When you surround youorself with snakes your likely to get bitten

[JD4ME]

Sat, January 13, 2007

Access-for-cash idea faces probeUPDATED: 2007-01-13 01:40:49 MST


By CP


EDMONTON -- The Government of Alberta is facing its second ethics investigation since Premier Ed Stelmach was sworn into office a month ago.

Yesterday, ethics commissioner Don Hamilton confirmed he will probe two now-cancelled Conservative fundraisers that offered exclusive access to Stelmach, Finance Minister Lyle Oberg and Health Minister Dave Hancock in exchange for $5,000.

Stelmach called off the events, which had been designed to erase the trio's leadership campaign debts, and acknowledged they had "a perception I'm not happy with."

He announced he would take full responsibility, explaining he hadn't given the plan enough attention, but pointed out the events had been arranged by volunteers who weren't "fully aware of the way I personally do business."

NDP Leader Brian Mason still urged an investigation, suggesting "privileged access to senior members of the Conservative cabinet" in exchange for money fell outside ordinary and regulated political fundraising.

The other ethics investigation will look into an offer by former solicitor general Harvey Cenaiko to make the premier's son, Terry Stelmach, an acting sergeant within the provincial sheriff's office, where the son was serving as a traffic constable.

The premier blocked the proposed move, fearing a poor perception.


Liberal critic Bruce Miller urged the ethics commissioner to consider whether Cenaiko was abusing his powers in an attempt to curry favour with Stelmach, who at the time was choosing his cabinet.

Cenaiko has insisted he was only interested in moving Terry Stelmach out of the public eye, and the premier has defended the now-backbencher's actions.

[JD4ME]

I have one word for this OBERG

[coppertop]

I think that Ceniako was likely angling for a cabinet post but he certainly went about it the wrong way.

I think the opposition is trying to make brownie points with the public and have something to harp about when the legislature commences sitting. I think Ed handled the situation well, on both counts. It will be interesting to see the opposition uses these issues for fodder for the by-elections.It would also be interesting to learn how the opposition raises funds for their election campaigns.

[kpb]

There is a huge difference between offering individual audiences with the premier for a certain sum of money and paying off election debts with fund-raising dinners. The Klein premier's dinners were also very different in that money raised went to the coffers of our party, not to pay off debts incurred by specific candidates running for the leadership.

If you cannot see how it is different to offer an individual audience with the premier for a specific sum of money to general fund-raising then you are part of the problem. What would I get from the premier or his three musketeers if I paid $50,000 to pay off their collective leadership debts?

kpb

[JD4ME]

Exactly, Stelmach ran on an accountability and open government platform and we now know what it means, open wallet then door to government opens.
And Coppertop he knew about it he just didn't think about it, his own words not mine and if the media hadn't caught on he would have went right ahead with it. Instead of going on vacation he should have gone to work, and as for me when I want to build something or do something a get the money first and stick to a budget I pay my bills I don't ask for help.

Oberg will stick a knife in his back every chance he gets. This is just the start.

Stelmach will get the baseball rule from me 3 strikes and he's out. He's just used one ball and one strike on 2 pitches early in the first inning.

[JD4ME]

And I agree completely with the previous post big difference between fundraising and influence peddling dear, if you want the later and you think thats ok I'm sure there's plenty of central american countries to go live in. To say big business and the general public doesn't lobby the hell out of decision makers would be naive on my part but this idea was plain DUMB and whoever thought it up better be sitting this game out. Because thats the type of moves that cost governments power. Take off the Rose coloured glasses from time to time Coppertop.

[cowman]

Say it ain't so Eddy!
So many people bought into the "honest ED" scenario...were they duped by just another PC liar?
I actually hope this isn't the case.

[coppertop]

If you bother to refer to another post you will see that I indicated that I felt it was a very stupid idea. The inference that I would agree with selling time with the premier for a donation isn't accurate and I have never given any indication that I agree with such methods.

Campaign funds are generated by various ways, if organizers want to hold a $500 a plate dinner to pay off campaign funds, and people wish to attend then there should be nothing wrong with it, as long as anyone paying to attend realizes the proceeds are going toward compaign expenses.

[JD4ME]

Thats fine but your obvious slant towards the NE has been well documented on this site. Again he would have done it if the media wouldn't have called him on it, maybe Oberg and Hancock should order their EA's to have a bottle drive, did you catch Oberg saying his 250000 overage was just a matter of unreturned prepaid books. Thats 50000 memberships hey I've got an idea lets put him in charge of the purse strings sinces he's obviously such a fine moneyman.

[cowdog]

I think we got an Alberta version of Sask.'s Grant Devine government. I hope
those jail cells are still open.

[coppertop]

I know that there are a large number of books outstanding. Each candidate is compensated by the party for all memberships that were unsold. I know that this issue is something that the Premier isn't happy about. You must remember that candidates are not directly involved in fundraising, and once the election of leader has evolved, neither the leader nor his assistants, his EA, his Chief of Staff, etc. can be involved in any way in any fundraising effort or anything to do with the campaign.
I have no idea whose idea it was to have a $5000 opportunity to meet the Premier to discuss issues, but it was a very stupid idea, as I indicated on another post. During my tenure on the campaign team for Ed, I wasn't involved in anyway with raising funds,with the exception of selling memberships.

I hope that the premier can get on with his job which is running the province, he has put a stop to this nonsense, and he also put a stop to his son being promoted by Chenaiko. In fact, the information on that issue came from the Premier's office, not the media. I worked on the premier's campaign and had no idea that is son was a sheriff, although I knew he worked somewhere in the corrections field. The young man did not want the promotion, nor did his father allow it to happen. I would think that shows some sign of integrity, unless people are just looking for reasons to crucify the man before he gets his chance to govern.

[JD4ME]

Graham Thomson, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Saturday, January 13, 2007


Stelmach's $5,000 meet-the-premier sessions no rookie mistake


A sense of entitlement seems deeply ingrained in Alberta's Tories after 35 years in power

Even so, the fact remains Stelmach approved the $5,000-a-head fundraising events when he first heard about them.

His inner circle even defended the practice right up until Stelmach's emergency news conference on Thursday morning to cancel them.

Some observers have written this off as a rookie mistake by a new premier.


Stelmach is no rookie. He has been in provincial politics for more than a decade.

This was no mistake, either. This is the mindset of a political party that has been in power 35 years, one that thinks nothing of snuggling up with the rich and powerful.

It's a government that has grown comfortable with the trappings of power. When Ralph Klein was premier he used government aircraft as a personal limousine service, and was known to accept trips aboard a Syncrude jet to go fishing with oil company executives.

The sense of entitlement is so deeply ingrained that even government politicians who see themselves as ethical and honest don't flinch when told they'll be sold for $5,000 a fondle behind closed doors at special fundraisers.

Stelmach did the right thing by cancelling the "pre-receptions" but he did not cancel the fundraising receptions altogether.

Several hundred people are expected at the "regular" receptions where less exclusive admittance to the premier and his senior ministers is being sold for $500 a head.

For most of us the honeymoon may indeed be over -- but for those with enough money, it's just getting started.

[JD4ME]

If Ted Mortons a smart man , and he is he's already talking to the Alberta Alliance.

[coppertop]

Oh, give me a break. What in hell good is it going to do Ted Morton to talk to the Alliance ? He is a Cabinet Minister, making at least $60,000 more than he was as an MLA for one thing, the fact that the Alliance has ONE MLA in the legislature is hardly enough to coax Morton to jump ship. Or are you suggesting that he could become the LEADER of the Alliance and win the next election?????

[JD4ME]

Watch and learn then ..........Stelmach won because of the fact he sold himself as "honest Ed"
The first thing he does is reward all his followers with cabinet posts the second thing he , Oberg, Hancock and Norris and does is try to pay off their campaign debt by selling their time to the fortune 500. I said it earlier 1 strike in my books, the thing is Stelmach was on my second ballot because I believed he was smarter than this. I'm just hoping that we didn't all go buy a real lemon from "Honest Ed's used politician lot" on December 2nd.
He'll likley take the full 2 years to try and get things rolling his way but he better remember who elected him and thats the rural areas, and if he doesn't and I'm taking about land use policy and surface rights issues and infrastructure in the areas where the wealth of the province is being created the political face of this province will be much different. Because whether you like it or not Ted Morton isn't in it for the money he's on a mission and if it suits his mission the Alberta Alliance will be where he's callin the shots from. And rural Alberta along with many ridings in Calgary will go with him.