Who's Going to be the New Premier?

If you've been following the media lately there are six people who are jockeying to become the next Premier of Alberta - at least for a little while.  Yes, for a little while for a couple of reasons. First off, there is a a four year election cycle set up in Alberta and that would put us around the middle of March for the next provincial election. Secondly its up to the new Prem when to call and election and whoever gets in might want to fast track it to catch other parties off their game.

By off their game, I mean they may or may not have a leader in place i.e: the Alberta Libs, they might not have enough candidates nominated in each constituency and their war chest might be a little light in coin of the realm.  We'll have to wait and see who emerges as the winner and its likely going to take two ballots.

Here's the card for this month's race (alphabetically by last name so there's no favouritism) Doug Griffiths, Doug Horner, Gary Mar, Ted Morton, Rick Orman and Allison Redford. I have met the first two and have known one of them for a number of years.  The balance of candidates I've seen in forums, previous occupations and of course news programs.

Each of these folks have been beating the bush for supporters since Premier Ed turned them loose and Its still a crap shoot as to who has the leading edge. If you listen to the social media specialists who follow each camp its their candidate who is the sharpest, wittiest, greatest responder and breather and sigher and any little thing to get them trending. I'm sure that several of them took lessons from Mayor Nenshi in Calgary who appeared out of nowhere on Facebook and became the number one bureaucrat in Cowtown. Who'd a thunk.

Well, I've listened to a lot of folks lately who keep telling me. I don't do Facebook, I don't do Twitter and I have dial up so I can't watch the forums online. How the heck am I going to get to know these people and determine if I want to hire them to handle my tax dollars in an efficient way. Yes I know there are or were eight forums lined up in strategic cities or towns but it wasn't always convenient for people to make the trek. (I said were because there's only a couple left in Edmonton & Calgary). A couple of the candidates have made it up here to Northeastern Alberta (Doug Horner & Rick Orman) but the others have stayed away or just been too busy I guess.

Its really too bad because its turning off quite a few supporters and that's making it difficult on the local committee who will be running these polls. Over the next little while we've got four full days where we'll take time from our jobs and our families to staff the advance poll on September the 13, the first regular election day on September 17 then the next advance poll on September 27 and then the final election day on October 1st.  Our volunteers are going to be spread pretty thin if we don't get a few more for our two locations. If you're interested. Just send me an email. My contact info is on my profile.  Oh, and there are two polls, one in Bonnyville at 5211 - 47 street (the New Ag Society office and former MD Service Office) and one in Cold Lake at the Tri-City Mall. Hours of the polls are from 9 am to 7pm with a couple of hours tacked on to the 17th for counting votes.

We will survive I'm sure and we will get a new leader and that person will be the new Premier at least for a while.