I'm trying to move away from Medium somewhat, though at the moment I am maintaining both sites, so I am glad you'll be posting more substantial stuff on Substack :)
Awesome, David! I'm moving away from Medium myself. Trying to get my newsletter up and running to a place where I feel I can offer a separate paid option.
I was going to comment on your post - but your refuse comments from anyone who isn't a paid subscriber. That makes me NOT want to be a subscriber at all. Because, if you wish to portray yourself as a neutral commentator, you won't get much feedback that way. I think your call is wrong; while I would love to see stable, steady hand on the tiller 'small-L conservative leadership', I think most Albertans will react to the Premier's early electioneering with promised funds from all Albertans to fund 'vote getting schemes' like the Calgary Flames deal announced yesterday will come back to bite her harshly. It's like her flip-flop on medical care. Result, in my view, is that the other leader in the race has a history of a steady hand on the tiller, interests of all Albertans in her actions and track record. I've never voted NDP in my life. I met Rachel Notley for the first time about 40 years ago - she's as straight an arrow now as she was then. Albertans trust character and consistency - as they did with Aberhardt, Manning and Lougheed. Even Klein, love him or hate him - was straight talking and a man of his word. My Smith, on the other hand, seems to change her DNA with which ever way she thinks the political winds are blowing, and she HAS the track record to prove it. We've seen it play out in the last decade, and she's consistently pandered to fringe and lowest-common denominator folks. Four years of Rachel Notley was not the gong show many predicted. She governed in horrible times, inherited a shitty situation - converted us from coal to gas fired power plants, bought rail cars to get stranded oil to market, did wizardly politics to get Trans Mountain pipeline expansion done, changed the world view of Alberta oil and environmental performance, dealt with bit Fort Mac Fire, operated scandal-free notwithstanding so many rookie MLAs and Ministers. I think Albertans are prepared to trust her again without holding their noses first. As for whether she goes ahead with the Calgary arena deal - my guess would be yes, possibly with some wrinkles and tweaks to get broader buy-in. Calgary, the Stampede and the Flames matter to Calgary. We need a world class facility - and the embarrassment of being the worst building in the league, especially with Edmonton's facility in our mind. But, remember that Calgary voters are not all ardent hockey fans. Remember how they reacted to the prospect of an Olympics bid? Calgarians, across the political spectrum, are not fools or easily fooled. While they appreciate that Murray Edwards and his partners have not sold or moved the Flames, there is a reason the 'vision' first touted by my late friend Ken King did not come to fruition over 15 years of trying, is that this community has about about 1.4 million voices, and ballot boxes bring them together in ways that history and old-school politics won't guarantee.
Cheers,
Mark
p.s. post-election, everyone should keep an eye on Travis Toews ...
Thanks a lot, Yana.
Thanks David for the recommendation, which is appreciated.
Likewise, Vidya. But the site existed before I was there, and I suspect it still will for a while...
No problem, Warren. I appreciate the support you give me very much.
I'm trying to move away from Medium somewhat, though at the moment I am maintaining both sites, so I am glad you'll be posting more substantial stuff on Substack :)
Awesome, David! I'm moving away from Medium myself. Trying to get my newsletter up and running to a place where I feel I can offer a separate paid option.
Anyway, I'm excited to see more of you here!
Pretty sure Medium is missing you in a massive way, David. Sending you good wishes and love.
Sounds like a great development David! Looking forward to it :)
Sounds like a plan. I'll prepare the welcoming committee.
I was going to comment on your post - but your refuse comments from anyone who isn't a paid subscriber. That makes me NOT want to be a subscriber at all. Because, if you wish to portray yourself as a neutral commentator, you won't get much feedback that way. I think your call is wrong; while I would love to see stable, steady hand on the tiller 'small-L conservative leadership', I think most Albertans will react to the Premier's early electioneering with promised funds from all Albertans to fund 'vote getting schemes' like the Calgary Flames deal announced yesterday will come back to bite her harshly. It's like her flip-flop on medical care. Result, in my view, is that the other leader in the race has a history of a steady hand on the tiller, interests of all Albertans in her actions and track record. I've never voted NDP in my life. I met Rachel Notley for the first time about 40 years ago - she's as straight an arrow now as she was then. Albertans trust character and consistency - as they did with Aberhardt, Manning and Lougheed. Even Klein, love him or hate him - was straight talking and a man of his word. My Smith, on the other hand, seems to change her DNA with which ever way she thinks the political winds are blowing, and she HAS the track record to prove it. We've seen it play out in the last decade, and she's consistently pandered to fringe and lowest-common denominator folks. Four years of Rachel Notley was not the gong show many predicted. She governed in horrible times, inherited a shitty situation - converted us from coal to gas fired power plants, bought rail cars to get stranded oil to market, did wizardly politics to get Trans Mountain pipeline expansion done, changed the world view of Alberta oil and environmental performance, dealt with bit Fort Mac Fire, operated scandal-free notwithstanding so many rookie MLAs and Ministers. I think Albertans are prepared to trust her again without holding their noses first. As for whether she goes ahead with the Calgary arena deal - my guess would be yes, possibly with some wrinkles and tweaks to get broader buy-in. Calgary, the Stampede and the Flames matter to Calgary. We need a world class facility - and the embarrassment of being the worst building in the league, especially with Edmonton's facility in our mind. But, remember that Calgary voters are not all ardent hockey fans. Remember how they reacted to the prospect of an Olympics bid? Calgarians, across the political spectrum, are not fools or easily fooled. While they appreciate that Murray Edwards and his partners have not sold or moved the Flames, there is a reason the 'vision' first touted by my late friend Ken King did not come to fruition over 15 years of trying, is that this community has about about 1.4 million voices, and ballot boxes bring them together in ways that history and old-school politics won't guarantee.
Cheers,
Mark
p.s. post-election, everyone should keep an eye on Travis Toews ...