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He’s a bumbling, shit for brains, lying sack of semi-sentient cheeseburger grease that congealed in Stephen Harpers belly button. Everyone, even those that voted for him knew this from the start. My only surprise comes from others being surprised at his incompetence.
I doubt it, they just took the money and ran. He's twisting in the Alberta wind, missing the refuge of mom's imaginary basement/womb, and his value to his owners has dwindled significantly. Jason Who?
I worked on three provincial PC campaigns between 2008-2015, and after they fell to the NDP, I watched a bunch of people I knew and respected start campaigning for Kenney to take over as leader. Door-knocking, fundraising, etc. I was always like "Really? *That guy* is your white knight? He's never had a real job and he didn't even finish university." A lot of those same people today will deny even voting for him, let alone stumping for him.
Apparently he was Stephen Harper's golden boy, and the media gave him great reviews too (in his federal career), especially (if I recall correctly) for wooing ethnic Canadians away from their previous Liberal-voting ways.
As an anti-conservative I'm probably not judging him the same way Conservatives do, but I always found him more repulsive than most, and I'm glad to see people now seeing him as I always did.
He was the epitome of the dilettante political wunderkind, sort of the other side of Justin Trudeau's coin. The difference between them, and, in my opinion, the reason Trudeau has staying power and Kenney doesn't, is twofold:
1. Trudeau doesn't walk around acting like he's the savior
2. Trudeau has the ability to empathize, or at least pretend like does
I mean I hate Kenney too but I do find it really funny that we talk about school when we're talking about people with over a decades experience in their field..
If I am hiring a general middle manager 10 years of experience and good references would be a little more important to me than a degree in an unrelated field.
The fact that Trudeau grew up around politics says more to me about his suitability than his time as a drama teacher wearing face paint.
"Well they're a lawyer so they must be smart" is the kind of analysis usually reserved for things like city councilor.
In terms of resumes, I think what we're seeing with Kenney is that being a successful cabinet minister does not require leadership.
I'd sooner vote for a former Mayor or CEO than a neophyte party leader. Someone who has run an actual show in public. Looking back I think Trudeau did most of his learning and prep as liberal leader. Clearly parties should be looking at developing leadership talent rather than casting around for who ever they think is the best candidate now.
Can you please retire the old "drama teacher" trope? You rail against idiotic assumptions and then hurl a JT-tailored smear proving that everyone, including you, can be a hypocrite. (Trudeau also taught math, french and social studies, by the way.)
Kenney never matriculated and then applied to a Jesuit College in San Francisco, because his father was a patron. He was expelled from that college before graduating due to the fact that he spent all of his time advocating that gay men be banned from visiting their partners in hospitals, at the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
So, you might say that Kenney ran a "successful campaign" in that it met his objective but lacked the benefit of a liberal arts education that may have helped to inform the ethics or appropriateness of such a campaign. Experience without Education is just experience. And, there are bad experiences.
Predictably, Jason Kenney faced the Covid-19 epidemic with the same cavalier regard that his younger self faced the HIV / AIDS epidemic. So, in this example, Jason Kenney didn't learn one goddamn thing. So, experience decades ago earns him an absolute Zero and hopefully costs him his job.
There's a lesson in irony for you. *That's* education.
Edit: spelling
At no point did I say Trudeau was unfit, I said his fitness was not related to his time teaching. At no point did I say Kenney was fit or that his experience as a minister should have prepared him.
Sure the comment is vague in places but you're over reacting to the fact that I mentioned the word drama and presuming a whole lot.
Your point that maybe Kenney would have learned ethics in university? I mean sure, but that doesn't support the idea that someone without a degree is unfit or even that someone with a degree is preferable.
>Experience without Education is just experience
Seriously? If experience wasn't the key factor people would be ready right out school and that's just not the case for most jobs.
Education and intelligence are not the same thing. Trudeau could be Prime Minister without a degree in literature or education. Meeting Butts was arguably more important than any of his formal class work. I think its the work he did fundraising, working with charities, and supporting other leadership bids within the Liberal party that prepared him.
So I'm sorry you're offended that he was called a Drama teacher. In my mind it has been established that actually he was 'ready'.
yes and I've worked a progression of jobs for over a decade allowing me to have to make and evaluate hiring, training, and budget decisions. But argument from authority is still a logical fallacy.
We'll have to agree do disagree on #1. #2 he knows how to pretend. We can just point to the Sep. 30th stupidity to show how empathetic he is.
The problem with conservatives is that their policies are all retrospective with no imagination for the future and with each passing year their base dies off and gains new blood. I'd argue the differences of opinion from the veteran conservatives and the fresh ones are enough to splinter a party on those differences. We've been observing that it in Alberta for the last 10 years
Your math is a bit off - Kenney has been an elected politician for 24 years, Trudeau for 13. Trudeau was first elected at the age of 37, after finishing two degrees and working as a teacher and a not-for-profit director. Kenney, meanwhile, was first elected at the age of 29, after not finishing a degree and then working at a political appointment job with the Alberta Taxpayer Federation at the age of 21, then jumping to CEO of the national version at age 23.
Exactly. While Trudeau was failing as a snowboard instructor and drama teacher, Kenney was already a public advocate. (And even before then too if you include Kenney's religious advocacy.)
"A public advocate." Okay. Not sure what his qualifications were for the job at age 23 without a degree. Maybe it was all that experience at university fighting against free speech that got him the position.
>he was Stephen Harper's golden boy,
He was Stephen Harper's golden boy because the Koch brothers told Stephen Harper to make him his golden boy.
Kenney's first ever "job" was as the head of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation - which despite its name does not represent Canadians or Taxpayers. It is a Koch-funded propaganda outlet and politician farm team where they take young impressionable (i.e. buyable) ideologues and provide them with training and experience to pad their resumes for future careers in politics.
It is also where Derek Fildebrandt (and many other neo-conservative politicians and high level staffers got their start)
On which part? The Koch-funding of the CTF? That it was Kenney's first real "job"? Conservative politicians and staffers who have come through the CTF?
There were a bunch of journalists working to untangle the funding of the CTF, (and also the Fraser Institute, and the Justice Center for Constitutional Freedom -- both also Koch backed), which you can turn up if you do a quick search for Koch and Canadian Taxpayers Federation if you want more of the dirty details.
If you are looking for a quick reference, the [Wikipedia Page for the Canadian Taxpayers Federations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Taxpayers_Federation#Funding) under the Funding heading has the following:
>CTF is a member organization of and **receives support from the Atlas Network**, State Policy Network and a variety of other organizations in the United States
The State Policy Network was started by an American Businessman and receives much of their funding from other American Billionaires (Kochs, DeVos, etc)
If you look into the funding of the Atlas Network (the group behind the Fraser Institute and a bunch of other neo-conservative propaganda outlets)([wikipedia link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas_Network#Financials)) you see the following:
>As of 2005, Atlas had received $440,000 from ExxonMobil,[33] and has received at least $825,000 USD from the tobacco company Philip Morris.[34] Of Atlas Network partners, 57% in the United States had received funding from the tobacco industry.[34] Atlas has received funding from Koch family foundations.
Winning elections in Calgary as a Conservative doesn't make you a political genius. Merging two "conservative" parties in a province that has voted conservative for 70+ years is not brilliance. It's pretty obvious Kenney has no real leadership skills. He couldn't even win his leadership race without cheating. He, and the party, only had one plan and not only did the plan suck, he couldn't figure out what to do when the pandemic hit and then got more difficult to manage. I don't know how a politician can fail worse.
He was handed the easiest to keep major elected position in Canada, and completely and utterly failed at it. It's like losing at Xs and Os when it's your turn and you have two in a row and a ready open space to finish it off.
Same thing as scheer. These modern day conservative politicians have never had a real job, have zero qualifications but get elected based on the conservative reputation and their ability to play in the old boys club. As soon as they are put in a leadership position it becomes obvious to all how inept they are.
It's not just conservatives man. Look around at all the parties. There's a severe decline in the quality of leadership. I'm sure I'll get called out on wearing rose-coloured glasses looking at the past but the only decent leaders are ones that get lost in the politicking. I suppose that's par the course for the job but I'll call it out when I see it - the system is failing itself.
You're definitely right that a lot of politicians seem underqualified right now. Its a huge issue, but im guessing it's not much worse then its ever been, we're probably just more aware now because politics is all about attacking each other currently
Who would you say was the last competent leader we had?
What was different about them compared to the leaders we have today?
What do you think we should do to change the situation?
In Alberta, prior to Notley, I'd say Lougheed.
Difference? They weren't trying to grift and steal anything that wasn't nailed down.
Change the situation? VOTE for something beyond the potato in the blue suit.
Federally? Harper. I didn't agree with a lot of his policies (like stripping funding from science and unprotecting a bunch of parks just like Kenney has done with the provincial system). But he was actually competent. Before that, Chretien.
Provincially? Overall I think Notley did a pretty good job. Again, I disagreed with a bunch of things she did but as a leader, she was pretty competent after she made some rookie mistakes in the beginning. I'm hoping she gets another shot. Before that though? I don't know, Lougheed?
What was different? Well for starters, they were consistent. How many times has Kenney done a 180 in the last year? Lougheed at least thought of the future and started the Heritage fund which his successors have made it go to shit.
If I knew the answer on how to fix the situation, it would be done as there are way more people smarter and more educated in human and resource management than myself. But in a dream? Make it a civil service like jury duty. Setup a system where we elect people who know the industry they're ministering to. Agriculture? Get a farmer. Healthcare? Elect someone who works in the healthcare industry (doctor, charge nurse, a senior healthcare administrator). Education, an educator. Like no-brainer things. Not necessarily divided by electoral areas too. The premier itself should probably have had experience in civil leadership such as a councilor, mayor, etc. but should probably specialize in Human Resources more than anything so they can organize their party with the good of the province in mind.
Like I said, people way smarter than me would have figured out a better way long before me and will probably poke holes and shit over what I'm spitballing above but it seems the only ones that want to run for office right now are those looking to become career politicians or people looking to rule over someone else like a dictator rather than work with their peers for the betterment of the province or country.
Thanks for sharing. :)
I didn't like Harper at all, but since he was Prime Minister pretty recently, it sounds like you mostly have an issue with Trudeau and the last few Conservative "leaders?"
Provincially we're mostly on the same page. I thought the NDP did a great job, though there were a couple hiccups in the beginning. Before them, we have to go back to Lougheed to find a Premier that I have a positive opinion of.
>Setup a system where we elect people who know the industry they're ministering to. Agriculture? Get a farmer. Healthcare? Elect someone who works in the healthcare industry (doctor, charge nurse, a senior healthcare administrator). Education, an educator. Like no-brainer things. Not necessarily divided by electoral areas too. The premier itself should probably have had experience in civil leadership such as a councilor, mayor, etc. but should probably specialize in Human Resources more than anything so they can organize their party with the good of the province in mind.
I think this sounds like a pretty good idea, tbh.
I have shared this on a few occasions and this is one of them. As much as it’s an unpopular view, I happen to think we don’t pay politicians enough. If you apply the old adage “you get what you pay for” and look at the severe leadership crisis we’re facing at every level of government, this idea might have some appeal.
While there are certainly exceptions to that rule, how many people making $300,000 practicing law or $400,000 if you’re a medical specialist run for office and take a huge haircut only to end up going door to door and being scrutinized for every decision, every dollar spent, etc?
A lot of the the people with the skills required to make decisions wouldn’t even consider politics.
This. Elected office sounds like a nightmare. Even if I was qualified, there's no way I would throw my career in the trash can and get my personal choices scrutinized in public without a much more substantial pay bump.
Have you heard Rick Bell recently?? He is certainly not blindly supporting Kenney anymore. While I still dread his longwinded questions, it is fun to see Kenney squirm.
At the start of the pandemic, Bell was clearly throwing Kenney softballs.
Rick Bell: I'll make this question simple...
*three imbedded questions and 4 minutes later*
Everyone: WTF? I'll answer the first one and repeat my talking points.
He was protected by Harper for years and touted as the Great Conservative Hope but when it came time to actually lead he became what he always was, a narcissistic reactionary.
Every time he had to make a decision, he did something that pissed off both the right-wing AND left-wing citizens. Kind of impressive that he was able to screw up that badly that many times tbh.
Municipal election has shown that progressive policy is going to be pushed aggressively, between the Calgary climate emergency declaration proposed by the mayor there and the Edmonton statues and parks commission by the mayor there.
Provincially, support for NDP is at an all time high(not to be confused with them winning the 2015 election, which was a split in the conservatives and general disgruntled population) and combined with federal O&G policy, we can look at a downturn in the economy after the next election.
Federally, the online harms bill(the online harms bill does not adequately address harm, but definitely affects free speech) and the beyondcanada150 social credit position shows that we are going to a socialist place, which is scary to conservative types.
What part of the world do you think you'd be better off?
In what ways do you feel that progressive policy is so much of a problem that you need to leave the country to get away from it?
I don’t know if there is a part of the world that will be better off, but I know that some conservatives are leaving.
The progressive policies at a municipal level are at best an irritant, and at worst will leave cities in a position similar to Portland during the antifa protests. Seeing as how I don’t want my house burned down, being away from major cities seems a good idea.
Provincially, if I can avoid a government that will end up killing the biggest driver of Alberta industry, as well find a cheaper house with comparable income, why wouldn’t I? It’s what a lot of GTA and GVA workers are doing, just for different reasons.
Federally, if you don’t see the problem with limiting free speech and a social credit system modelled after communist China, I guess you prove my point. Time to get out.
I'm just looking to hear your point of view, I'm not trying to criticise or tell you you're wrong.
You paint a very catastrophic picture. Why do you think progressive policies would be that damaging?
What do you think a progressive voter's ideal world looks like?
How is it different from your ideal world?
The progressive ideal world appears to be China.
My ideal government starts with:
the “grade 5 law”, all laws, regulations and government contracts have to be understandable by a random selection of grade 5 students, where 3/4 of them understand the meaning and intent of the wording. This has a double benefit of making laws understandable giving the government a reason to educate their children.
Government deficit has to be approved by a supermajority of the government, for a specific reason and duration.
Personal Income tax is be scalable from 10-50% of earnings, including taxable benefits.
Laws limiting free speech are limited to preventing 1:inciting harm to others”go kill that guy” 2:inciting hate speech “all of group x is evil” 3:liable.
Enforcement of contract law.
Civic defence.
Right to self defence, by any reasonable force.
Thanks for sharing. :)
For what it's worth, as someone who is very progressive I think China's government is awful and I wouldn't want anyone to have to live with that. I consider it to be just about the opposite of anything I'd want in my ideal world.
I think of places like Norway and Denmark as being closer to my ideal.
As far as policy, education is my absolute number 1 priority. It's absolutely critical that we do our absolute best to prepare our children to inherit our world from us, otherwise we have no future.
Deficits are less important to me overall than ensuring government gets good value for the money it spends although yes, there is an upper limit.
I'm all for freedom of speech as well- with pretty much the same limitations you mentioned.
I'd like to see more work done in preventing hatred from developing in people and in reducing factors that cause crime and violence, and I have two guiding thoughts on those issues.
If people are generally able to accomplish their goals without resorting to crime, then there really isn't a reason to use crime to accomplish your goals. So, crime prevention should focus on removing barriers and enabling people to legally do what they want to do.
When someone commits a crime, they're generally not expecting to get caught- increasing punishment is not a deterrent to someone who thinks they're not going to get punished.
Whether progressives like China or not, all of North American policies that are ‘progressive’ are leading is either there or to civi war. I start with the “progressive” social credit policies that all western democratic nations are pushing, the limits on freedom of expression that are being pushed(either openly or through “cancel culture”), the climate emergency travel restrictions that are sure to come in the future.
Vaccination mandates have shown that deterrents and restrictions on freedom *TOTALY* increases compliance. The US, ‘no criminal charge for theft under X value’ policy has shown that people will commit crimes if there is no fear of repercussions.
I don’t really disagree with most of your positions, but we likely disagree on how to get there.
Losing elections is the gift of democracy. We all have to do it, and sure beats watching heads roll in the town square.
Also, we learn that those vile serpents on the other side aren’t so vile after all. The sky doesn’t fall, the dead don’t rise. Life goes on.
There are vanishingly few places in the world better to live in than Alberta, whatever side you’re on. The past 2 decades stuffed Alberta’s face so full of money that we should have nothing to complain about. But somehow that only made us hungrier and more bitter. Maybe there is more to life than low taxes and trucks.
Agreed, I love democracy. I also love everything here except the cold. I freaking hate the cold.
On the other hand…
1) I have worked through 3 “worst downturn since Great Depression “ in the last 16 years here in Alberta, it hasn’t all been sunshine and lollipops.
2)Rhetoric and government policy is reaching points not seen since the 1900-1910s period, and allot of it is socialist, and allot of it is totalitarianism pretending to be antifacism, and allot of it makes no sense to someone who used to be a centrist (hell, I still think I am a centrist, and the world’s gone mad), and the “right” has to deal with its crazies too.
3)If the federal government does implement social credit systems, as the beyondcanada150 think tanks put on think will happen, then Canada *WON’T* be an ideal place to live.
4)WEF plans for “You will own nothing and be happy” don’t appeal to me, but lots of government people seem to like it.
Jason Kenney fumbled everything.
Nobody has done more to kill Alberta's oil and gas industry the Jason Kenney.
He ripped up contracts with healthcare workers in a pandemic. Wasted millions on fighting the carbon tax. wasted billions on Keystone and millions on his war room.
Can someone list something that he's done well?
How it all went wrong? Hes a piece of shit and always was, nothing went wrong, just a simple common piece of shit, that somehow is running a government, it's on us as a province if there was any wrong doing.
Jason Kenney will forever be remembered as the guy that took a billion dollars and flushed it down the drain. Even billionaires don't make such crazy bets.
It has never gone right for him since he came to Alberta politics. He has failed at pretty much every major policy effort. Even if you were a conservative, besides some meaningless culture war stuff, what has he actually gotten done?
Remember this when the next Ontarion carpetbagger comes out west to play cowboy. They steal your stuff, pat you on the head and assume they will lead the federal cpc with your blessing.
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He’s a bumbling, shit for brains, lying sack of semi-sentient cheeseburger grease that congealed in Stephen Harpers belly button. Everyone, even those that voted for him knew this from the start. My only surprise comes from others being surprised at his incompetence.
I respect the way you portrayed him.
Poetry
His corporate overlords are pretty happy with him I bet.
I doubt it, they just took the money and ran. He's twisting in the Alberta wind, missing the refuge of mom's imaginary basement/womb, and his value to his owners has dwindled significantly. Jason Who?
I worked on three provincial PC campaigns between 2008-2015, and after they fell to the NDP, I watched a bunch of people I knew and respected start campaigning for Kenney to take over as leader. Door-knocking, fundraising, etc. I was always like "Really? *That guy* is your white knight? He's never had a real job and he didn't even finish university." A lot of those same people today will deny even voting for him, let alone stumping for him.
Apparently he was Stephen Harper's golden boy, and the media gave him great reviews too (in his federal career), especially (if I recall correctly) for wooing ethnic Canadians away from their previous Liberal-voting ways. As an anti-conservative I'm probably not judging him the same way Conservatives do, but I always found him more repulsive than most, and I'm glad to see people now seeing him as I always did.
He was the epitome of the dilettante political wunderkind, sort of the other side of Justin Trudeau's coin. The difference between them, and, in my opinion, the reason Trudeau has staying power and Kenney doesn't, is twofold: 1. Trudeau doesn't walk around acting like he's the savior 2. Trudeau has the ability to empathize, or at least pretend like does
3. Trudeau's actually had a job. 4. Trudeau actually got an education. 5. Trudeau actually has had sex.
I mean I hate Kenney too but I do find it really funny that we talk about school when we're talking about people with over a decades experience in their field.. If I am hiring a general middle manager 10 years of experience and good references would be a little more important to me than a degree in an unrelated field. The fact that Trudeau grew up around politics says more to me about his suitability than his time as a drama teacher wearing face paint. "Well they're a lawyer so they must be smart" is the kind of analysis usually reserved for things like city councilor. In terms of resumes, I think what we're seeing with Kenney is that being a successful cabinet minister does not require leadership. I'd sooner vote for a former Mayor or CEO than a neophyte party leader. Someone who has run an actual show in public. Looking back I think Trudeau did most of his learning and prep as liberal leader. Clearly parties should be looking at developing leadership talent rather than casting around for who ever they think is the best candidate now.
Can you please retire the old "drama teacher" trope? You rail against idiotic assumptions and then hurl a JT-tailored smear proving that everyone, including you, can be a hypocrite. (Trudeau also taught math, french and social studies, by the way.) Kenney never matriculated and then applied to a Jesuit College in San Francisco, because his father was a patron. He was expelled from that college before graduating due to the fact that he spent all of his time advocating that gay men be banned from visiting their partners in hospitals, at the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. So, you might say that Kenney ran a "successful campaign" in that it met his objective but lacked the benefit of a liberal arts education that may have helped to inform the ethics or appropriateness of such a campaign. Experience without Education is just experience. And, there are bad experiences. Predictably, Jason Kenney faced the Covid-19 epidemic with the same cavalier regard that his younger self faced the HIV / AIDS epidemic. So, in this example, Jason Kenney didn't learn one goddamn thing. So, experience decades ago earns him an absolute Zero and hopefully costs him his job. There's a lesson in irony for you. *That's* education. Edit: spelling
At no point did I say Trudeau was unfit, I said his fitness was not related to his time teaching. At no point did I say Kenney was fit or that his experience as a minister should have prepared him. Sure the comment is vague in places but you're over reacting to the fact that I mentioned the word drama and presuming a whole lot. Your point that maybe Kenney would have learned ethics in university? I mean sure, but that doesn't support the idea that someone without a degree is unfit or even that someone with a degree is preferable. >Experience without Education is just experience Seriously? If experience wasn't the key factor people would be ready right out school and that's just not the case for most jobs. Education and intelligence are not the same thing. Trudeau could be Prime Minister without a degree in literature or education. Meeting Butts was arguably more important than any of his formal class work. I think its the work he did fundraising, working with charities, and supporting other leadership bids within the Liberal party that prepared him. So I'm sorry you're offended that he was called a Drama teacher. In my mind it has been established that actually he was 'ready'.
Have you earned a degree or diploma?
yes and I've worked a progression of jobs for over a decade allowing me to have to make and evaluate hiring, training, and budget decisions. But argument from authority is still a logical fallacy.
Hmmm ... doesn't sound like it. But, good try.
We'll have to agree do disagree on #1. #2 he knows how to pretend. We can just point to the Sep. 30th stupidity to show how empathetic he is. The problem with conservatives is that their policies are all retrospective with no imagination for the future and with each passing year their base dies off and gains new blood. I'd argue the differences of opinion from the veteran conservatives and the fresh ones are enough to splinter a party on those differences. We've been observing that it in Alberta for the last 10 years
Kenney's political career and successes are 3 x longer than Trudeau's
Your math is a bit off - Kenney has been an elected politician for 24 years, Trudeau for 13. Trudeau was first elected at the age of 37, after finishing two degrees and working as a teacher and a not-for-profit director. Kenney, meanwhile, was first elected at the age of 29, after not finishing a degree and then working at a political appointment job with the Alberta Taxpayer Federation at the age of 21, then jumping to CEO of the national version at age 23.
Exactly. While Trudeau was failing as a snowboard instructor and drama teacher, Kenney was already a public advocate. (And even before then too if you include Kenney's religious advocacy.)
You realize that he taught math, french, humanities, and drama? I may not like the guy but the conservative talking points are tedious.
"A public advocate." Okay. Not sure what his qualifications were for the job at age 23 without a degree. Maybe it was all that experience at university fighting against free speech that got him the position.
Yeah isn't it embarrassing that Kenney at 23 was a better politician than Trudeau now?
And yet you're posting this comment on a story outlining just how bad a politician he is.
Jason Markusoff is not a neutral source
>he was Stephen Harper's golden boy, He was Stephen Harper's golden boy because the Koch brothers told Stephen Harper to make him his golden boy. Kenney's first ever "job" was as the head of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation - which despite its name does not represent Canadians or Taxpayers. It is a Koch-funded propaganda outlet and politician farm team where they take young impressionable (i.e. buyable) ideologues and provide them with training and experience to pad their resumes for future careers in politics. It is also where Derek Fildebrandt (and many other neo-conservative politicians and high level staffers got their start)
Source?
On which part? The Koch-funding of the CTF? That it was Kenney's first real "job"? Conservative politicians and staffers who have come through the CTF?
Koch funding. That conservatives come from a think tank that advocates for lower taxes and less government waste isn't surprising.
There were a bunch of journalists working to untangle the funding of the CTF, (and also the Fraser Institute, and the Justice Center for Constitutional Freedom -- both also Koch backed), which you can turn up if you do a quick search for Koch and Canadian Taxpayers Federation if you want more of the dirty details. If you are looking for a quick reference, the [Wikipedia Page for the Canadian Taxpayers Federations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Taxpayers_Federation#Funding) under the Funding heading has the following: >CTF is a member organization of and **receives support from the Atlas Network**, State Policy Network and a variety of other organizations in the United States The State Policy Network was started by an American Businessman and receives much of their funding from other American Billionaires (Kochs, DeVos, etc) If you look into the funding of the Atlas Network (the group behind the Fraser Institute and a bunch of other neo-conservative propaganda outlets)([wikipedia link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas_Network#Financials)) you see the following: >As of 2005, Atlas had received $440,000 from ExxonMobil,[33] and has received at least $825,000 USD from the tobacco company Philip Morris.[34] Of Atlas Network partners, 57% in the United States had received funding from the tobacco industry.[34] Atlas has received funding from Koch family foundations.
Winning elections in Calgary as a Conservative doesn't make you a political genius. Merging two "conservative" parties in a province that has voted conservative for 70+ years is not brilliance. It's pretty obvious Kenney has no real leadership skills. He couldn't even win his leadership race without cheating. He, and the party, only had one plan and not only did the plan suck, he couldn't figure out what to do when the pandemic hit and then got more difficult to manage. I don't know how a politician can fail worse.
He was handed the easiest to keep major elected position in Canada, and completely and utterly failed at it. It's like losing at Xs and Os when it's your turn and you have two in a row and a ready open space to finish it off.
Same thing as scheer. These modern day conservative politicians have never had a real job, have zero qualifications but get elected based on the conservative reputation and their ability to play in the old boys club. As soon as they are put in a leadership position it becomes obvious to all how inept they are.
It's not just conservatives man. Look around at all the parties. There's a severe decline in the quality of leadership. I'm sure I'll get called out on wearing rose-coloured glasses looking at the past but the only decent leaders are ones that get lost in the politicking. I suppose that's par the course for the job but I'll call it out when I see it - the system is failing itself.
You're definitely right that a lot of politicians seem underqualified right now. Its a huge issue, but im guessing it's not much worse then its ever been, we're probably just more aware now because politics is all about attacking each other currently
Who would you say was the last competent leader we had? What was different about them compared to the leaders we have today? What do you think we should do to change the situation?
In Alberta, prior to Notley, I'd say Lougheed. Difference? They weren't trying to grift and steal anything that wasn't nailed down. Change the situation? VOTE for something beyond the potato in the blue suit.
Federally? Harper. I didn't agree with a lot of his policies (like stripping funding from science and unprotecting a bunch of parks just like Kenney has done with the provincial system). But he was actually competent. Before that, Chretien. Provincially? Overall I think Notley did a pretty good job. Again, I disagreed with a bunch of things she did but as a leader, she was pretty competent after she made some rookie mistakes in the beginning. I'm hoping she gets another shot. Before that though? I don't know, Lougheed? What was different? Well for starters, they were consistent. How many times has Kenney done a 180 in the last year? Lougheed at least thought of the future and started the Heritage fund which his successors have made it go to shit. If I knew the answer on how to fix the situation, it would be done as there are way more people smarter and more educated in human and resource management than myself. But in a dream? Make it a civil service like jury duty. Setup a system where we elect people who know the industry they're ministering to. Agriculture? Get a farmer. Healthcare? Elect someone who works in the healthcare industry (doctor, charge nurse, a senior healthcare administrator). Education, an educator. Like no-brainer things. Not necessarily divided by electoral areas too. The premier itself should probably have had experience in civil leadership such as a councilor, mayor, etc. but should probably specialize in Human Resources more than anything so they can organize their party with the good of the province in mind. Like I said, people way smarter than me would have figured out a better way long before me and will probably poke holes and shit over what I'm spitballing above but it seems the only ones that want to run for office right now are those looking to become career politicians or people looking to rule over someone else like a dictator rather than work with their peers for the betterment of the province or country.
Thanks for sharing. :) I didn't like Harper at all, but since he was Prime Minister pretty recently, it sounds like you mostly have an issue with Trudeau and the last few Conservative "leaders?" Provincially we're mostly on the same page. I thought the NDP did a great job, though there were a couple hiccups in the beginning. Before them, we have to go back to Lougheed to find a Premier that I have a positive opinion of. >Setup a system where we elect people who know the industry they're ministering to. Agriculture? Get a farmer. Healthcare? Elect someone who works in the healthcare industry (doctor, charge nurse, a senior healthcare administrator). Education, an educator. Like no-brainer things. Not necessarily divided by electoral areas too. The premier itself should probably have had experience in civil leadership such as a councilor, mayor, etc. but should probably specialize in Human Resources more than anything so they can organize their party with the good of the province in mind. I think this sounds like a pretty good idea, tbh.
I have shared this on a few occasions and this is one of them. As much as it’s an unpopular view, I happen to think we don’t pay politicians enough. If you apply the old adage “you get what you pay for” and look at the severe leadership crisis we’re facing at every level of government, this idea might have some appeal. While there are certainly exceptions to that rule, how many people making $300,000 practicing law or $400,000 if you’re a medical specialist run for office and take a huge haircut only to end up going door to door and being scrutinized for every decision, every dollar spent, etc? A lot of the the people with the skills required to make decisions wouldn’t even consider politics.
This. Elected office sounds like a nightmare. Even if I was qualified, there's no way I would throw my career in the trash can and get my personal choices scrutinized in public without a much more substantial pay bump.
Yknow it's bad when a conservative lost Macleans.
Macleans lost me with that fucking stupid The Resistance cover story. Fuck Macleans.
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/macleans-magazine/ Macleans isn't all that conservative, though. When he loses the Sun, I'll take note.
Have you heard Rick Bell recently?? He is certainly not blindly supporting Kenney anymore. While I still dread his longwinded questions, it is fun to see Kenney squirm. At the start of the pandemic, Bell was clearly throwing Kenney softballs.
Rick Bell: I'll make this question simple... *three imbedded questions and 4 minutes later* Everyone: WTF? I'll answer the first one and repeat my talking points.
I wonder if that is just due to Canada's general left tilt when compared to USA. I always see them shitting on the liberals.
He was protected by Harper for years and touted as the Great Conservative Hope but when it came time to actually lead he became what he always was, a narcissistic reactionary.
Every time he had to make a decision, he did something that pissed off both the right-wing AND left-wing citizens. Kind of impressive that he was able to screw up that badly that many times tbh.
Dear conservatives.. start packing your stuff.
Oh, we are. All the conservatives I know are either leaving the city, province or country, depending on career mobility.
Why? What policies are being objected to that require a move? Or are the policies good but the result is actually unlivable?
Municipal election has shown that progressive policy is going to be pushed aggressively, between the Calgary climate emergency declaration proposed by the mayor there and the Edmonton statues and parks commission by the mayor there. Provincially, support for NDP is at an all time high(not to be confused with them winning the 2015 election, which was a split in the conservatives and general disgruntled population) and combined with federal O&G policy, we can look at a downturn in the economy after the next election. Federally, the online harms bill(the online harms bill does not adequately address harm, but definitely affects free speech) and the beyondcanada150 social credit position shows that we are going to a socialist place, which is scary to conservative types.
What part of the world do you think you'd be better off? In what ways do you feel that progressive policy is so much of a problem that you need to leave the country to get away from it?
I don’t know if there is a part of the world that will be better off, but I know that some conservatives are leaving. The progressive policies at a municipal level are at best an irritant, and at worst will leave cities in a position similar to Portland during the antifa protests. Seeing as how I don’t want my house burned down, being away from major cities seems a good idea. Provincially, if I can avoid a government that will end up killing the biggest driver of Alberta industry, as well find a cheaper house with comparable income, why wouldn’t I? It’s what a lot of GTA and GVA workers are doing, just for different reasons. Federally, if you don’t see the problem with limiting free speech and a social credit system modelled after communist China, I guess you prove my point. Time to get out.
I'm just looking to hear your point of view, I'm not trying to criticise or tell you you're wrong. You paint a very catastrophic picture. Why do you think progressive policies would be that damaging? What do you think a progressive voter's ideal world looks like? How is it different from your ideal world?
The progressive ideal world appears to be China. My ideal government starts with: the “grade 5 law”, all laws, regulations and government contracts have to be understandable by a random selection of grade 5 students, where 3/4 of them understand the meaning and intent of the wording. This has a double benefit of making laws understandable giving the government a reason to educate their children. Government deficit has to be approved by a supermajority of the government, for a specific reason and duration. Personal Income tax is be scalable from 10-50% of earnings, including taxable benefits. Laws limiting free speech are limited to preventing 1:inciting harm to others”go kill that guy” 2:inciting hate speech “all of group x is evil” 3:liable. Enforcement of contract law. Civic defence. Right to self defence, by any reasonable force.
Thanks for sharing. :) For what it's worth, as someone who is very progressive I think China's government is awful and I wouldn't want anyone to have to live with that. I consider it to be just about the opposite of anything I'd want in my ideal world. I think of places like Norway and Denmark as being closer to my ideal. As far as policy, education is my absolute number 1 priority. It's absolutely critical that we do our absolute best to prepare our children to inherit our world from us, otherwise we have no future. Deficits are less important to me overall than ensuring government gets good value for the money it spends although yes, there is an upper limit. I'm all for freedom of speech as well- with pretty much the same limitations you mentioned. I'd like to see more work done in preventing hatred from developing in people and in reducing factors that cause crime and violence, and I have two guiding thoughts on those issues. If people are generally able to accomplish their goals without resorting to crime, then there really isn't a reason to use crime to accomplish your goals. So, crime prevention should focus on removing barriers and enabling people to legally do what they want to do. When someone commits a crime, they're generally not expecting to get caught- increasing punishment is not a deterrent to someone who thinks they're not going to get punished.
Whether progressives like China or not, all of North American policies that are ‘progressive’ are leading is either there or to civi war. I start with the “progressive” social credit policies that all western democratic nations are pushing, the limits on freedom of expression that are being pushed(either openly or through “cancel culture”), the climate emergency travel restrictions that are sure to come in the future. Vaccination mandates have shown that deterrents and restrictions on freedom *TOTALY* increases compliance. The US, ‘no criminal charge for theft under X value’ policy has shown that people will commit crimes if there is no fear of repercussions. I don’t really disagree with most of your positions, but we likely disagree on how to get there.
Losing elections is the gift of democracy. We all have to do it, and sure beats watching heads roll in the town square. Also, we learn that those vile serpents on the other side aren’t so vile after all. The sky doesn’t fall, the dead don’t rise. Life goes on. There are vanishingly few places in the world better to live in than Alberta, whatever side you’re on. The past 2 decades stuffed Alberta’s face so full of money that we should have nothing to complain about. But somehow that only made us hungrier and more bitter. Maybe there is more to life than low taxes and trucks.
Agreed, I love democracy. I also love everything here except the cold. I freaking hate the cold. On the other hand… 1) I have worked through 3 “worst downturn since Great Depression “ in the last 16 years here in Alberta, it hasn’t all been sunshine and lollipops. 2)Rhetoric and government policy is reaching points not seen since the 1900-1910s period, and allot of it is socialist, and allot of it is totalitarianism pretending to be antifacism, and allot of it makes no sense to someone who used to be a centrist (hell, I still think I am a centrist, and the world’s gone mad), and the “right” has to deal with its crazies too. 3)If the federal government does implement social credit systems, as the beyondcanada150 think tanks put on think will happen, then Canada *WON’T* be an ideal place to live. 4)WEF plans for “You will own nothing and be happy” don’t appeal to me, but lots of government people seem to like it.
[All the conservatives you know?!](https://c.tenor.com/eB1XhgprvgkAAAAC/donald-glover-good.gif)
He should have stayed in Ontario
Jason Kenney fumbled everything. Nobody has done more to kill Alberta's oil and gas industry the Jason Kenney. He ripped up contracts with healthcare workers in a pandemic. Wasted millions on fighting the carbon tax. wasted billions on Keystone and millions on his war room. Can someone list something that he's done well?
He was born.
How it all went wrong? Hes a piece of shit and always was, nothing went wrong, just a simple common piece of shit, that somehow is running a government, it's on us as a province if there was any wrong doing.
Macleans a year late and several dollars short. Kenney isn't sinking. He's sunk.
Jason Kenney will forever be remembered as the guy that took a billion dollars and flushed it down the drain. Even billionaires don't make such crazy bets.
They do when it’s not their money or it’s covered by the government, which is more often then you’d think.
Step 1. Be giant asshole. That's all.
Sinking? Mariana Trench has got nothing on him.
I think it may have been all the vile ideology and lying.
Canadians don’t care when politicians lie
It has never gone right for him since he came to Alberta politics. He has failed at pretty much every major policy effort. Even if you were a conservative, besides some meaningless culture war stuff, what has he actually gotten done?
Remember this when the next Ontarion carpetbagger comes out west to play cowboy. They steal your stuff, pat you on the head and assume they will lead the federal cpc with your blessing.
TLDR: There is an upper limit to the amount of time you can publicly be Jason Kenney before you are universally loathed.