Remove the profit motive behind essential human needs, like food, shelter, and healthcare. :ms_fist_clw_r2: :ms_fist_clw_r2:

#communism #communist #socialism #socialist #abpol #abpoli #canpol #canpoli

@keithzg @msh
I see a claim in the #CalgaryHerald that the big issue will be an #AlbertaPensionPlan: https://calgaryherald.com/opinion/columnists/braid-ucp-alberta-pension-drive-revived

Keith has already explained why he thinks that would be a bad idea. The article adds that it might be unwise for the same reason as the creation of an Alberta Provincial Police force: transition costs.

#abpol #abpoli

(If I were Premier of Alberta, my top priority would be transitioning the provincial budget so that royalties from oil and gas extraction would go into the Heritage Fund, rather than into general revenue. Ms. Smith called for this in a report she wrote a few years before becoming returning to elected politics: https://albertapolitics.ca/wp-content/uploads/Danielle-Smith-Challenges-Paper.pdf )

Any speculations, @keithzg ?

2/2

#abpol

(If I were Premier of Alberta, my top priority would be transitioning the provincial budget so that royalties from oil and gas extraction would go into the Heritage Fund, rather than into general revenue. Ms. Smith called for this in a report she wrote a few years before becoming returning to elected politics: https://albertapolitics.ca/wp-content/uploads/Danielle-Smith-Challenges-Paper.pdf )

Any speculations, @keithzg ?

#abpol

Alberta no longer pursuing plan to dump RCMP for provincial police
https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/alberta-no-longer-pursuing-plan-to-dump-rcmp-for-provincial-police-force

I live in a province with a provincial police force. It works fine. But the transition difficulties of setting one up for Alberta were obviously a major issue.

Hmm. Is #DanielleSmith backing away from all hot-button #abpol issues, or has she picked just one on which she'll concentrate? It's generally unwise to battle on all fronts all at once.

#abpoli #RCMP
#NationalPost

"Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says if a Calgary medical clinic begins charging a fee for faster access to a family doctor, it will be shut down, fined or have medicare payments from the province withheld."

Alberta premier threatens sanctions against clinic set to charge fees
https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/alberta-premier-threatens-sanctions-clinic-set-to-charge-fees

#HealthCare
#DanielleSmith #AbPol #abpoli
#NationalPost

Today in 1928, Peter Lougheed was born in Calgary.
Elected to the Alberta Legislature in 1967, he served until 1986.
He served as premier from 1971 to 1985, as leader of the Progressive Conservatives.
His government brought many changes to Alberta.
He died in 2012.

#abpol #abpoli #canada #history

Today in 1956, Jim Prentice was born in South Porcupine, ON.
A Member of Parliament from 2004 to 2010, he held several cabinet positions.
From 2014 to 2015, he was the last Progressive Conservative premier of Alberta.
He sadly died in a plane crash on Oct. 13, 2016.

#canada #abpol #canpol #abpoli #canpoli #history

@Chigaze @hub @somecanuckchick
This will probably not be a popular opinion here, but I tend to think Alberta gets lots of policy right.

#abpol #abpoli

The erasure of the population that eschews voting is purposefully struck from the record every election.

Those who do not find any figurehead or party appealing are consistently the largest plurality every election cycle. The "silent majority" is not contained by any form of political salvation (much less the 'right' wing), but is instead actively restrained externally by state forces.

They do not need the "support" of a "party of the people" saturated with bourgeois terminology and aspirations, but rather spirited examples of active cells fed by a similar desire for construction of an alternate world via destruction.

Suggestion?

Next time someone says "You didn't vote, you can't complain" ask them if they really feel their vote changed anything.

You didn't vote?
Your party (🎉🤪🥳) likely won the largest plurality of the population but the nationstate is avoiding their own illegitimacy through installation of a minority-supported 'representative'. I thought liberal democracy was about "majority rules."

#ABpol #ABpolitics #ABpoli #albertagov #albertandp #albertaucp #anarchy #anarchism

"The single most interesting part of the Research Co. crosstabs concerns the question: would you have voted for the United Conservatives if Kenney was still leader? Among the UCP voters, 26 per cent said they “moderately” or “strongly” disagreed. [...] Only 15 per cent of New Democrat voters suggested they would have voted for Kenney given the choice"

#ColbyCosh concludes that had the #UCP kept #JasonKenney , they would have lost.

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/the-ucp-owes-victory-to-rushing-danielle-smith-into-leadership

1/

#abpol #abpoli
#NationalPost

"The single most interesting part of the Research Co. crosstabs concerns the question: would you have voted for the United Conservatives if Kenney was still leader? Among the UCP voters, 26 per cent said they “moderately” or “strongly” disagreed. [...] Only 15 per cent of New Democrat voters suggested they would have voted for Kenney given the choice"

#ColbyCosh concludes that had the #UCP kept #JasonKenney , they would have lost.

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/the-ucp-owes-victory-to-rushing-danielle-smith-into-leadership

#abpol #abpoli
#NationalPost

@Chigaze @Russtofferson
Also, while that may be her personal preference, it's entirely plausible that she will honour her promise not to bring in user fees during this term. She has other changes -- still controversial, but less so, ones that are not contrary to the #CanadaHealthAct -- that she wants to make to the #HealthCareSystem .

Politicians generally try to avoid creating maximum opposition by making all their changes at once.

/fin

#abpol #abpoli

@Chigaze @Russtofferson I read the article. It would be false to say that #DanielleSmith wants to adopt an American-style #HealthCareSystem , but she does think the publically-funded system should include the equivalent of co-payments/deductibles. It's also fair to say that she thinks Albertans should be able to use subsidised health savings accounts to pay for services that are currently not funded by the government, like massage.

1/

#abpol

Praise for the current #Alberta elementary school curriculum:

"I’m a Grade Two teacher in Calgary, so this issue has a special resonance for me. I teach the new curriculum every day. Based on my classroom experience, I can tell you that it reflects time-tested best practices in teaching as well as the latest research in math and literacy education. That might surprise you."

https://tnc.news/2023/05/28/formosa-ndp-modern-curriculum/

#abpol #abpoli #education
#TrueNorth

“The fact that they’re seeing such a small and weak majority for Smith, I think is actually a condemnation on her as leader and if anyone else had been at the helm, I think we would have seen a much, much stronger showing for the UCP,” said Leah Ward.

What went wrong? Alberta NDPs blow their best shot in election
https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/albertas-ndp-missed-their-best-shot-at-forming-government

#abpol #AlbertaVotes2023
#NationalPost

Praise for Alberta:

"I traveled to and researched countries that have developed successful, recovery-focused approaches to tackling the drug crisis: Portugal, The Netherlands, Switzerland. Meeting with the architects of these policies and seeing how recovery plays a foundational role was a turning point. When you look around the world and study approaches to drug epidemics, those with recovery at their core are by far the most successful."

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/michael-shellenberger-albertas-recovery-focused-approach-to-addiction-is-a-model-for-north-america

#addiction #drugs #abpol

I confess that if I were an Albertan voter, I'd be having a hard time deciding now, and looking closely at my local candidates.

#abpol #abelxn2023

Advance voting polls are open in AB.

I voted earlier today, took five minutes. Nice to see a steady stream of people.

Also nice to see blue skies and the improved air quality.

#abelection #abpol #AQI #yegwx

@thenarwhal Thank-you! This is exactly the sort of article I've been wanting to read about #abelxn2023 .

Very interesting to learn that "The province is already bound by a requirement in Alberta’s Renewable Electricity Act to ensure 30 per cent of electricity is produced from renewable resources by 2030, a requirement introduced by the NDP. The province is on course to hit or exceed that target."

@keithzg
#abpol #abpoli