** Posted **Apr 23, 2012, 4:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

Personally I don't think a minority either way is possible – with the way the splits go in Calgary.

I don't think I'm fully understanding your comment here. Can you elaborate on why you don't think a minority government is possible?

Further fodder:

I recall an interview with J Chretien where he said he didn't really have any regrets except that in his last cabinet, perhaps he should have put in a couple NDP MP's, and that may have completely changed what happened since his time. I do recall Paul Martin making a gesture in a slightly different way, by appointing equal number of PC and Liberal types to the senate during his stint at the helm (I don't think any other PM has done that - they usually just stack their appointees to align with themselves).

Thinking about the above comments in context of the political landscape in Alberta, should a PC minority win, would it make sense for them to put in one Liberal and one NDP into cabinet, assuming at least one Liberal and one NDP have good fits for specific portfolios? The hope would be that even if it is a minority, you'd want to maintain stability, and such a move might help. Of course, if the Wild Rose win a minority, I think it becomes a lot trickier - most others won't vote with them and the government might crash in short time, having wasted our time and resources.

MalcolmTucker · #**256** Posted **Apr 23, 2012, 4:18 PM**

Because a big block of seats in Calgary are close fights between the Wildrose and the PCs, and they are likely to go one way or the other, not split.

suburbia · #**257** Posted **Apr 23, 2012, 4:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by gammell

Interesting how that video cuts the Ron Leech interview ...

What I actually found interesting was how Leech was speaking really slowly, such that all the uneducated who needed uplifting could understand him. LOL!

Did you have any comments on the hellfire for minorities comments by the other Pastor? It was interesting how Danielle didn't denounce the statement, saying instead that it was freedom of speech. Would she call it freedom of speech if one of her own said that the oil sands should be shut down?

suburbia · #**258** Posted **Apr 23, 2012, 4:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

Because a big block of seats in Calgary are close fights between the Wildrose and the PCs, and they are likely to go one way or the other, not split.

Hmmm ... when things are close in 20 ridings, wouldn't it be like flipping a coin 20 times? No matter, I'm understanding your stance.

MalcolmTucker · #**259** Posted **Apr 23, 2012, 4:26 PM**

Things aren't close in 20 ridings. The distributions of votes is not uniform. There are distinct groups of ridings in Calgary that are very different from each other, but they are all affected by the same events, that cause them to move.

The same event won't cause different movements in different ridings within the same block, so it is unlikely having been in a block for so long, they would diverge now.

Doug · #**260** Posted **Apr 23, 2012, 4:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bulliver

That would be an opinion not shared by many I would think. MLAs working together across party lines for the benefit of all constituents? Yeah, that's just horrible....

Minority governments just lead to extortion. The NDP will draw up a wish list and demand funding in return for supporting a budget. How us that of benefit to constituents, except for those who work for a public sector untion?