Edmonton's mayoral race is hot!

Diotte, Leibovici, and now Iveson have entered the race.  All three are quite similar in social libertarian and on social views such as affordable housing.  Diotte and Iveson want to focus more on core services such as roads, although Iveson tends toward pet-projects from time-to-time.  Leibovici's Liberal views are very similar to Mandel.  While many of the lines are blurred on where the city should spend or cut back on, it will be up to them to communicate those specific policies effectively. 

From my cheap seats, Iveson appears to be positioning himself between Diotte and Leibovici.  I think it's too early for him to have entered the race and wished he would have waited.  While he'll connect with younger folks, with only 1/5 of Edmonton voters casting their ballots in the civic race, younger folks don't vote as much as seniors but they may split the vote between leftish Leibovici and rightish Diotte.  It's a gamble.  Leibovici is well known and has lots of political experience with extensive Liberal connections.  Diotte is also well known, but is cast as an anti-arena guy, which isn't entirely true as he was for a new arena, just not under the agreed-to fiscal framework with the Katz Group.  While his main supporters are likely federal Conservatives and provincial Wildrosers, his challenge will also be to show that he has vision and is actually more moderate than what the general voting public perceive from his days as a writer for the conservative-leaning Edmonton Sun newspaper.

I don't think there'll be much mudslinging between the three as none are an incumbant mayor and I think they respect each other enough.  They'll have to have what Mandel had and that's long-term vision, not just short-term fix-a-pothole kind of stuff and work hard to grab media and voters' attentions with bold policies that differentiates them.

Because overall, they are all quite similar for the most part.  It honestly wouldn't bother me if any of them were mayor.  What's too bad is at least two of them won't be on council anymore as all were effective councillors and represented their respective constituents quite well.

With Mandel at the helm, the city underwent a huge transformation in exciting, creative, and smart plans to plan to convert the City Centre Airport into a modern green community, move forward with a massive LRT expansion, expand affordable housing, and of course, revitalize the downtown including the new Quarters district, adding more park and walk space, and building the new arena and surrounding district.  All of these plans, however, have and will put the city further in debt in the short-term. But the long-term vision is to not have the city expand outward but build up inward as is planned so not as much is spent on new surrounding infrastructure, but create a more dense tax-base and foot traffic so we don't expand outward beyond our means--a short term pain for long term gain vision.

With that, all of these projects are approved and moving forward, whatever the views of the next mayor are do not matter so much on those issues.  That said, there's a feeling I'm detecting in this city that we need to reign-in any new big projects for the time being and focus on getting spending under control and core services become the priorities.

I haven't seen any polls, but on a hunch, I'd say the results will be:

1. Leibovici (40-45%)
2. Diotte (30-35%)
3. Iveson (15-20%)
4. Others (10-15%)

I'm known to be dead-wrong on most of my predictions, but one thing is for sure, as this is the first Edmonton mayoral race with no incumbant running in a very long time, it's going to be very interesting to see how these three candidates position themselves.

One more thing, if anyone else major is thinking of entering the race at this point, I'd advise against it. Too crowded now with these three very good candidates.

More Insenaty! Trudeau and LeBreton

Senator Marjorie LeBreton thinks if we can't reform it, we should abolish it.  Well, we've been trying to reform it since confederation and I highly doubt the supreme court will overturn the constitution to abolish it, so why make statements like that?  Unless there's another sneaky legal way around it, I don't think I'm off in saying abolition is near impossible.  Abolition is not Conservative Party policy, so it's a bit shocking to hear her say this. It's clear "insenaty".

As well, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau makes remarks to La Presse that he wouldn't want to abolish the senate because Quebec has 24 seats in the senate and provinces like Alberta only six, that it's to Quebec's advantage, that abolishing it is "demagoguery", "we'll have to improve it."  Well, how, Justin?  Again, he's suffering from "insenaty".

But then just now, Alberta Premier Alison Redford had posted this on Facebook/Twitter in response to Justin.

"I am disappointed by Justin Trudeau's comments. There is no need to pit Alberta and British Columbia against other regions. We need an elected, equal Senate that is accountable to Canadians."

Well, THANK YOU Premier Redford for saying the correct thing here! Despite all you and your party's faults, this is a clear message and you don't suffer from "insenaty".

And, I'll continue to say this again and again... while I don't think he masterminded a senate expense scandal, I think this all fits within Harper's long-game plan to draw continued attention to the senate, to reform it, and the need to make it accountable. How?

The Hatrock's Cave Canadian Senate Reform Plan Proposal (a.k.a. The HCCSRPP):

• Sixty-six senators:  six senators per province, two per territory, each representing a provincial/territorial region based on geography/environment, infrastructure/economy, and not necessarily population, and serve 8-9 year terms
• Three senators per province elected every 4-5 years in conjunction with provincial elections OR with 4 year fixed federal election.

How hard is it for these politicians who continually display "insenaty" to propose something simple like this?

Insenaty! It's back! Senate accountability at the forefront.

Like I said a long time ago, I've always held the belief that Prime Minister Harper made interesting appointments to the Senate in order to draw much more attention to it.

Who knew that former CTV journalists now senators Mike Duffy and Pamela Wallin would be at the forefront of that attention, and investigated by former colleague Robert Fife. (Nevermind Senator Patrick Brazeau and his current charge).

So now everyone is saying that senators need more accountability on their expenses.  Well, duh. Welcome to the debate guys.  This isn't new news.  I could go back into history and show you all the abuses by members of the "sleepy chamber" until the cows come home.

But I know an excellent way to hold senators accountable!  Elect them!   So anyone who says we need accountability in the Senate without saying we should elect them is experiencing what I call "insenaty".  It's the thought process involved in wanting something changed with the senate without actually wanting senate reform.

And further to that, on the left hand, we have NDP leader Tom Mulcair, who has questions about his past as well, continually saying we should abolish the senate.  Well of course the NDP would say that.  It's the easy answer here, isn't it?  They had one member in there appointed a while ago by Trudeau.  They'll never win the House, unless they try and sneak what ever version of proportional representation through in order to sneak into power.  Abolishing the Senate is a daunting constitutional change, and frankly, dangerous to our democracy even though the Senate is essentially an appointed body.  Can you imagine an NDP government without any check and balance to the crazy legislation they'd pass in the House?  Well that's exactly what they want.  Don't be fooled folks!

So when you read or hear someone calling for senator accountability, ask yourself:  "Why aren't they asking for them to be elected?"

Edmonton Mayor Mandel not running again

After 3 terms in office, Stephen Mandel will not run again.  And why would he?  No one can say Mandel didn't have vision.  I think he can be proud of leading Edmonton forward.  Whether it was rapid LRT expansion, City Centre Airport lands, old community revitalization, affordable housing, or downtown revitalization, the big thing everyone will remember, his legacy, was his strong leadership in getting a deal done for the new downtown hockey arena district, which had final City Council approval last week.

The New Arena

Whether you like the arena deal or not, you must admit his dealings with the Katz Group, was politically astute. When the Katz Group asked for millions in annual money from the City, Mandel stood his ground, and it appeared at times that Mandel had the support of absolutely every voter in town.  Edmontonians are resilient, strong citizens who don't like to be pushed around and Mandel seemed to personify that character when he called Katz's bluff.

My take on the arena is that we definitely do need a new one and downtown is the best place.  We have the 2nd oldest arena in the NHL.  The current Coliseum was not designed for concert sound and the concert sound is awful.  The seats are too small.  The upper bowl is almost dangerously steep.  The concourse is way too narrow and again, dangerous.  The food available is crap.

Neglect 

But one thing he forgot... potholes.  The city streets were atrocious this year.  Visitors from Kazakhstan said their roads are better.

World Expo?  After seeing the long-lasting effects it had on Vancouver until some actual long-term development actually happened, I thought was a futile bid.  Maybe we should wait until we have the LRT in place around the city and the arena and museum are done.  And maybe that gondola and funicular.  Then we'll have some neat things to show off.  Don't get me wrong, our River Valley is a gem and a jewel, but downtown is where the action is in regards to Expos.

So while seemingly pet-projects got the city administration's attention, Mandel lost touch with the citizens in our view that neglecting the basics was not appreciated enough.

My Voting History

A one-term Ward 1 (West) councillor, I voted for him then, running on a fiscal, community-oriented platform.  When he ran against Mayor Bill Smith and Ward 3 Councillor Robert Noce, where many thought Noce would win, I voted for Mandel and he won.  The next two times, I would not.  Seeing city taxes continually go up in exchange for more potholes, it seemed Mandel lacked focus on getting the basics done.  This prompted semi-serious challenges from conservative-type candidates, but none of them even came close.  No councillors were stupid enough to go up against Mandel either.

It's no secret that Mandel is a Liberal and sometimes he made that clear depending on who he was attacking.  At times though, he sounded whiny when begging for money from the feds or the provincial PCs.

Mandel's Vision - Downtown, Downtown, Downtown

However, his third-term proved to me that he did have vision.  Edmonton's taxes continually go up primarily because we are sprawling faster than most North American cities and the infrastructure to maintain that is massive on a relative population scale.

Mandel's vision was primarily on downtown revitalization.  And rightfully so.  When I see old photos of Jasper Avenue, it was packed with people!  It was bustling.  It was exciting.  Transit, cars, people, shops, entertainment.  But then we built more and more communities and roads outward and onward.  All the while, we forgot downtown and downtown suffered.

As a resident and employee of downtown, I am happy to live, work, and play here.  I've seen the rapid progress in the last 6 years as something to be very excited about.  104th Street especially and the more and more restaurants, stores, pubs that are popping up all around have brought people back downtown.  The revamped Art Gallery, the new Royal Museum approval, and The Quarters district in East Downtown will all bring people here and visitors, especially on the business side, don't need to travel far to experience what the city has to offer.  Also, with the airport gone, removing the height restrictions, much taller condominiums can and have now finally been built and that has had a massive impact on the downtown community as a whole.  Plus the planned community for the now named Blatchford area on the airport lands is another thing to be very excited about.  Picture recent grads and young families living and playing there and folks taking a short LRT ride to downtown to work.

And with LRT expansion going to happen to those areas, Millwoods, West End, Northwest, and continuing South and eventually to the International Airport it's going to be even easier to get downtown to work and play.

There are no downsides to a thriving downtown.  Having a downtown that grows "up" massively decreases the need for more outlying infrastructure and thus never ending gross tax hikes.  That's not to say taxes won't continually go up with at least inflation, but it reduces the potential burden.  Not only that but the environmental impact to outlying farmland can be reduced, commuter traffic is reduced, etc., etc.

Mandel can be proud of this massive accomplishment.  We're not done yet, we never are, but he certainly set the direction for Edmonton and area to be placed for greatness in years to come.

Whomever fills his shoes will be best suited not to tamper with that vision that Edmontonians have become accustomed to.  I think now, however, we need to get back to some basics while all these projects kick off. Let's be smart.  And I'd be happy with any one of these Councillors: Kerry Diotte (already declared), Don Iveson, or Karen Liebovici.

Thank you, Mr. Mandel and best of luck in your future endeavours.

Justin's new ad

It just doesn't have that zip.  It lacks chutzpah.  I'm not embedding it here because you've probably already seen it.

Let's take a look-see at what he said in just 30 seconds:

"I've worked hard to win the confidence of the people of Papineau".  

FOURTH WORST VOTING RECORD IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.  Doesn't sound like you're showing up to work there, Justin.  And just because you got voted in as an MP doesn't mean squat.  All MPs won the confidence of at least the plurality of their constituents. Doesn't make you more qualified than the others.

"I'm a son."  

Well no kidding.  So are ALL MALES of 99.99...% of all animal species.  It's an obvious snide reminder that you're the son and riding the coat tails of your father.  Like we didn't know.

"I'm a father."

That's super.  Again, so are millions of Canadian men.

"I'm a teacher."

Not to knock substitute teachers that provide a valuable service, which include friends of mine trying to become full-time teachers, you weren't full-time, but a substitute.

Just like you are as a Member of Parliament and leader of the Liberal Party.

A substitute.

The Iron Lady

The Iron Lady, she was known as, was one of the stalwart figures of English conservatism.  During the 1980's, at a time when the U.S., Canada, and Britain all had conservative leaders, you can undoubtedly know that both Ronald Reagan and Brian Mulroney admired her big-time.

If only more conservatives could live up to her defense of liberty.  Her strong defence of the Falkland Islands, her stance against world socialism during the Cold War, are the pillars in which she help define our future in the Western world.

Rest in peace, Baroness Thatcher.  And thank you.

Here's a list of some of her famous statements, which I wholeheartedly agree with:

• "If a Tory does not believe that private property is one of the main bulwarks of individual freedom, then he had better become a socialist and have done with it." - Article for Daily Telegraph ("My Kind of Tory Party") (30 January, 1975)

• "And I will go on criticising Socialism, and opposing Socialism because it is bad for Britain — and Britain and Socialism are not the same thing. (...) It’s the Labour Government that have brought us record peace-time taxation. They’ve got the usual Socialist disease — they’ve run out of other people’s money." - In a speech to the Conservative Party Conference (10 October, 1975) [1]

• "Some Socialists seem to believe that people should be numbers in a State computer. We believe they should be individuals. We are all unequal. No one, thank heavens, is like anyone else, however much the Socialists may pretend otherwise. We believe that everyone has the right to be unequal but to us every human being is equally important." - In a speech to the Conservative Party Conference (10 October, 1975) [2]

• "A man's right to work as he will, to spend what he earns, to own property, to have the State as servant and not as master: these are the British inheritance. They are the essence of a free economy. And on that freedom all our other freedoms depend." - In a speech to the Conservative Party Conference (10 October, 1975) [3]

• "They're casting their problem on society. And, you know, there is no such thing as society. There are individual men and women, and there are families. And no government can do anything except through people, and people must look to themselves first. It's our duty to look after ourselves and then, also to look after our neighbour. People have got the entitlements too much in mind, without the obligations, because there is no such thing as an entitlement unless someone has first met an obligation." - Interview 23 September 1987, as quoted in by Douglas Keay, Woman's Own, 31 October 1987, pp. 8–10. 

Insenaty now!

Back in the 90's, there were Liberal senators who were known convicted criminals and still remained as senators. When the Reform Party brought this up, along with senate reform, not much attention was paid by the media about any of this really. The public was unaware and no one really did anything about it, not even the governing Liberals, until years later when the senate finally governed themselves on this long-standing issue.

Oh, but NOW, when three Conservative senators are on the boilerplate for varying issues, and the governing party immediately deals with the issues, now, NOW the media (lead by the CBC) and the NDP opposition get all hot and bothered and call to abolish the senate.

I'm not saying that Brazeau's alleged actions are justified but he has the right to due trial.  With the PM immediately removing him from caucus and the Conservative senate majority putting him on-leave, that shows swift accountability by the governing caucus.

On former CTV journalists turned senators, Mike Duffy and Pamela Wallin, their lavish expense claims and residency issues aren't new to the senate's ongoing accountability problems. 

You know though, right from the get-go seven years ago, Harper has made us all pay more attention to the senate on numerous occasions. By his first appointment of a floor crossing Liberal, then doing no appointments, then doing a record number of appointments, while at the same time trying to get provinces to elect senators in waiting, setting term limits, people have been paying way more attention lately, and so we call for more action to try and reform the upper chamber. 

Sometimes I wonder if these senator issues now aren't a blessing in disguise to the master plan of either abolishing the senate and starting over or Harper's incremental plan of changing it without opening the constitution.

In the meantime, I want insenaty now! Insenaty now!

Alberta's Redford PCs: I can't keep up!

Friends of Hatrock's Cave Political Blog,

My apologies for not posting as frequently as I used to.  I literally cannot keep up with the crap policies, scandals, and b.s. spin coming from the Redford PCs.  It's become so daunting to post on the high frequency of issues to comment on that I've simply resorted to retweeting what many others are already saying about this government.

I will say this.  I was no big fan of the Chretien Liberal government.  But I think this Alberta PC Redford government is probably the worst one I have ever experienced in my life.

Hatrock

Alberta Budget Choice website sets us up for tax grab

What a joke.  We are being setup for a tax grab.  There's no doubt no whatsoever.

http://www.budgetchoice.ca is the website that lets us Albertans make decisions about the budget.  What a futile attempt.  Do you think they actually use this info?  They're duping us.

Ok, so I picked the oil price as it stands today ($62/barrel) and selected to cut everything they showed, without raising taxes, yet I still have a $1.7 billion deficit.

But wait a minute, there were so many others areas that could be cut that weren't presented.  MLA salaries?  Expenses?   Bureaucracy?

In fact, of the $42 billion that the Alberta gov't spends now, they can only find $3 billion (7%) to present on this website for cuts?  Am I missing something here?  This gov't is drunk on spending.

Reintroducing health care premiums is dumb. It's just a tax that really hurts the lower income the most.  As many companies used to cover this, it would dig into small businesses and employees.  It's not even an insurance program--just money that goes into general revenue and millions are spent on collecting it.

Increasing the corporate tax rate for big companies would drive them out, actually reducing revenues.

Introducing a sales tax?  Only if you eliminate the income tax or reduce it from 10 to 5%.  As well, there's a lot of folks from other provinces who buy big ticket items like vehicles in Alberta just to avoid the PST/HST.  Say goodbye to that injection into the economy.

So what's the answer?

Simple... cut more crap than just the 7%.  Have the guts to cut.  It's obvious Alison Redford won't "do whatever it takes".  They lied to us.  They don't deserve another year in office.

Here are my results.

Redford will introduce new taxes

Alison Redford said she "will do whatever it takes" to ensure the Alberta gov't is not so dependent upon the rollercoaster ride of resource revenues.

Then I see her on TV saying she'd rather not reintroduce health care premiums (re: a tax) and instead go after doctors who get paid 29% more on average than doctors in other provinces.  Yet the negotiations between the Alberta Medical Association and the gov't continue.  So let's blame the doctors and not your own bloated gov't.

Alberta provincial spending is the highest in the country (next to Newfoundland and Labrador).  The health care bureaucracy, let alone the government itself, is bloated and wasteful.  The Premier and her cabinet have not set a good example either, with the high expenses claims on trips.

Folks, we're being set up.  They've been in a deficit for many years and this year will be in well over $3 billion.  Mark my words, they WILL introduce a sales tax.  Every year, they toy with the idea and put a floating trial balloon out in the media to hear the response.

And you know what they'll do?  They'll say "We've listened to Albertans and they said it's time we had a sales tax, so we're not so dependent on resource revenues."

The thing is folks, they just can't say they've listened.  By law, they actually have no choice but to hold a referendum introduced by a cabinet member.  Spread the word.  Don't be fooled.

Here's the Act:
http://www.qp.alberta.ca/documents/Acts/A36.pdf

PreambleWHEREAS the people of Alberta want to maintain the Alberta Advantage;
WHEREAS Alberta is the only province in Canada that does not have a general provincial sales tax;
WHEREAS a general provincial sales tax is not a desirable tax; and WHEREAS the opinion of the people of Alberta should be obtained directly before any legislation that levies a general provincial sales tax is introduced;
THEREFORE HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, enacts as follows:

Referendum required1 A member of the Executive Council may introduce in the Legislative Assembly a Bill that imposes a general provincial sales tax only if, before the introduction of the Bill, the Chief Electoral Officer announces the result  if a referendum conducted under this Act on a question that relates to the imposition of the tax.
1995 cA-37.8 s1

Holding a referendum2 The Lieutenant Governor in Council may order the holding of a referendum that relates to the imposition of a general provincial sales tax.
1995 cA-37.8 s2

Question to be asked3 The question or questions to be put to the electors at a referendum held under this Act shall be determined by a resolution of the Legislative Assembly on the motion of a member of the Executive Council.
1995 cA-37.8 s3

h/t to Joe Albertan

UPDATE:
It appears the opposition, particularly Danielle Smith (Wildrose) and Brian Mason (NDP) are definitely on top of things here.

Smith is basically saying exactly what I'm saying that the PCs are "softening us up for sales tax".

And Brian Mason is exactly correct:

NDP Leader Brian Mason said his party would oppose any move to a sales tax or resurrection of health care premiums.
He said they are regressive taxes that punish the low and middle income Albertans.
“we’re very much opposed to a sales tax and always have been, and I don’t think Albertans will accept that sort of solution.”
Mason also criticized the premier for linking the negotiations with the province’s doctors to the province’s consideration of bringing back the so-called health care premiums that raised nearly $1 billion annually for taxpayers.“It’s not the doctors’ fault. It’s not the teachers’’ fault. It’s not Albertans’ fault,” Mason said. “It’s the government’s fault that we’re in this mess.”