Archie McLean has an article in today's Edmonton Journal detailing the financial situation of Alberta's main political parties. I wasn't surprised to read that the Tories now have over 4 million in their party coffers and the NDP and Liberals are both in the red. But, I was surprised to read that Calgary-based Big Rock breweries is one of the PC Party's biggest donors. I'm curious to know precisely what their lobbying efforts are achieving? Moreover, next time I'm at the liquor store, I will think twice before I pick up a case of Warthog or Grasshopper. I just don't think I will be able to drink Big Rock beer anymore without it leaving a sour taste in my mouth. Hopefully Edmonton's Alley Kat Brewing Company and Calgary's Wild Rose Brewery (both delicious alternatives) are sticking to beer-making, and not hobnobbing with the PC Party brass.
The CBC and the Globe are reporting some good news regarding BC's battle to stop the spread of pine beetle. Apparently, the rice grain-sized terrors have ran out of trees to eat. Thus, the hemorrhaging of BC's forestry industry is expected to slow. So what's the bad news? Scientists suspect that the lack of feed for pine beetles in BC will likely fuel their continued spread into Alberta. Perhaps BC will lend Alberta part of the $1 billion the federal government has agreed to grant the province over the next ten years? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the funding Alberta has received to fight pine beetle is basically non-existent, despite the fact that our Western border is under severe threat. Perhaps, the federal Conservatives think pine beetle money sent to the Conservative heartland of Canada is less politically expedient?
Despite the Tories' financial health, they're being pinched on one
side by unrest in the oilpatch after Stelmach's decision last fall to
hike energy royalties. Companies have said the increases would kill
investment at a time when conventional oil and gas developers are
already hurting, and hundreds of millions of dollars in investments
have been cancelled.
Rick Grafton, former chairman of Canaccord
Adams and a pioneer in Alberta's energy financing sector, angrily quit
the PCs' Calgary finance committee last month.
In a letter to
campaign co-chair Doug Black, Grafton said "raising money for a premier
and minister who are not open to private in-depth conversations with
the energy sector to reach a consensus collaboratively will only be an
exercise in frustration and futility."
Somehow, I doubt Stelmachisn't open to these deals, but can you believe this guy's lack of subtlety? He might as well made the subject line of his letter, re: quid pro quo.
I heart Todd Babiak, Pt. 2
On a lighter note, best blog post title of the week, goes to Todd Babiak for this number. Hmm...I'm sensing someone wishes they had been invited to join the Journal's Election Notebook blog.
The Red Dot Campaign
Hallelujah. Someone's found an effective and permanent way to stop (most) junk mail from cluttering your mailbox. Say hello to the Red Dot Campaign. Contrary to the rumors that 'No Junk Mail' stickers are ignored by mail carriers, Canada post actually has their own program to allow citizens to opt-out of receiving unaddressed mail. The Red Dot Campaign was established to publicize the program's existence (as for understandable bottom-line reasons, Canada Post does not).
The group is motivated by their perception that,
We are fortunate to live in abundance where many of us have TOO MUCH
STUFF! And to keep us buying more stuff, we are inundated with $19
Billion worth of advertising each year.
Much of this advertising is wasteful and irrelevant. Print
advertising has a huge environmental footprint and often produces only
a 1-2% uptake on the offer.
In addition to these stats, the campaign also notes that 67% of Canadians are not interested in these ads, and 25% throw them out without even looking at them (I definitely fall in this bracket, but not for much longer!).
Sign up today! And don't worry, AGRDT readers, your political and public service information pamphlets will still get through, as they are excluded from the ban.
And last but not least - My Favorite (Non Alberta Election Related) Video of the Week,
