Alberta: Get Rich or Die Trying

In the news

Lots of interesting stuff going on today. Here is a roundup of links:

Photo: Globe and Mail

The Globe and Mail has a good article detailing the 'in and out' scheme the Conservative Party of Canada allegedly used during the last election to finance national campaign advertising and exceed their allowable spending under the Elections Act by over $1 million dollars (and has resulted in yesterday's RCMP and EC raid of their headquarters). According to the Ottawa Citizen, this is the first time in Canadian history that a political party headquarters has been searched by the RCMP. I always new PM Harper would be a path breaker.

UPDATE: CBC's Politics with Don Newman is reporting that the RCMP are executing a criminal search warrant, granted by a Toronto criminal court at the request of Elections Canada. In fact, the ongoing search may have nothing to do with the 'in and out' scheme investigation and this may just be an attempt on the CPC to mask the real reason the cops are there.

Alberta Health and Wellness minister, Ron Liepert, has laid out his plan for the next year. The press release is seemingly benign. Some highlights include expansion of addiction and mental health services and a renewed strategy for regional health planning by June 15th. As they say though, the devil is in the details (and also the forthcoming provincial budget). I'd expect some healthcare-related controversy when Alberta Health's 'long term sustainability' plan is released in 9 months, if not sooner. Especially given Liepert's stated support for the Manzankowski and the 2006 Health Policy Framework reports and his general lust for 1990s-style, slash and burn budget cuts.

The Edmonton Journal's Todd Babiak has changed his tune (somewhat) on Edmonton's bid for the National Portrait Gallery. His column yesterday paints quite the rosy picture of a revitalized downtown arts and culture district. I like to think his newfound optimism is the direct result of  reading this blog...

Maude Barlow and the Council of Canadians warns that if Canada doesn't revist NAFTA, Canadian governments can expect litigation by foreign oil companies if ever a water shortage were to halt oil and gas production.

Health Canada looks ready to ban bisphenol A. This endocrine disruptor mimics the effect of estrogen and has been linked to breast and prostate cancer. The bad news is that bisphenol A is in many clear plastic bottles (water bottles, water cooler jugs, clear/tinted nalgene bottles) and it is also used to line tin cans. The good news is that it can be avoided somewhat. See Green Edmonton for advice on that.

Finally, this gem. Apparently Vancouver transit cops have been tasering fare-cheaters. Even the non-violent ones. SHADY.

Alberta MPs courting voters in the 905

In case anyone in Alberta is wondering what their Conservative MP is spending their constituency budget on.... I'll give you a hint: it sure isn't on working hard to serve you or earn your vote!

Nuclear in Alberta: Our very own monorail

According to Shawn McCarthy at the Globe and Mail, as far as nuclear power in Alberta is concerned:

1. We don't need it
2. It's cost prohibitive
3. To sell it, the Bruce Power needs to  "create a buzz" around the concept of a nuclear renaissance

I have been against nuclear energy in Alberta since Energy Alberta Corp was poking around Whitecourt and Peace River last summer. I'm even more against it now that Bruce Power (which bought out EAC) wants to build four nuclear reactors rather than two. Even if the generation of tons of toxic waste doesn't bother you, the economic arguments against  nuclear in this province (and elsewhere) should be enough to convince anyone that Alberta doesn't need nuclear energy.  I hope the provincial government will not subsidize the development of this industry and Albertans will avoid being duped into building something we don't need.

Change that works for insurance corporations, pt. 2

After the Alberta government's attempt to stay the decision to overturn the soft-injury cap (thereby keeping the cap in place until after the appeal) failed yesterday Stelmach announced he will not do anything to protect Albertans from the large insurance rate increases he anticipates will stem from the court decision overturning the ban.

As the Journal explains, "the government itself has control over the costs for mandatory coverage, and its rate board annually orders rates to go up or down, based on its judgement." Indeed, both Kevin Taft and Brian Mason pledged to enact a rate freeze if elected. Nonetheless, and in keeping with his 'government does not control the economy' mantra, Stelmach will let the companies appeal to the board for a rate increase, even while the appeal is pending.

Ultimately, I don't think Stelmach's refusal to freeze will be that all that costly to ordinary Albertans because: a) I think the actual costs that  accrue from the abolishment of the cap are greatly overexaggerated, and b) since the "independence" of the rate board, which will ultimately decide whether or not the companies' are allowed to increase, has been legitimately called into question (it's chaired by a former PC party president), the board will probably choose the politically expedient option anyways (i.e. a low to no increase).

Nonetheless, between Stelmach's eagerness to side with auto insurance corporations, his government's refusal to release the climate change report (at least probably not until after the election) and his accusing reporters of being liberal supporters, I think 'Honest Ed' is starting to look more and more like this guy.

Stelmach plans to train new health care workers....

Yesterday, fresh on the campaign trail, Ed Stelmach held a media event at the University of Alberta hospital to unveil a plan to train more doctors and nurses. Kudos to Stelmach for attempting to address a growing problem facing Albertans under the boom. However, there are a few things about his 'plan' that concern this blogger:

1. There is absolutely no mention of how Alberta is going to build the capacity needed to train all of these doctors and nurses. Indeed, Alberta's College of Physicians and Surgeons questions whether Alberta has enough medical educators to train 225 new doctors by 2012.

2. There is no discussion of the acute need for doctors and nurses in Alberta's rural communities. Once trained, how will the government ensure that these doctors and nurses are heading to the communities most in need (let alone staying in Alberta)? The plan talks a lot about Edmonton and Calgary but there is no mention of rural Alberta at all. Perhaps because rural Alberta always votes Conservative?

3. The plan discusses bringing in foreign workers to supplement our own home grown medical staff. Will these doctors be temporary foreign workers? Will they receive landed immigrant status? How will they be recruited. In the past, Alberta has spent millions recruiting foreign doctors, wooing them with all expense paid trips to Lake Louise. Is this really the best way to spend taxpayer dollars? What are the implications for the health care systems of countries like South Africa, from which we (and other Prairie provinces) actively recruit?

As is customary with this government/party, this 'plan' is short on details and long on hot air. Take a look for yourself. The press release is here, and the backgrounder is here.

To top it off yesterday, Stelmach opted to use a Capital Health conference room (complete with a large campaign poster and his bus parked outside) to make this announcement. When is this party going to realize you can not use taxpayer funded venues to make partisan political statements? Culture of entitlement indeed.

Edspedia.com

Check out this entertaining parody site by Dan Arnold (otherwise known as Calgary Grit). I particularly like the cheap shot at Mark Norris. That guy is such a loser.

Although Calgary Grit is obviously pretty partisan, he has a pretty good sense of humor and is generally  measured in his treatment of the other parties. You can judge for yourself by reading his most recent post Alberta Votes 2008. (Best line: the Liberal party's unofficial slogan).

UPDATE: Archie McLean from the Edmonton Journal explains the content and creation of Edspedia.com

Let the bungling begin....

With the Alberta election just underway, already two political parties have already made some pretty interesting gaffes.

The Liberals courtesy of Alberta Tory:

First off, CBC News' John Archer is blogging/reporting on a few problems the Liberals had Thursday night, during Kevin Taft's Alternative Speech from the Throne. In particular, Archer criticizes their choice of venue--a lecture theatre in U of A's the Engineering and Technology Building--as doing little to shed Taft's image as an elite academic. Moreover, as Archer validly points out, this location was certainly not conducive to a buoyant crowd of sign-toting, scarf-wearing supporters shouting slogans and crowding around Taft. Instead, people sat calmly in the chairs provided. This is a valid criticism.

However, I have to take issue with the fact that Archer criticizes the Liberals for sending out their press release  [which recapped the night's events] prior to Taft's speech. He writes

The communications staff also didn't help the Liberal campaign on this night. As reporters were still taking off their coats and plugging in their equipment, a news release was sent out by the party. It was 7:01.

This is actually standard practice in a world of corporate journalism, where reporters face little resources and tight deadlines. Everybody sends out press releases in advance, otherwise you don't get your event in the paper or on TV the next day. Perhaps, they overestimated the amount in attendance, but I don't think it was intentional, nor was it something every other party in Alberta hasn't done before.

A fairer criticism of the Liberals' press release skills is posted by Archer here.

The Conservatives (certainly not courtesy Alberta Tory):

Graham Thompson had a good column in the The Edmonton Journal this morning discussing the Stelmach government's campaign kick off. He mentions a few valid criticisms and calls the Tories "wet-behind-the-ears" (ironic, considering their prolonged reign)-- referring particularly to their selection of March 3rd for election day. This will probably not sit well with the many Albertans marking the anniversary of the Mayerthorpe tragedy that day. Another error, and one that is quite illustrative of the culture of entitlement that pervades the Alberta Conservative Party, was that Stelmach used the tax-payer funded media room at the leg., and a host of government employees to unveil his campaign. Thompson writes:

When reporters asked Stelmach why he was using the taxpayer-funded media room at the legislature to hold a Conservative party event, he looked startled.

Evidently, Ed didn't realize this would be a problem. Unsurprisingly, the Tory speech also lacked a truckload of cheering and sign-toting fans.

Perhaps Archer and Thompson have this venue logic backwards. Did these two media events lack cheering supporters because of their stiff, institutional forums. Or were these particular venues selected because of a predicted lack of cheering fans. If either party really believed they could fill a community hall, or hotel conference room with hundreds of happy, shiny supporters, they would have had it booked months ago. This issue has more to do with the general sense of apathy in Alberta politics, rather than poor planning on the part of either party.