Alberta Election (2015)

[Edward Campbell]

As demonstrated by his petulant "I quit.  Pay for an immediate by-election in my riding, because I'm leaving and going home."

I expected nothing different ... Jim Prentice was running to remain premier of Alberta, not for any other job, certainly not to sit of the far, far back benches with the third party.

He is a very able man, but his political judgement and his ability to pick advisors are now suspect and he is, I hope, out of politics forever ... he and Danielle Smith?

He'll be welcomed back on Bay Street.

 

[Kirkhill]

....He'll be welcomed back on Bay Street.

Just as Ignatieff was welcomed back to Harvard.

In both instances the electorate saw the candidate for what he was and not what he wanted to be seen as.

Somebody brought up the CCF, out here it was the United Farmers of Alberta (1921 - 1935).  They were replaced by the Social Credit.

Both of them ran against Bay Street Bankers....

And one of Calgary`s boasts has been how much capital it has moved from Bay Street to be controlled in Calgary.

And now, here come the socialist hordes from Edmonton ready to carve up that pie.

 

[dapaterson]

I expected nothing different ... Jim Prentice was running to remain premier of Alberta, not for any other job, certainly not to sit of the far, far back benches with the third party.

He is a very able man, but his political judgement and his ability to pick advisors are now suspect and he is, I hope, out of politics forever ... he and Danielle Smith?

He'll be welcomed back on Bay Street.

He received his coronation as head of the party, but then the proles revolted. Resigning his seat immediately speaks poorly of his vision of serving the public - "Either I'm in charge or I'm taking by ball and going home".

Maybe he could be convinced to pay the Alberta taxpayers for the cost of the needless byelection?

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Oh look! Hell has finally frozen over! ;D

 

[Blackadder1916]

http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/voter-turnout-the-strongest-in-decades-in-alberta-1.2361119

Voter turnout the strongest in decades in Alberta

Michael Franklin, CTV Calgary
Published Wednesday, May 6, 2015 5:14AM MDT 
Last Updated Wednesday, May 6, 2015 7:05AM MDT 

The numbers are far from finalized at this point, but voters showed up in droves at the polls on Election Day in Alberta, posting the strongest showing in decades in the province.

Early estimates show that 59 percent of eligible voters cast their ballot, which is a huge improvement from the 50.9 percent average across the last six elections.

While it didn’t break the 60 percent mark, that saw Ralph Klein elected premier in 1993, it sure did come close.

Advance polling numbers factored in quite a bit this time around as well, with voter turnout at advance polls coming in at 30 percent higher than in 2012.

Approximately 235,000 people cast their ballots in advanced voting, breaking a record that had just been set.

179,820 voters cast their ballots in advance polls in 2012.

This is interesting to note.  There was early speculation that a lower voter turn-out trend would continue which would have favoured the incumbents.

 

[Kat Stevens]

I recently read a study on the city of Ottawa - the rural areas get about $3 of benefits for every $1 they pay in taxes.  If rural folks don't want to deal with decisions made by urban voters, start paying your fair share...

I read a study once that said that The Holocaust never happened, and if it did, they had it coming.  This is Alberta, Not Ontario that relies on industry in populated areas for it's tax base. Most of the money in Alberta is earned by, and therefore taxes paid by, rural dwellers.  The city dwellers benefit from rural tax payers.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

As the words were put in the mouth of a "Soviet" Senior Captain (played by Sean Connery of course):

"A little revolution form time to time is not necessarily a bad thing"

That's what Albertans just did - and the NDP would do well to remember how they got there in their governance over the next four years.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

I read a study once that said that The Holocaust never happened, and if it did, they had it coming.  This is Alberta, Not Ontario that relies on industry in populated areas for it's tax base. Most of the money in Alberta is earned by, and therefore taxes paid by, rural dwellers.  The city dwellers benefit from rural tax payers.

I am going to call bull on this KS: Most of the money in Alberta is earned by the OIL INDUSTRY, not individual tax payers. Not changing that fact after almost 40 years of good industry development and revenue is what got the province, andMr. Prentice, where it is now.

 

[Kirkhill]

I think where Kat has a point is that many Albertans self-identify as rural Albertans regardless of how their income is earned.  Currently I am looking at buying a rural property as a cottage-semi-retirement place.  It is actually quite hard to find suitable rural land in Alberta.  It is much easier in Saskatchewan.  From this I conclude that Albertans have been living hybrid-rural lifestyles for quite a while and have been voting with their pickups and their dollars to escape the tight controls of city life neighbourhood design constraints and opting instead to live with fewer amenities but more freedom to build and live as they choose.

Some folks would rather live in a draughty shack their grandad built and drive a beat up pickup than live in downtown condo with all the amenities suitably inspected and regulated.

 

[GAP]

As the words were put in the mouth of a "Soviet" Senior Captain (played by Sean Connery of course):

"A little revolution form time to time is not necessarily a bad thing"

That's what Albertans just did - and the NDP would do well to remember how they got there in their governance over the next four years.

See Manitoba & Saskatchewan....and of course B.C. for examples.....

 

[Kirkhill]

See Manitoba & Saskatchewan....and of course B.C. for examples.....

Or Egypt, Libya and Yugoslavia......

 

[OldSolduer]

Agreed ... and I hear, on the radio, that Jim Prentice has resigned as PC leader and as a member of the legislature: presumably he'll return to Bay Street.

It will be interesting to see what kind of NDP they grow out in Alberta: is it the destructive, Canadian Labour Congress and academic led, child of David Lewis, Mel Watkins and Jim Laxer? Or is it the socially moderate and economically prudent child of the CCF and Tommy Douglas?

Perhaps it will be a close imitation of The Saskatchewan Party. I hear that Brad Wall has done some great things in the Gap.

 

[Rifleman62]

recceguy beat me to it.

Photo from a friend in Edm taken this a.m.

Hell has frozen over.

 

[cupper]

So much for my effort to encourage my western relatives to vote Republican. ;D

 

[Rocky Mountains]

I am going to call bull on this KS: Most of the money in Alberta is earned by the OIL INDUSTRY, not individual tax payers. Not changing that fact after almost 40 years of good industry development and revenue is what got the province, andMr. Prentice, where it is now.

The oil wells aren't in downtown Calgary, just the high paying jobs are.  The Alberta government spends little money out in the boonies.  The oil companies even have to build or pay to use tens of thousands of miles of private roads.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Calgary, 0800 hours today:  ;D

 

[Halifax Tar]

Calgary, 0800 hours today:  ;D

lol  that was awesome!  But you owe me a keyboard...

 

[George Wallace]

[tangent] Actually wasn't the Embassy roof, but an apartment block that a CIA operative lived in...... >

 

[jollyjacktar]

I contacted a (hopefully) future employer in the patch today and asked as to the morale.  daft's photo seems to be the current level of happiness and comfort with the new alien overlords.  They are chinstrapping to the max today.  I hope that this new reality doesn't further play havoc with my chances.  Things had already been pushed to the right by a further 18 months, before last night.

 

[Brad Sallows]

It's a mandate - anything around 40% in Canada is so - but vote splitting is in clear evidence.  I expect the NDP will be out if - and only if - the PC and Wildrose recombine.

Spending in rural areas seems disproportionately high because urban areas need food, lumber, concrete, petroleum products, electricity, steel, etc.; and these things are not to found in sufficient quantity in urban areas and the residents would not tolerate the industry necessary to turn the raw materials into finished goods regardless.  The urban tax money spent in rural areas is chiefly for the benefit of the urban areas.  No-one should delude themselves otherwise in pursuit of some infantile ideological talking point.