In my previous post regarding the retirement of NDP MLA Raj Pannu, I noted a rumour that lawyer and labour activist Rachel Notley would be running for the NDP nomination in Edmonton Strathcona for the next election (I originally noted the rumour back in January).
Well, with the floodgates barely open, it looks like her candidacy for the nomination has been confirmed (with my rumour noted on her site).
UPDATE: It seems that a clever webmaster has discovered that I have prematurely announced Ms. Notley's candidacy.
As such, her site has been taken down until the official announcement is made. Even though I did have the foresight to see this coming and captured screenshots and copied her announcement speech and press release (dated June 16), I'm really not cruel enough to post stuff like that (this early in the nomination game).
So, you'll just have to wait until Friday to see what she has to say...
June 16 Update...
Ms. Notley's site has been officially launched, along with this little note in the news section of her website...
Liberal blogger Daveberta wins the prize as the first observer to note Rachel’s Candidacy. Dave noted Rachel's cadidacy back on January 12th and on June 14th. In his June 14th posting, he argues that the riding is now a wide open contest with the retirement of Raj Pannu.
Kudos to Daveberta for cleverness and moxie. In Daveberta's second June 14th post, he caused this webmaster to scream panicked obsenities when he found Rachel's development website and linked to it! A quick trip to the ER for treatment with the defibrillator helped calm me down.
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21 comments:
Way to be on the ball, Daveberta! It looks like her site wasn't supposed to be launched until the 16th! Breaking news on Daveberta!
Whoa. Grant Notley's daughter? That kind of rocks.
If the Liberals were smart, they'd go after past Fed Green candidate Cam Wakefield (if he'd take them).
Good, solid guy. Some profile in the riding and a decent progressive to boot.
ha! It is down! They must have figured figured out that daveberta linked...
I really doubt Cam would run for the PC party unless they elect a leader that is truly commited to environmental values... and I don't think they have any such leadership candidate at this point.
Rachel Notley will make a great candidate for the NDP and would probably be an extremely effective MLA.
No matter who wins this riding, they will have big shoes to fill. Raj Pannu has been a tremendous asset for this community for many years.
I was at a youth event with Mr. David Hancock and he spoke to us at length about his environmental values
anonymous should learn to pay attention.
I suggested the Libs try to get Wakefield.
Pigs would likely fly before he ran as a Tory.
ohhhhh come on dave, post the speech and press release!!!!
" ohhhhh come on dave, post the speech and press release!!!!"
Because I'd rather be known as 'daveberta the blogger' than 'daveberta the jerk.'
A vote for the NDP is a vote for the Tories. They love having an opposition that can't win more than 4 seats.
That's why I'm voting for Kevin Taft's Liberals.
" ohhhhh come on dave, post the speech and press release!!!!"
it will probably be the same sorry predictable typical NDP rant on how the Liberals are the same as the tories and how the self-rightious NDP are the only ones who can save Alberta. good luck doing that with only a handful of seats.
the NDP's growth potential can only come at the expense of the liberals, which is what the Tories want. Skip the middle man and support a party that can actually make gains at the expense of the tories, the Liberals.
"it will probably be the same sorry predictable typical NDP rant on how the Liberals are the same as the tories and how the self-rightious NDP are the only ones who can save Alberta."
it's called dribble.
Well, the NDP strategy tends to be "bash the Liberals" as was shown in the last election.
Though it wasn't a particularily effective tactic in the last election, it wouldn't surprise me if they tried to use this tactic again. The only places the NDP can gain at all is at the expense of the Liberals. If the strategy didn't work in 2004 when the Liberals only had 3 incumbents, I think it will be very hard for the NDP to pull it off in 2007 - especially when the Liberals under Kevin Taft have been doing an effective job in organizing and presenting their positive message.
I would predict that the NDP will use most of their resources trying to hold on to the 4 seats they already have as a couple of them may not be that solid.
Edmonton Calder has a good MLA in David Eggen, but he was elected in 2004 with less than 40%. Also, depending on whether Ray Martin seeks re-election in Edmonton Beverly Clareview, that may be a loose NDP seat. I predicted Strathcona will be a race because Dr. Pannu isn't seeking re-election. But, Brian Mason should be fine in Edmonton Highlands-Norwood.
Aren't you people a bit delusional to say that the NDP was spending it's time attacking the Liberals? Because back in reality the NDP were spending their time attacking the Conservatives. Oh they'd say things about how they were providing a strong voice for progressive minded, or hell democratic minded, Albertans. Which I suppose implied that the Liberals weren't effective. But let's get serious folks, most of the serious political capital was used raj-ing (ha..ha...ha) against the PC machine.
The Liberals and NDP pretty much ran paper candidates against each other where both parties knew that the other one had a chance to win. There was only one exception to this, and the Liberals won that riding. And where both parties knew that the other didn't have a chance to win, it didn't matter cause those seats weren't in play for a grit or a dipper.
I'd suspect if both parties are smart they'll keep doing this, because frankly neither has a chance to win. And btw, I'm not a gloating tory, I just recognize reality. Just take a look at what happened federally, and the government’s approval ratings, both parties will be lucky to hold on to their existing seats.
"Aren't you people a bit delusional"
you people? can you qualify that?
See my blog comment at Scoop
Raj for MP? Jeez, he'd be awesome, but i'm sure his wife would like him to retire at some point. :-)
Hi, Anonymous person here are some quotes to back up my opinion of some of “you people”:
"The only places the NDP can gain at all is at the expense of the Liberals. If the strategy didn't work in 2004 when the Liberals only had 3 incumbents, I think it will be very hard for the NDP to pull it off in 2007 - especially when the Liberals under Kevin Taft have been doing an effective job in organizing and presenting their positive message.”
-daveberta
And:
“it will probably be the same sorry predictable typical NDP rant on how the Liberals are the same as the tories and how the self-rightious NDP are the only ones who can save Alberta. good luck doing that with only a handful of seats.
the NDP's growth potential can only come at the expense of the liberals, which is what the Tories want. Skip the middle man and support a party that can actually make gains at the expense of the tories, the Liberals.”
-notadipper
Hence I use the word delusional. I think those claims are incorrect. No offence to daveberta, for the quality scoop, and props on that btw. But the reality is that those quotes contain factual errors in them. Of course since the Liberals and NDP aren't the same party, and therefore rivals, they'll snipe at each other. But it's delusional to claim that A) either one has a realistic shot at forming government in 2007 (not that they shouldn't try whenever the next election is I suppose), and B) that they're going to waste most of their time attacking each other like they some how did last election.
"But it's delusional to claim that A) either one has a realistic shot at forming government in 2007 (not that they shouldn't try whenever the next election is I suppose)"
Dilusiional? why would that be delusional? It's a democracy? Why wouldn't I believe that Kevin Taft's Liberals could form government in the next election? The longer Albertans perpetuate the myth of an only Conservative Alberta, the longer it will last. I chose not to fall for that hooie.
Rachel will do just fine in Strathcona. I imagine it will be a fight, but she's a strong candidate.
ANd I thought Jim Dinning was an establishment candidate - take a look at her endorsements - Larry Booi, Linda Duncan, Gil McGowan, Barry Chivers, Shannon Phillips, Alex Grimaldi - Notley will have a hard time not being seen as an NDP Establishment candidate.
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