First, the new law must designate who has final authority over federal-municipal agreements. It might be the minister of municipal affairs, or it could be added to the responsibilities of the IGR unit of Executive Council. I worked in the latter for 6 years under 5 premiers... +
Nov 6, 2023 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
Take Back Alberta folks are fond of telling city slickers and experts they need to spend more time in rural areas.
As someone who grew up in a small town and whose research team spends a lot of time outside the cities... I don't disagree.
There are a lot of misconceptions.+
The regressive resolutions passed at this weekend's UCP AGM demonstrate that the reverse is true in equal measure.
Whether it's denigration or fear of "the other," the source is the same: mistrust and misunderstanding. +
Oct 1, 2023 • 6 tweets • 1 min read
What are some of the worst arguments you've heard in favour of abandoning the CPP in favour of an Alberta Pension Plan?
I'm looking for ones that are both pervasive and that have the illusion of being persuasive.
Let me give some examples to start us off. +
"Alberta pays more into the CPP than we get back."
Reality: Alberta (as a province or government) doesn't pay into CPP or receive anything in return. Alberta residents and businesses do.
Mar 30, 2023 • 10 tweets • 2 min read
More than any other 10 minutes in her premiership, Danielle Smith's call with Artur Pawlowski makes it clear she is unfit for office.
Here are 5 reasons why. +
1) She took the call in the first place.
Smith admits she knew, if not admired, Pawlowski for his activist record. This includes, among other things, hate speech, homophobia, transphobia, and separatism.
He was also a charged man with a court case pending. +
Dec 3, 2022 • 11 tweets • 2 min read
A lot of folks seem confused or disinterested about the dire effects of Danielle Smith’s Sovereignty Act on democracy in Alberta.
The constitution can be boring and tough to understand, so let’s try some analogies. +
There are 3 core problems embedded in Smith’s Sovereignty Act:
1️⃣ Cabinet shouldn’t do the legislature’s job.
2️⃣ Cabinet shouldn’t do the courts’ job.
3️⃣ No one should be compelled to break the law. +
Nov 30, 2022 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
The reactions from cabinet ministers in this piece are worrisome. +
Former UCP leadership contenders who opposed the bill just weeks ago are now on board. Jean says it's constitutional (ironic and scary, since the bill empowers him and the other 3 dozen UCP cabinet ministers to pass the same judgment on federal laws). +
Nov 30, 2022 • 12 tweets • 2 min read
Jason Kenney resigned yesterday. In his letter, he bemoaned the denigration of parliamentary institutions and political civility, pinning the blame on "the left" and "the far right". It was a sadly ironic way to end his stint in Alberta politics. +
Kenney had spent the past five years polarizing Alberta politics along several lines. He pitted private versus public sector workers. +
By my count, the UCP's Sovereignty Act is liable to be struck down as unconstitutional on at least three grounds: +
1) It allows cabinet to amend provincial legislation without the legislature voting on those measures. It's the second time the UCP has tried this endrun around the principle of responsible government. +
Oct 13, 2022 • 14 tweets • 4 min read
Populists like Danielle Smith succeed when they are able to do three things: 1) convince a dominant group they are being marginalized 2) convince that group they are in "the silent majority" 3) convince the public that the group is both a victim and too dominant to challenge.+
The 1st step involves persuading folks that they are being "left behind" by forces beyond their control. The populist conjures up a group of enemies that only they can defeat -- just menacing enough to be scary, just nebulous enough never to vanquish.+ calgaryherald.com/opinion/column…
Alright. Since Edmonton City Council is sticking its neck out for active transportation (including bike lanes) I'm making a commitment to commute responsibly this entire year. +
Some stats: I live approx. 6km from work. I have a home office and an employer who requires me to be "in the office" 2 days per week (to teach). If I go into the office more than that, it's by choice. I love my colleagues. I'm lucky. Very lucky.+
Sep 28, 2022 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
A fine piece from @ericadams99 ahead of our panel on the Sovereignty Act next week.
Building on his thoughts: setting the courts up to thwart Smith's designs is all part of the strategy: to delegitimize our democratic institutions.+
Our 7 year-old wanted to attend today's committee meeting on @DShepYEG's private member's bill, The Anti-Racism Act (Bill 204). So I took her. Here are her random reactions. 🧵#ableg
[Here's some background on the bill👇. Keep in mind: she's 7, and I had never once spoken to her about race-based data before the hearing.
I scribbled her whispered comments as the hearing went on, and a few as we drove to her Kid Ninja class. This is pretty close to verbatim.]
Feb 19, 2022 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
In many ways, the convoy & occupations are as much a rejection of Conservatism as they are of Liberalism. Let me explain.+
A lot of convoyeurs have given up on the Conservative Party of Canada (and populist provincial parties like the UCP) as a vehicle for their dissent. They'd rather take to the roads & streets than organize for those parties.+
Feb 19, 2022 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
It's disturbing to see so many CPC MPs supporting the occupation of the nation's capital. Beyond the immorality, their divisive political strategy is sadly misguided. +
Convoy sympathizers have zero respect for prep school populists like these. And that's a big reason why we find ourselves in this mess. +
Feb 3, 2022 • 10 tweets • 3 min read
How do we make sense of what’s happening in Canada today?
Political science offers at least four, overlapping lenses: 1) status threat, 2) losers’ consent, 3) tribalism, and 4) the paradox of tolerance. 🧵
First, a group of dominant people perceive that their dominance is under threat.
FWIW, I've never considered red tories to be simply "moderate conservatives" or "socially progressive conservatives." To me, the ideology is a much more complex amalgam of principles.
Feb 1, 2022 • 4 tweets • 3 min read
One threat we need to talk more about: the erosion of losers' consent.
Convoyers are occupying Ottawa to resolve grievances that were clearly on the ballot 3 months ago.
They are refusing to accept the outcome of that election.
And are calling for the overthrow of our govt.
There are actually people who don't think vaccine mandates and COVID-19 restrictions were on the agenda during the 2021 federal election campaign. You can disagree with the actions, but don't try to tell us they were out of the blue.
Dec 15, 2021 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
Some observations coming out of today's Alberta COVID-19 announcement today. +
The government is implying that, if enough people ignore a law, that law should be repealed. It's an odd position to take, but not surprising given this is a party whose m.o. is dismantling government. +
Nov 4, 2021 • 7 tweets • 1 min read
What worries me most about the UCP government (the premier, the ministers, the senior staff)?
A complete lack of self-awareness.
They either don't realize how offside they are with public opinion and the political culture.
Or they don't care.
I don't know which is worse. 🧵
From the tone deaf, last-minute, personal-responsibility-laden responses to each wave of the pandemic....
