[1/2 of] Alberta Votes 2008- memorable quotes

I have been collecting a list of some notable quotables throughout the past month. Some are good, some are bad, and others are just plain ugly (i.e. insulting, although perhaps deserved). Of course, these categories reflect my own personal bias, but I think for a lot of other people they aren't far off the mark. Feel free to disagree or post any quotes I've left out in comments.

The Good:

"It's that dream, that possibility that should be more achievable here than anywhere else. And yet, it's just slipping through our fingers." -Kevin Taft

"NEP never happened - it is an Alberta urban myth...Reagan let the US strategic oil supplies lose on the open market and that undermined market prices of oil. That is what destroyed the Alberta economy....NEP would have done the same thing but Reagan beat the [Federal] Libs to it. Deal with the facts." - Ken Chapman, responding to a comment that the Alberta Liberals should apologize for the NEP.

"But this isn't Communist China. All appearances to the contrary, we're not actually supposed to have institutionalized one-party rule here. The PC party and the government are supposed to be two separate entities. The party is not supposed to control the electoral process." -Paula Simons on the returning officer scandal

"Stelmach is attacking Jean Chretien!" -Daveberta, live blogging the leaders debate

"Everybody's taxes pay for universities, colleges and technical institutions to operate, but because of these high costs not everybody's kids can go,"- Brian Mason

"The controversy over auto insurance rates revealed an unhealthy relationship between the insurance industry and an Alberta government that proved eager to roll over and play dead when it came to protecting the rights of Albertans." - Graham Thomson

The Bad:

"I'm not aware of Bill's comments uh and uh... and and even if he did talk to or if he did or didn't talk to Bill Mason... uh, or ... whatever his name is." -Ed Stelmach

"If you look at all of the things we need to fix, the returning officer is the last thing on my list." -Paul Hinman

“I lived through the 22-per-cent interest rates and part of that was the    Liberal government that dumped the NEP on this province.”- Ed Stelmach, fearmongering in response to a question on healthcare.

"While human beings can create laws, the laws of God must take precedence" - Ken Kowalski, in an election ad (h/t daveberta)

Mason thanked everyone for coming, then introduced his 'ordinary Albertan' friends, Steve and Cora Smerdely. Cora interupted: "It's Arlene." - Arlene Smerdely

"Let's take back the capital!" -Bill Donahue, PC Candidate, Edmonton-Centre.

"My wife thinks I am charismatic"  -Brian Mason, leaders debate.

"After the election is over we want to make sure that every area has an equal opportunity to cast their ballots" -Ed Stelmach   

Exchange between Ed Stelmach and a volunteer at an Edmonton campaign stop:
Stelmach: "So, is it already past, uh, the new year?"
Worker: "Of course, well, yeah, I'm not Chinese but I'm Filipino."
Stelmach: "You're Filipino…."

"People are dying as we speak, Mr. Stelmach" - Kevin Taft, leaders' debate

"Edmonton is coming home. I can feel it." - Ed Stelmach

"The other plan destroys 335,000 jobs. There are 600,000 new Albertans in this province. Do you want to send them back home to other provinces, other countries?" - Ed Stelmach, blatantly misrepresenting the facts.

The Ugly:

"Change that works for Tory insiders."-Brian Mason

"If its a charisma race between me and Ed Stelmach, I like the odds." - Kevin Taft

"They've asked me about nothing. They want nothing but my name, sadly,"- Arthur Kent

"It's coming like a locomotive on us and this government is playing marbles on the track." -Kevin Taft, leaders debate, discussing GHGs

“Every time we asked him a question he would just completely change the subject.” - Spencer Swinston, 10th grader, discussing Ed Stelmach's visit to his school.

"You're as transparent as a slab of granite" -Brian Mason to Ed Stelmach, leaders debate

"We've changed the head, but the beast remains the same" - Paul Hinman, leaders debate

"Ed, if you wanted real change, I don't know why you're running again," Kevin Taft, leaders debate.

 

Comments

[Bill Given]

Great post! Thanks for collecting all these - it goes to prove the perception that this election has been bland and boring was wrong... if you actually look there were quite a few pearls of wisdom (?) through out the campaign.