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Wednesday, July 20, 2005

klein to stay until '07???

According to both the Edmonton Sun and Edmonton Journal, Premier Ralph Klein has reiterated that he's sticking around for a few more years despite the fact that many of his cabinet ministers have already begun jockeying for his job.

Klein told reporters yesterday that he plans to step down in late 2007 in order to allow time for a leadership race and to give his successor ample time to prepare for the next provincial election. More here.

Norris is in.

Former Economic Development Minister Mark Norris (who looks suspiciously like this character) reacted to Klein's announcement by gushing "I think it's great news, I am running, there is no doubt about it." Norris was soundly defeated in Edmonton McClung during last November's provincial election by Liberal Mo Elsalhy. So, that makes Oberg, Dinning, Stelmach, Hancock, Morton, and Norris...

And, by the way, Bill C-38 has been approved by the Senate.

UPDATE: More Ralph retirment quotes:

AUPE President Dan McLellan: "I would be surprised if you can put the toothpaste back in the tube, the websites are up, the hospitality suites are going and supporters of the candidates will want a race."

ND MLA Ray Martin: "It is baffling to me. He shows absolutely no interest in the job. The government is running on auto-pilot. Nobody is in charge."

U of C Political Science Professor David Taras "I think Ralph Klein has put everybody on ice..."

24 comments:

Emilio said...

Man a Liberal in Alberta and a cowboy. What a damn minority you are. And you whine and complain about Ralph Klein, haha. Just like one of my other Liberal friends. I guess 333 million dollars stolen for the federal liberal Party is no big deal!

daveberta said...

So... I shouldn't criticize the Klein Tories because of Chretien Liberals?

Yep. Sounds like Ralph Klein logic.

Emilio said...

No but maybe you could criticize the federal Liberals along with your rants about Ralph Klein. Try that for a change. You might learn something about Liberals as well as Ralph Klein

Emilio said...

I still can't get over it. You're a cowboy but vote Liberal. So I guess you don't own a gun or live on a ranch or farm. Man you make no sense to me. Maybe you just like cowboy hats.

Manatee said...

Lol, and since you say you live downtown, you probably don't even own a pickup. You are a poser! I'm afraid a great deal of Alberta voters draw the same parallel between the federal and provincial Liberal parties that emil does.

Emilio said...

I don't see the difference between federal or provincial Liberals. Both are social activists on gay marriage which most Canadians would prob. vote against if we had a referendum on it and both are tax and spend people. I'll tolerate Ralph Klein even if he isn't perfect. We're still the only province that has no debt anymore and the lowest taxes.

daveberta said...

oh emil. you funny duck, you!

"...maybe you could criticize the federal Liberals along with your rants about Ralph Klein."

Maybe you could criticize Ralph Klein along with your rants about the federal Liberals.

I never said I was a cowboy, it's just a picture. Didn't your mother ever tell you not to judge a book by its cover, emil? (I did grow up in a small town though).

I dare you to try to fine a post where I gush as much praise on the feds as you have on Ralph Klein in these comments. I dare you. Dare you I say! :P

"I don't see the difference between federal or provincial Liberals."

You wouldn't, would you?

LOL, emil you are a funny duck.

Anonymous said...

Emil - Sounds an awful lot like you know nothing about the difference between federal and provincial political parties. Let me illustrated with an excellent example from the beautiful province of British Columbia. Here's the approximate translation of our parties to the federal parties. Also, I believe that the BC Liberal party is not officially affiliated at all with the federal Liberal party, although I'm pretty sure the other two are (with their respective parties), despite their policy differences.

BC Liberal ~ CPC without the homophobia and giant "western alienation" stick up its ass, more like the old Progressive Conservatives
BC NDP ~ federal Liberals with somewhat smaller scale scandals, in terms of policy definitely closer to centre than the federal NDP
BC Greens ~ somewhere between federal Greens and NDP

daveberta said...

"BC Liberal ~ CPC without the homophobia and giant "western alienation" stick up its ass"

Best post ever.

Props to Alison in Vancouver.

Robert McBean. said...

the wingnuts have been hiding behind the federal liberal boogeymen for so long they can no longer absorb reality. why is that the canadian taxpayer federation is no longer supporting the alberta government and has'nt for some time? could it be that the alberta tories are big time spenders and wasters of money. shocked, i'm simply shocked.

Anonymous said...

I think Emil needs to get out from under his rock more often.

Emilio said...

I think you all are just pathetic Liberals. You call homophobia being against homosexual marriage. Well I call people who hate Christians or people of faith bigots, something you all probably share yet despise. You're all just the typical Liberals like the young Liberals of Canada who say "It's the charter stupid"! It's not the charter you fucking idiots b/c homosexuals have never had the right to marry each other. But they can marry anyone of the opposite sex. It's called "MARRIAGE" between a man and a woman. Look it up in a dictionnary if you have time to get off ur arrogant Liberal asses. Haha. Maybe you guys should go to those gay parades and flash everyone your penises. I hear they did that in Toronto. You would all fit in well there. Then stick a clean needle with heroin in your veins. I hear they hand those out in Vancouver. Unless of course you already do
By the way there is western alienation in this country and you are all the problem.

CFAC Library said...

Ahh, a valiant struggle to keep the spirit of junior high school alive.

Anonymous said...

Maybe you guys should go to those gay parades and flash everyone your penises. I hear they did that in Toronto.

Quite right, Mr. Vargas, we did do that. In fact, there's a city bylaw here in the T-dot that says everybody with a Johnson Outboard must whip it out at dawn and dusk every Sunday and wave it in the direction of Alberta and chant: "You might have all the oil, but we've got a groovy 8.5% PST and you don't, so nya nya nya nya nya nya." If you fail to do so, you are fined $50 by the Toronto Penis Waving Commission, or TORPWAC as the locals call it. I'm surprised the crazy broad over at Small Dead Animals hasn't let the cat out of the bag on that one yet.

Honestly, arguing with this guy is like competing in the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you're still a retard.

daveberta said...

Holtopia said: "Ahh, a valiant struggle to keep the spirit of junior high school alive."

Ahh, and a valiant struggle it is. But alas, our dearest friend Emil has fallen prey to the official "plan B" of a right-wing nuts, "if you're losing an argument, start gay bashing."

It's so predictible, it's almost cute (in a sort of "i'm going to suck your blood" kind of way).

Funny Emil said:"We're still the only province that has no debt anymore and the lowest taxes."

lol. If only that were true. You see, the province of Alberta is not out of debt or debt-free. What they did in the 1990's was download many services and responsibilities to the municipal levels and privatize a whole bunch of others. If we are "debt-free," how do you explain the $8 Billion infrastructure debt here in our lovely province?

btw: very good post, Mr. Raymaker.

Anonymous said...

Wow! You are great, you are able to deal with all these corrupt and bigotted liberals in polite, respectful and rational manner.

After reading your posts I will vote for the Conservatives in the next election for sure!

Thanks for telling it like it is, you have just saved this former Liberal!

Emil, please, never change, and post on as many blogs as possible.

Emilio said...

I'd rather have a 8 billion dollar infrastructure debt than say a 33 billion dollar debt that BC has to pay interest on and pay down or the huge 120 billion dollar debt that Ontario has. Now that we have no debt all surpluses can go to improving infrastructure, improving health care, education and cutting our taxes. I'm proud to be born and raised in Alberta even if I don't live here right now. Klein made some sacrifices in the 90's and pissed off people but now its all paying off so kudos to him. I don't know any other Premier who has done more for a province than him except maybe Gordon Campbell fixing BC. But he still has to pay his debt down. And he has to deal with hard core socialists in Vancouver who reduced him to a bare majority.

daveberta said...

Sen: I heard that the U of C is planning to offer "Penis Waiving 101" along with their "History of Led Zeplin" course. :P

I also heard that they may be offering "Advanced Penis Waving 543" and "The History of Critical Thinking and Penis Waving 580" for Graduate Students.

D

CFAC Library said...

U of C will also be offering the 6 credit course (lecture and lab) Nipple Shocking 200 in the Fall/Winter term and a 3 credit course (seminar) Purple Nurple 420.

Anonymous said...

Don't forget "History 439: The History of Penis Waving and Socialism in Latin America" and "History 333: American Presidents and Penis Waving"

Anonymous said...

The things you find out in blog comment boxes...

CFAC Library said...

PS... Dave, is there something significant about the difference between a "penis waive" and a "penis wave"?

The U of C's calender didn't specify.

daveberta said...

Actually, yes. Calgary is the only place in Canada where you can legally "waive your penis" without fear of legal reprecussions.

There's a whole module on that topic in "Penis Waiving 101" class at the U of C.

Anonymous said...

An example of "waiving the penis" is when a higher authority of governance declares it's intentions to fight an issue to the very last possible point, but then backs down at the very last minute.