Blue-Eyed Sheiks

Premier Ed Stelmach is talking tough with the United States arguing that if the US doesn't want our dirty oil, someone else will buy it. In Ed's own words,

"If that means building a pipeline to the coast and selling oil to another country, we will." - Ed Stelmach

An obvious allusion to selling oil to China, one has to wonder how much Ed wants to drill for this dirty oil? If the Americans aren't willing to pay the environmental price to extract this oil, I guess the Chinese would be and that's just fine with Ed.

Full steam ahead! I hear they're serving black charred duck on the good ship Stelmach these days.

Bill's Fundraising Appeal

This popped into my inbox a few moments ago from some guy named "Bill Clinton." My comments are in red;

Dear Friend,


I want to tell you about the day I had on Monday. I stopped in nine towns throughout North Carolina, starting the day at 7:30 a.m. in Elizabeth City and ending with a rally in Raleigh. That's the most stops I've ever done in a single day -- for any campaign. And I couldn't be happier to work that hard for Hillary. (You'd probably be happier if you were winning.)

I talked to a lot of people that day, and one thing was crystal clear -- people want Hillary to stay in this race until every last voter has a say. (No they don't) That's why Hillary and I are working so hard. (No it isn't) That's why we've made a deep commitment to keep campaigning, keep fighting, and keep winning.

We have had a lot of success in this campaign (could've fooled me), and our come-from-behind victory in Indiana is the latest example of how Hillary wins when she has your support behind her. (As in she barely wins?) As long as you share her commitment to winning, this race is going to continue. (So now it's my fault?)

Our next test is just five days away in West Virginia. Hillary needs your help right now to keep winning. (Or maybe to start to)

Contribute now to help us show the strength of our campaign. (Nothing says strength like loaning your own campaign millions)

I know something about coming back to win after you've been counted out. (Yes, you do) So does Hillary. (No, she doesn't) Over the course of this campaign, the pundits have tried to declare a premature end to the race dozens of times. (Like when Hillary declared and everyone said she was unbeatable)

Well, last time I checked, it's still up to the voters. And there are a lot of voters who haven't had their say yet. (Not enough of them though)

It's up to us to make sure that the voters in West Virginia and the other states yet to come are given a choice. I urge you to act now to help Hillary keep fighting.

Show your support by making a contribution today.

I wish I could talk to every last person who has worked so hard for Hillary to thank you for everything you've done for her. (Perhaps then I'd tell you to drop out...not that I've really done anything in this race) You mean so much to both of us. (Probably not true since I can't vote) She's still in this thing because of your hard work and your indomitable spirit. (Once again, I swear it's not my fault.)

Sincerely,


Bill Clinton

Red Deer's Fourth Estate

I love skimming through some of the newspapers from smaller cities and towns in Alberta because sometimes you find the wackiest stuff.

The most recent article I've come across is courtesy of the Red Deer Advocate. In an article that at first seemed to deal with the recent Tory "In and Out" Scandal, the Advocate manages to go off onto a tangental detailing of how Conservative riding associations make so much money in Red Deer and that's why they aren't involved in the scandal.

Unparalleled success among Alberta’s federal Conservative ridings is probably why none of them appear on a list that has become part of an Elections Canada investigation, says Red Deer MP Bob Mills.

That's certainly an interesting way to look at the scandal. Of course, the entire premise of the scheme was that ridings that weren't going to spend to the limit would be used as funnels through which the central campaign can run money through. Rich constituencies couldn't do it without attracting attention; good for the Advocate though, always look on the bright side of things!

Are You Going to San Francisco?

Two Greenpeace protesters disrupted a fund raiser featuring Ed Stelmach tonight by dropping a banner over the venue that read "Stelmach: The Best Premier Oil Money can Buy."

The actual speech Stelmach delivered focused on his upcoming trips to California and central Europe which are meant to counter the growing consensus in those areas that the rapid development of the oil sands is quickly becoming an ecological disaster.

"We cannot sit back and let others damage our reputation and give the world a false picture of Alberta,'' Stelmach told the annual premier's dinner. "It's my responsibility as premier to protect Alberta's reputation.''

-Ed Stelmach

The province plans to spend at least $5 million to promote the idea that the oil sands are, in fact, an environmental success story. Indeed, the PCs are calling all this a simple "branding issue."

Calling this a "branding issue" is wrong on two counts. First is the obvious fact that it's not just a simple issue of good PR. There is serious environmental damage happening in the area and the government seems content to do next to nothing.

The second problem is the fact that the branding has already happened.

"Our cars have been running on dirty fuel for too long," declared the newly minted green governor of California. Indeed, Schwarzenegger insists that California can lead the way for major changes in U.S. energy and environmental policies. "California has the muscle to bring about such change. I say use it. Let's blaze the way for the U.S., for China and for the rest of the world."

For the Alberta tar-sands industry, these developments spell bad news. After all, the California plan includes a formula that stipulates all greenhouse gas emissions during the life cycle of a fuel will be taken into account. In effect, not only does the crude oil product from the tar sands fail to meet the fuel quality standards of the California plan, but the greenhouse gas emissions that are generated to produce the crude would be more than sufficient to disqualify imports.

Stelmach has missed the boat on even framing this issue; Schwarzenegger said this quote nearly a year ago. Californians (including many moderate Republicans like Arnold) are not going to buy it and the Europeans certainly aren't. This is simply nothing more than window-dressing by the PCs and a waste of taxpayer dollars.

This one is for you Ed:



If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair...

It's not the Leafs and it's not the Canucks - I can live with this

When it rains, it pours...

CTV is reporting that the Federal Ethics Commissioner is opening an investigation into the awarding of a government contract by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty that may not have been in accordance with standard rules vis-a-vis government contracts.

Flaherty has admitted his office broke government contracting rules in hiring Hugh MacPhie to help write last year's budget speech and provide advice on how to sell the document.

MacPhie, who had written speeches for former Ontario Tory premier Mike Harris, was awarded the $122,000 contract without tender.

Treasury Board rules generally require a bidding process for contracts worth $25,000 or more.

One has to wonder how Pierre Polievre will spin this. Perhaps he believes the Ethics Commissioner is also biased against the Conservatives?

Dear Pierre...

"This whole legal dispute involves Conservative candidates spending Conservative funds on Conservative advertising...Elections Canada wants the power to determine what constitutes a local advertisement and what constitutes a national one. But to do that, they have to dictate what local candidates are allowed to put in their advertising materials,"

- Pierre Polievre

Dear Pierre,

I know you must relish in your new found role as a Conservative attack dog. Indeed, it's probably a good gig. You get your face on TV, get some exposure, and who knows, if you manage to stick around for another 10-15 years, maybe the Liberals will be fortunate enough to have you as Conservative leader. You get to make friends within the PMO for unabashedly rattling off their talking points and all in all, you make friends within the party.

That being said, could you maybe add some actual substance to your attacks? People aren't stupid and claiming Elections Canada is biased against the Tories is not going to fly when it was the Tories who appointed the man in charge over there.

Another thing, Elections Canada does not want to control what is considered local and what is considered national for the sake of just that; they do want the ability to control the total amount allowed for any national campaign. Whether or not it was legal, what you and your party did was ethically questionable and downright sleazy.

Indeed, before you go attacking Elections Canada - the arbiter of our free and fair elections - for being biased against you, perhaps you should make sure that everyone in your party agrees that what you did was kosher. Oh, and don't use Van Loan's line that these people are just low-level volunteers that don't really know what they're talking about - that means you're admitting that these people didn't really deserve to be elected and the CPC was running morons....

Yours Truly,

Glen

UPDATE: Thank you Charles Adler.

Health Care Reforms: Which Way is Up?

Health Minister Ron Liepert laid out the broad general outlines of the health care reforms that the Alberta Tories will be bringing in over the next year or so. Front and certain seems to be some sort of change to how regional health authorities & health boards function. Although the details haven't been announced just yet, reforms to how these are structured have the potential to greatly improve quality of service in Alberta.

However, one thing does concern me - the Premier and the Health Minister seem to need a sit down to make sure they're on the same page:

"The Third Way is DOA" - Ed Stelmach rejecting the Klein-era proposals for health care privatization

“I'm not rejecting anything,” - Ron Liepert on the possibility of introducing some private health care.

Hopefully they can get this sorted out...

RCMP....with search warrents....at Conservative Party Headquarters

I'll admit it's no "soildiers....with guns.....in our streets" but it certainly would be a great attack ad.

CTV is reporting that the RCMP raided Conservative Party headquarters after recieving a request from Elections Canada.

One has to assume that this has something to do with the current dispute between Elections Canada and the CPC over specific candidates being given money to pay for nationally produced ads; an action that violates the spirit, if not the letter, of elections financing laws (and I'd argue that it does violate the letter of the law as well).

It's ironic that a party that campaigned on a new era of transperancy, ethics and openess is now being found to have not actually campaigned transparently, ethically, or openly.