Just as Michael Ignatieff did last week, on Friday Alberta PC leadership candidate Mark Norris had the opportunity to meet me. It was an interesting encounter at Hudson's near the U of A Campus. Mark Norris was having a very well attended hockey night at the bar, which I unintentionally stumbled upon.For those of you not familiar with Mark Norris' political history, here's the skinny. In 1992, Norris was a key top-player in Ralph Klein's Alberta PC leadership campaign against then-Nancy Betkowski. Nine years later in 2001, Norris ran against and defeated then-Alberta Liberal leader Nancy MacBeth (formerly Betkowski) in Edmonton McClung.
From 2001 to 2004, Mark Norris was Alberta's Economic Development Minister, a position in which he grew a substantially noticeable ego. In 2004, Norris' team ran a slow and lackluster re-election campaign in Edmonton McClung. Norris was defeated by Liberal Mo Elsalhy. Now, with no seat in Alberta's Legislative Assembly, he's running to be leader of the Alberta Progressive Conservatives.
So, now my thoughts... Norris is a campaigner. No doubt. He's homey and he's doing a decent job in trying to mirror Ralph Klein's campaign style and mannerisms and he's fairly good at it. I actually had a decent five minute chat with him and I surprisingly didn't disagree with all of what he had to say.
Now to one of the more interesting parts of the evening (other than the giant Hummer with Mark Norris' face on the side). When I first approached Norris, I overheard a nice conversation he was having with what appeared to be some large members of Edmonton's Polish community (or the "Polish mafia" as they referred to themselves). There was a lot of talk about Dinning's apparent support within "the Polish mafia," "Church blah blah blah" and "who's gonna take out Lukaszuk?"
It may just be me, but I don't think they were talking about taking Lukaszuk out to Dairy Queen...
Norris has tempered his ego since losing the election in 2004 but his ego still bursts from now to then. The Lukaszuk comment is a good example of this.
ReplyDeleteLukaszuk is supporting Jim Dinning.
A friend of mine in Norris' campaign told me that Norris is going to run against Dave Hancock for the PC nomination in Edmonton Whitemud.
ReplyDeleteNorris, despite his ample funding, has no chance of winning. He won't make the top there. It'll be Dinning, Morton and a flip between Olberg and Stelmach.
ReplyDeleteNo one is going to vote for someone who couldn't keep their seat...ah loser.
Here's a blog devoted solely to the PC leadership race: http://albertadecides2006.blogspot.com/.
ReplyDeleteI'll never be impressed with a guy who spent a week of his re-election campaign on a golf vacation... only to come back and find that his underfunded, underdog opponent snatched the race right from his fingers, by, you know, actually doing the hard work of campaigning.
ReplyDeleteAh, Mark. You may have a lot of money, but you'll never have soul.
I found it interesting that Norris appears to have the support of Jason Smith and Ales Hemsky, since they were on his posters...
ReplyDeleteNorris would do better to run against Hancock in whitemud. They're both going to be crushed in the leadership race. Norris also isn't that popular in McClung after his fumbly '04 campaign. McClung was Liberal from '86 to '01 and is strong under Mo Elsalhy.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Norris is going to run against Lukaszuk and win the right to lose against Liberal Chris Kibermanis in the next election!
ReplyDeleteNorris doesn't stand a chance!
ReplyDeleteJim Dinning on the first ballot!
Dave, I just heard a rumor that Dave Hancock is dropping out of the race tomorrow and endorsing Jim Dinning.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great rumour - it will only further illustrate that Dinning is actually a liberal. There may be more change to the PC Party that must PCers actually thought.
ReplyDeleteI also heard that a rumour that Lindon is full of you know what.
ReplyDeleteHancock is staying in the race.
I was there at Hudsons on Friday. If I knew what you looked like, I would have said hello. Glad you were able to speak to Norris.
ReplyDeleteI heard a rumour that Dave went on a drunken rampage across campus after the Norris event.
ReplyDeleteHatrock, yeah same here. As I mentioned, my conversation with Norris went fairly well.
ReplyDeleteI heard Dave doesn't like fire trucks. I mean, like what a jerk.
ReplyDeleteI've met Daveberta. He's everything you would expect from a blogging political junkie.
ReplyDelete...
;)
That bar is called The Library and will always be so. (Strong words, sez the Borg Queen, I've heard them before: I once said that "Matthews" across from Dukes would always be known as...as...yeah, even I've forgotten it now)
ReplyDeleteNorris doesn't strike me as the mafia type for some reason.
Mark Norris is probably an arrogant ass like his brother Mike Norris who is the GM at Autoworld in Leduc. Mike Norris ia a very rude and cruel person. I would never vote for anyone with connections to him. I've read alot of comments about Mark Norris and its not hard to tell their related. Wouldn't surprise me if they are in the mafia. I'm just happy he didn't even place in the top three tonight. JMHO.
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