peter milliken visits alberta legislature. enjoys bipartisan brew.

- House of Commons Speaker Peter Milliken stopped by Edmonton yesterday as part of a Canada-wide Legislative tour where he met with Speaker Ken Kowalski and MLAs. I haven't heard whether Milliken discussed Kowalski's recent ban of online social media during Question Period (Milliken allows the use of blackberries, laptops during Question Period in the House of Commons). The Kingston Liberal MP also stopped by the U of A Conservative Club Pub Night for bipartisan beer and pictures.

- Bonnyville-Cold Lake MLA Genia Leskiw's private members motion to dissolve Provincial Achievement Tests for Grade 3 students passed in the Alberta Legislature. After a vigorous debate, Lewskiw's motion passed 29 to 18, but did not gain the support of Education Minister Dave Hancock, or most members of the PC Cabinet.

- The Conservative Party of Canada is changing their nomination rules, effectively protecting incumbent MPs from nomination challenges. These rule changes may abort Donna Kennedy-Glans nascent nomination challenge in Calgary-West. Kennedy-Glans had recently announced her intentions to challenge sitting Conservative MP Rob Anders.

- National Defence Minister Peter Mackay was in Edmonton yesterday to announce plans to spend $40 million on much needed infrastructure upgrades for Armed Forces bases in Alberta. Mackay announced $21 million to CFB Edmonton for housing and training facilities, $11 million to CFB Wainwright for water treatment upgrades, and $8 million for CFB Cold Lake.

- Two Alberta newspapers recently closed their doors. In what can be described as a really bad year to own a newspaper, Quebecor's Jasper Booster and Morinville Town & Country Examiner (formerly the Morinville Mirror) shut down this week.

this mushroom better be on our new licence plates.

Ladies and Gentlemen, MLA Carl Benito, representing the simple people of Edmonton-Mill Woods, introduced Motion 502 on the floor of the Legislative Assembly yesterday:

Be it resolved that the Legislative Assembly urge the government to introduce amendments to the Emblems of Alberta Act to designate Leccinum boreale, also known as northern roughstem or red cap, as the official mushroom of Alberta.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It is my pleasure to rise and introduce Motion 502. I acknowledge that there are pressing economic issues that currently exist; however, this motion is important to my constituents and 2,500 Albertans who have chosen this mushroom to be designated as Alberta’s provincial mushroom emblem.

MLAs rising to speak to the motion included Neil Brown, Rachel Notley, Jonathan Denis, Genia Leskiw, Doug Elniski, Evan Berger, and Bridget Pastoor.

It passed.