Alberta Politics in Turmoil

Whispering in the Wind (WITW 21) March 23, 2014

Who would you pick to be Alison Redford’s replacement?

Jim Dinning – Was Provincial Treasurer in the 1990s.  Considered a frontrunner candidate in the 2006 leadership race and lost to Ed Stelmach.

Doug Griffiths – First elected in 2002 (age 29) and ran for the PC leadership in 2011.  Was Municipal Affairs Minister and a few months ago was assigned the Services ministry.

Doug Horner – Currently Finance Minister and ended up third in the 2011 leadership race.  Has held various portfolios and is the son of Hugh Horner.

Ken Hughes – A Calgary MLA, Hughes was energy minister and now municipal affairs minister.  Was a federal MP and in 2008 was the inaugural chairman of Alberta Health Services board.

Jeff Johnson – Elected in 2008 representing the Athabasca-Redwater constituency, Johnson is Alberta’s education minister and Chairman of Council of Ministers of Education of Canada.

Donna Kennedy-Glans – Was associate minister of electricity and renewable energy.  Resigned from the PC caucus recently and sits as an independent.  Before elected MLA, was a Calgary lawyer and held executive positions in the oil patch.    

Thomas Lukaszuk – Up until recently the Edmonton MLA was deputy premier, is now skills, training, labor minister – known to have caused a major rift between unions and post-secondary institutions.

Naheed Nenshi – Mayor, City of Calgary.

Don Iverson – Mayor, City of Edmonton.

Steven Mandel – Three term mayor, City of Edmonton.

Gary Mar – Former health minister, was front runner in 2011 leadership race, lost to Alison Redford – currently Alberta’s Asian envoy. 

Ric McIver – Former Calgary City councillor (for three terms) lost in 2010 Calgary mayoralty race – currently, infrastructure minister.

Diana McQueen – From Drayton Valley, the MLA was environment minister, currently energy minister.

Jim Prentice – A lawyer and former federal cabinet minister; Indian affairs, environment, industry – currently working for Enbridge Inc. to deal with aboriginal affairs as it relates to the Northern Gateway pipeline proposal.

Bill Smith – Former president of the Alberta’s Progressive Conservative Party.