Alberta Politics

[David A]

Sooo…

Apparently Smith wrote Carney and asked him, among other things, to relax the bilingual requirement for Alberta’s Justices which she said “alienates Albertans and western Canadians.”

Perhaps she’s unaware that there is no requirement for Alberta Justices to be bilingual?

The only ones here who truly alienate Albertans and western Canadians are Smith and her cohorts.

I feel she is now back trying to pick fights to distract from all her political problems. It worked with the last PM who was not very popular near the end, but I don't feel it will work as well this time.

I recall Smith said something before about how governments should stay in their own lanes. Maybe she should remember that before going off like this.

 

[MacLac]

 

[policyenthusiast]

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Since the data centres won't provide many jobs but will increase power costs for residents, I was excited when they announced a special levy being collected from the data centre developers.

I was subsequently extremely disappointed that the levy was being used for corporate subsidies (which are proven not to work) rather than invested through the Heritage Fund or offsetting the annual deficit. Hopefully Neudorf and Horner push for better fiscal direction.

 

[kcantor]

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Yeah…. We’ve gone from an $8.2 billion dollar surplus in 24/25 to a $6.4 billion (and climbing) in 25/26.

That would make her responsible for a $14.6 billion dollar negative swing in a single year!

Absolutely sterling fiscal responsibility that! All while simultaneously gutting our health and education systems and financially starving our municipalities.

 

[David A]

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Actually, I would give a higher #1 and #2 ranking to Moe and Legault (who will soon also have a *) rather than Smith or Ford. After the upcoming Alberta budget, this list may be embarrassing for those who created it.

 

[trevorhayden]

That disrespect is a slap in the face to the hundreds of thousands of French speakers in Alberta.

 

[kcantor]

That disrespect is a slap in the face to the hundreds of thousands of French speakers in Alberta.

Anyone in any court in Alberta has the constitutional right to have their case heard in either of Canada's official languages. That means that your trial requires a judge, a prosecutor and, if applicable, a jury that speaks the language of your choice (noting this doesn't apply to first appearances or bail hearings). For other participants and/or for those not fluent in either official language, the courts will provide an interpreter. As already noted, these provisions don't require all judges, prosecutors or juries to be fluent in French, simply those needed for those cases where there is a need.

Smith's positions aren't just a slap in the face of the hundreds of thousands of French speakers in Alberta, they're a slap in the face of all Albertans in this province or elsewhere where their rights to be heard or accommodated in English are equally protected.

 

[trevorhayden]

What makes Alberta unique in the Canadian federation that it continuously accepts one party rule? It has the weakest civil society sector in Canada, who provide the only real and organized opposition. This doesn't help.

 

[kcantor]

What makes Alberta unique in the Canadian federation that it continuously accepts one party rule? …

Social Credit formed the provincial government in BC for all but three years from 1952 to 1992 and the PC’s governed Ontario from 1943 to 1985. More recently, the Saskatchewan Party has won five consecutive elections starting in 1997.

 

[David A]

Yes, we have had quite a history of one party rule, although we are certainly not the only province. So I would argue that is now somewhat in the past here even though the impact still lingers.

In a little over the last decade we have actually had three different parties govern now and the current party in power is only part way through their second term.

The current one party province seems to be Saskatchewan, although its two party system is more competitive than say Alberta's was for much of the time we had Social Credit or the PCs dynasty rule

 

[trevorhayden]

I would argue PCs, Social Credit, and UCP are basically different versions of the same Party. Yes, other provinces have had 1 party govern for long periods, but if you look at the long arc of history, Alberta has had the far fewest changes in government.

 

[Airboy]

I would argue PCs, Social Credit, and UCP are basically different versions of the same Party. Yes, other provinces have had 1 party govern for long periods, but if you look at the long arc of history, Alberta has had the far fewest changes in government.

The Lougheed PCs were much more liberal at the time. More Carney style. After Klein there was a real hard right turn.

 

[David A]

The Lougheed PCs were much more liberal at the time. More Carney style. After Klein there was a real hard right turn.

Then it meandered back to the centre with Stelmack and even more with Redford, there were a lot of twists and turns. One could argue the long PC dynasty was really three or four different parties, just all under the same name.

I suppose in some ways the PC's were a continuation of Social Credit and the UCP of the PC's, but in some ways not. The years when there was not a strong or viable opposition in particular felt like one party rule. This may have been some the history, some of this before my time. I can barely remember Social Credit, but I don't feel that is where we are at now.

 

[Airboy]

After Redford I feel the Old Solcred took over the party. UCP were never the PCs. At least the PCs I grew up with.

 

[David A]

After Redford I feel the Old Solcred took over the party. UCP were never the PCs. At least the PCs I grew up with.

The UCP may have taken on some of their ideas, but I don't think there are really a lot of the old Socreds are left now. Someone who was 18 and voted for them in the last election they won would be over 75 now.