Alberta Provincial Politics

[UrbanWarrior]

Yeah...you and Jussie Smollett can sign up together.

So you make an assertion last year on this very thread that I was telling you that you beat your wife or some nonsensical shit that I didn't even infer, then today you make a joke about actual hate crimes that often get committed against actually marginalized groups by comparing me to a pathetic puke like Jussie Smollet? Get a clue dude. Just because you're a white straight man who apparently wears horse blinders to block yourself from the realities of the world doesn't mean that the things you choose not to see don't happen. Actually can't believe the ignorance of your comparison, absolute fucking garbage. When was the last time you were harassed on the street for being straight bud? Yeah, never. Shut your damn mouth.

 

[Social Justice]

So you make an assertion last year on this very thread that I was telling you that you beat your wife or some nonsensical shit that I didn't even infer, then today you make a joke about actual hate crimes that often get committed against actually marginalized groups by comparing me to a pathetic puke like Jussie Smollet? Get a clue dude. Just because you're a white straight man who apparently wears horse blinders to block yourself from the realities of the world doesn't mean that the things you choose not to see don't happen. Actually can't believe the ignorance of your comparison, absolute fucking garbage. When was the last time you were harassed on the street for being straight bud? Yeah, never. Shut your damn mouth.

I'm sorry man. I thought you were joking about taking jiu jitsu classes because Kenny won.

DM me if you want to discuss this further.

 

[maestro]

Kenney and the UAP didn't win on their stance towards gay marriage, etc. They won by presenting a populist platform. It's hard to accept the prosperity created during the oil boom may never happen again and it's easy to blame others for the current situation and the wasted opportunities presented during the oil boom. They would win just about anywhere under similar situations.

We'll have to see what transpires from his bigot hard line stance. I don't expect it to go anywhere. It's political suicide afterall.

 

[darwink]

I think the government caucus will try very hard to shut down social issue things that may come forward from caucus, and work to limit what does come forward. They have a fine line to walk, since they don't want to create Wildrose 3.0 either by seeming to their MLAs that they can't do certain things. The courts will temper things too - I bet an emergency injunction can be granted on the parental notification for GSAs issue, and then a long case can be won on charter grounds (security of the person).

The bigger threat isn't the pure social issues - the charter protects us from action on much of those - it is what 4 years of funding freeze will do. I suspect actual dollar cuts will be needed too, as the revenue assumptions are generous. This is an existential threat to the UCP, the anti-deficit position is seen by many MLAs as the reason d'etre of their party. The anti-deficit orientation fed the Wildrose with the anti-deficit MLAs crossing the floor, saving it in 2009 from fringe status. If Kenney senses a threat from this flank, the fiscal impact will be far worse than the 4 year freeze, eroding services.

I am really surprised the NDP never successfully made this case. It is hard to make, and requires sustained effort, but it worked really well against the Wildrose, and against the 2015 PCs.

 

[UrbanRED]

I think the government caucus will try very hard to shut down things that may come forward from caucus, and work to limit what does come forward. They have a fine line to walk, since they don't want to create Wildrose 3.0 either. The courts will temper things too - I bet an emergency injunction can be granted on the parental notification for GSAs issue, and then a long case can be won on charter grounds (security of the person).

The bigger threat isn't the pure social issues - the charter protects us from action on much of those - it is what 4 years of funding freeze will do. I suspect actual dollar cuts will be needed too, as the revenue assumptions are generous. This is an existential threat to the UCP, the anti-deficit position is seen by many MLAs as the reason d'etre of their party. The anti-deficit orientation fed the Wildrose with the anti-deficit MLAs crossing the floor, saving it in 2009 from fringe status. If Kenney senses a threat from this flank, the fiscal impact will be far worse than the 4 year freeze, eroding services.

I am really surprised the NDP never successfully made this case. It is hard to make, and requires sustained effort, but it worked really well against the Wildrose, and against the 2015 PCs.

The NDP did make that case - in Edmonton - where many people are government / University / healthcare workers who are directly affected by those cuts. The NDP were successful in Edmonton based on that case. In Calgary, spending public money seems to be broadly painted as a negative by the populace.

 

[Silence&Motion]

It's unfortunate that the press kept framing things around UCP = economics, NDP = social issues. Social and economic issues are not contradictory and the NDP was always better for both. If Alberta brought its tax rate more in line with the rest of the provinces, we'd go a long way in stabilizing the budget. And to start making drastic cuts to economic sectors that just happen to be public (i.e. health care, education, infrastructure development) for the sake of paying out creditors and keeping rich people's taxes really low, is insane economic logic, especially during a period of recession and/or economic adjustment.

Also, social issues matter economically. I know Kenney's not going to try to bring back sodomy laws or anything, but the perception that Alberta (and Calgary in particular) is a backwards, backwater hick town overrun by yahoos speeding around in their pickup trucks yelling homophobic slurs out the window really hurts our reputation among people looking for a place to start their careers or a business*. Whether or not this reputation is accurate, it is our curse that homophobia among our political leaders sticks on Calgary much more than it would for other major Canadian cities. Whatever their own views, Calgarians bare the blame for this reputation since we have been willing to tolerate homophobia among our political leaders for decades.

*This is not to suggest that we should see LGBTQ rights primarily in economic terms. They are, of course, an end in themselves.

 

[darwink]

The NDP did make that case - in Edmonton - where many people are government / University / healthcare workers who are directly affected by those cuts. The NDP were successful in Edmonton based on that case. In Calgary, spending public money seems to be broadly painted as a negative by the populace.

That in Edmonton the arguments hit home the first time they are offered, and in Calgary they have to be explained in a long, disciplined and arduous process, doesn't mean that public spending is seen as negative.

 

[zagox]

I think the government caucus will try very hard to shut down social issue things that may come forward from caucus, and work to limit what does come forward. They have a fine line to walk, since they don't want to create Wildrose 3.0 either by seeming to their MLAs that they can't do certain things. The courts will temper things too - I bet an emergency injunction can be granted on the parental notification for GSAs issue, and then a long case can be won on charter grounds (security of the person).

It will definitely be interesting to see how the UCP leadership manages the caucus. A majority of the UCP MLAs are from rural ridings, and they will be inclined towards social conservatism. Many are first term MLAs who will not enjoy being told to shut up and sit in the back, and the temptation of Wildrose 3.0 will be strong. But they will need the 20 Calgary MLAs - who are much more libertarian as a group - to stay in government for the long term. Won’t be an easy job for the leadership.

 

[UrbanRED]

That in Edmonton the arguments hit home the first time they are offered, and in Calgary they have to be explained in a long, disciplined and arduous process, doesn't mean that public spending is seen as negative.

No - there are a subset of people in Calgary who are pretty much against all public spending. Look at the arguments against the green line (pretty much a net positive for everyone) or the BRT (the NIMBYism in the southwest is insane). On a provincial level, Calgarians reacted far more negatively to budget deficits than Edmontonians did - despite the deficits being necessary for keeping healthcare and education at the same levels. There is a reason Calgary is seen as a conservative city, because it IS far more conservative than Edmonton. That's not a blanket statement on everyone in Calgary, but there is no doubt that public spending is seen more negatively here than in Edmonton.

 

[UrbanWarrior]

This is so delicious I'm literally gaining weight eating it up

https://qc125.com/proj/2021-03-14-leger-ab.pdf

 

[zagox]

This is so delicious I'm literally gaining weight eating it up


View attachment 306533

https://qc125.com/proj/2021-03-14-leger-ab.pdf

With 31% in the don’t know/prefer not to answer/‘some other party’ bucket it’s hard to interpret this poll. It may well be that the vast majority of those 31% are ultimately UCP voters that are ticked off right now. Still, I’d rather be Notley than Kenney looking at this poll.

 

[UrbanWarrior]

My theory is that Jason Kenny and the other smooth-brains in the UCP are pushing it as close to the next election as possible so they can use the jobs that they "created" to try to leverage what ever votes they can.

Exactly.

 

[YourBoy007]

Our provincial government is a joke, as usual

I love the UCP. Take your "UCP and Kenney bad" speak over to Reddit and keep it there. I understand why the provincial government is looking this project over. The entire Green Line is way overpriced. I want this line built badly too with a tunnel under the river and the line going to the airport, but Farkas is right, it costs too much for what we get.

 

[googspecial]

I love the UCP. Take your "UCP and Kenney bad" speak over to Reddit and keep it there. I understand why the provincial government is looking this project over. The entire Green Line is way overpriced. I want this line built badly too with a tunnel under the river and the line going to the airport, but Farkas is right, it costs too much for what we get.

Take your "I love UCP and Kenney" speak over to a white supremacist or anti-mask rally and keep it there. This is an internet forum where opinions are allowed to be spoken and spoken against, and clearly this topic has been highly politicized, so don't tell people not to talk about it.

 

[YourBoy007]

Take your "I love UCP and Kenney" speak over to a white supremacist or anti-mask rally and keep it there. This is an internet forum where opinions are allowed to be spoken and spoken against, and clearly this topic has been highly politicized, so don't tell people not to talk about it.

Calling me a white supremacist and an anti-masker simply because I support the UCP. How closed-minded can you get?