When a Blue Sign Is a Golden Ticket

A former PC candidate once said that the most difficult thing to get from the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta was a nomination.  Nominations were coveted golden tickets to employment if one was lucky enough to be able to put their name on a blue sign.   The shade of blue may have changed but in certain circles, the golden ticket has not.


National Post Alex Tetrault 2008

Nomination contests are being held across the province for all parties.  Most have gone unnoticed but some managed to make headlines for all the wrong reasons.  The first incident was in Innisfail-Sylvan Lake when UCP candidate Joel Loh discovered his name was not on the nomination ballot May 2nd. Loh had announced his candidacy on April 17th.   Loh stated he accepted the Party's explanation that there was not enough time to process his application.   Sylvan Lake's Victor Sloboda, who also announced April 17th, was on the ballot.

The Airdrie East UCP nomination race saw Roger Millions, former sport broadcaster, challenge sitting MLA Angela Pitt.   During that race, constituency association president Rick Northey resigned over allegations of "outright intimidation" around a $16,000 donation of constituency association funds.  Pitt dismissed those claims as Northey was acting as Millions' campaign manager.   A couple of  individuals received messages from an unnamed sender with a purported recording of Pitt's phone calls but did not release the recordings.

Over to Chestermere-Strathmore, the nomination race that burned brightly before fading away to nothing.  The founding meeting for the new constituency was a very well-attended event for being both regional, and rural. Sitting UCP MLA Leela Aheer was joined by five of her fellow MLAs, Ric McIver, Jason Nixon, Prasad Panda, Dave Schneider and Angela Pitt, along with some staffers in tow to demonstrate their support.  The show was only just beginning though as nomination candidate Dave Campbell was expelled from the meeting.

That incident purportedly led to Aheer filing a restraining order that she withdrew a day before it was to be heard in court.  Campbell did not turn in his payment for the nomination, and neither did the other potential nominees. Aheer was acclaimed.

Independent MLA Derek Fildebrandt saw it as further proof "insider party elites refuse to allow the people of Chestermere-Strathmore an open, free and fair nomination of their UCP candidate".
Then a video surfaced on social media from a UCP founding meeting in Calgary Northeast alleging misconduct with the voting process to elect board members.  In most board elections, this is not a major issue but talking with a resident in the area, I was informed that having one "slate", a preferred group of people, elected offers the person who chose them an advantage in the general election.  Prab Gill, MLA for Calgary-Greenway, stepped down from his role as Deputy Whip of the UCP caucus on July 12 for his alleged role in the "voting irregularities".

A complaint was filed and Janice Harrington, Executive Director of the UCP and former PC constituency association president for Airdrie - Chestermere, announced an independent review would be undertaken by former PC Party President and patron, Ted Carruthers.  Some questioned how "independent" the review would be but the Party has the ability to appoint anyone they wish and they did at least promise to look into the complaint.  We can either expect to be a little shocked at the findings or hear nothing at all.

In Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville, another nomination contestant, Darryl Kropielnicki, was approved as a candidate at the constituency association level and had his application and criminal record checks completed prior to the vote.  He discovered after the location for the nomination vote was secured that his candidacy was not approved by the party.  Jason Kenney released a statement congratulating Jackie Armstrong Homeniuk.

Gender quotas are a great thing, but not at the expense of democracy.
One issue could be chance.  Two could be coincidence. Three or more suggests that the myth of the "golden ticket" is still alive and well in the old PC party.

There is a saying that rose by any other name is still a rose; the same can be said of excrement.

NOTICE: This article contains both fact and opinion.  Links to supporting documentation within article.  If you have additional information you would like to see included in this ever-growing list, contact me at dmaclean@countersign.ca Information sources will be kept confidential.

Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean  Content Director - Writer

Info: dmaclean@countersign.ca Social Media @ThisWeekInAB
I have moved to a website: https://www.countersigncanada.ca

Conservatives Are Taking Alberta's Votes for Granted

On Thursday we learned an extension of the current equalization formula was passed on June 6, 2018.  Why were we surprised to learn this?  Because none of the Conservatives who voted against the amendment mentioned it even though they (mostly) showed up to vote on it.   No, we learned this from the media three weeks after the fact.

Since the final vote on June 6, the silence has been deafening. There are 53 CPC "defenders of the West", including its leader, Andrew Scheer (SK).  There is also a guy in Alberta whose heart and mind is hardly a moment away from the House of Commons, the Leader of Alberta's Official Opposition, Jason Kenney.  And none of these representatives, not one of these "unfair equalization" proponents was passing around the gasoline for the West to light its hair on fire?  Get real.

Part of that would of course be due to the fact that there was a federal by-election going on in Quebec that saw the Conservative Party of Canada win a seat on June 18.  While campaigning in Quebec, a political party does not need half of its caucus making waves against the province.

La Presse Canadienne / Jacques Boissinot

The only hiccup for the Conservatives was back in May when Manitoba MP Ted Falk let his social conservatism fly in the House of Commons when he yelled out "abortion is not a right!" in response to the Prime Minister.  Quebecers are, apparently, more liberal-minded than the Western CPC MPs and Conservative MPs from Quebec were forced to distance themselves from the comment. Ain't unity grand?

And speaking of unity, the only CPC MP who appears to be maintaining the purported conservative values is Maxime Bernier, who was removed from the front bench by Andrew Scheer earlier this month.  The CPC is on a mission: Elect a provincial Conservative Party in Quebec in October.  All MPs must toe the party line.

To do that, Andrew Scheer must continue to be the champion of all things Quebec; from supply management to equalization (no link available because; silence).  Jason Kenney, who likely wanted to be on as many stages as possible in Quebec during the summer, will have to stand up for Alberta as the lone voice for Alberta Conservative values of "it's mine, damn you, all mine!"

Andrew Scheer will have to continue to be the voice for Quebec, at least until October 2, 2018, but they won't worry too much about the Conservative support out West; Kenney has plenty of gasoline for all of those who can be set off by incomplete and misleading remarks about equalization. And while your hair is on fire, don't forget to donate to the CPC; they need your support to campaign for Quebec's interests.

Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean
Content Director/Writer

NOTICE: This article is a mixture of both opinion and fact. Links within the article.

Derek Fildebrandt: The Independent

Only four months ago, partisans from all parties were hoping Derek Fildebrandt would just fade away.  Many wrote off his ability to reclaim his former glory after diving headfirst into what appeared to be the largest pile of self-manufactured manure in Alberta politics.  Fildebrandt, however, seems born for the political character he plays and in Alberta politics, the stage is completely set for the next, or even former, big act.

Back in February, when Fildebrandt found out he would no longer be welcome in the UCP caucus, there were some dark days for him.  "They called me after the press release" he said, "up until literally the day before, Kenney's people told me to just pay the fine and stay quiet".  So he stayed quiet until then and for a time afterward.  Then he started talking.

"Politics is full of bullshit" he told reporters at a press conference in March.  He also said that he was told, by Kenney, he would not be allowed to vie for the nomination in his home riding as Leela Aheer, MLA for Chestermere-Rockyview and one of only two female MLAs in the UCP, was now the preferred candidate.

On April 25, Fildebrandt held a town hall meeting at the Strathmore Legion to discuss the impending pipeline issues.  During that meeting, he said the original plan was for Aheer to run in a North East Calgary riding and he would be the candidate for Chestermere-Strathmore.  That changed, he said, once Kenney won the UCP leadership in October. "What Jason said to me," he recounted, "is it's not about me challenging other incumbents; it's about me challenging female incumbents".

No one on other side of the Conservative fence thought Fildebrandt would go quietly but his reemergence from certain political death has been impressive in its steady calculations.  On May 8, he delivered an impassioned statement to the Legislative Assembly.

"When I was told that I would not be allowed to run in my own constituency because of affirmative action gender quotas, I didn’t quit, but when I was told to just keep quiet and keep my head down until all this passed, I did. It wasn’t in my character to do so, and it was a mistake. I allowed the scheming backroom operators to dictate my behaviour as they are now dictating the behaviour of others.

I was the first member of this House to call for the unification of conservatives, but I’m honestly not sure if history will judge that to have been the right thing to do anymore. 

Conditional for supporting unification was the grassroots guarantee that local members would select their own candidates and that members would set the policies of the party. If you believe in democracy, then you accept that you lose a vote sometimes on policy or on your hand-picked candidates. 

I can’t be whipped. As long as I’ve been an MLA, I have always voted freely and have broken with the party whip on more than one occasion. One of the things I’m grateful for right now is that there is no party whip telling me how to vote or even not how to vote. The only people who get to tell me how to vote are the people of Strathmore-Brooks. Party backroomers may have stripped the members in my constituency of the right to vote for the candidate of their choice, but they have not stripped me of my voice to say: I don’t quit."

For that speech, he received a good deal of applause from the members in the Assembly but not, predictably, from his former caucus.  And it was just the first indication of a return to the formerly determined and rather fiery MLA of memory.  While Fildebrandt has definitely not stopped holding the government to account on behalf of his constituents, he has also taken on a new adversary.

Rebel Media

Fildebrandt, along with the governing NDP, Alberta Party caucus, the Liberal MLA and PC MLA, has been vocal in his derision of the UCP's failure to show up and represent Albertans in the Legislature in what has been called a "disgraceful dereliction of", and an "unprecedented shunning of the opposition's" duty.  He has even gone so far as to ask the members of the UCP to stay and do their job.  On May 30, in a member's statement regarding a scheduled debate on Bill 9, the abortion clinic "bubble zone" law, he said he hoped the UCP caucus would "at least stay for the next debate and participate in that debate and vote in that debate."  Four members did stay, silent, during debate but left when the vote was called.

He may also find himself with a new obstacle to his work as he discovered that same day.  Fildebrandt had proposed a motion to open debate on the Kinder Morgan pipeline development and the Alberta government's role in the investment.  As is parliamentary procedure, he had given notice to all other parties.  Fildebrandt stated he gave his notice to the parties more than 24 hours in advance of the May 30 sitting. That morning, he discovered a near identical motion was being tabled by the UCP.  The Speaker noted the notice from the Official Opposition had been received that morning at 7:39 am but notice from the Independent did not arrive until 8:42 am.  Fildebrandt also noted that he had not received notice from the Official Opposition on that motion.

An independent MLA has little power but he does have his voice; as does every other representative in the Assembly, should they choose to use it.

"We might not get to change the final outcome of a vote, but we get to have our say. In fact, it is our duty to have our say, to speak up for our constituents on bills that we support, on bills that we oppose, and on bills that we might not even want to talk about. If they’re on the floor of this Legislature, it is our duty to our constituents to stand up, speak up, and be counted every time".

Edmonton Sun

That Fildebrandt lost some power when he was reduced to a caucus of one is of little doubt.  While he was, for a time, persona non grata he has found his voice once again and returned to what was a strength for him at the start of his career; his fierce independence. 

He campaigned tirelessly for unity of the Wildrose and Progressive Conservative parties.  He also drew speculation about a possible run for the leadership of those parties when he launched the "United Liberty" brand.  He never intended to run for the leadership but "the idea" he says "was to help shape the party" with a liberty-conservative ideology.  Now, he is no longer helping to shape the United Conservative Party.

Instead, he is "actively consulting on founding a new, autonomist libertarian-conservative party".  And he is not doing it alone.  As an obsessive political observer, I keep up with news and events.  As Fildebrandt is my MLA, I take particular note of where his name pops up.  One relatively recent place was on a hat worn by the Rebel Media's "Alberta Bureau Chief" in their Twitter profile picture.  The next was at a Rebel-hosted rally where he spoke to the crowd in favour of the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion.  He was introduced by Rebel Media founder Ezra Levant as "an independent; just like us".

On May 11, he appeared on Ezra Levant's Rebel Media to discuss a number of failings he attributes to Jason Kenney and the UCP caucus.  These include the "whipped" members refusing to represent their constituents on Bill 9, Kenney's refusal to allow Fildebrandt to run against Leela Aheer for the riding nomination and the caucus voting with the NDP to provide incentives for "gender quotas" in private industry. 

Regardless of the medium, Fildebrandt does have some legitimate complaints and now that he is an independent, he will continue to raise these concerns against the UCP.  Aside from him running in the next election it's unlikely the UCP considered him to be more than a temporary nuisance. If he manages to introduce yet another new party into the Alberta political scene, that may very quickly change.  Derek Fildebrandt has pulled himself up from certain political death by being exactly who he was as at the top of his game with Wildrose; Derek Fildebrandt: the independent.

Flip Flops and Prairie Oysters

Premier Notley is between a rock and a hard place for the next seven days. Her decision to forego attendance at the Western Premier's Conference this week "to focus on the pipeline" has received mixed reviews.  Kenney, whose caucus has run from the Legislature an incredible 12 times this year to avoid debates on Bill 9, the "bubble zone" legislation, accused the Premier of "hiding" from BC Premier Horgan.  Others said she was doing the right thing by focusing on priorities for the province first.  You can't please everyone, especially when they don't seem to know what they want.

After originally claiming to support taxpayer dollars being used to invest in the Trans Mountain Expansion, Kenney has changed his position.  As leader of the Opposition with literally no ability to actually make decisions (or be involved in discussions), he can say whatever he wants; no matter how inconsistent. But perhaps it was the less than subtle jibe from his former caucus mate, Michelle Rempel that made him realize the error of his ways.

Official communications from the Premier's office have stated that the Premier's focus is on Kinder Morgan and Trans Mountain, but one article claims to have an inside scoop on the *real* reason for her decision: BC would not agree to a pre-written communique regarding market access for resources.  According to the article, the Premier announced she would not attend the conference afterward.

With only a week left until the Kinder Morgan deadline, BC's reference case is still before the court.  After unanimous approval of Bill 12, which gives the Minister of Energy final say on what flows through the Trans Mountain pipeline, BC filed a statement of claim against the legislation.  Currently, the pipeline carries multiple products to BC including diluted bitumen, fuel and diesel fuel.

One suggestion was that Bill 12 would give the Government of Alberta power to stop all fuel shipments through the pipeline and increase the amount of oil shipped instead.  Shipping products by rail and truck are both slower and more expensive and would likely further increase fuel costs in BC without "turning off the taps" (which would be unconstitutional).

Regardless of whether the Official Opposition agrees with the Government's actions, their impotence is not necessarily a bad thing.  While Kenney has claimed the Premier is simply following his "lead", he has the enviable ability to pretend otherwise if it benefits him.  When you don't actually have to stand by your word, the world is truly your prairie oyster.

Equalization and You (Cue Matches)

When a politician wants Albertans to light their hair on fire it is easily accomplished with two little words: "equalization payments".  It's almost as if some politicians want us to keep our minds on Ottawa and forget about what's going on here at home.  Brian Jean, former leader of the Wildrose and Jason Kenney, current leader of the UCP, are presently blowing the dog whistle but we've heard it all before.

One of Harper's 2004 campaign promises was to return the equalization formula to a ten-province standard rather than the current five-province, middle-income standard (it was current in 2003 and remains so to this day).  The issue, generally, is that most people don't understand what equalization is and how it works.  That allows certain politicians to use that to their advantage.

An excellent paper from 2004 compared the five-province standard to a ten-province standard and showed that equalization payments would increase if Alberta was part of the equation.  To put that into free-market terms, if employee wages were based on average wages paid at company X, you don't want the CEO's wage included; you only want to use the mid-range wages.  Alberta is the CEO.

Distribution of federal expenditures, 2014

So Harper walked back that campaign promise and in 2006, Klein threatened to "not participate" in equalization.  For all of their bluster, though, provincial politicians have zero pull when it comes to the formula (unless they're sitting MPs in the federal government, as both Jason Kenney and Brian Jean were in 2006, 2009 and 2013).  The reason neither provincial politicians hoping to form government nor politicians who actually run government have any say is because the province does not write a check to Ottawa. 

This cannot be said any simpler: our federal taxes are used to pay equalization; yours, mine, residents of Quebec, Ontario, and even Atlantic Canada.

As Prime Minister Trudeau, in his less than elegant way, said while in Calgary yesterday, the federal government has been there for Alberta.  Calgary will receive $1.5 billion in federal funding for the Green Line.  The federal government also increased unemployment benefits for Albertans during the recent recession and coughed up almost a billion in 2016 to help with costs related to the Fort McMurray fire.  So even though Alberta didn't receive "equalization payments", the province, and many people in Alberta, received, and will continue to receive, federal funding when needed.

Equalization exists right in our home province as well.  Revenue from provincial and property taxes build new schools in cities and small towns around the province.  Hospitals are upgraded, roads are improved and funding from the provincial government is granted to help build new recreation centres or fund programs in rural areas that don't have the tax base to support massive infrastructure.  Sure, Calgarians might feel their taxes should fund upgrades to Strathmore's hospital or the long-term care centre in Olds rather than their Cancer centre; but probably not.

The point is, there's a reason equalization exists; to help your rural Albertan neighbours and your fellow Canadians have access to services they need.  Equalization is paid out of your taxes and the government's role is to allocate funds to ensure all Canadians, and Albertans, have a reasonably similar standard of living; and that costs money.

So, please, Alberta, stop lighting your hair on fire over equalization.  You live in one of the wealthiest provinces with some of the strongest programs and services in the country, make the highest average wages, and pay the least taxes.  Equalization isn't the reason Alberta is in debt; it's because almost 80% of Albertans don't want to see cuts to programs and services but neither are they willing to pay for them. 

UCP Stance on GSAs Makes International Headlines - Again

It's been Christmas in May for the NDP since the UCP AGM.  Every day seems to add one more feather to the government's caps.  After the membership voted in favour of reinstating parental notification for "extra-curricular activities" that involved the distribution of "resources" pertaining to religion or sexuality on Sunday, all parties (including Jason Kenney) have been on the defensive.  It is a "very badly worded" motion Kenney told CTV Power Play, as he stood "by his decision not to enact" the policy members voted for.

"Research shows that GSAs save lives and this policy flies in the face not only of scientific evidence but of basic human decency as well" said a press release from the Alberta NDP on Sunday.  Stephen Mandel, leader of the Alberta Party, stated there are"certain fundamental things that are not negotiable: children's rights and their (right) to join a GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance)".  It's "a step backwards", echoed Alberta Liberal Party leader David Khan.

Another gift for the Government is the newly-formed habit of the UCP to walk out of the Legislature when they don't like the topic.  That topic of late is Bill 9, the legislation which will require a 50 metre safeguard for staff and patients entering and exiting clinics that offer abortion services.  The UCP has walked out en masse from three debates on the Bill so far; April 11, May 3, and again on May 9.  Some quipped the government could effectively keep them out of the Legislature permanently by extending the debates.

Funny though it might seem, MLAs in Alberta are elected to represent their constituents.  Kenney himself said the Party "will have to govern for all Albertans, not just Conservative Party members", yet has instructed his caucus not to show up for debate; and they have listened.  Is a representative that is beholden only to the Party Leader a true representative of the people who elected them?

Finally, although it's only Thursday, for the second time since Jason Kenney came to "save" Alberta, the reluctance of Kenney and his supporters to acknowledge a teen's right to privacy became international news.  For the record, no one is suggesting teens cannot tell their parents if they join a GSA.  If anything, this new legislation should be an opportunity for increased dialogue between parents and their children.

While I never personally thought of the UCP as the gift that keeps on giving, one has to admit they have not had a good week.  Luckily for them, most people don't pay attention to politics until election time.  Unfortunately, the UCP is very quickly acquiring "old" Party baggage the "new" Party was supposed to have left behind.

UCP AGM - I'd Be Asking For My Money Back

"We must have an approach... that empowers the grassroots members to decide the policy direction of this new party."

                        ~ Jason Kenney, Former "Servant Leader", August 2017

To the surprise of few, Jason Kenney's Grassroots Guarantee is no longer in effect after the grassroots of the United Conservative Party democratically voted for policies Jason Kenney can't win the election with.  Because as we all know, it's not about the membership (but please donate) and it's not about the people (well, some people, not you people), it's about power.

Kenney's foray into politics began with a campaign against free speech and women's healthcare choices at the University of San Francisco in the mid-eighties. While he certainly made a name for himself advocating for efficient spending of taxpayer dollars (until he was part of government), Kenney has continued his fight against evolving social norms with his near perfect voting record supporting "traditional" family values.  And there is nothing wrong with following your conscience if that is where it leads you; the issue here is honesty.

His more optimistic supporters will tell you he has changed his views.  Kenney said MLAs would have free votes but there's been no sign of that being true.  On Bill 24, strengthening support for Gay-Straight Alliances, Kenney said the UCP would oppose.  Although more UCP MLAs were present directly before the vote, the only ones who came back did indeed oppose the Bill.  All UCP MLAs were also notably absent during both the debate and vote for Bill 9, to create a 50m "bubble zone" around abortion clinics to deter harassment.  Ironically, one UCP MLA said their absence was due to harassment.

There is also his continued absence from Pride, currently two years and counting, since he launched his campaign to "Unite Alberta" (but not all of it).  And his suggestion that the government should "compromise" on Alberta's GSA law because "freedom of association and religion are also the law of the land".  Unfortunately it is obvious he feels "religion" trumps "association".  And only a couple of months ago, Kenney made a "joke" about gender-neutrality.  Why?  Because although he wants the UCP to look like a big tent, it is a very, very small tent.  And this is all for them; unless they mess with his chance at "Winning Alberta".

While traveling the province for 11 months in a campaign to unite conservatives, Kenney spent his days and nights speaking specifically to PC and Wildrose members.  He detailed how NDP policies were encroaching on parental rights and also that the government was changing the curriculum to brainwash children.  And now his supporters are scared; because he scared them.  And they not only proposed bad policy but they voted for it.

That "new" party has spoken and Kenney has said he "holds the pen" on the platform.  So what was the point of the policy convention?  What was the point of paying $250 to be there and vote for the policy that this new party is supposed to stand for?  If I was one of the 566 people who voted for the policy Kenney refuses to implement, I'd be asking for my money back.  As they often say, "money talks"; and that's something you can actually take to the bank.

Dance, Kenney, Dance

There were a number of things happening at the UCP AGM but things didn't really get interesting until Saturday afternoon.  The afternoon plenary session began 25 minutes late and we were only into the 25th of 63 proposed resolutions.  Other members soon began to voice concern over the time as well.  Motions were being made to try to hasten the process but effectively took longer.  The lawyers  involved started to make is seem as if the delays were deliberate.  John Carpay, Kenney's personal friend and head of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms who launched a case against the Alberta Government challenging the constitutionality of Bill 24, was the worst offender.

Members began to withdraw their motions in an effort to speed things up.  Further stalling tactics emerged and the rules of debate were becoming convoluted. With less than 10 minutes to go in the day's agenda, Governance Resolutions were finally tabled.  The membership was only able to vote on two before time was up. One requested more time but due to the speeches later, the request could not be accommodated.  In the event that not all proposals can be voted upon, the provincial board is granted the discretion to accept or reject any recommendation.  Not particularly "grassroots".

Saturday night was lined up to be a further celebration of the new Party and those who had made it possible.  Brad Wall, former Premier of Saskatchewan and new Alberta employee (but Saskatchewan resident) was to open for Kenney.  The show began with a video tribute to Kenney which highlighted accolades from others for his work as Immigration Minister in the federal government. 

Brad Wall is a great orator and entertaining to both watch and listen to.  He had an agenda for this crowd of course and brought up Premier Notley's "embarrassing cousins" comment.  I marveled at how the conservatives have controlled the narrative on those supposed missteps.  Much like Sarah Hoffman's "sewer rats" comment, they've taken the direct quotes and misrepresented them so consistently that even I, someone who knows better, am almost tempted to believe their version.

Calgary Herald Twitter: @calgaryherald

Wall then introduced Kenney who meandered through the crowd to the upbeat 1980 'hit' "Celebrate" by Kool and the Gang.  Kenney leisurely made his way to the stage, feigning surprise at seeing people he knew along the way, shaking hands and accepting vigorous arm pumps from enthusiastic members.  When he finally arrived on stage, a human backdrop consisting mostly of women had been assembled. 

I watched with a morbid fascination as he spoke, noting the strange facial expressions he made while repeating his carefully crafted lines.  He'd been busy taking in the results of the CBC's polling and it showed.  Kenney is a mediocre speaker but this speech hit every note; women, healthcare, education, the failing economy.  It was brilliantly concocted and delivered well.  Strange facial expressions aside, I could tell his words would resonate with a great number of people. 

The crowd was energetic; he told them their party was the most popular in the province; the most popular in the country actually!  They applauded and they cheered.  He took a moment to condemn threats against the Premier and asked the crowd to applaud her commitment to public service; and they did.  Then he dropped a bomb.

"Anyone who would threaten the Premier" he said, "is not welcome in the UCP."  It was a strong, bold statement that finally put a limit on what was acceptable to Kenney's UCP.  It was amazing.  At that moment, I envisioned the UCP sailing to victory in 2019.  It no longer mattered that he lies or that, to me, he is neither trustworthy nor genuine.  The outcome of the election was secured by that speech.  He would be the next Premier of Alberta.

Sunday

There were supposed to be 2400 registered attendees for the conference but if that was true, they don't vote for policy.  Every vote was tallied and then broken into "yes" and "no" votes and displayed on a big screen.  A few of us kept track of each outcome; they never reached 900 votes on any proposal and most often were below 700. 

The first policies were in omnibus form with a number of resolutions to be voted on at one time.  These contained some sketchy proposals including one in Education which stated:

"The United Conservative Party believes that the Government of Alberta should... reinstate parental opt-in consent for any subjects of a religious or sexual nature, including enrollment in extracurricular activities/clubs or distribution of any instructional materials/resources related to these topics."  (R030)

Leela Aheer, MLA from Chestermere-Rockyview, Jason Nixon, MLA from Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre and Ric McIver, MLA from Calgary-Hays all spoke against supporting the collective proposals as some, above, put student's ability to safely join a GSA in jeopardy.  The motion passed with 74% in favour.  And it actually managed to get worse from there. 

Follow @HandmaidAlberta on Twitter

Corporate welfare? Yes.  Personal tax cuts with a huge deficit? Yes.  Two-tiered healthcare? Yes.  Equivalent funding (pay more to private schools or less to public) for the school of your choice? Yes.  Accept motions that, in an experienced Indigenous woman's words, "show a distinct lack of understanding around government funding" for First Nations? Yes.  Limit the ability of a young person to make their own healthcare choices? Yes.  Small government indeed. 

One woman derided First Nations groups.  A man made a degrading comment about low-income earners.  It was grotesque.  Members were begging the congregation to vote "no" on contentious issues so the Party could have a chance at being elected.  It was stunning.  The "big tent" was sucked into a fanny pack to be worn as a symbol of pride under grandpa's bulging belly.  Suddenly, there was no longer a vision of "clear sailing". 

I was almost in a daze as I started walking towards my car.  I had just witnessed a well-organized coup by socially regressive 'conservatives' who want all the benefits without the bill.  Behind me, two older gentlemen began to converse.  "I am one hundred percent happy with how this went" said one.  "Me too" the other responded, "I made some good contacts".  "Jason is going to have to dance around for a few days," mused the first.  "Well that's why he's paid the big bucks" replied the second.

What Women Want

Jason Kenney made a startling declaration on Thursday regarding "The Biggest Women's Issue in Alberta".  The never married, childless MLA from Calgary-Lougheed stated with as much importance as you would expect a similarly experienced individual could, that it was: the economy.
"I don't care whether you're a woman or a man" Kenney said, which is often how to tell if someone put any thought whatsoever into addressing a "women's issue". 

A quick google search informed me, a woman, of the following issues to make headlines in Calgary so far in 2018:

1. Safety
2. Resources
3. Pay Equity
4. Supportive Environments
5. Training and Education (to access better paying work in the trades)

"The economy" didn't make the first six pages (I didn't feel the need to look further).  The fifth issue above (from Women Building Futures) showed up on page 2 with a specific goal of obtaining education which would allow women access to better paying jobs.  The most recent article linked to from the Women Building Futures website is entitled "WBF elated with federal budget gender equality focus - Journal of Commerce" (emphasis mine).

While I don't propose that Google is the be all-end all to women's issues in Alberta, I trust it more than the MLA who is neither a woman nor included in his parade of Alberta any photo ops with representatives from WBF, Women's Centres, Women's Shelters, or the most recent Women's March.  Even his Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff are men; not that there's anything wrong with that so long as you're not counting on their advice regarding creating a video about a "women's issue".

For women, Kenney has provided the following insights:

1. Dictating dress (Niqab Ban, 2015)
2. He thinks "gender neutral" is a punchline (Ontario PC Leadership, 2018)
3. He offers zero tolerance for sexual harassment (#MeToo, 2018)
4. He cut funding to an organization assisting "ecumenical (Christian) and women's groups"                (KAIROS, 2010)
5. He abstained from the debate on buffer zones around abortion clinics (Alberta, 2018)
6. He has a "100% voting record on life ... issues" (Abortion, consistently) (added: good read)
7. He wants more women candidates to run for the UCP (Alberta, 2017)

This is only the first six pages but I think there's something there...

UCP: From or Into the Ashes?

It's been quite the week and a half since UCP members overwhelmingly chose Jason Kenney as their Leader.  Despite publishing the results before the official announcement, people without cell phones or internet were still quite excited to find out who won.  "We don't care in this party what God you worship or who you love.." Kenney declared to a crowd of both ecstatic and disappointed observers.  That little shocker aside, we've heard it all before.

Walking around the room, I spoke with a number of people.  Of all my conversations, the most difficult was with Leela Aheer who suggested I join her board.  I've spoken with her at a few events this year and  I like Leela, I really do; I just don't understand why she is a UCP member.

Granted, she whole-heartedly supported the more likable Brian Jean but after almost two weeks, she is still there.  Perhaps her promotion to Deputy Leader the morning after gave her hope she may wield some influence.  Dave Rodney, MLA for Calgary-Lougheed stepped down the day after the announcement to allow Jason "I'm in no rush to get into the legislature" Kenney to run for a seat in the legislature.

A number of people migrated to the Wildrose when they were fed up with the PC party.  Alberta has historically been a conservative province and they don't appreciate government waste.  There was a large group of recently-Wildrose-now-UCP members supporting Brian Jean who were part of that migration: fiscal conservatives who were also either socially liberal or socially libertarian. In either case, they don't identify with Jason Kenney's social conservatism.

Kenney did other political parties in Alberta a favour by running for the PC leadership and he did them an even bigger favour by uniting with the Wildrose.  Through the subsequent leadership race conservatives were offered three options:  Doug Schweitzer who campaigned to the young and centre-right, Kenney to the staunch social conservatives and Brian Jean held up the centre to middle right.  Although they tried not to fracture the newly-formed party, the vast difference between the leadership candidates ensured the culmination of that race would benefit someone other than the UCP.

Most polls proclaimed if the election were held yesterday, the UCP would win.  Polls also said that UCP would have more support under Brian Jean than Jason Kenney but that was then.  This week, Jason Kenney decided not to take Rob Breakenridge's advice and opposed Bill 24, a bill that legislates children's privacy in being a member of a Gay-Straight Alliance club at their school (Breakenridge has written four articles in 2017 regarding Kenney and social conservatism).

In a vote on the second reading of Bill 24, legislation that allows for the creation of Gay Straight Alliances, only 8 UCP MLAs attended to vote on record; and they all voted against the Bill.  Derek Fildebrandt, the independent but highly partisan MLA for Strathmore-Brooks also voted against the Bill.

Leela Aheer, MLA for Chestermere - Rockyview gave an impassioned speech acknowledging the need for GSAs prior to the vote but did not return to vote; neither did MLA for Grande Prairie - Smoky Todd Loewen nor Prasad Panda MLA for Calgary-Foothills, who were also present prior to the 15 minute division.  Adding salt to the already open wound, Mike Ellis, UCP MLA for Calgary-West presented an amendment to remove section 9 from Bill 24 the next morning.  In his statement, Ellis accused the government of providing sexual education without parental consent through GSAs.

Seeing people defend their membership in a party that now has a leader they fundamentally disagree with has been enlightening.  They disagree with the leadership directive but they are defending their choice to stay or, worse, remaining silent.  There is no reason to stay loyal to a party that has existed for all of four months except one: those aforementioned polls.  If the MLAs cannot or will not stand up for what they believe in then it would seem they aren't worth the votes that put them there.  If they wish to stand for the  principles they claim to have, there is no time like the present to remove themselves from the heat of Kenney's socially conservative agenda.  The Lake of Fire 2.0 will not be as kind to the party the second time around.

UCP Leadership: Won and Done?

As Albertans enter the final leg of a leadership race that has seemed to emulate American political theatre ad nauseam, let's take a moment to reflect on the past three months.  Yes, the leadership race officially began on July 22, 2017.  It feels longer because unemployed politician Jason Kenney, Fort McMurray-Conklin MLA Brian Jean and Calgary lawyer Doug Schweitzer have been campaigning for 15, 10 and 4 months respectively.  It probably also feels longer because as of today, the leadership race has been going on for three months and 5 mind-bendingly long days.

L-R Doug Schweitzer, Jason Kenney, MLA Brian Jean
Credit: LethbridgenewsNOW.com 

On a positive note, it is almost over and we will finally have the privilege of knowing who almost half of the UCP membership will choose to lead the united conservative party.  There's something old, something new and a veritable palette of shades of blue.

Doug Schweitzer made non-UCP members pay attention in the wake of Charlottesville when he called out Rebel Media's Alberta Bureau Chief for stoking white nationalism. It also garnered Schweitzer the title of "leftist" from said Chief.  Schweitzer ran a decent campaign as the "moderate conservative" and has attracted support from a number of former PCs who somehow believe he has a hope of winning the leadership.  While his campaign is almost as factually creative as Kenney's, Schweitzer's message of "new blue" moderate conservatism speaks to a broader general electorate who, after 44 years of electing progressive conservatives, may themselves be moderately conservative.

Brian Jean is the favourite among moderate conservatives from the former Wildrose camp (who are also likely former PCs).  Brian has been a staunch conservative, voting against same-sex marriage while an MP and strangling all effectiveness out of the phrase "will not increase your taxes" as the newly elected Wildrose leader.  He has mellowed somewhat since being elected to serve Albertans in the legislature and now takes a a more libertarian stance of "social issues only exist if we talk about them".  Brian Jean is in the unique position of having the party stalwarts turn on him in favour of Jason Kenney who, ironically, won the leadership of the socially progressive party. And if you haven't seen Kenney's number one fan, Campaign Life Coalition's, updated criticism of Brian Jean's voting record (here), you are missing out on basking in the intended consequence of social conservative back-patting.

And then there is Jason Kenney, self-styled as Alberta's Saviour.  The plucky young liberal from Saskatchewan, who realized he was instead a conservative, bragged about running from a Saskatchewan NDP government two full years before the NDP were elected there.  Kenney spread his doom and gloom clear across the province at the fiscally conservative cost of $1.5 million dollars; that's $250,000 per month or $1,347.71 for each of the 1,113 votes he received to become leader. Kenney has indeed accomplished something spectacular in winning the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta; where once a proud legacy of social progressiveness was an honourable badge of leadership, Kenney's personal brand of social stagnancy now tarnishes the legacy of a once innovative and forward-thinking party that helped Alberta become the economic envy of a nation.

While the votes are still being counted, side bets are being taken on how much of the vote Kenney will take on the first ballot.  In certain circles of people who know people, the numbers are as high as 65%.   There are few who believe the other two candidates have a chance against Kenney; some of whom have probably paid the $20 fee to be in the Palomino Room at the BMO Centre in Calgary on Saturday at 5:00 pm.  While there are few who believe a second ballot will be needed, it's still fun to imagine something interesting could happen.

Kenney vs. Jean: Too Soon to Tell

The polls that made headlines this week were interesting to say the least.  The United Conservative Party still shows a healthy lead over everyone else, no matter who wins the leadership, but Brian Jean leads Jason Kenney by a healthy majority according to a Mainstreet poll. When the PC dynasty fell, to the NDP no less, the shock was felt across the country but also stunned politicos outside of the country.

Photo Credit: Terry Reith/CBC

If you've spent time with the election data from 2015, you know there was an anomaly.  Other than the fact that the NDP formed government, you would notice the Progressive Conservatives still managed to earn a lot of votes; over 50,000 more than the Wildrose's 360,511.  Yet the PC's ended up with 11 seats less than the Wildrose's 21.  This simply showed that their votes were cast over a much wider area that did not amount to winning ridings whereas the Wildrose votes were more centralized and managed to gain seats.

NOTE: the following polls surveyed all Albertans as the organizations do not have access to membership lists.

Jason Kenney as UCP leader

ThinkHQ's online poll showed that support for the NDP is stronger with Jason Kenney as leader. As the Metro's Elizabeth Cameron noted, Jason Kenney looks to have equal support from both urban and rural areas while Brian Jean has much greater support from rural. This analysis is what makes things interesting.  Could Jason Kenney as leader end up garnering support in 2019 in the same way Prentice did in 2015?  We can see that support does not guarantee seats.

At Calgary Pride, I spoke with a Calgary resident in a UCP shirt.  I asked him what he was hoping for in the leadership race.  Unsurprisingly, due to the location of our conversation, he said he was voting for Brian Jean.  This was, I admit, exactly what I was hoping to hear because the real question I had was this: "So what will you do if Kenney wins?" I asked. "Will you hold your nose and vote UCP anyway?" He didn't seem to want to answer but I persisted. "No," he finally told me, "I will be in political purgatory."

Jason Kenney, I truly believe, will inspire similar responses from red tories across the province. His lack of consideration for Alberta's LGBTQ2+ community members reeks of indifference if not outright disdain. Though the LGBTQ2+ community may be small in comparison to the Canadian population (and therefore provincial), the number of allies to the community is growing every year. Prentice felt that support when the PC's proposed ridiculous alternatives to Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman's Bill 202 with the "parental rights" foundation of Bill 10. Kenney, for all his purported political savvy, seems determined to further that stance.

Brian Jean as UCP leader

Brian Jean appears to be much more palatable to the general public than Jason Kenney but his detractors are loud. Former Wildrose president and current UCP leadership hopeful Jeff Callaway claimed Brian Jean was too selfish to become leader.  Obsessive political observers know there is no love lost between Jean and Fildebrandt but not everyone is obsessive.  At a Unite the Right town hall Fildebrandt held in his riding of Strathmore Brooks when he was still "considering" a run for UCP leader, one attendee stood up and asked "If you win the leadership, will Jason Kenney support you? Obviously Brian Jean will but can you count on Kenney?"

I fully expect Kenney would publicly throw support behind Brian Jean to ensure a UCP win if Jean became leader.  I actually believe Jean would do the same for Kenney.  There is a big difference between their supporters though.  Kenney tends to woo the religious right and they religiously follow him.  Jean has support from more moderate types because he himself is much more moderate than Kenney. Jean's support of over 50% of Albertans were he to win the leadership to Kenney's less than 40% is telling.  If Fildebrandt is correct and Jean is "not a leader", it stands to reason that people will not follow him if he asks them to support Kenney.

According to a Mainstreet survey released at the beginning of August, the UCP would win an election held at that time but would be shut out of Edmonton, mirroring the results from the above ThinkHQ poll.  Mainstreet's poll though, showed a decrease in support for a Kenney led UCP.  Of those who polled as "undecided" and "voting NDP" the numbers are 21% and 21% respectively if Brian Jean is leader but 28% and 22% if Kenney leads.

While one cannot accurately predict the outcome of an election two years in advance based on today's sentiments, there is a pattern to keep an eye on. Kenney is a social conservative in a province that has moved on.  Jean is a moderate in comparison to Kenney but if he wins the leadership race, he will be compared to an actual moderate like the Alberta Party's Greg Clark and the still likable, if currently unpopular, Premier Notley.  Whoever becomes UCP leader has a lot of time to ruin their chance to form government; in 2012, it only took three days.

Fundraising, Leadership Races and Jobs

Back in 2015 when the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta launched their leadership race, the entry fee was $50,000.  Last week, two United Conservative Party leadership hopefuls, Brian Jean and Jason Kenney, sent out an email requesting donations to raise $75,000 for the leadership entry fee which had yet to be determined.  Friday it was announced that each candidate will only have to come up with $95,000 to run for leader and 21%, or $20,000, is refundable if the candidates operate within the rules.

Jason Kenney raised a reported $1.45 million dollars for his bid to become leader of the Progressive Conservative Association and spent $1.5 million to secure the 1,113 votes which saw him elected as leader. The PC party purportedly had a membership of around 40,000 (that's 2.7%).  A campaign spokesman also claimed an additional $500,000 was raised through a separate entity which would bring the total to just under $2 million dollars.  That number, however, is less than the same spokesman claimed was raised previously. And all during one of the worst recessions Alberta has ever seen. We're getting used to the double-speak, though.

The $300,000 UCP will earn from the four candidates, in addition to the recent release of 7 staff members, should alleviate the caucus budget woes. For all Brian Jean's assurances that "there is no deficit", being $322,000 over budget suggests otherwise. It was an easy mark for Kenney to pounce on.

Yes, it would be hypocritical for Jean to claim he could balance a provincial budget without balancing a caucus budget.  The thing to remember is that as of July 22, 2017, the caucus budget changed. A select few have related the current budgetary issues to the reduction in caucus funds resulting from the party merger.  It is said the budget allotted to Wildrose was reduced by $400,000 as a result; you do the math.

Still, UCP considered asking caucus to use their personal MLA allowances to help reduce the deficit; but that's like raising taxes on citizens to cover spending for gosh sake's. In the end, the UCP found a new revenue stream in the leadership race and cut expenses.  While Jason Kenney would like to blame MLA Brian Jean, it makes as much sense to blame MLA Dave Rodney or MLA Drew Barnes because they aren't leading the UCP either.

Drew Barnes, UCP/Wildrose MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat tweeted "This is more than just caucus deficit.  It is jobs, kid's hockey fees, livelihoods. We can do better". While the UCP promise to reduce government workers (to much fanfare from their supporters) some appear to understand what happens when people lose their jobs. Contrary to popular Wildrose/UCP misconception, individuals working for government are also people who need food, shelter, their job.. and probably aren't cannibals.

Granted, Kenney and friends are trying their best to throw Brian Jean under the bus for having hired people in the first place but this is a different caucus, with a different budget, than what existed before.

One recently fired employee, Cole Kander, detailed his view of the unfairness in a weird "spurned lover"-like post.  Between his fawning over Brian Jean ("a leader I thought walked on water") and his probable genuine sadness at losing his job ("It was everything I wanted, desired and hoped to do with my life."), Kander announced his intention to run for the candidate nomination for the UCP in 2019. Considering he isn't likely to be the most trusted potential employee in political circles after that post, I guess it's a logical step.

What Kander didn't mention is that he was Derek Fildebrandt's legislative assistant.  Walk that back a moment.  Cole Kander, legislative assistant to Fildebrandt, who stepped down from caucus August 15, 2017, was let go.  The UCP, for whom Derek no longer works, but who paid the salary of Kander, let Kander go. Team Kenney may have the money but their game is pretty weak so far.

The Real Choice

Monday started off better than last week with Brian Jean actually going so far as to make a policy proposal.  It's awful but anything that takes attention away from Fildebrandt for a bit is a blessing.   While it's likely we haven't heard the last of the expense scandals, at least there's questionable and inappropriate policy to talk about today.

Jean introduced his policy with a standard phrase designed to keep his supporters scared and angry;

The NDP government is starting us down the wrong path by imposing their ideology and eroding the choices Alberta students have so benefited from (in) the past.  They’ve launched their massive curriculum review with no indication who is leading it or where it’s going.  

The UCP/Wildrose group has had a lot of success with this narrative.  Kenney raised alarm about the curriculum review but wouldn't go so far as to say a UCP review would be transparent.  Two weeks prior to Jean's media scrum on Monday, Kenney also claimed students were being taught "fads".  The two front-runners, let's be honest, will do everything they can to make this about personality.  If they have the same talking points, then you only have to vote for the person you like better... or dislike less.

Malcolm Mayes, Edmonton Journal, June 2016

With all the discussion around the certainty that the current government will impose their ideology on students, the Wildrose/UCP are suggesting they can, and will, do the same.

We would focus on enhancing the curriculum from an Alberta perspective by improving financial, historical and energy literacy.  Alberta is the best province in the best country in the world and our students need to be taught exactly that.  

Would an "Alberta perspective" include the Wildrose/UCP whopper that Alberta makes transfer payments to our eastern provincial neighbours?   This is indeed worrisome because although it certainly is a perspective widely found in this province, it's only loosely based on reality.  Canadian citizens pay federal taxes and the federal government gives money back to provinces based on need.  It's really not a difficult concept unless you're trying to sell a lie.

There was also something Jean said that I somewhat agree with;

We do Alberta’s children no favours by giving out passing grades without them achieving their full potential.  We would end the “No Zero” policy.  If you don’t do the work, you should get a zero.  Students must complete the work and demonstrate a minimum level of achievement to advance to the next grade.  

I agree with teachers that no one should tell them they can or cannot give a certain mark; they are the professionals.  With that being said, the case for a no-zero policy actually makes sense if you consider the reasoning behind its implementation.  With children currently attending Alberta's K-12 system, I am of the opinion that a no-zero policy increases responsibility and collaboration between the child, parent and teacher.  What is easier?  Helping a student complete an assignment or giving them a zero and moving on?  The no-zero policy was brought in to enforce exactly what Jean is saying: "Students must complete the work".

Our plan to strengthen Alberta’s education system would ensure parents remain the primary educator of their children by allowing for the choice in education they want their children to receive. Commitment to diversity and choice in Alberta’s education system will ensure success for students.  

"Choice".  We should not forget that libertarian policies still want the government to pay for your children's education, they just want to ensure someone can make a profit.  Public schools don't make money but a lot of money, taxpayer money, is spent on them.  If the libertarian movement could get their hands on the money "given" to education, they would ensure a few people could profit.  That's the real choice Brian Jean wants to provide and no, Mr. and Ms. "ordinary", "average" Albertan, he's definitely not talking about you.