the quack heard round the world.

Deputy Premier Ron Stevens must have had a tough time during his last day re-branding the tar sands in Washington D.C. and the United States this week as his important government mission was rudely interrupted by 500 very inconsiderate ducks who broke provincial environmental regulations and landed in the Syncrude Aurora Northern Tailing Ponds.


Who do these ducks think they are? Interfering in Syncrude's important tar sands operation? Interfering with Ed Stelmach and Mel Knight's $25 million tar sands re-branding campaign? Interfering in the free market?

More shocking is the revelation that an "anonymous tipster" tipped off Alberta Environment and Alberta Sustainable Resource Development to the ducks' interference. Just who is this "anonymous tipster?" Probably some socialist-Greenpeace-Liberal-hippie type still bitter from losing the last election.

In Alberta, we tough things out. We shoot, shovel, and shut up.

This incident highlights the damaging impact of the "natural" ecosystem on Alberta's booming and prosperous oil economy.

who's running the misinformation campaign?

As Alberta's Tory Government unleashes its $25 million tar sands re-branding campaign, it looks like Premier Ed Stelmach and Energy Minister Mel Knight may be reading from different talking points...

Dr. Swann: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will this minister and this Premier stand up and eliminate this $ 25 million propaganda campaign, redirecting the money to real change in Alberta?

Mr. Stelmach: No, we’re not going to do that. In fact, we do have a matter to deal with to make sure that all – all – people, those that invest in Alberta, those people that want to make Alberta their home, get the correct information. I can tell you that I’m not going to rely on that group or Greenpeace or Sierra Club to spread the misinformation not only in this province and this country but around the world.

And speaking of misinformation...

Mr. Knight: Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for affording me the opportunity here this afternoon to clarify a statement that I made in this Assembly on Thursday last. The statement was regarding nuclear energy and the Sierra Club. I have since learned it was incorrect. As soon as I learned that the statement was incorrect, I called the director of the Sierra Club and expressed regret for the error and assured her that it was not done with intent. Today I just want to take the opportunity to correct the record in the Assembly as well. I understand that the Sierra Club does not operate in Europe and does not support nuclear energy. My statement that this organization took out ads in Europe was, in fact, wrong.*

let the games begin.

$25 million dollar PR spin campaign undermined?

(h/t to The Good MJ)

alison redford: talking about human rights hunting

As the first session of the 27th Alberta Legislature continues, you just need to take a look around the Assembly floor to see some pretty impressive people. One of them happens to be Calgary-Elbow Tory MLA, Minister of Justice, and Attorney General Alison Redford. Though I was disappointed to see her defeat Craig Cheffins in the March election (I was the Communications Coordinator for the Alberta Liberals during the June 2007 Calgary-Elbow by-election), a quick glance at Redford's resume even impresses this blogging skeptic.

As Graham Thomson put it in a recent column:

Redford has a jaw-droppingly impressive resume that includes work as a human rights lawyer in South Africa, the Balkans and Vietnam. In 2005, she braved the war zone that is Afghanistan to work as a United Nation's Election Commissioner to promote democracy and free elections, something many Albertans take for granted given the record low 41-per- cent turnout for last month's provincial election.

Redford has the credentials of a real Progressive Conservative, so, I was a little surprised when she began her term as Justice Minister by refusing to talk about the inclusion sexual orientation under the Alberta Human Rights Act. Ten years ago, in Vriend v. Alberta, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the non-inclusion of sexual orientation, as a prohibited ground of discrimination in Alberta's Individual's Rights Protection Act (now the Alberta Human Rights Act), infringed and denied the rights guaranteed by Section 15(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Instead of being the responsibility of the Justice Minister & Attorney General, human rights issues apparently fall under the responsibility of Culture and Community Spirit Minister Lindsay Blackett. Let me get this straight, the government's top lawyer now defers questions about Supreme Court rulings and human rights to the Minister in charge of arts and culture?

Even though Redford won't (or isn't being allowed) to talk about amending Alberta's Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, it seems that she doesn't have a problem (or is being allowed) standing up on the Assembly floor to talk about the importance of killing small animals in Bill 201 – The Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Heritage Act.

The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

Ms Redford: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had not intended to speak in support of this bill, but I would like to thank my Hon. colleague from Cypress- Medicine Hat for introducing this bill.

Listening to the speeches that have been given today with respect to the importance of hunting, fishing, and trapping in our province, I was moved to speak. I have given a lot of thought over the years to these issues and respect the fact that as a government this province and this government have been able to develop a system where we have been able to responsibly manage the environment in such a way that Albertans that respect these traditions are able to participate fully in these traditions.

As I mentioned, it’s not something that I specifically have ever been involved in; I’m more of a hiker. However, what I would say is that when I look at the people in my constituency, in Calgary- Elbow, that talk about these issues, they are engaged in these issues. I think it would be a shame for us to think of this piece of legislation as only representing people that happen to live in rural areas. There are people in my constituency that are proud members of Trout Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited. They are people that are passionate about environmental management. They are people that care about respecting the traditions of this province. I think one of the challenges that we have in the future in Alberta is to make sure that we can respect both the traditions of rural Alberta as well as the lifestyles of people who are living in the cities. I think this bill is a great example of how we can marry those two traditions and those two lifestyles.

So a very short speech. Thank you to my colleague, and thank you for the consideration today.

opposition watch alberta.

With the spring session of the Alberta Legislature in full-swing, here's a look at what's up with the Opposition parties...

- Maclean's has an interview with Alberta Liberal leader Kevin Taft. In the meantime, FFWD Weekly had an interview a couple of weeks ago with Calgary-Currie MLA Dave Taylor on his aspirations for the Alberta Liberal leadership. More on this later...

- An NDP-Greenpeace conspiracy? It sounds a lot like the time someone accused me of being part of a giant Liberal conspiracy. Slow news day, I guess...

- Former NDP MLA Ray Martin has a letter in today's Edmonton Journal.

- I've also updated the list of Federally nominated candidates in Alberta.

a bad week to be bad on the environment in alberta.

Starting the week off with nuclear Bruce Power hiring PC campaign manager Randy Dawson as their top government relations guru, to the appointment of a pro-nuclear expert to a "neutral" nuclear study panel, to Ed Stelmach's dinner date with Greenpeace, to the completely misleading allegations by Energy Minister Mel Knight that the Sierra Club is pro-nuclear, it's been a rough week for Ed Stelmach's Tories on the environment file as they begin their million dollar re-branding campaign.

In response to the false claim that their organization supports nuclear power, the Sierra Club is demanding an apology from Energy Minister Mel Knight.

For Immediate Release
April 25th, 2008

The Sierra Club Demanding Apology to Slanderous Comments Made by Energy Minister Mel Knight

(Edmonton) On Thursday April 24th, 2008 Alberta Energy Minister Mel Knight made untruthful comments in the Alberta Legislature regarding the Sierra Club.

Minister Knight, in responding to questions from the opposition regarding the bias of his governments appointed Nuclear Energy Experts Panel, stated that “It might be very interesting for the member opposite to understand that one of the ... major forces working with respect to environmental concerns globally, the Sierra Club, runs ads in Europe in favour of nuclear energy, Mr. Speaker, in favour of nuclear energy.”

“The Sierra Club Canada in addition to the Sierra Club US have clear policies which highlight our belief that Nuclear Energy is not clean, it is not green, it is not economical and it is not a solution to climate change,” said Lindsay Telfer, Director of the Sierra Club Prairie, “The fact that our Energy Minister Mel Knight is resorting to slander in an attempt to discredit our organization is simply unacceptable. Our positions on nuclear energy are based on sound science, clear evidence and a growing body of literature on the industry’s impacts.”

The Sierra Club Canada and the Sierra Club US are the only incorporated organizations using the Sierra Club name. There is no Sierra Club counterpart in any European nation.

“We expect a public apology in the legislature in addition to a meeting with Minister Knight to clear this claim on the Alberta Record,” concluded Telfer, “we believe we can work with the Government of Alberta to develop an energy policy that meets its own stated principle to lead in the post-oil economy, and we believe we can achieve this without resorting to the risks of nuclear energy.”

-30-

For more information contact:
Lindsay Telfer - Director, Sierra Club Prairie (780) 710-0136

greenpeace drops in on ed stelmach.

God bless, YouTube.

guess who dropped by for dinner?

You get more than just a standard Ed Stelmach speech at Tory fundraising dinners now days:

Premier Ed Stelmach's $450-a-plate fundraising dinner was interrupted Thursday night by Greenpeace activists who lowered themselves from a catwalk and unfurled a big black banner which read: "$telmach: The Best Premier Oil Money Can Buy."

Stelmach had just launched into his speech in front of 1,650 people at the Shaw Conference Centre.

A murmur rose from the crowd as the banner was lowered at the back of the room between two giant screens that were broadcasting his remarks.

(Photo care of Greenpeace)

UPDATE: In response to criticism of their weak record on environmental protection in the tarsands, the Tory government has released a slick booklet as part of an attempt to "re-brand" the Tory government's weak image (Click here to listen to CBC Radio reporter Erik Denison on the tarsands campaign)

mel knight: the sierra club is pro-nuclear.

I paid a visit to Question Period at the Alberta Legislature yesterday afternoon and was sitting in the gallery when Tory Energy Minister Mel Knight gave his response to Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft's questions on the appointment of the pro-nuclear Dr. John Luxat to a supposedly "neutral" Tory appointed nuclear study committee:

Mr. Knight: It might be very interesting for the member opposite to understand that one of the, kind of, major forces working with respect to environmental concerns globally, the Sierra Club, runs ads in Europe in favour of nuclear energy, Mr. Speaker, in favour of nuclear energy. This is not – not – a consultation process. We’re going out to answer some questions for Albertans.

The Sierra Club is pro-nuclear? Really?

It just so happens that I exchanged a friendly email with one of the kind folks from the Sierra Club yesterday evening. Not only did they assure me that the Sierra Club continues to be steadfastly opposed to the expansion of Nuclear power, but that the Sierra Club doesn't even have a European wing or any extension of activities in Europe.

Why would Mel Knight blow this kind of smoke? Is this out of character for the Tory MLA for Grande Prairie-Smoky? Has he just spent too much time enjoying the fresh air of Alberta's tarsands? Well, in 2007, Knight didn't hesitate in his defense of the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board after they used taxpayers dollars to hire private investigators to spy on central Alberta landowners and their lawyers.

Is this just another step in Ed Stelmach and Mel Knight's nuclear agenda for Alberta?

alberta's 2008 $37-billion budget: a confused "beacon of hope."

The Alberta Tories celebrated their 37 years as the governing party as rookie Finance & Enterprise Minister Iris Evans released a $37 billion "beacon of hope" budget yesterday. Not one to disappoint, I was happy to take in the show yesterday afternoon (a big thanks to Kevin Taft's office for arranging my ticket).

Overall, the 2008 Alberta PC budget looked and sounded like a confused 37-year old: still paying for the mistakes of its youth, not quite ready to settle down, almost ready to hit that mid-life crisis point (hello, Ferrari!), and not quite ready to save for the future. It felt like it could have been something out of the 10th season of Friends.

I will be elaborating on my opinions of the budget and what it means for Albertans over the next week, but until then, here are some quick thoughts on the day:

- The budget low balled the price of oil, basing the budget figures on a $78 barrel of oil, rather than the current $119 barrel.

- Bye bye, health care premiums. Alberta's health care premiums will be gone by January 1, 2009. Though this is a positive move, but I can't help but be a little cynical when I remember how many times I heard Tory candidates during the provincial election saying that it would be irresponsible to faze out health care premiums in a of less than four years...

- It's business as usual for the horse-racing industry with a $7 million increase to the now $48 million Horse Racing Subsidy Renewal Program.

- A 120% budget increase to the Alberta Environment budget is mostly a result of $52 million from the Federal government and $155 million from corporate emitter fines.

- My good friends at the Public Affairs Bureau will be getting a stiff 25% increase of $6.4 million to continue to dole out the press releases and spin. Upcoming projects include convincing Albertans that Ed Stelmach is an environmentally friendly Premier while he continues to support the tarsands and stands on the sidelines watching the potential construction of a Nuclear Power Plant in the Peace Country. More on this later.

- I had a nice chat with Dr. Raj Sherman, the Parliamentary Secretary for Health & Wellness. I made sure to encourage him not to hesitate to shake some sense into Health Minister Ron Liepert and his "health care reform."

- The best (and most insightful) quote of the day goes to Alberta Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Ken Kolby:

Ken Kobly, CEO of the Alberta Chambers of Commerce, said the government must put some revenue aside for the future while revenues are still high.

"Personally, I don't want to be known as the generation that sucked all the oil revenue out of the ground and left the bill for our kids," he said.

I couldn't agree more with Kolby. Kolby for Premier.

alberta budget 2008 today.

Tory Finance Minister Iris Evans will release her government's budget today and I'll be there to watch it happen. Just as in previous years, you can expect an honest and thorough observation of the afternoon.

Check out Ken Chapman's blog has more thoughts on today's budget announcement.

Also, speaking of a nuclear agenda...

change that works for albertans.

Blizzards in Edmonton at the end of April...

...can only mean one thing.

Albertans have provoked the wrath of God...

...for re-electing the Tories.

lloyd snelgrove on child poverty: an educational and character building experience.

I'll forgive you if you've been too buried under all this lovely April Alberta snow to notice that Alberta Legislature is in session. A new session, with new MLAs, will bring all sorts of intelligent hijinks's/painfully predictable heckles and intelligent intentional/painfully unintelligible quotes from the floor of the Legislature.

In today's edition of The Best of Hansard, we hear from the Treasury Board President and the Honourable Member for Vermilion-Lloyminster, Lloyd Snelgrove (yes, Lloyd from Lloydminster). In responding (but not answering) a question posed by Calgary-Varsity MLA Harry Chase during last week's Question Period, Snelgrove made a stunningly stunning statement:

Mr. Chase: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is no excuse for child poverty in abundant Alberta. Sixty-four thousand Alberta children are living in poverty. Although more Albertans are employed now during this time of incredible economic prosperity than ever before, full-time work at minimum wage does not permit an escape from poverty.

To the President of the Treasury Board: with the paltry increase of 40 cents bringing the minimum wage to a mere $8.40 an hour, how can this government continue to justify token wage increases instead of establishing a realistic living wage which would act as an effective tool in ending child poverty?

Mr. Snelgrove: Mr. Speaker, I grew up in a very poor family. We looked after each other, and we looked after our neighbours. There were very few government programs of any kind to do it. There was a certain pride that was developed amongst our community and each other in how we had to lift one another up. The hon. member is well aware that the minimum wage was never designed nor will it ever be an amount of money that you can raise a family on. In many ways it's an educational learning experience for some. It brings people with limited skills into the workforce, and it accomplishes that very well.

While I have no doubt that growing up in poverty gives a person different perspectives and values, calling it an "educational learning experience" makes it sound like a field trip to the museum...

via canada: the obama transcontinental presidential waltz.

Brought to you by the good folks at the Texx Western International Theatrics Corporation...

Watch more videos on the daveberta youtube page.

ron liepert on health-care reforms and watch gary lamphier get spun.

There's been a lot of talk since after the election by Health & Wellness Minister Ron Liepert about reforming Alberta's Health Care system (or as the Department of Health & Wellness website called it yesterday, Action Plan on Health 2008?2009). Liepert says that he's putting everything on the table, including privatization. One has to wonder why Ed Stelmach, Liepert, or any of the 82 other Tory candidates mention anything about these types of reforms in that little thing called an election that happened only a couple of months ago (and politicians are confused when people don't trust campaign promises?).

As the Edmonton Journal's Graham Thomson has pointed out, though Liepert is boisterous and gutsy in his talk about health-care reform, he has yet to show any real details of the Tories' proposed action plan for reform. One has to wonder if Liepert's health-care reform plan is just as rock solid as the Tories' plan to improve the image of their environmental record? Forgive me if I sound like we're just the victims of another round of typically predictable government spin...

Speaking of spin, I was a little surprised by Gary Lamphier's column yesterday in which he wrote about Albertans detestation of spin. While I don't think anyone "likes" spin, Albertans certainly haven't done anything to actively put a stop to the assembly-line factory of political spin that is the Public Affairs Bureau (in fact, giving the Stelmach Tories a 72-seat majority only seems to endorse it). Ironically, Lamphier's article seems to be either an innocent victim or accessory to spin as he demonizes all those nutty environmentally conscious Albertans who have a problem with Alberta's environmental record and the tar sands. I can see it now... Jeez, if only they'd take a brisk mid-night skinny dip in one of those nice tailing ponds up near Fort McMurray, they'd see it really isn't all that bad...

government 2.0.

To all my fellow techno-political types out there, I thought you might find this report on Government 2.0 from Deloitte Canada interesting...

The first wave of e-government offered significant benefits to constituents, with tens of millions of transactions now delivered online. Despite the plethora of new services, government itself has not been transformed. The next step is for government to move into the information age as it faces increasing pressure to do more with less.

It is clear that conventional government is unable to address society’s challenges alone and would be in a much better position if it could truly partner with other governments, not-for-profits, businesses and citizens to tackle immense policy changes.

Government 2.0 is the answer. As technology deepens its day-to-day impact and is increasingly used by successive generations, governments at all levels will have no choice but to embrace it, thereby overhauling the way they lead, serve and interact with stakeholders.

Why is this so important? Because it’s a strategy that allows today’s public sector organizations to reach across jurisdictions to access critical knowledge, adapt themselves to a fact-changing societal landscape and significantly improve their ability to deliver the services to which citizens have become accustomed.

Of course, developing a “Government 2.0” culture is more involved than simply setting up a wiki or a blog. It requires leadership, investments in technology, organizational change, and risk-taking to overcome cultural, process, technology and policy hurdles.

In the end, increased levels of collaboration will result in enhanced service delivery through all operational and policy-making functions of government. This culture will allow tomorrow’s government to do more with less.

alberta's throne speech. take two.

With everything going on these days from the NHL playoffs, to Dick Pound and the Beijing Olympics, and RCMP "raids" on Conservative Party offices (an issue on which I tend to agree with Paul Wells) did anyone notice that Alberta had a Speech from the Throne this week? I wouldn't blame you if you didn't.

As this is Alberta's second Throne Speech of the year, the lessened fanfare is understandable. The first Throne Speech of 2008, which coincided with the election call, seemed to consist largely of the Tories' last minute change of heart on Health Care Premiums (which they promised to scrap in four years) and their vigilant fight against the Pine Beetle (something that was noticeably absent from the second speech).

A large part of this week's Throne Speech delivered by Lieutenant Governor Norman Kwong, focused on a new direction for "greener energy," which I can only assume has something to do with the Tories nuclear agenda for the Peace Country. As much as I would hope that Tory Premier Ed Stelmach and Environment Minister Rob Renner's new green agenda is more than just hot air, I wouldn't blame Albertans for having a hard time believing that an outspoken defender of the tarsands current environmental record is serious about protecting the environment, rather than just changing political perceptions.

A report card released earlier this year by the World Wildlife Fund highlighted the weak-environmental performance of tarsands developments in Alberta:

the most comprehensive comparative assessment of 10 of Alberta’s operating, approved or applied for oil sands mines. The mines, for the most part, get a failing grade.

The average score among all oil sands projects surveyed was only 33 per cent, demonstrating substantial room for improvement across the sector. The leading operation in the survey was the Albian Sands Muskeg River Mine, scoring 56 per cent. The weakest operations were Syncrude and the proposed Synenco Northern Lights Mine both with scores of 18 per cent.

Oil sands mines were ranked on 20 different environmental indicators in five categories: environmental management, land impacts, air pollution, water use, and management of greenhouse gases. Companies were invited to complete the survey questionnaire and provided with two opportunities to comment on their performance. In total, seven of the 10 projects participated in the survey. Three companies, Total E&P, Syncrude and Canadian Natural declined to respond.

very bad men "the man without a conscience" - tonight.

And no, I don't mean Ed Stelmach or Snidely Whiplash, I'm talking about Michael Ritter. Tonight, Episode 12: The Man Without a Conscience of the documentary series "Very Bad Men" airs tonight at 10pm Alberta time on Global TV.

If you're not familiar with the story, former Edmonton "lawyer," Chief Parliamentary Consel to the Alberta Legislative Assembly, business owner, philanthropist, and international man of financial scandal Michael Ritter was charged and convicted as part of a $200 million dollar international ponzi scheme. This is a made for TV scandal that includes everything from investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice to fake Belizean passports. As the documentary puts it:

The high-flying entrepreneur who loved the limelight and adulation from the public was finally convicted on two counts of massive fraud and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Read more on the Michael Ritter scandal here.

greens to launch constitutional challenge.

The Alberta Greens sent out a media release today announcing that they will be launching a constitutional challenge against the Alberta Elections Act.

Media Release- Alberta Green Challenge Elections Act

(Calgary, Apr 14, 2008) The Alberta Greens have sent a letter to the Attorney General Alison Redford asking her to change the Alberta Elections Act by Sept 10th,2008, if not the party will proceed with legal action.

“Ed Stelmach was elected by only 20% of Albertans,” said Read. “Obviously, when only 40% of voters turn out something is seriously wrong with our democracy,” said Alberta Greens leader, George Read.

The constitutional challenge, to go ahead this fall unless the government amends the Act, says section 62(2) interferes with the rights of candidates and supporters of small political parties to participate in elections and therefore contravenes the electoral fairness required by section 3 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Read said the provision, which denies the return of half a candidates deposit unless they receive at least half as many votes as are received by the candidate who is elected, cost the Alberta Greens a significant amount of money that it could otherwise use to promote its positions to the voters.

Both the Canadian government and the Ontario government have been forced to change similar provisions in their Election Acts because they were struck down by the courts. “We hope that the Attorney General will do the right thing for democracy,” said Read.

As much as I'd love to comment on this right now, I'm in the middle of wrapping up a paper on Section 23 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in the context of Mahe v. Alberta, so I'll have to tackle the Greens challenge later this week...

it's time for a new capital arts and culture policy.

When thinking about Canada's arts and cultural capitals, I wouldn't blame someone for turning their thoughts towards Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver or Ottawa, but the Edmonton Arts Council hopes to change that as they have drafted a new culture policy for Alberta's capital city in a new report titled "THE ART OF LIVING - A plan for securing the future of arts and heritage in the city of Edmonton 2008-2018." The report was submitted to Edmonton City Council last week and begins by recognizing why a new and strong arts and culture policy is important for Edmonton:

The need for a cultural plan for the City of Edmonton was first discussed at Edmonton City Council in December 2005 during the debate and approval of the 2006 City of Edmonton operating budget. This need for a unified and wide-ranging cultural plan for the City was spurred by:

• an ever-increasing realization of the importance of arts, heritage and culture to the city.

• an acceptance that the City has key responsibilities in arts, heritage and culture.

• an appreciation that the sector is becoming increasingly complex.

• an awareness that the current economic boom in Alberta has increased the pace of development in Edmonton and emphasized the need to be proactive in many areas, including arts, heritage and culture.

The report also includes testimonials and stories of support from Edmonton arts supporters ranging from Jeanne Lougheed, Todd Babiak, Terry Wickham, Ken Chapman, Greg Hollingshead, Marilyn Dumont, and fellow-former Morinville-ite Marty Chan.

With the Spring Session of the Alberta Legislature starting today, I would hope that Tory Premier Ed Stelmach and Culture and Community Spirit Minister Lindsay Blackett (Calgary-North West) take a serious look at this policy recommendation.

(h/t to Ken Chapman for the link)