As I wrote earlier this week, only hours before the March 3 election was called Tory leader Ed Stelmach and his cabinet changed the date that Alberta's new conflict-of-interest legislation take effect. This change means that the tougher conflict-of-interest rules don't apply to retiring or defeated Tory cabinet ministers and MLAs.
A quick look back in time shows that when former Tory leader Ralph Klein implemented new conflict-of-interest rules he did so over three months before the 1993 election, instead of waiting until after the election. I didn't think that this is what Ed Stelmach meant when he started trying to distance himself from Klein...
The timing of the change raises some important questions:
Which cabinet ministers supported this decision? Did retiring cabinet ministers Lyle Oberg and Greg Melchin participate or influence this decision?These are only some of the questions that Albertans shouldn't hesitate to ask their Progressive Conservative candidates, MLAs, and cabinet ministers. Albertans deserve to know the answers.
Which cabinet ministers believed that their fellow Tories shouldn't been held to account under the new rules?
Does 37-years in power give you the right to decide that your friends are above the rules?
Albertans deserve better from their elected representatives. Albertans deserve better from their government.
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12 comments:
The new PC commercial is up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA6NbGXA9gE
Excited bad actor: "How can we protect our quality of life?"
Stelmach: "By continuing to invest in it."
Stelmach: "By continuing to invest in it."
Isn't it a bit of a stretch to answer "continuing." ???
Perhaps it would be accurate to answer "when the new government starts investing in it." !!!
Well said, Dave.
I'm giving this thread 15 minutes before someone tries to change the topic to something unrelated...like a potential candidate that withdrew from the ALP.
The first week was full of blunders for Ed Stelmach and his gang.
And now:
Kent fumes after Stelmach misses breakfast
Calgary Herald
CALGARY - Conservative candidate Arthur Kent criticized his party's leader Friday for failing to attend a breakfast for more than 100 supporters he had committed to weeks ago.
Kent, well-known as a U.S. TV reporter during the Gulf War in 1990 and 1991, was personally recruited as a candidate by Premier Ed Stelmach.
After the premier failed to show up at Friday's event, Kent said the party executive appears to want "nothing but my name."
Stelmach committed weeks ago to attend the breakfast and it prompted a surge in ticket sales, but Kent said his office received a call from the premier's advisers Wednesday to say the leader wouldn't make it.
Stelmach said he regretfully cancelled nearly 20 appointments because of the provincial election campaign that commenced this week.
"Without tipping them as to when I'd be calling an election, I said put it on your planning calendar but there's no guarantee that we'll be at any of them" Stelmach said Friday.
The premier's first week of the campaign has been marked by complaints from doctors, parents of children in day care, and advocates for the disabled that many campaign promises by the Conservative leader are either impossible to meet or insignificant.
Kent said Stelmach's advisers don't communicate with him at all.
"They've asked nothing. They want nothing but my name, sadly," Kent said. "They should be asking us what we're hearing on the doorsteps and where the campaign should go. They don't do that."
Kent is trying to unseat Liberal Dave Taylor in the riding of Calgary-Currie.
Jeez, don't the Tories screen their candidates? They're not supposed to take shots at each other until after the election when they're in session.
I wonder why schools, hospitals, roads and housing are "quality of life" improvements. Have our expectations been lowered that much?
Schools, hospital, roads and housing are now "frills".
Much like airlines changing meal service to frill status.
"Albertans deserve to know the answers.
Albertans deserve better from their elected representatives.
Albertans deserve better from their government."
Albertans deserve better from their blogger!
How ANYONE can apologize for this agenda of cronyism is beyond me -- unless you're on the PC payroll.
Ed Stupid says in a Global TV self promotion ad that this is the "first election of Alberta's second century"
Duhhh How f*ckin stupid is Ed Stupid? This is the SECOND election of the second century of Alberta.
What a moron!
Epsi
Does calling someone "stupid" and a "moron" really make you feel better? When did class get thrown out the window? It's one thing to disagree with a party, but insulting them and calling them names? seriously? Dave, for someone claiming the moral high ground, you should really ask for some from your supporters. That's pretty shameful Epsi, give your head a shake.
No wonder politicians are held in lower esteem than used-car salesmen, at least salesmen don't attack each other and call each other "morons."
And actually, this IS the first election of the second century, the secon century started in 2005, the last election was in 2004.
Hey stupid,
Too afraid to even use your own name?
Epsi Hax
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