Here's somewhat of an Alberta political roundup....
- Kevin Taft's Alberta Liberals e-Bay adventure is continuing with the current bid at $1,400 on the Liberal Health Care book that Ralph Klein threw at a Legislative Page. All money raised will go to the Edmonton Emergency Youth Shelter.
- Crazy right-wing Tory backbencher Ted Morton launched his campaign for the Alberta PC leadership this week. In his opening speech, Morton attacked front-runner establishment candidate Jim Dinning - saying that Dinning's under-30 taxbreak idea will not only:
"bankrupt the province, but it would lead to the kind of top-down policy process that has produced some of the worst public policies since joining caucus — polices like the Interim Metis Harvesting Agreement and the prosperity bonus cheques.”Morton also thinks that Albertans should be beware of Stephen Harper and his Ottawa Conservatives...
Alberta Tory leadership candidate Ted Morton says he fears Alberta’s wealth will be used to appease Quebec despite the change to a Conservative government at the federal level.- Speaking of Jim Dinning.... yesterday, he declared he didn't believe in Private Health Care. Sure, Jim, and in the 1992 PC leadership race you didn't believe in Ralph Klein either... it still didn't stop you from being his Finance Minister for 4 years...
- Former Advanced Education Minister Dave Hancock launched his leadership campaign this week with his K-12 platform which includes innovative ideas such as "Government should walk the talk" and "Aggressively attack illicit drug use and sales in and near schools."
Though Hancock's policies remain somewhat vague, I do like this one: "Deal with the unfunded liability issue for teachers' pensions." But then again, I'd like to know his definition of "deal with."
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6 comments:
"Deal with" from Dave Hancock is elaborated on in his backgrounder to his policy announcement. Check it out at www.davehancock.ca. It means government should pick up the remaining 1/3 of the unfunded pension liability from a deal struck in 1992 to cover for mistakes made before then. It is a penalty on young teachers and a barrier for them from entering the profession. They are paying for something that is not their fault and for which they will derive no benefit. Check out the other 11 points of the education policy on Dave's website.
Dave you have taken what Ted Morton has said entirely out of context. Here is a direct quote from the article you linked to:
'Known as a fiscal and social conservative, he warned against getting into a “promise-a-thon, with each candidate trying to outbid the other for members’ votes.”
“Not only will this bankrupt the province, but it would lead to the kind of top-down policy process that has produced some of the worst public policies since joining caucus — polices like the Interim Metis Harvesting Agreement and the prosperity bonus cheques.” '
Ted is not saying Dinning's ill thought out tax cut will bankrupt the province, but rather that leadership candidates trying to win votes with expensive platforms will.
For a more balanced introduction you follow this link:
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2006/06/29/1660230.html
Crazy pretty much sums up Ted Morton. Tell me he doesn't have a snowballs hope in hell of winning… PLEASE!!
It seems there is never a dull moment in Alberta politics!
As far as I can see, Morton is little more than a Ted Byfield wannabe with an unhealthy does of separatism mixed in.
Lovely - an isolationist bigot - not what Alberta needs.
I think Jim Dinning, Mark Norris, and Dave Hancock would all be decent leaders and they are moderate, I don't know about Ed Stelmach, while Lyle Oberg is a complete idiot. Ted Morton is to the right of Attila the Hun. If he becomes premier he will make Alberta a complete laughing stock. While some disliked Klein, at least there were certain likeable characteristics, such as his bluntness of saying whatever he believed. He was very upfront about his views, which is unlike most politicians.
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