The APPrentice - PC Alberta version

CALGARY SUN PHOTO -- 2009/03/27 -- Alberta environment minister Jim Prentice listens to Attorney General Alison Redford as she speaks to media in the Calgary Remand Centre gymnasium on Friday, March 27. Government officials were officially announcing legislation aimed at reducing 'credit for time served'
Lyle Aspinall/Sun Media

We now have a new rookie premier.  Next provincial election, we should all have our own version of the show "The Apprentice" called "The APPrentice" or "Alberta PC Prentice".

The PC Party of Alberta, amidst expense scandal after scandal under the Redford regime, in order to change its wool for the third time, felt that steamrolling a former federal Conservative cabinet minister into the premier's chair would mark a new era in how this party runs the province.

Really?  A party that covets democracy so much finally realized that citizens from other party stripes would buy memberships en masse to vote and have their liberalish candidate win on subsequent run-off ballots was not something they wanted to repeat.  Can't have too many candidates run, but not too few to make it not look like a race, you know.  Oh, how we miss the exciting party leadership convention format (which worked, by the way).

So let's look at the PC leadership election, itself mired in controversy, and then pick apart the new cabinet.  Fun times ahead!

In the leadership "race", 23,386 votes were cast.  Prentice won on the first ballot with 17,863 votes, Ric McIver got 2,742 and Thomas Lukaszuk got 2,681.

But looking back to the party's leadership race in 2011, 59,359 votes were cast on the first ballot and 76,186 votes on the second ballot's first round.

The vote difference on the first ballot between the 2014 and 2011 races is 35,973 votes.  That's a 61% drop.  It was said more people attend Edmonton Eskimo games than the number of voters here.  And then, about the same number of people who attend Edmonton Oilers games voted for Prentice.

Let's admit that this is not a lot of people in a province of 4 million.  And let's also admit that interest in the PC Party has dropped off significantly.  So much so that Prentice cannot claim in any way shape or form that he has a mandate from the people.

The race saw Prentice handing out free memberships.
The vote was a sham in itself.
There are reports that while many people were able to vote twice, many were not even able to vote.

Oh, and some have said that because Prentice won by so much, it didn't really matter.  Really?  Is that the level of argument that party democracy has come to?  They can't even run a leadership race for only 23 thousand people, and you think they can still run a province.

If you're not convinced that nothing has or will change with this party and how they run the province, then let's move on to the recently appointed cabinet, shall we?

Two, not one, but two cabinet ministers were appointed from the citizenry and not from the elected MLAs in the PC or any other caucus.  While perfectly legal, is it right?  One is former Edmonton mayor, Stephen Mandel (who we all know was a Liberal) appointed as health minister, and the other is Gordon Dirks, a former pastor and Saskatchewan Conservative MLA appointed as the education minister.

Dirks himself was known to be associated with evangelical Christian groups with strong views on LGBT marriage and women's rights.  So it's funny, you know, the reason why Redford was able to have the PCs pull ahead at the last minute in the last election to win over Danielle Smith's Wildrose Party, was because of one Wildrose candidate named Huntsberger who also had strong views on gays.  So now where is the media calling out Dirks?  Heck, where are the current PC supporters who cried a fowl of Huntsberger, but now silent on one of their own?  Quite convenient, I'd say. Hypocrites on the other hand.

And wait! I should make that three cabinet ministers without a riding.  Can't forget about Jim Prentice himself as premier, can we?  Yes, I understand that's how this stuff works sometimes, but he's now also appointed himself as aboriginal relations minister, because you know, that's what he did in the federal government, so it's okay then, I guess.

Why is this important to mention?  Is it a big deal?  If the premier doesn't call an election soon, then essentially we have unelected people running the government who cannot be held to account by the opposition caucuses in the legislature because they are not members of the legislature.

Yes, this is a much smaller cabinet than Redford's, but let's not forget that the majority of the ministers were in the previous government too and most importantly THAT THEY ARE ALL FROM THE SAME SCANDAL-RIDDEN PARTY!

I also can't wait to hear what is dug up from the past when David Dorwood ran against Stephen Mandel for mayor of Edmonton. You know, his new fellow cabinet member?  I'm guessing something about tax and spend, oh and Dorwood wanting to keep the municipal airport open where Mandel had council already made the decision to close it.  I wonder what Dorwood thinks about all the new big towers going up in Edmonton because the airport was closed to allow for taller towers.  I wonder.

Then there's Prentice himself, who left some questions behind for us when he was a minister in the Harper government.  He now announces that the government jets are for sale to supposedly end the culture of entitlement.

I hope more facts and questions come to light for voters to see that this government is not under new management by any means.  For 43 years we've been duped into believing this zebra has changed its stripes, or that this pig's lipstick new colour all of sudden makes the pig different.

For you hard or soft NDP supporters, progressives from the liberals, disenfranchised PCs, or Alberta Party-goers, you have a real chance to hold the balance of power next election.  Admit that the NDP has been the only real stable progressive choice and that they have a home for you now under Brian Mason, and especially when Rachel Notley wins their leadership race.  There's no home for you in the PCs anymore, unless you ignore the numerous scandals, and their turncoat blatant disrespect for teachers and public employees. Don't forget that.  Stop voting PC already.

After 43 years, no matter who the leader is now, next election, it's time for us all to move forward without them and vote them out.

Or in the case of our new show "The APPrentice" - we need to tell them "you're fired".

Albertans deserve better.



   

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.

Edmonton downtown arena funding

Mayor Mandel and Premier Stelmach are meeting today to discuss funding for the new downtown Edmonton arena to host the Oilers, along with a casino, hotel, bars, restaurants and a whole entertainment area.

The project is $100 million short.

Mandel wants the province to kick in.  Stelmach's right for not just handing the money over, but the tax revenue generated from alcohol taxes alone (especially in this town) will eventually make up the amount.

Or why not a loan?  Wait, the province doesn't exactly have a good history with Oilers owners and loans, do they?

Or, here's another idea from Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith.

The leader of the Wildrose Alliance is saying "no" to the idea of tax hikes to help pay for a new arena in downtown Edmonton, but Danielle Smith has an idea of her own.

Smith is proposing a special lottery to help raise money for what would be the new home of the Oilers. Progressive Conservative Party leadership hopefuls Ted Morton and Alison Redford have both suggested that the province could help by raising sales taxes, even by just 1%.

Smith says under her plan, "interested Albertans" could buy tickets, with proceeds going towards arena construction. The City of Edmonton has a framework deal in place with the Katz Group, but the sides are still about $100 million short on funds.

Shame on Morton and Redford for their stupid tax idea.  Why should folks in Calgary pay for an Edmonton arena?  Is that their solution going forward to fund any new project?  Raise taxes?  I thought Morton was smarter than that.  Guess not.  Now I have no idea why I supported him when he ran for the PC leadership years ago.  I'm certainly not supporting him now.  (I haven't decided yet, but if I were to choose, Rick Orman is now on my radar although the PCs have completely lost my support.)

Anyway... a lottery?  A simple yet effective idea.  While I'm not sure it would generate enough revenue to make up the entire amount, it wouldn't hurt either.  I'd buy a $50 ticket.  Why?  Because I want a new arena downtown.  Those who don't want an arena, don't have to buy one.