Alberta Politics II

[suburbia]

Democracy watchdog raises concerns over potential conflict for Alberta's new justice minister
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmon...tzer-1.5118687

[suburbia]

RCMP Investigators Questioned UCP MLA’s Customers About Party Memberships and Jason Kenney
https://pressprogress.ca/rcmp-invest...-jason-kenney/

Customers of UCP MLA Peter Singh’s Auto Pro Shop in Calgary said the RCMP are also asking them who they voted for in the 2017 UCP leadership race.

“They came a couple of times to my place, the RCMP,” Khadim Hussain, a customer of Singh’s auto shop, told PressProgress.

“They came just before the election, 10 days before the election,” Hussain explained, recalling the RCMP had questions about UCP MLA Peter Singh.

Hussain answered a call placed to a number that appears on the UCP membership list under the name of Naeem Khan. Hussain said Khan, whom he described as his “best friend,” had also been questioned “twice” by the RCMP.

“They asked him if you voted for Jason Kenney or not, and this and that.”

Likewise, Jerome Osuji said two RCMP officers, a male and a female, pulled up to his home in an unmarked sedan and questioned him about Singh’s auto shop and the UCP leadership vote.

They showed up at my house some time “around April,” Osuji recalled, “about two weeks before the election.”

“They visited me asking about Peter Singh,” he said. “They asked me who I voted for in the UCP leadership race.”

Kon Nai, another one of Singh’s customers, also confirmed he was contacted a “couple of times” by RCMP investigators.

“I told them I’m in Vancouver so it doesn’t matter, I can’t vote anyway,” Nai said. “I’m not in Alberta anymore, I’m in BC.”

On the UCP membership list obtained by PressProgress, Nai’s name is registered under the same e-mail address that appears on the website of Singh’s business: “autoprostop@hotmail.ca.”

That email is shared with two other individuals on the UCP membership list while another two are registered at “autoprostop@yahoo.com.”

Others, who say they have not been visited by the RCMP, told PressProgress they were signed up for UCP memberships without their knowledge after getting work done on their cars.

“I went in there and got some repairs done,” said one customer, who spoke to PressProgress on condition her name not be published.

According to the customer, Singh asked if she was “interested in receiving e-mails from the UCP,” then collected her name and e-mail address.

“Several days later, I got an e-mail confirming from the UCP party that I want to pay for a membership and they have my credit card number.”

She told PressProgress that when she called the UCP to complain, they “confirmed right away that he’s not supposed to be soliciting through his company at all.”

“He did charge my credit card,” she said. “But the next morning it was credited back.”

“When I looked at my statement that day on the computer, it had the service that I had done from him and then it had a $10 charge and then I had a $10 credit,” adding that “it was just automatic, I didn’t even know it had been done.”

“It was fraud,” the customer said. “He was using my card where he shouldn’t have, because I only paid for the services that were done on my vehicle.”

[Corndogger]

UCP government hires lawyer to explore expedited construction of Springbank dam

Sammy Hudes
Updated: May 3, 2019

The UCP government announced Friday it would appoint a lawyer to explore ways to speed up construction of the contentious Springbank dam project.

The province is appointing Martin Ignasiak, a partner at the law firm of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, “to assess opportunities to expedite construction” of the project, the government stated in a news release Friday afternoon.

Ignasiak “has extensive experience developing and executing strategies to obtain regulatory approvals for large-scale projects,” it stated.

“As an independent expert, Ignasiak will work swiftly to assess the project’s status and advise the government about immediate action to move the project forward, while respecting the regulatory approval processes and the ongoing consultations required with important stakeholders.”

The proposed project is a dry reservoir that would store water temporarily during a flood. The Springbank Off-Stream Reservoir (SR1) would have the capacity for more than 70 million cubic metres and be located 15 kilometres west of Calgary between Highway 8 and the Trans-Canada Highway, and east of Highway 22.

Municipal flood experts and city officials have identified the Springbank reservoir as a “priority” when it comes to flood protection, particularly for the downtown.

Provincial experts have said the proposed dam, along with improvements to the Glenmore Reservoir, would be capable of storing water volumes equivalent to the 2013 flood.

But the project has encountered staunch opposition from local landowners who would be required to give up property to make way for the reservoir.

A federal environmental assessment and consultations with Indigenous communities remain ongoing. The project won’t go forward until the legal duty to consult Indigenous peoples has been met, officials say.

The Tsuut’ina Nation has urged the province to explore other flood mitigation options and has said the Springbank project would pollute groundwater and put reserve lands at risk in the event of another flood.

Karin Hunter, president of the Springbank Community Association, said the Springbank dam doesn’t provide adequate flood protection. A vocal critic of the project, she questioned how the province can expedite a process that currently depends on a federal review.

“Springbank and the community of Springbank — Bragg Creek, Redwood Meadows — have never been consulted about this massive project that’s sitting right in our backyard,” Hunter said.

“So it seems like the government’s missed a few steps. They want to jump ahead but the reason this project continues to run into hurdles is because the process itself has been quite flawed since the very get-go.”

Transportation Minister Ric McIver said the Springbank dam is needed “to protect Calgary … and other municipalities and parts of Alberta downstream from Calgary.”

He said Ignasiak’s hiring will help ensure “things stay on track” with the federal government’s environmental review.

“He’s going to look at the file and just make sure that we haven’t missed anything and perhaps take a look to see if there’s something that the federal government’s environmental review body can be doing faster, or should not be doing slower,” McIver said.

“It’s just mostly trying to make sure that we don’t delay the project and that the project can get started as soon as possible.”

Source: https://calgaryherald.com/news/polit...springbank-dam

[suburbia]

After the shocking resignation of the head of oncology for Southern Alberta and medical lead for the new cancer centre in Calgary, the UCP interference with health continues today.

https://twitter.com/UnitedNurses/sta...17503485005826

Media Release: Government interferes in UNA-AHS arbitration: https://www.una.ca/998/government-in...hs-arbitration … #abhealth #ableg

Government interferes in UNA-AHS arbitration
https://www.una.ca/998/government-in...hs-arbitration

Before its MLAs have even been sworn into office, Alberta’s United Conservative Party Government is interfering in the collective bargaining process and trying to change the terms of Alberta Health Services’ legal contract with close to 30,000 Alberta nurses, United Nurses of Alberta Labour Relations Director David Harrigan says.

As a result, Harrigan stated, the union has filed an application with the Alberta Labour Relations Board for review of the arbitrator’s preliminary decision in response to a demand by Alberta Health Services that the arbitration of the wage reopener for close to 30,000 UNA members be delayed.

“They are sending people to the bargaining table who have indicated to us they have no idea what is happening and have in reality been given no power to negotiate,” he explained.

[240glt]

^ It's highly likely that all union contracts will be re-opened. I believe AUPE and the teachers just settled a year ago but those contracts can be opened up, and we'll see what happens.

My partner is the director of one of the most revenue generating and profitable departments in the provincial government, and fully expecting wage rollbacks and hiring freezes for the unionized employees. Heck he's not so sure if he'll be around since they'll likely look at all mangers first, his only saving grace being that he's a lot younger than most other directors so they'll likely buy all those ones out first. But if he does end up getting a buyout..... C'ya Alberta!!

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by 240glt

^ It's highly likely that all union contracts will be re-opened. I believe AUPE and the teachers just settled a year ago but those contracts can be opened up, and we'll see what happens.

My partner is the director of one of the most revenue generating and profitable departments in the provincial government, and fully expecting wage rollbacks and hiring freezes for the unionized employees. Heck he's not so sure if he'll be around since they'll likely look at all mangers first, his only saving grace being that he's a lot younger than most other directors so they'll likely buy all those ones out first. But if he does end up getting a buyout..... C'ya Alberta!!

While there was a TONNE of hand-waving by UCP pumpers that suggested increasing profits for the rich on the backs of all Albertans "might" result in a few more jobs, what most ignored was the direct result of a UCP government would be laying off thousands of people, and enacting policy so as to handcuff our health and education systems from hiring to meet demands of an increasing population.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by suburbia

While there was a TONNE of hand-waving by UCP pumpers that suggested increasing profits for the rich on the backs of all Albertans "might" result in a few more jobs, what most ignored was the direct result of a UCP government would be laying off thousands of people, and enacting policy so as to handcuff our health and education systems from hiring to meet demands of an increasing population.

The unions will always complained. The cuts in the 90's worked wonders for the economy and this time won't be any different. The private sector will deliver far more economic output than any loss from the public sector. The ideal solution would be right to work legislation covering all monopoly service providers as they have unfair bargaining positions.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by 240glt

^ It's highly likely that all union contracts will be re-opened. I believe AUPE and the teachers just settled a year ago but those contracts can be opened up, and we'll see what happens.

My partner is the director of one of the most revenue generating and profitable departments in the provincial government, and fully expecting wage rollbacks and hiring freezes for the unionized employees. Heck he's not so sure if he'll be around since they'll likely look at all mangers first, his only saving grace being that he's a lot younger than most other directors so they'll likely buy all those ones out first. But if he does end up getting a buyout..... C'ya Alberta!!

The approach in the 90's was to ask the unions for a roll back or face even greater layoffs. Since asinine union contracts dictate layoff of the least senior, this created a civil war so the unions agreed to open the contracts.

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by Doug

The unions will always complained.

While all the people against healthcare and education might well be right-wing, I don't think all the people who support healthcare and education should be labeled "unions" because that's not true. The senior physician / researcher who just resigned from being oncology lead was not part of a union, rather he worked for the greater good for society.

[240glt]

Originally Posted by Doug

The unions will always complained. The cuts in the 90's worked wonders for the economy and this time won't be any different. The private sector will deliver far more economic output than any loss from the public sector. The ideal solution would be right to work legislation covering all monopoly service providers as they have unfair bargaining positions.

The cuts in the 90's had little effect on the economy. It allowed the government of the day to embark on their rigorous debt reduction plan and privatization schemes that made quite a number of high ranking PC members very rich at the expense of services and infrastructure. There's a reason the infrastructure in this province is garbage. They're still trying to catch up to this day.

[itom 987]

Originally Posted by 240glt

The cuts in the 90's had little effect on the economy. It allowed the government of the day to embark on their rigorous debt reduction plan and privatization schemes that made quite a number of high ranking PC members very rich at the expense of services and infrastructure. There's a reason the infrastructure in this province is garbage. They're still trying to catch up to this day.

Who are they?

[240glt]

Originally Posted by itom 987

Who are they?

Well just for starters find out who owns the registries in the province and you’ll start to get an idea

[Doug]

Originally Posted by 240glt

Well just for starters find out who owns the registries in the province and you’ll start to get an idea

So the government owned system where you had to take half a day off work to renew your license plates at one of two locations Calgary was better?

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by 240glt

Well just for starters find out who owns the registries in the province and you’ll start to get an idea

That's a good point. I also recall the holy cross hospital being sold at pennies to the dollar to a Conservative supporter, and then Alberta Health made to lease the same space back over a period of many decades.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by suburbia

That's a good point. I also recall the holy cross hospital being sold at pennies to the dollar to a Conservative supporter, and then Alberta Health made to lease the same space back over a period of many decades.

Wrong. The Holy Cross site is worth nothing due to toxic mould, asbestos, exposure to flooding from the Elbow and unmarked graves scattered across the site. The big mistake was investing in a failed renovation in the early 90's (you can see the obviously newer looking elevator tower at the southeast corner). The facility is owned by a Calgary eye surgeon and has faced many fines for safety violations due to the poor state of the building. He has probably lost considerable money on the investment as the intent was to redevelop it.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...owers-1.784850

[240glt]

Originally Posted by Doug

So the government owned system where you had to take half a day off work to renew your license plates at one of two locations Calgary was better?

So those are the only two options.. terrible government access or privatizing the profits and socializing the losses (massive subsidies for the systems that the registries use) ? I refuse to accept that this couldn't have been done in such a way to protect the public and not provide shady back room deals for corrupt PC hacks

The registry fiasco is but one of the failures of the previous PC's. There are many more.

[Corndogger]

Originally Posted by 240glt

So those are the only two options.. terrible government access or privatizing the profits and socializing the losses (massive subsidies for the systems that the registries use) ? I refuse to accept that this couldn't have been done in such a way to protect the public and not provide shady back room deals for corrupt PC hacks

The registry fiasco is but one of the failures of the previous PC's. There are many more.

What fiasco? Services is literally a million times better than it was in the old days.

[itom 987]

Originally Posted by 240glt

Well just for starters find out who owns the registries in the province and you’ll start to get an idea

I guess on you could also say that many people that set up private liquor stores got rich from the privatization of government owned liquor stores in the '90s.

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by Doug

Wrong. The Holy Cross site is worth nothing due to toxic mould, asbestos, exposure to flooding from the Elbow and unmarked graves scattered across the site.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...owers-1.784850

WTF you talkin' about? If it is worth nothing, why has AHS almost continuously leased space there from basically right when it was sold? They have paid multiples of the sale price in lease payments!

Public sell-off, Public buyback
Calgary Herald, 23 Sept 2007
Michelle Lang & Kelly Cryderman

The one certainty is that a decade since it was decided Calgary's health system didn't need Holy Cross, the facility still has lucrative contracts with public sector worth millsions a year.

Since its sale, the Holy Cross has treated 50,000 patients. Alberta taxpayers have bought back thousands of surgeries, services and space at the red brick buildings in Mission.

Documents obtained by the Herald reveal the extent of the publicly funded medical care still delivered at the facility now known as Holy Cross Centre.

The documents, released through freedom of information legislation, show the Calgary Health Region (CHR, now Alberta Health Services) awarded contracts worth at least $29M to have eye surgeries, hernia repairs, dental procedures and other services performed at Holy Cross Centre during the past decade.

<snip>

CHR sold the facility - valued as high as $20M - for $4.57 million to Enterprise Universal, which has made several donations to the provincial Conservatives over the years.

There was a period of less than a year straddling 2013 and 2014 where AHS pulled out because of flood damage, but they were back in there after - and in fact paid a hefty fee to break leases in 2013.

The fact the owners are looking at building several 20 floor buildings on the site doesn't mean they haven't milked the Albertan tax payer. And forget how much we've paid to lease space back and have the centre perform procedures - the building was sold at pennies to the dollar to Conservative supporters in a completely opaque way. Classic "Con" behavior.

[suburbia]

Situation Critical: Ralph Klein made a mess of health care. Will his successor do any better?
https://albertaviews.ca/situation-critical/


^^ those numbers are staggering. A clear transfer of wealth from the public to individual CONservatives.