Campaign Promises

Audio of Alison Redford campaign promise on Judicial Inquiries " a judicial inquiry is necessary to get to the bottom of allegations of queue jumping for politically connected Albertans and to restore confidence in the system."

 Redford said she would commit to calling an election in March 2012 and every four years from that date. She said Albertans are supportive of the idea and that several other provinces already use the same model.

Wow, she delivered absolutely nothing close to what she promised.

Lets watch the others she promised within her first 90 days.
 -Survey similar jurisdictions to determine fair pay for MLAs, Committee Chairs, Whips, Ministers, Party Leaders and the Premier
-Eliminate special payments for simply serving on a government committee
-Ensure severance payments to defeated or retiring MLAs is comparable with other jurisdictions
-Block payment of severance or similar payments to a former MLA who remains on the government payroll

If this is the honesty that our Premier delivers, how will voters be able to trust her at the polls?

Absolute Garbage

Well we got the fall session we asked for, and I find myself wondering why the hell I wanted it. Always a hope that  our government will do something meaningful, with an outcome that gets more ridiculous with every session.

Listening to the PC leadership race we listened to the same old crap about change, good government and how much better our province will be if elected. Albertans brought in Alison Redford on her campaign promises, and a hope that she would indeed be the Messiah. Well lets take a look at what our new changed government has done.

The promise of a fixed election date was made during the leadership run by Premier. What we got is better, but far from a fixed date. We got a three month window and a poor excuse of needing room for unforeseen circumstance. Why couldn't we legislate the third week of May every 4 years, with a clause for emergency that could be voted on in the leg for postponement? Easy, the flexibility for the reigning Government would evaporate, which is the point of fixed dates. Do most Albertans care about fixed dates? I don't think so, but we should care about a broken promise.

The promise of a judicial inquiry was made, what we got was the Health Quality Council continuing with the ability to appoint a judge to the panel. This one I believe does matter to the voters, a bad decision and another broken promise. Change indeed Premier. Same govt. with a different leader, non answers in QP, and a liberal that was so happy with the amount of money getting thrown away was content to run over to join the free spending Liberals in the PC party. Charlebois with a patronage post. Mar with a patronage post. The amazing appointment of Bronconnier in Washington after Premier said the province had no ability to influence the U.S. leaders. Huh?

We have also put together a bill being the controversial Bill 26. This bill was put together using input from the government lobby group MADD. Now I am all for penalizing drunk drivers, and yes WHEN they are convicted throw the book at them. We could enforce existing penalties, that fall under the current Federal laws. Essentially what this bill does is give the right to police to be judge/jury/executioner so to speak. Now the Solicitor General Jonothon Denis has claimed this does not happen as you have the right to appeal, a ridiculous claim on this unconstitutional piece of legislation. It lowers the blood alcohol level rate to 0.05% and leave the police discretion to penalize. So you get pulled over with a BAC of 0.05% police can suspend your licence indefinitely and impound you vehicle without you being found guilty until you prove your innocence. It's OK, when you can finally get into our overstressed courts you can appeal it. What if you need your licence for your job? It isn't your car? Who cares? You can deal with it in 6 months when there is room in our courts, your job can wait no? After all, your employment will wait for you until you get your license back right? Got to love a Government that presumes your guilty until you prove your innocent. Backwards to me.

Then we have the good news budget. Good grief another $3Billion plus deficit? Is this the change we can expect? What sickens me the most is the piss poor excuses our government gives us. Always blaming the oil and gas price year after year for surplus or deficit is getting ridiculous. I find it amazing how quickly oil and gas companies can adapt to price fluctuation when it is the ONLY source of revenue for them. This government year after year has no clue on how to budget or adapt with the times. A scary thought when your provincial fiscal well being is run like this.

So to wrap my rant up, we have not seen a government of change. We have saw no ideas or debate on how to eliminate waste. We have saw no ideas or debate to make things run efficient. No meaningful ideas or ways to improve health care delivery in the province. No Meaningful ideas or ways to improve education in Alberta. No discussion on living within our means or finding ways to responsibly spend the $BILLIONS of Albertans dollars while delivering quality services. What we have received is discussion of sales tax, discussion of health care premiums, discussion of increased taxes, increased spending, and legislation that takes our basic rights away. Our government treats the province like a personal ATM, and this needs to STOP!  We have saw nothing that truly makes a difference in the lives of everyday Albertans, which is the change we wanted. What we have recieved is absolute garbage.

Just Another Day

Well today was the day for announcements.

The Redford Tories never cease to amaze me. Today Liepert announced that the Government will again be looking at a $3.1 BILLION dollar deficit. I am sure Liepert is just biting his tongue after the PST Debacle last week. The announcement was also made by Dr. Tony Magliocco, the former director of pathology at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre, there is planned closure of the centre’s pathology lab at the end of the month. This is a move he believes will put patients at serious risk. Let's not forget Redford's controversial drunk driving legislation, which was following advice of the government lobby group MADD. 

Amazingly to me, all of this great news was overshadowed by the big news Liberal MLA Bridget Pastoor would be crossing the floor to join the Redford tories/liberals????? Though for me this is of little news as floor crossing has been an acceptable part of politics for years.

The Wildrose Party announced their launch of the " Redford Files"

This is only Monday, and the legislature is just resuming. Combine this and the key campaign promises Redford backed out on last week, and this session will be (in the words of Ed Whalen R.I.P.) a ring-a-ding-dong-dandy.

Sing Me To Sleep-Lest We Forget

Selective Law Enforcement

While I went down to Olympic Plaza to sign the petition for the city to uphold the bylaws against the squatters that have been tenting there for a month, the embarrassing antics of our city were displayed. Cory Morgan went to collect signatures and peacefully use the same rights that Mayor Nenshi and Calgary City Council have given the Occupy Calgary Movement for the last month. When Nenshi said that constitutional rights trumped the cities bylaw, apparently he meant only for his chosen few.

As you can see Cory was not being disrespectful in any way.

After telling Cory if he failed to remove himself from his vehicle he would be charged under the criminal code, the City wasted no time in issuing him a ticket for "operate vehicle in park off park roadway" Mayor Nenshi said there is no legal way to remove people exercising their charter rights, seems it can be done hey Mayor?

Here is the sign posted in plain view at olympic plaza. So there is no vehicles, and no tenting shown. When I asked numerous CPS officers why they were only enforcing selectively, they were just as confused directing me to the Sergeant who refused to answer the question.

Here is the squatters camped right underneath the sign. How Mayor Nenshi can justify upholding the law is his issue, but I have a real problem with a council that pick and choose who they will enforce them against. Thank you Cory Morgan for showing Calgarians the absurdity of their municipal government. A sad day for democracy indeed.

Freedom to Assemble?

The contemptible squatting of Occupy Calgary has outstayed it's welcome for many citizens in Calgary. Not in the fact that they are exercising their right to assemble, but in the fact that they have taken the rights of the people to enjoy Olympic Plaza away with their eyesore of a campground. Trying to manipulate the Charter to include breaking laws and vandalism.

Who is to blame for this infringement on peoples rights to enjoy this public place? I think it is Calgary City Council. Mayor Naheed Nenshi refuses to act on the illegal campground at Olympic Plaza, exclaiming the City has no right to enforce the bylaws and remove the campsites. Pardon me? Since when does freedom to assemble a campground fall under the Charter? Let me explain for you Mayor and City Council. It means people have the right to assemble themselves as people, not build campgrounds and destroy public property. It should absolutely be viewed as a slap in the face to the taxpayers of Calgary to have to cough up an extra $40,000.00 to pay for these dozen protesters. At what cost to the taxpayer will this end?

Mayor Nenshi and City Council has effectively set the precedent for future occupation of our Cities public spaces. How much lawlessness is achievable manipulating the Charter? Stampede is approaching quickly, and I along with many others don't care to pay the parking. By the logic of City Council if we assemble our fifth wheels at Olympic Plaza and make the claim of assembly under the Charter, this is now acceptable. Puts me nice and close to the Stampede Grounds. Hell maybe I will simply assemble the group in discontent that there are not full hookups for our RV in Olympic Plaza and stay parked there until they are met. Nice and close to work downtown too. I wonder if the beer tent goes too far. Nah, it is just a bylaw so he can't enforce it in my assembly, right?

Yes, I know this is ridiculous. Is it anymore so than the current camp out going on at Olympic Plaza? Not in my opinion. For the last month the kids have been camped out down there with less reason than I had pointed out for my Occupy Stampede assembly. They have made rumblings on the inequality of our society and homeless issues, but when Tim Richter and the Calgary Homeless Foundation stepped up to the plate with solutions to the homeless problems, the Occupy Calgary group quickly tried to derail helping those most in need.

 So what is their demands to be met and end the camp out? Well there is none. "The moment we make a demand, is the moment we open ourselves to negotiation with the state. The moment we start negotiations with the state is the moment we claim to have ownership over the ideas that “occupy Calgary” represent. By requesting dialogue with all rather than demanding negotiations with a few, we will assure the inclusive nature of our movement."

How long is our City Council and Mayor willing to let the nonsense continue at the huge expense of taxpaying Calgarians. Without any goal, how does the city expect an outcome that is reasonable? How many laws will the Mayor allow to be broken by manipulating the charter?

My most important question to the Mayor and Calgary City Council, Can I count on fully serviced sites at the new campground by the time my Occupy Stampede assembly begins?