I'm gone to Grande Prairie and Peace River for the next couple days, so you all may have to do without me for the next half week or so. I have been able to rangle a digital camera, so my trimphant return may be accompanied by the dazzlement of my photographic artistry.If you have the chance, check out this fun site (props to nic for the link).
Feel free to take this opportunity to use my comment box to chat amongst yourselves on any topic you see fit...
Jim DINNING
ReplyDeleteThere's not much talk about the Opposition Parties.
ReplyDeleteThe Liberals just had a very sucessful Campaign College in Red Deer last weekend with over 40 ridings represented. THat's terrific seeing as how Alberta may not see an election for another year or two. Great candidates and potential candidates at that organizing weekend!
The Alberta NDP also had a covention last weekend. Not sure how it went, but I suspect there was a lot of election prep and hurrahing going on.
IMHO, with a subject like the Peace Country, no photographic artistry is necessary - everything just looks beautiful. :)
ReplyDeleteShit, who posted Jim DINNING? I was saying that today too, in that special way we have.
ReplyDeleteHave a great time and a safe trip!
ReplyDeleteI heard Jim DINNING is a lawyer? Is this true?
ReplyDeleteHey everyone:
ReplyDeleteCheck out today's front page story on Jim Dinning in the National Post. This guy has no clue where he wants to lead this province. His comments on health care would be laughable, if the issue was not so serious to Albertans.
Stand near the political water cooler the past few months, you're sure to hear a common rumbling amongst the media and political insiders trying to figure out why Jim Dinning's campaign lacks substance on policy and why it hasn’t been the political juggernaut that we were all expecting.
ReplyDeleteSure Dinning tried to shock and awe out of the gate showcasing his 20+ MLA’s supporting him, but low and behold, the rest of the candidates didn’t pack up their campaign tents and run to the hills.
Even Oberg, who had been severely spanked for speaking up against "Dad" picked himself up off the mat and launched his own campaign and others followed.
Well, worry no more my friends; I have come up the answer to the "Where’s Waldo" … err … "Where’s Jim's Policy” mystery.
Let’s not forget the very first policy announcement that Jimbo finally uttered. It was the brilliant: “let’s divide our province by offering an income tax rate cut for those under 30. Just had your 30th birthday? – sucks to be you!
This was the brainchild of Dinning policy guru, Ken Bossenkool. Well like a field goal kicker who couldn’t put it through the uprights from 20 yards away, Kenny was quickly benched and appears to have been “riding the political pine” ever since.
Cue the Wizard of Oz music. Enter the Master Puppeteer himself -- Rod Love who has taken it upon himself to pull the policy strings.
Dinning is a decent enough fellow himself, engaging and friendly, albeit a little disingenous and arrogant, but on policy he is an empty vessel.
The claim that Dinning wrote Betkowski's 200 Days of Change in 1992 is bogus. The claim that Dinning was responsible for the program to get Alberta's finances in order is bogus as well. The man behind both of those initiatives was Dinning's brain, Paul Taylor, who now works for the Insurance Bureau of B.C.
If you look at what Taylor did for Campbell in BC as the senior public servant in the province before he went over to IBBC, you'll understand Paul's brilliant mind. Without Taylor working behind the scenes as the intellectual lifeblood for Dinning in 2006, Dinning looks lost on policy.
Let's face it, Morton, Oberg, Hancock, Norris, et al, are not really running against Jim Dinning in this race. They are really running against Rod Love. Jim is just the puppet in this theatrical production.
Let's face it, Rod Love has been Premier for the past thirteen years and is now using Dinning as his prop to continue his reign. This is all about Rod remaining in power, plain and simple. His control over the media in Alberta remains impeccable and his reward and punishment system with the media is legendary.
Nothing will really change in Alberta under Dinning's leadership. We need fresh ideas. Fresh policies and for goodness sake, some fresh stagehands behind the curtain!