The DumbBrexit / #Wexit thread

[RUPERTKBD]

1 minute ago, Jimmy McGill said:

I think its important to highlight just how Albertans mostly, but also rural BC and SK are being manipulated. 

I hear you Jimmy. I meant the overall concept of Wexit, moreso than this thread....

[JM_]

1 minute ago, RUPERTKBD said:

I hear you Jimmy. I meant the overall concept of Wexit, moreso than this thread....

oh its OK, I'm able to post reams of meaningless comments 

[JM_]

So this is the guy you #wexiteers want running your next country? If you're thinking you're going to get less "corruption" good luck. This is worse than what Trudeau did on SNC. 

 

 

Alberta terminates election commissioner’s contract amid probe into UCP leadership race

 

JAMES KELLER AND JUSTIN GIOVANNETTI

CALGARY

PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 18, 2019UPDATED 1 HOUR AGO

211 COMMENTS

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Alberta Premier Jason Kenney speaks at the Rural Municipalities of Alberta conference, in Edmonton, Alta, on Nov. 15, 2019.

JASON FRANSON/THE CANADIAN PRESS

Alberta’s United Conservative Party government is terminating the contract of the province’s election commissioner, who has spent much of the past year investigating allegations about the party’s 2017 leadership race that involve Premier Jason Kenney.

Lorne Gibson, who was appointed last year as Alberta’s first election commissioner, has handed out more than $200,000 in fines in a case that has become known as the “kamikaze candidate.” It involves allegations that leadership candidate Jeff Callaway violated election finance laws to fund a campaign that was designed to help Mr. Kenney’s bid to lead the party.

The government insists the termination of Mr. Gibson’s appointment is little more than an administrative change, as the position is moved to Elections Alberta, which handled investigations until last year, rather than remaining in a standalone agency. The chief electoral officer could rehire Mr. Gibson, although there is no timeline for filling the position and no requirement to continue any investigation.

Finance Minister Travis Toews said the decision to terminate Mr. Gibson’s contract has nothing to do with the investigation into the UCP leadership race. Rather, he said the goal is to save $200,000 a year by eliminating the need for two agencies.

“We’re providing a full latitude to the chief electoral officer to hire the election commissioner, and should he choose to hire [Mr. Gibson], that will be entirely in his purview,” Mr. Toews said.

 

“We are doing nothing here that will undermine any current investigations that are taking place."

The RCMP is investigating separate allegations of identity theft and voter fraud from the leadership vote. A prosecutor from outside Alberta has been assigned to that case.

Mr. Gibson’s appointment will end when legislation tabled on Monday receives royal assent. Mr. Gibson did not respond to a request for comment.

Chief electoral officer Glen Resler was not available to comment, although Elections Alberta’s communications director, Pamela Renwick, said any open investigations will continue until Mr. Resler is able to review them.

“The legislation allows for the staff to continue in their roles, so I don’t see that their work is going to come to a standstill while we review everything and decide a path forward,” she said in an interview.

 

Ms. Renwick said it’s not clear when a new election commissioner will be appointed or if that will happen before Mr. Resler’s term ends, as scheduled, in six months.

Rachel Notley, leader of the Opposition New Democrats and Alberta’s former premier, said terminating the election commissioner’s contract is an attack on the province’s democratic institutions.

“This is corruption at its core," she said. "This is a challenge to fundamental democratic principles.

“Jason Kenney is casting a profound, chilling effect across Alberta, and delivering a message to anyone who would challenge Jason Kenney or his UCP operatives and felt that democratic institutions would keep them safe."

Duff Conacher, co-founder of Democracy Watch, said the election commissioner has proven to be an effective guardian of Canada’s democratic institutions.

“Despite some valid criticism of the election commissioner in Alberta being a little too secretive, he’s done more than anyone I’ve seen in a decade by investigating and then penalizing people who have broken the rules,” Mr. Conacher said.

 

“And that’s why I’m sure Premier Kenney wants to get rid of him."

The former NDP government created the commissioner position as part of changes that also restricted third-party groups that advertise during election campaigns, and banned corporate and union donations to political parties.

The UCP caucus opposed the creation of an election commissioner, and Mr. Gibson’s appointment. Mr. Gibson had been chief electoral officer a decade earlier, but the Progressive Conservative government of the day declined to extend his contract after problems in the 2008 election prompted him to call for changes to the province’s electoral system.

Mr. Gibson’s investigation of the UCP leadership race has resulted in fines against many of Mr. Callaway’s donors and several members of his staff from the 2017 campaign.

The investigation intensified before this year’s provincial election, as questions about Mr. Callaway and another investigation about fraudulent voting overshadowed Mr. Kenney’s campaign.

Mr. Callaway was accused of running a leadership campaign whose main purpose was to attack Mr. Kenney’s chief rival, Brian Jean, who led the now-defunct Wildrose Party.

 

Leaked e-mails showed that a member of Mr. Kenney’s campaign provided Mr. Callaway’s team with speaking notes, message plans, graphics and videos.

Mr. Callaway and Mr. Kenney have repeatedly denied working together.

 

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-alberta-terminates-election-commissioners-contract-amid-probe-into/ 

Edited November 19, 2019 by Jimmy McGill

[RUPERTKBD]

1 minute ago, Jimmy McGill said:

oh its OK, I'm able to post reams of meaningless comments 

My main point was that I don't believe Kenney is in any way supportive of Wexit. he just sees the threat as leverage for concessions from the Feds, so he lets the drum beating and hand wringing continue.

 

In that context, you're entirely correct that they're being played...

[JM_]

Just now, RUPERTKBD said:

My main point was that I don't believe Kenney is in any way supportive of Wexit. he just sees the threat as leverage for concessions from the Feds, so he lets the drum beating and hand wringing continue.

 

In that context, you're entirely correct that they're being played...

I think its even worse, I think he's setting up another generation of Albertans for empty anger and disappointment. And it may also get away from him too. He's currently trying to hide his role in fixing the UCP leadership race, if he gets removed for that, who knows who takes his place? maybe someone who's happy to actually separate. 

 

Kenney is playing a dangerous game. 

[aGENT]

1 hour ago, RUPERTKBD said:

My main point was that I don't believe Kenney is in any way supportive of Wexit. he just sees the threat as leverage for concessions from the Feds, so he lets the drum beating and hand wringing continue.

 

In that context, you're entirely correct that they're being played...

They've been pawns for rich, foreign puppeteers for generations and are too bloody stubborn to see or admit it. So they blame the rest of Canada instead 

Edited November 19, 2019 by aGENT

[JM_]

9 minutes ago, aGENT said:

They've been pawns for rich, foreign puppeteers for generations and are to bloody stubborn to see or admit it. So they blame the rest of Canada instead 

nuh uh. #rockefellerbro's made it all happen 

[Ryan Strome]

46 minutes ago, RUPERTKBD said:

My main point was that I don't believe Kenney is in any way supportive of Wexit. he just sees the threat as leverage for concessions from the Feds, so he lets the drum beating and hand wringing continue.

 

In that context, you're entirely correct that they're being played...

You shouldn't believe he is at all. He addressed wexit and said he absolutely doesn't support it that he is a federalist. 

38 minutes ago, aGENT said:

They've been pawns for rich, foreign puppeteers for generations and are to bloody stubborn to see or admit it. So they blame the rest of Canada instead 

Lol ok.

27 minutes ago, Jimmy McGill said:

nuh uh. #rockefellerbro's made it all happen 

Uh wut?

[RUPERTKBD]

Just now, Ryan Strome said:

You shouldn't believe he is at all. He addressed wexit and said he absolutely doesn't support it that he is a federalist. 

Lol ok.

Uh wut?

Agreed. Still, I think he's more than happy to see all of this Wexit talk, when it comes to making demands of the feds.

[Ryan Strome]

3 minutes ago, RUPERTKBD said:

Agreed. Still, I think he's more than happy to see all of this Wexit talk, when it comes to making demands of the feds.

I thought the same but since wexit announced it's running provincially in Alberta I'm not sure he wants to give them any recognition or strength. Tbh I wouldn't be surprised at all if they won the next election in Alberta. 

[JM_]

13 minutes ago, Ryan Strome said:

You shouldn't believe he is at all. He addressed wexit and said he absolutely doesn't support it that he is a federalist. 

Lol ok.

Uh wut?

poor attempt at a  joke about fake environmentalist funding 

[RUPERTKBD]

7 minutes ago, Ryan Strome said:

I thought the same but since wexit announced it's running provincially in Alberta I'm not sure he wants to give them any recognition or strength. Tbh I wouldn't be surprised at all if they won the next election in Alberta. 

Well, I'm sure that Bloc Redneckois moniker is still available.....

[Ryan Strome]

2 minutes ago, Jimmy McGill said:

poor attempt at a  joke about fake environmentalist funding 

I'll be honest I don't know anything about Rockerfellers I know people talked about them 20 years ago as being some secret cult who controlled the world. 

[Gurn]

And the saga continues with Notley being kick out of the Alberta legislature:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/politics/notley-kicked-out-of-legislature-for-comment-on-election-watchdog-firing-bill/ar-BBX0IcO?ocid=spartandhp

 

"

EDMONTON — Alberta NDP Opposition Leader Rachel Notley has been kicked out of the legislature chamber after she refused to apologize for comments about the United Conservative government's plan to fire the province's election watchdog.

Notley told the house Tuesday that Government House Leader Jason Nixon was making misleading statements on proposed legislation that would end the contract of Lorne Gibson during Gibson's investigation of UCP fundraising misdeeds.

Legislature members have wide latitude to debate in the house, but rules don't allow for allegations that one member is deliberately misleading or lying.

When Speaker Nathan Cooper directed Notley to apologize, she refused, saying bigger issues are at stake with Bill 22.

"We see a corrupt act to interfere with an investigation in this house and we must be able to call it what it is," Notley told Cooper.

"I've never seen a threat to this house like Bill 22, not in the province's history."

Cooper ejected Notley for the day. She picked up her books and papers and, escorted by the sergeant-at-arms, walked out as colleagues pounded their desks in support.

The desk-pounding itself was another backhanded thumbing of the nose toward Kenney's government, which has banned this time-honoured noisemaking tradition, calling it undignified.

Notley was to learn later what Cooper will demand she do before being allowed to retake her seat in the house, but it usually involves making an apology.

"We will see. I will consider my options," Notley said when asked later if she will apologize.

"At this point, I'm more interested in considering all the different ways in which we can do everything we can to stop this bill from passing."

Gibson's job as election commissioner was created as an independent office of the legislature by Notley's NDP when they were in government in 2018. It was charged with focusing on fundraising and advertising violations while Chief Electoral Officer Glen Resler remained in overall charge of elections.

Gibson has since levelled more than $200,000 in fines surrounding rule-breaking linked to the 2017 United Conservative leadership race, which Jason Kenney won before he became premier this year.

That future of that investigation was thrown into doubt Monday when Kenney's government introduced Bill 22, which calls for ending Gibson's contract and puts the next election commissioner back under the auspices of the chief electoral officer.

Nixon told the house Monday that this is a prudent consolidation measure.

"No one is firing anybody," said Nixon.

"All investigations remain under the purview of an independent officer of this legislature — the chief electoral officer."

Gibson, in a public letter issued Tuesday, said he learned of his pending dismissal from media reports after Bill 22 was introduced.

"My disappointment is not related to my personal role as commissioner, now or in the future," Gibson said in the letter.

"I am concerned about the potential negative impacts on the independence of election administration and the real and perceived integrity of the election process.

"Citizens of Alberta must have confidence and trust in the integrity of all aspects of the provincial electoral process, not just the casting and counting of ballots on election day."

Notley said her caucus has asked Lt.-Gov. Lois Mitchell to intervene on the grounds that Bill 22 is an abuse of privilege by Kenney's government.

Mitchell's signature is needed to proclaim the bill and make it law.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 19, 2019."

 

 

[Gurn]

Funny thing is reading the comments under that story. Seems a lot of folk bring up the "Gibson was fired by a previous government and hired by Notley" but none of those folk talk about the $210,000 in fines; nor do they argue he was wrong to levy said fines.

[Warhippy]

5 hours ago, Jimmy McGill said:

So this is the guy you #wexiteers want running your next country? If you're thinking you're going to get less "corruption" good luck. This is worse than what Trudeau did on SNC. 

 

 

Alberta terminates election commissioner’s contract amid probe into UCP leadership race

 

JAMES KELLER AND JUSTIN GIOVANNETTI

CALGARY

PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 18, 2019UPDATED 1 HOUR AGO

211 COMMENTS

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Open this photo in gallery

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney speaks at the Rural Municipalities of Alberta conference, in Edmonton, Alta, on Nov. 15, 2019.

JASON FRANSON/THE CANADIAN PRESS

Alberta’s United Conservative Party government is terminating the contract of the province’s election commissioner, who has spent much of the past year investigating allegations about the party’s 2017 leadership race that involve Premier Jason Kenney.

Lorne Gibson, who was appointed last year as Alberta’s first election commissioner, has handed out more than $200,000 in fines in a case that has become known as the “kamikaze candidate.” It involves allegations that leadership candidate Jeff Callaway violated election finance laws to fund a campaign that was designed to help Mr. Kenney’s bid to lead the party.

The government insists the termination of Mr. Gibson’s appointment is little more than an administrative change, as the position is moved to Elections Alberta, which handled investigations until last year, rather than remaining in a standalone agency. The chief electoral officer could rehire Mr. Gibson, although there is no timeline for filling the position and no requirement to continue any investigation.

Finance Minister Travis Toews said the decision to terminate Mr. Gibson’s contract has nothing to do with the investigation into the UCP leadership race. Rather, he said the goal is to save $200,000 a year by eliminating the need for two agencies.

“We’re providing a full latitude to the chief electoral officer to hire the election commissioner, and should he choose to hire [Mr. Gibson], that will be entirely in his purview,” Mr. Toews said.

 

“We are doing nothing here that will undermine any current investigations that are taking place."

The RCMP is investigating separate allegations of identity theft and voter fraud from the leadership vote. A prosecutor from outside Alberta has been assigned to that case.

Mr. Gibson’s appointment will end when legislation tabled on Monday receives royal assent. Mr. Gibson did not respond to a request for comment.

Chief electoral officer Glen Resler was not available to comment, although Elections Alberta’s communications director, Pamela Renwick, said any open investigations will continue until Mr. Resler is able to review them.

“The legislation allows for the staff to continue in their roles, so I don’t see that their work is going to come to a standstill while we review everything and decide a path forward,” she said in an interview.

 

Ms. Renwick said it’s not clear when a new election commissioner will be appointed or if that will happen before Mr. Resler’s term ends, as scheduled, in six months.

Rachel Notley, leader of the Opposition New Democrats and Alberta’s former premier, said terminating the election commissioner’s contract is an attack on the province’s democratic institutions.

“This is corruption at its core," she said. "This is a challenge to fundamental democratic principles.

“Jason Kenney is casting a profound, chilling effect across Alberta, and delivering a message to anyone who would challenge Jason Kenney or his UCP operatives and felt that democratic institutions would keep them safe."

Duff Conacher, co-founder of Democracy Watch, said the election commissioner has proven to be an effective guardian of Canada’s democratic institutions.

“Despite some valid criticism of the election commissioner in Alberta being a little too secretive, he’s done more than anyone I’ve seen in a decade by investigating and then penalizing people who have broken the rules,” Mr. Conacher said.

 

“And that’s why I’m sure Premier Kenney wants to get rid of him."

The former NDP government created the commissioner position as part of changes that also restricted third-party groups that advertise during election campaigns, and banned corporate and union donations to political parties.

The UCP caucus opposed the creation of an election commissioner, and Mr. Gibson’s appointment. Mr. Gibson had been chief electoral officer a decade earlier, but the Progressive Conservative government of the day declined to extend his contract after problems in the 2008 election prompted him to call for changes to the province’s electoral system.

Mr. Gibson’s investigation of the UCP leadership race has resulted in fines against many of Mr. Callaway’s donors and several members of his staff from the 2017 campaign.

The investigation intensified before this year’s provincial election, as questions about Mr. Callaway and another investigation about fraudulent voting overshadowed Mr. Kenney’s campaign.

Mr. Callaway was accused of running a leadership campaign whose main purpose was to attack Mr. Kenney’s chief rival, Brian Jean, who led the now-defunct Wildrose Party.

 

Leaked e-mails showed that a member of Mr. Kenney’s campaign provided Mr. Callaway’s team with speaking notes, message plans, graphics and videos.

Mr. Callaway and Mr. Kenney have repeatedly denied working together.

 

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-alberta-terminates-election-commissioners-contract-amid-probe-into/ 

The scariest thing...is he wants to create a provincial police force to supplant the RCMP

 

Imagine a person who fires the man investigating him after $200,000 in illegal money and numerous damning emails during his campaign comes to light creating his own police force.

 

The Politburo will see you now comrade

[Warhippy]

52 minutes ago, gurn said:

Funny thing is reading the comments under that story. Seems a lot of folk bring up the "Gibson was fired by a previous government and hired by Notley" but none of those folk talk about the $210,000 in fines; nor do they argue he was wrong to levy said fines.

The people writing those comments are also the ones that claim Trudeau as being the most corrupt PM in history and state that nobody that corrupt should be in charge of anything.  They do that without a single shred of intelligence regarding the irony in their statements

[Warhippy]

The more I think of Kenney making such drastic steps towards Alberta's future the more I actually feel bad and worry for where the province and nation with leaders like Kenney at the helm; is heading

 

Honestly.  I didn't know that AIM under such provisions would actually be controlled so completely by the provincial government.  That is frightening.  Governments never make money, it's why the CPP has been so successful outside of Government hands.  it's also why CAISSE as it is was so lambasted before the government pulled back and it started doing well for itself.

 

We were seriously looking to moving to Alberta but are looking at other options and I am kind of happy about that now.  it seems like an incredibly unsafe investment

 

[kingofsurrey]

Alberta reminds me of waco texas.  Same kind of burn it to the ground mentality... 

 

[MikeBossy]

Interesting opinion article in the Edmonton Journal (does this sum up what the rest of Canada thinks when Alberta complains about their current situation?):

 

https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/swann-stop-the-blame-game-albertas-plight-is-our-own-doing?fbclid=IwAR2mLTJuzGuEwc8cj029aq9zJ7I30_zlRPnC4XsYbvzMiefKyDObQouT7lY

 

Swann: Stop the blame game; Alberta's plight is our own doing

 

DAVID SWANN 

Updated: November 16, 2019

Abandoned oil well equipment near Legal. File photo. SUPPLIED / POSTMEDIA, FILE

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After 11 years as an MLA in the Alberta legislature under the Progressive Conservative government I feel compelled to challenge the blame now levelled at Ottawa for our difficult economic state.

The current Alberta Conservatives have ramped up the tiresome strategy as old as Alberta; when in distress — blame the feds for our economic woes. And denounce the efforts for the TMX pipeline and policies for a new energy future, beyond carbon. The blame game by the UCP government also feeds climate change denial in spite of the overwhelming science and the growing global human suffering.

How many booms and busts does it take for a Conservative government, in power for 44 years, to acknowledge they have failed to both recognize the need for alternate markets for our oil, more economic diversity and a science-based response to climate warming with stimulus for clean energy, energy conservation and efficiency programs?

Transition is difficult at any time, and particularly in a recession. But responsible leaders do not ignore the science pointing to a climate tipping point in a decade. This is not the time to double down on fossil fuel stimulus, investment and subsidies. Nor is blaming the federal government (in power for just over one term) for the lack of pipelines.

It’s time to face the truth. We are an oil state, with all its advantages, entitlements, hubris and decades of quid pro quo between the oil industry and the people in power, neglecting Alberta’s long-term well-being.

Despite 15 years of prices from $50/barrel to $100/barrel (inflation-adjusted) there is little to show in the public purse to buffer our recession. Alberta’s Heritage Trust Fund is sitting under $20 billion, unlike Norway, which started its fund 15 years after Alberta and now has $1 trillion as insurance against the future. That is leadership in the public interest.

Royalties have declined from roughly 30 per cent in Lougheed’s time to close to three per cent in the last few years; and yet the Big Five (Suncor, CNRL, Cenovus, Imperial and Husky) continue to post billions in profits. Albertans aren’t told that most companies operating in Alberta are foreign-owned, taking those profits elsewhere!

Anyone close to industry knows the Western Sedimentary Basin is virtually empty and conventional companies have been losing money since 2009, transferring low-producing wells to junior companies, with growing numbers taking what they can and walking away from clean-up obligations; now totalling $260 billion.

Again, Conservative governments continue to turn a blind eye to the contractual clean-up obligations of the oil industry. Government and its so-called “arms-length” regulators (specifically the Alberta Energy Regulator) have been captured by the industry and the Orphan Well Association (OWA), largely controlled by the industry, is now lost in a sea of insolvencies, begging for public money.

Ironically, this lack of foresight, integrity and political will have contributed to distrust and loss of confidence from investors. The Kenney war room is another blatant political ploy against both climate science and free speech; ironically, it is partially funded by foreign oil companies.

Oil prices and the global move away from fossil fuels are beyond our control. Let’s stop the blame game and acknowledge that we are all responsible for the Alberta we have, and for the Alberta we leave to our children. For all our sakes, let us see some mature, honest negotiating in good faith across this country and do our collective best to live up to our international commitment on the climate crisis. Alberta’s present state is largely our own doing.

David Swann is former leader of the Alberta Liberal Party and past MLA for Calgary-Mountain View.