New Cabinet

[per]

OK time to come up with a new Cabinet.

First of all I have no great insight.

Ag... Arno Doerksen (that ought to make the ABP bunch happy)

Finance... Doug Horner (wouldn't make too many happy)

Education... Doug Griffiths

A good nights sleep will help conjure up a few more. I could use a little help here of course.

Kyle Fawcett, Dave Rodney, Doug Elniski and David Xiao all joined her campaign for round 2. Art Johnston was her lone MLA from round 1 but I think he lost his nomination in his riding. He could still get picked but there is a vacancy in Washington available.

[farmers_son]

I understand that not one cabinet minister supported Redford's campaign. So that makes it interesting. Art Johnson was the only elected MLA to support Redford's campaign and, politics being what it is, may be expected to get a reward. Otherwise Redford does not owe anyone anything including the women MLAs who did not declare their support for Redford.

Horner will be in cabinet for certain.

Redford has to balance unity within the party but I think what really has to happen is to rebrand the PCs and that will take new faces. People want change. That is why they voted for Redford and if she can provide that change then the next election could go in favour of the PCs. There is no question the PCs are going to move toward the center and leave the extreme right to the Wildrose. Will that mean there is no place for Morton? I would bet money there is not.

Although there is not going to be an election right away the next election is not too far off so this cabinet is basically a pre election cabinet. Some of the new cabinet ministers may only have the job for a short while. The Wildrose may say they are going to form the next government but I think the PCs are going to enjoy a resurgence of popularity.

I expect Redford will recognize the importance of the city vote and concentrate on urban MLAs for cabinet positions. So that does out Arno and most of the other rural MLAs.

[rkaiser]

I would think that Arno's support for multinational control would put him out if the party is going to be about change. Or has ABP changed as well? LOL Ag has to come from rural riding. I think that young Griffiths guy (SP) would be a good choice for Ag. Young and full of vigor; and from what I hear, a supporter of the family farm.
Sorry to say "I told you so" per, but call my sister and ask her who I predicted as the new Tory leader...LOL

[ASRG]

I agree with Randy on Griffith. He certainly should be in the cabinet. Fawcett in Calgary is an up and comer who should be in cabinet. Perhaps Dianna McQueen from Drayton and Dallas from Red Deer?
I hope she turfs the "old boys club"-Hancock, Renner, Dannyluk, Snelgrove, Ouelette, Goudreau, Hayden, Knight and especially Ron Liepert!
Who would want Ted Morton? He stabbed Stelmach in the back every chance he got and completely alienated the rural vote with the Land Use Framework (bill 36)

[rkaiser]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I am kinda liking this. Not that I am going to be kissing the new first lady's ass like I expect ABP to be doing, but I think this reddish tinge looks good at the legislature. It will all play out over time, but maybe Miss Allison can do what poor old Eddie wasn't able to pull off. Balance

[per]

Sorry to say "I told you so" per, but call my sister and ask her who I predicted as the new Tory leader...LOL

I think you told me so in person and I am not surprised. We will all just have to work with who we have to work with. She will have a few country Ministers in the mix and Griffiths could very well get ag. Politics wouldn't be as much fun if we knew what was going to happen.

[farmers_son]

I think Ag is a tough portfolio and not one to be sought after. I think Hayden may stay in Ag until the next election assuming he still wants the job. I believe Hayden supported Horner (not sure though).

I am not sure Griffiths will get into cabinet. I liked how he handled himself during the leadership campaign up to the first vote but he blew it when he joined Mar after Mar looked like the winner. See:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2011/09/20/edmonton-griffiths-mar-support.html?cmp=rss

Again, I expect the cabinet posts will go to urban MLAs, Edmonton and Calgary. Those are where the PCs will find their votes in the next general election. The PCs may let the Wildrose have the few rural seats still left. From here on elections are won and lost in Alberta's two big cities.

I find it interesting that Redford's transition team is lead by her former husband, Robert Hawkes. This appears to be a lady who does not hold a grudge.

[perfecho]

I personally did not think she had much of a chance at the beginning, but I am liking what I am hearing, she handles herself well and seems thoughtful in her responses. Griffiths would be a good choice for Ag, Horner has been there, done that. Our own MLA hung his hat on Mar.....he hadn't learned formed the previous campaign when he supported Dinning, so he will probably be sitting near the back.
Now if the BSE lawsuit has a much hope as Redford.....maybe we should be listening more to Dandy Randy.....;-)

[per]

Here is a list of Dougs first round supporters which Hayden is on.

Candidate: Doug Horner (16 MLAs)

Carl Benito (Edmonton-Mill Woods)
Lindsay Blackett (Calgary-North West)
Pearl Calahasen (Lesser Slave Lake)
Ray Danyluk (Lac La Biche-St. Paul)
Wayne Drysdale (Grande Prairie-Wapiti)
Hector Goudreau (Dunvegan-Central Peace)
Jack Hayden (Drumheller-Stettler)
Jeff Johnson (Athabasca-Redwater)
Ken Kowalski (Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock)
Genia Leskiw (Bonnyville-Cold Lake)
Diana McQueen (Drayton Valley-Calmar)
Len Mitzel (Cypress-Medicine Hat)
Frank Oberle (Peace River)
Luke Ouellette (Innisfail-Sylvan Lake)
Dave Quest (Strathcona)
Greg Weadick (Lethbridge-West)

[wd40]

Randy - here's my prophetic utterance.

A new cabinet to please the electorate.
A balanced budget to make us forget their horrible track record. (They are afraid of the WR)

And immediately a snap election.

[ASRG]

I think it is going to be pretty hard to balance a budget with oil dropping everyday and NG going nowhere? Oil companies are already cutting back sharply on budgets due to the projections oil will fall to the mid $60s and stay there for the next year or so. That doesn't signify a boom.....it means in all likelyhood a bust!
Meanwhile spending is going through the roof? Both Redfords campaign promises and Stelmach spending money like a drunken sailor in the dying days of his leadership.
How do you do balance a budget if you have falling income and increased spending?
If they slash spending on all the goodies how would that work out in a snap election? It worked for Ralph Klein back in the early 90's but I doubt it would work very well today? The new generation of Albertans want their entitlements and if you try to stop the gravy train.....out you go!
As far as a new cabinet goes, we can only hope the most useless hogs get kicked away from the trough....the ones Stelmach put there because they were his pals?

[farmers_son]

Check out the Alberta Budget at:

http://www.finance.alberta.ca/publications/budget/budget2011/pdf.html#documents

At some point Albertans need to understand that the province could be better managed.

It is rediculous that Alberta cannot afford to put teachers in the classroom. Or support agriculture. It is a matter of priorities. Look at where the priorities are now... incentives to oil companies to drill. What BS. If we did not give away the province to big oil there would be money to provide the essential services that governments are intended to provide.

I will throw out a statement here but I think it is fair although I recognize it controversial. Why doesn't Alberta have a sales tax? I would argue we do not receive any benefit from no sales tax because prices are jacked up to what the consumer will pay anyway. Whether it is Walmart (who really do not have the lowest prices by the way) or A&W these companies benefit from no sales tax by charging higher prices.

It is nonsense that Alberta cannot provide necessary services because there is not enough money.

[wilagro]

While it wouldn't save a helluva lot of money, I would like to see "Air Alberta" eliminated.

What it amounts to is "air limousine service" for frivolous use by AB government officials using it for political purposes in many cases.

[per]

Does anyone know Dianna McQueen? I heard she was a Ag Minister Possibility.

[farmers_son]

Not McQeen.

Just having fun...here are my picks. I went with Fred Horne for Ag due to experience with business and dispute resolution. It would be interesting.

Hope this list pastes OK.

Alison Redford (Calgary-Elbow) Premier, President of Executive Council
Doug Horner (Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert) Minister of Advanced Education and Technology
Len Webber (Calgary-Foothills) Minister of Finance and Enterprise
Janice Sarich (Edmonton-Decore) Minister of Education,
Dave Hancock (Edmonton-Whitemud) President of the Treasury Board
Iris Evans (Sherwood Park) Minister of International and Intergovernmental Relations
Ron Liepert (Calgary-West) Minister of Energy
Jack Hayden (Drumheller-Stettler) Minister of Transportation
Heather Klimchuk (Edmonton-Glenora) Minister of Sustainable Resource Development
Dave Rodney (Calgary Lougheed) Minister of Justice and Attorney General,
Jonathan Denis (Calgary-Egmont) Minister of Environment,
Gene Zwozdesky (Edmonton-Mill Creek) Minister of Health and Wellness,
Yvonne Fritz (Calgary-Cross) Minister of Children and Youth Services
Fred Horne (Edmonton Rutherford) Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
Teresa Woo-Paw (Calgary-Mackay) Minister of Culture
Thomas Lukaszuk (Edmonton-Castle Downs) Minister of Infrastructure
Mary Anne Jablonski (Red Deer-North) Minister of Seniors and Community Supports
Cindy Ady (Calgary-Shaw) Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation
George Rodgers (Leduc Beaumont) Minister of Municipal Affairs
Art Johnson (Calgary Hays) Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security
David Xiao (Edmonton McClung) Minister of Aboriginal Relations
Carl Benito (Edmonton Mill Woods) Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs
Lindsay Blackett (Calgary-North West) Minister of Employment and Immigration