Category Archives: Politics and Government

The Redford & Clark dispute: Who really benefits?

Posted on July 29, 2012 by susanonthesoapbox

Question:  How did the regulatory process for the Enbridge pipeline go so badly off the rails?  I’m talking about the “no benefit/no pipe” rhetoric coming from the Alison Redford and Christy Clark camps which threatens to upend Enbridge’s Northern Gateway … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy & Natural Resources, Politics and Government | Tagged , , , , | 16 Comments

There’s secrecy and then there’s secrecy: Bilderberg vs the Redford/Clark meeting

Posted on July 22, 2012 by susanonthesoapbox

What’s up with Canadian premiers and their infatuation with secret meetings?   There are two types of secret meetings:  those that give the premiers an opportunity to test drive a contentious position to gauge political support (a “trial balloon”) and those … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy & Natural Resources, Politics and Government | Tagged , , | 17 Comments

Mustard Bean Pickle is NOT Tough to Swallow

Posted on July 1, 2012 by susanonthesoapbox

Before we talk about what is tough to swallow (hint:  21 day standardized menu for seniors in LTC facilities) let me tell you about mustard bean pickle. My friend Kirsten unleashed an animated facebook exchange when she said she’d spent … Continue reading →

Posted in Alberta Health Care, Politics and Government | Tagged , , , , | 18 Comments

Jason Kenny’s Bozo Eruption & the Edelman Trust Barometer

Posted on June 24, 2012 by susanonthesoapbox

Jason Kenny’s bozo eruption just dropped Harper’s Conservative government down another notch on the Edelman Trust Barometer*—not because he called Alberta’s deputy premier, Tom Lukaszuk, “a complete and utter asshole”  but because he refused to build a relationship with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Government | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

It’s not what you say…it’s how you say it

Posted on June 17, 2012 by susanonthesoapbox

Do you know why some politicians are known simply as Raj or Alison while others are known as Mr Harper or, in a fit of frustration…Stephen Harper?  Bear with me and I’ll tell you. This weekend I met Raj Sherman, … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Government | Tagged , | 15 Comments

Bilderberg? Illegal Political Contributions? What??

Posted on June 3, 2012 by susanonthesoapbox

Is it just me or did things become even less transparent after Alison Redford swept back into power as premier of Alberta?  First we have the Premier’s participation in the “by invitation only” Bilderberg meetings in Virginia.  The Bilderberg is … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Government | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Redford’s Throne Speech: Deja Vu All Over Again

Posted on May 27, 2012 by susanonthesoapbox

At last, we have the Throne Speech setting out Redford’s agenda.  It was eagerly anticipated by all (okay by some…well maybe a few) and finally it’s here for all of us (okay, a few of us) to dissect and discover … Continue reading →

Posted in Alberta Health Care, Energy & Natural Resources, Politics and Government | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

A $500 Dinner and a $15 Cab Ride

Posted on May 13, 2012 by susanonthesoapbox

I left the $500 a ticket fundraising dinner for Premier Redford and stepped into the cab.  I was crestfallen and concerned.  The reason for my unease became crystal clear when my cabbie, a lanky young Frenchman, asked what all the … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Government | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Speak in a Loud Clear Voice

Posted on May 6, 2012 by susanonthesoapbox

The Crystal Palace, that glorious jewel box of the London Exhibition (1851), started life as a massive gloomy shed, more like a bunker than a light filled conservatory.*  It was through the serendipitous intervention of Joseph Paxton, head gardener for … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Government | 6 Comments

Did Robocallers Sandbag the Alberta Election?

Posted on April 29, 2012 by susanonthesoapbox

Before we turn the page on this election, I’d like to say a word about robocalls…I like them. No, the stress of this election has not unhinged my mind; I’m serious.  Robocallers are like people, each with their own unique … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Government | Tagged , | 9 Comments