One Alberta Voice

I just saw this article: One in Four Canadians Ready to Kick Quebec Out Frankly, it doesn't surprise me. With the on-going protests by students, I've noticed more and more people looking at Quebec as a province that really doesn't know what it's doing, has "spoiled" people and really doesn't have a part in Canada. It's completely unCanadian behaviour. Back when I was in school, we were learning about the then-impending referendum: do we allow Quebec to separate? I was completely against them separating. Even after learning more at the post-secondary level about the deep-seated issues that have led to that desire in their province, I still felt like they should stay. But times change: Consider me now one of those people ready to kick Quebec out. I'm done with them. I could be accused of being one of the English-speaking majority who is done with them, but, guess what? I'm also one of the French-speaking western Canadians, married to a Fr...

I flipped through this week's edition of The Edmonton Examiner and stopped on the editorial. What a surprise (sic) to see another unflattering mention of Deputy Premier Lukaszuk. And the editorial is, in my opinion, absolutely right with what it says. I can't find a link online to it, so here is a rough summary of the part about Lukaszuk: After the landslide that stranded 600 people in the area of Fairmont Hot Springs and I'm not sure what other effects the disaster caused, not long after 4 people died in another landslide, Lukaszuk, in his ever thoughtless way, put on his Facebook page a photo of the landslide with the caption: "Fairmont in Hot Springs has a good deal on rooms today. If a little bit of mud doesn't bother you, book now!!!" When people complained, he removed the post and tweeted: Sorry for my FB post. I’m out of Canada and was not aware of the scope of the situation in B.C. I removed the post. Frankly, it doesn't matter if people d...

It was on the front page of the Edmonton Sun as I walked by it and I decided to have a look online to find out more about it: Redford heading to London at a cost of $83 800. That's a lot of money. I was relieved to find out that it's not just for her: 2 ministers and 3 staff members. Except... 5 days and nearly $84 000? That's $14 000 per person for a 5-day trip! Let's say it's $3000 return (with all the taxes and whatnot) for the flights (and that was one of the more expensive flights), and London's expensive and it's the Olympics and they are government, so let's be generous: the Savoy is about $400 per night, so let's say $500 per night per person with the hotel taxes--if they are staying 6 nights, which can happen with 5-day trips, that's $3000. So, $6000 for flight and accommodation together for one person, leaving $8000 for transportation and food??? Are you kidding me? That's $48 000 for 6 people to eat and get around London for 5...

From an article here http://www.inews880.com/Channels/Reg/LocalNews/Story.aspx?ID=1736498. Lukaszuk has gotten himself another role:  Ministerial Liaison to the Canadian Forces I find myself very puzzled by Redford's decisions with Lukaszuk. Here is a man who has shown clear narcissistic traits, has had problems in various departments (yes, I know people in the know) and yet, she's placing him in positions where he has to deal constantly with others in a reasonable way. Is she clueless? Or is she keeping him too busy in certain types of roles to minimize the problems? I guess time will tell.

I find it very interesting: so many people I know were unhappy with the Conservatives before the election, were reading the news and seeing the nonsense and decided to vote against them. And yet, the PCs still managed to pull off a majority government. I like to believe things happen for a reason or that, at the very least, good things can come out of bad situations. I have hope that, while it may take some time, the good to come out of the current bad will be clear. There has been so much in the news this past week against our latest installment of the PC government that if I had the time to write, there would be at least daily posts. It has not been good news. And we have another 4 years with them. If this is how things are starting off... The thing to get my attention today was the following article by Don Braid from the Calgary Herald: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Braid+Scapegoat+turn+tables+former+Alberta+employers/6719269/story.html The former chief elections officer, Lo...

If only I had more time, I would be writing so much more in this blog right now! What I do want to share is an article about another Alberta PC flip flop. (Makes me think of a fish out of water flipping back and forth--isn't that kind of what's going on here? The PC's are no longer in the safe zone and are trying to save their political lives?) http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Alberta+reverses+stance+publicizing+illegal+donations+political+parties/6704371/story.html Btw, seeing Lukaszuk's picture reminds me of a tweet I saw this morning: It sucks that I have to hear what my MLA tweets through   @ JoeAlbertan   because @ LukaszukMLA   is blocking me.   ‪ # ableg ‬ ‪ # pcaa ‬   ‪ # wrp ‬   ‪ # transparency ‬ https://twitter.com/Sirthinks/status/208048614365339649

Premier Redford has announced her cabinet: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Lukaszuk+named+deputy+premier/6586941/story.html (The following is copied and pasted from the above article:) The portfolios are as follows: — Thomas Lukaszuk, deputy premier — Ken Hughes, Minister of Energy — Doug Horner, Minister of Finance and Treasury Board — Fred Horne, Minister of Health — Dave Hancock, Minister of Human Services — Diana McQueen, Minister of the Environment and Sustainable Resource Development — Jonathan Denis, Minister of Justice and Solicitor General — Jeff Johnson, Minister of Education — Doug Griffiths, Minister of Municipal Affairs — Verlyn Olson, Minister of Agriculture — Stephen Khan, Minister of Advanced Education and Enterprise — Manmeet Bhullar, Minister of Service Alberta — Heather Klimchuk, Minister of Culture — Ric MacIver, Minister of Transportation — Christine Cusanelli, Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation — Robin Campbell, Minister Aboriginal Relat...