Politics

[grassfarmer]

Wow, the naivity of the Alberta population never ceases to amaze me! Why would any electorate ever give a party an overwhelming majority like the PCs get here every time? It allows the corruption of Government by big business to continue. Now we can look forward to uncontrolled exploitation of our resources, increased CBM drilling, waterflood injection projects etc etc Those in agriculture complain how bad things are then every rural seat in the Province elects a PC candidate. Voting to have our ag policy dictated by Cargill.

[wilagro]

I give up. My gawd...37 bloody years. I'll be dead before Albertans finally smarten up and change the party in power. I have voted in every election where I was eligible and it has always amazed me as to how Albertans are so bloody well brainwashed that they can't see the forest for the trees. Ralph and his gang HALVED the hospital beds allocated per capita years ago and that formula still exists despite more aged people and despite many years of surplus cash. The Regional Health Authorities are a cruel joke foisted upon us and should be eliminated and a return to the old local authority run facilities be enacted.
-

[coppertop]

There has been an increase in Long Term/Assisted Living beds in Alberta, and that is where you will likely see a focus.
Interestingly enough three of my neighbours have experienced serious health issues over the past few weeks and all have reported excellent care, both at the local level and in hospitals in Edmonton.

There is a dire shortage of nurses, and doctors, but there is also still abuse of the health care system, and that isn't the fault of government. When people choose to abuse alcohol and drugs etc. and get themselves into health crisis we all pay.

[rkaiser]

We can choose to give up or work with the people we now have folks.

Personal political opinions aside, I believe that we have the right man on the job in the Ag Minister portfolio as he has shown the vision to make change that will affect our industry for years to come.

George Groeneveld is a very good man and building a relationship with him will help each of you to accomplish your goals.

Find the positives and move on folks.

[farmers_son]

I would not blame the naivety of the Alberta voter. I think the results show how terrible the opposition is. What a complete bunch of idiots we saw running as opposition candidates and the voters really had no choice in most ridings except to vote PC.

There were so many issues the PCs were vulnerable on, hospitals in rural Alberta included. The opposition was not able to capitalize on any of those and really did a very very poor job of bringing voter discontent with the PCs into the debate. It is not the job of the ruling party to highlight problems during an election. I would expect both the Liberal and ND leaders will step down even if it means choosing a new leader who is not an elected MLA. There is certainly opportunity in this province for a credible opposition.

It is interesting to see how Rod Love has been sidelined.

I like Ed Stelmach, he came across as a more decent human being than Klein ever did. The PCs had a kinder gentler face this time around. Still I think the big win may spell the end for the PCs if they believe the vote results are a reflection of how great a job they are doing instead of what a lousy job the opposition did. There is voter discontent in rural Alberta and rural Alberta will turn on the PCs if they are ever given a viable alternative. There just was no viable alternative in this election.

Presently Calgary and Edmonton have 42 out of 83 seats. Not to mention other cities like Red Deer, Lethbridge, Grande Prairie. I understand there is going to be another riding redistribution and rural Alberta is going to loose even more seats. The dramatic population growth that Alberta is experiencing is happening in the cities, not in rural areas. What history will show is not the dramatic win for the PCs in 2008 rather 2008 was the last election in Alberta where the rural vote was even a factor.

I think George Groenveld will be lucky to hold onto any portfolio, certainly not Agriculture. Hey, how about Jack Hayden or Arno Doerksen. As Jack was Ed Stelmach's rural campaign manager in the leadership race I think he will get the nod. It could be the last chance for an Agriculture Minister who comes from a rural riding. Next election there will not be very many truly rural ridings left.

I expect you will see more ministers coming from the cities, especially the ridings where the election was close.

[per]

I couldn't agree with you more Randy. Lets play the cards on the table and stop lamenting (ranchers lament, farmers whine) over the cards left in the deck. It doesn't mean that you can't start working for change in four years. Designing something new and all encompassing to run in the future might be fun.

[blackjack]

...arno for ag minister...oh how i imagine the abp would love that hey fathers_son...i agree with randy in that groeneveld appears to be trying to actually direct some positive change in ag...so ed give him another crack at it...

[blackjack]

oops...should have read farmers_son..

[rkaiser]

LOL ---- I thought you were saying that father_son was some kind of a hillbilly or something blackjack-----

Is farmers_son showing us his true identity for once. Arno for Ag minister --- you have to be kidding batman.....

[farmers_son]

Not kidding at all. Lets see...the Honourable Arno Doerksen. Could happen. After all other former chairs of ABP or ACC went on to hold Ministers porfolios like Tom Thurber. Arno is pretty new to the Legislature but there is little question that Jack Hayden will be a minister, perhaps Municipal Affairs if not Agriculture.

Why it is even possible that rkaiser could run for government someday and end up as a minister of something or another. Could happen too...

Maybe this is agriculture's last stand in this province but we do have a farmer as Premier and several farm boys elected too. We need those people in Edmonton, many of the so called rural ridings are represented by people who are not rural at all.

[grassfarmer]

Well farmers_son I definitely would blame the naivety of the Alberta voter. Regardless of which party you support it is stupid to vote any party in continually with this size of majority. Democracy can not work at this level - it is a one party state. There is no way the opposition parties can ever threaten a close vote in the Leg. so what the one party decides is what happens. I find it unbelievable that the party proven to have spied on its citizens (EUB incident), passed Bill 46, encouraged CBM exploitation and fresh water injection in the oil patch, the biggest global polluter (the tar sands)gets re-elected with an increased majority.
A far smarter result for all Albertans would have been a Conservative majority of 45 or so - then democracy can happen. Maybe with another couple hundred years under it's belt AB will learn what a democracy is and how it works.
As the joke goes - Alberta remains the longest running right wing dictatorship in the western hemisphere with the exception of Albania.

As far as agriculture goes we will wait and see but I don't expect any favorable changes. This is the regime that brought the two US packers to Canada, has supported their captive supply situation
and still beef producers vote for them - incredible. There seems to be a lack of understanding among voters as to cause and effect.
I take it that f_s is not joking when he suggests Doerkson for AG minister. But understand how this works - if he is elected this is not a triumph for the might of ABP who have been able to get "their man" in. It will be a decision by Cargill and Co to oust Groeneveld in favour of new choice. If you don't believe in the power coming from Cargill find out who's helicopter Stelmach was loaned during his leadership election campaign.

[gcreekrch]

Trade you straight up for the NDP we're probably going to get next time around here!

[poorboy]

There should only be two political parties in any election. If you look at the US election it is a battle between republicans and democrats. Nothing to keep splitting the vote like we like to do in Canada with 3 parties in every election.

In the latest Alberta election if you look at the votes in each riding there were several places that total votes for 2nd and 3rd place added up to more votes than the first place got.

3 parties is like a yes, no or maybe vote. It should just be yes or no.

[coppertop]

grassfarmer, I know whose helicopter and fixed wing aircraft was utilized during the leadership campaign. It came from a long time personal friend and supporter of Ed Stelmach, and was a donation to the campaign, much the same as the bus was.

Other leadership candidates had goods and services donated to their campaign as well.

I think Jack Hayden would make an excellent Municipal Affairs minister and if he gets the not then Arno won't because there won't likely be two ministers from adjacent constituencies and Hayden definitely has the experience and qualifications coming from years as a municipal councillor, President of AAMD C etc.

Ed will not forget rural Alberta in his cabinet....but he has a lot of rookies in caucus and very few of them have the experience to take on a cabinet portfolio right out the starting gate.

Edmonton will definitely have a larger role in Cabinet and likely Calgary as well, Lord knows we don't need to sob sisters, Mandel and Bronc whining lack of representation in cabinet again.

I look for Iris to be in Cabinet, Danyluk ( maybe Ag Minister ???), Snelgrove, Horner, Lindsay, Knight, Hayden, perhaps Broyce Jacobs from Taber/Warner, although he lacks personality.

Morton may end up in Environment or Energy, but maybe Education....who knows. I am looking foward to hearing who is appointed and see just how far off the mark I am !

[grassfarmer]

Personal friends of Stelmach they may be Coppertop but they are also part of Cargill's captive supply feedlot portfolio and as such clearly have an interest in influencing who the next ag minister is.
I'm intrigued that a couple of weeks ago you were stating that Groeneveld was too able an MLA to remain at agriculture. Now he doesn't get a mention on your list. Even farmers_son states "I think George Groenveld will be lucky to hold onto any portfolio, certainly not Agriculture" so what has changed??
Why is he suddenly seen to be doing a poor job or unlikely to get a portfolio? Or are the knives out because of his work with the B4 group - which is likely contrary to the wishes of the big packers?