Women of ABpoli

Share this post

April fools and snollygosters

womenofabpoli.substack.com

April fools and snollygosters

“Liars make the best promises.” ― Pierce Brown, Golden Son

Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean
Apr 3, 2023
4
2
Share
Share this post

April fools and snollygosters

womenofabpoli.substack.com

This week in AB

Saved by the (li)bel

Twitter avatar for @nut_meggy
Meg @nut_meggy
pawlowski had the premier as his phone-a-friend while the rest of us can’t even read her tweets because she blocked us.
3:19 AM ∙ Mar 30, 2023
153Likes23Retweets

They say there’s never a dull moment in Alberta politics and this week did not disappoint.

Aside from the part where it’s utterly disappointing, of course.

“Street preacher” Artur Pawlowski, who has a long, long list of grievances, has friends who know people and he wanted to make sure his people know that.

So, when Dr. Dennis Modry — former Wildrose Independence Party VP-Policy, former CEO of Alberta Prosperity Project, and possibly future UCP candidate in (snicker) Edmonton-Riverview — hooked Pawlowski up with Premier Danielle Smith for a quick chat back in January, someone in the room recorded and posted the video on Pawlowski’s YouTube channel.

That video was picked up by opposition researchers for the NDP and released on March 29 during a press conference, as well as through the CBC.

Within, Premier Smith can be heard reiterating (albeit with her now-standard imprecision) that she has been asking “weekly” since she became premier if COVID-era prosecutions are winnable and if they’re really in the public interest.

Twitter avatar for @reportrix
Lisa Johnson @reportrix
In a second statement on this today, the Premier's office says there is "absolutely no new information" in the video of the phone conversation between the premier and Pawlowski. #ableg
Image
Image
7:52 PM ∙ Mar 29, 2023
38Likes16Retweets

As others have noted, it’s one thing to know the premier was taking calls from people charged under her own government’s legislation but quite another to hear her respond to thinly-veiled threats that the person charged could pull his support if she doesn’t fulfill “promises”.

Pawlowski was seeking the premier’s intervention in his then-upcoming case where he was charged with breaching a release order, mischief for inciting people to block public property at the Coutts border crossing last February, as well as willfully damaging or destroying essential infrastructure under the Alberta Critical Infrastructure Defence Act.

“Everyone has moved on from COVID”, the premier says on the video.

“Everyone” but the premier and her angry band of organizers from Take Back Alberta, that is.

Whether it really matters to UCP supporters that Smith is directing political pressure on our justice system and lying about it, or lying about trying to put political pressure on our justice system to keep a bunch of indignant toddlers marching in line behind her is debatable.

We know it would be the outrage du jour if the perpetrator wasn’t a conservative but, they are, so it’s totes different in this province.

One upside might be that Danielle Smith has personal experience in convincing Albertans to reject her aims,

However, that might be why Smith’s team has filed a defamation claim against the CBC.

The notice, dated April 2, 2023, will allow Smith to sidestep questions about her lack of judgement simply because the suit is pending.

As one Twitter-user noted, “…this seems designed to shut Danielle Smith up more than the CBC.”

At a press availability April 3, Smith demonstrated a newfound ability to stop defending her indefensible actions — likely a welcome change for voters seeking an excuse for the fact that they were going to vote for her anyway.

It’s a live (show)!

Twitter avatar for @yesssi
Jessica H @yesssi
@Citizen004 Whew. That was fun. At the West of Centre live taping earlier this week, Nenshi said there's one thing conservatives will not stand for: incompetence. I have questions.
4:54 PM ∙ Mar 31, 2023
3Likes1Retweet

Both West of Centre and The Strategists did a live show last week and both were fantastic.

Each noted the reasonable expectation that Edmonton will secure all of its available seats for the NDP, rural will send every blue sign back to Edmonton regardless of whether it has a representative attached, and Calgary will become the site of an unethical social experiment where neighbour will turn on neighbour for supporting the most evil party that will kill (fill in the blank) in Alberta.

There are a number of conservatives who are fed up with Danielle Smith; she’s rubbing Alberta’s nose in excrement to “own the Libs” and they aren’t happy.

Unlike pollster Janet Brown’s “orphan voters”, these are conservatives whose vote is not up for grabs — they will not vote NDP — these voters will stay home if they cannot support their party.

Smith’s leadership thus far has been a sideshow.

Where once we had the most stable political climate, we now have the most unstable climate (also Janet Brown, but not in that episode).

This is bad for business, and investment, and Alberta generally.

I’ll stand by that statement as a non-partisan take.

Twitter avatar for @TheAnnaMurphy
Anna Murphy @TheAnnaMurphy
So about last night… @zainvelji was absent as usual, @coreyhogan was delightful and informative, @carter_AB brought slides, and @AnnaliseAK was the star of the evening. Best part was the AI generated message from @RachelNotley #abpoli #ableg #cdnpoli #yyc #calgary #alberta
Image
1:52 PM ∙ Apr 3, 2023
29Likes4Retweets

The Strategists forwent dueling pianos for strategies, each putting together a “winning” strategy for one of the two leading parties.

It boiled down to the NDP having to figure out really fast how campaign organization outside of an NDP-friendly area works while the UCP simply has to put Calgary-friendly messaging out and otherwise STFU.

In other words, one has to work harder and get louder and the other has to be seen but not heard.

One potato, two potato, three potato, four…

Twitter avatar for @Mitchell_AB
Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean @Mitchell_AB
That this person never had someone say “wow, that’s kind of out there” prior to becoming a candidate *for the governing party* is stunning AF.
Twitter avatar for @Alberta_UCP
United Conservative Party of Alberta @Alberta_UCP
Statement from Torry Tanner. https://t.co/HUD20kaREe
4:57 PM ∙ Mar 30, 2023
141Likes27Retweets

The deadline for candidate nominations is fast approaching if we’re to have an election this May and Smith has almost reached her limit of four candidate appointments, according to the UCP bylaws.

Smith used one of her four passes for herself in Brooks-Medicine Hat, Brian Jean in Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche, and Rajan Sawhney in Calgary-North West.

Sawhney decided she is not opposed to seeking re-election after all, and has accepted the nomination in Calgary-North West.

The riding was recently left candidate-less after Sonya Savage — who was demoted from Energy to Environment and Parks in Smith’s new cabinet — announced she would not run again.

The party has 81 of 87 candidates in place after they lost another two this week.

Lethbridge-West candidate Tory Tanner resigned after a video she created during her nomination process finally got picked up.

Tanner claimed teachers were showing students “pornographic materials” among other unsubstantiated but popular sub-urban legends within fringe conservative “parent groups”.

“It's clear that my choice of words have distracted not only from the issue I was trying to discuss, but are being used by my political opponents to hurt our chances of winning across the province,” Tanner said in her resignation.

“Imprecise language” for the win (loss?) again.

The party also lost Edmonton-South UCP candidate Tunde Obasan bowed out for personal reasons.

In an apparent effort to thwart an appointment from Smith — or a potential board takeover by TBA — Finance Minister Travis Toews’ constituency association in Grande Prairie-Wapiti has nominated Ron Wiebe to be their candidate. The nomination is pending approval.

Share

Your Province, Your Problem

Twitter avatar for @KristinRaworth
Kristin Raworth @KristinRaworth
I’m extremely curious how they vet these calls for Your Province Your Premier because thus far it’s all calls that align strongly with UCP talking points
4:24 PM ∙ Apr 1, 2023
28Likes2Retweets

I have avoided this show since its inception — quite without thoughtful planning, I must add — and this past weekend I finally managed to catch it on time.

Every caller during the first half hour was blowing so much hot air up Smith’s butt, I figured they needed some alone time.

That the NDP hasn’t started a version of this to air on Sunday mornings is a real shame.

Final thoughts

Twitter avatar for @susie_dent
Susie Dent @susie_dent
Word of the day is ‘snollygoster’ (19th-century US): one who relentlessly pursues their own agenda at the expense of everyone else.
2:24 PM ∙ Mar 28, 2023
8,398Likes1,736Retweets
Twitter avatar for @hollyhoye
Holly Hoye @hollyhoye
“Or else” This petulant retaliation tells me two things: 1. She knows the story is hurting her 2. She’s desperate to show her base that the CBC (a seasoned target for the far right) is to blame
Twitter avatar for @sunrickbell
rick bell @sunrickbell
NEW COLUMN. EXCLUSIVE. Notice of Defamation sent to CBC. Danielle Smith tells CBC retract, correct, apologize for recent article on phone call between Smith, Pawlowski by April 28 or else https://t.co/UQwz0Y4jxI #ableg #abpoli #abgov #cdnpoli #canpoli #canpolitics #calsun #yyc
2:44 PM ∙ Apr 3, 2023
55Likes15Retweets
Twitter avatar for @S_HastingsSimon
Dr Sara Hastings-Simon @S_HastingsSimon
Alberta politics is the weirdest place as is demonstrated by the fact this post makes 100% sense if you live here and follow politics.
Twitter avatar for @planetjanetyyc
Janet Brown @planetjanetyyc
If you find yourself feeling peckish at @strategistspod Live tonight, look for me. I'm selling Donut Mill donuts at a huge markup. But if you promise to clean up your own crumbs, you'll get a big discount. I'm calling it R-Donuts. #ableg https://t.co/ks2AOhMA6L
1:41 AM ∙ Apr 3, 2023
97Likes15Retweets
4
2
Share
Share this post

April fools and snollygosters

womenofabpoli.substack.com
2 Comments
Jess H
Apr 3Liked by Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean

C'est bon. Tres bon. Almost too many bon things to note, but here are my faves:

Gold: "Calgary will become the site of an unethical social experiment where neighbour will turn on neighbour for supporting the most evil party that will kill (fill in the blank) in Alberta."

Silver: In other words, one has to work harder and get louder and the other has to be seen but not heard.

Bronze: Your Province, Your Problem

Expand full comment
Reply
1 reply by Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean
1 more comment…
Top
New
Community

No posts

Ready for more?

© 2023 Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start WritingGet the app
Substack is the home for great writing