25 Comments
User's avatar
Larz Canuck's avatar

If only the Alberta media would stop protecting the corrupt UCP government. Alberta is its own weird little bubble inside of Canada, where the Conservative message is pushed and protected. If the NDP were in power the press would be calling to storm the legislature.

Ancam Dubh's avatar

I met Smith once: she waited my table at her restaurant in High River and I can attest that in person she is friendly and folksy. Perhaps we would all have been better served if she had remained waiting tables. Premiering is not for everyone.

Ancam Dubh's avatar

Speaking of encountering Premiers: I am pretty sure I saw Alison Redford at IKEA a few years ago.

Jim Goodchild's avatar

I've heard it said that the first rule of crisis management is to figure out where "this" ends, and get there as quickly as possible. That's obviously contrary to her instinct, so the question: Is there someone in her circle, with her trust, who will tell her what she needs to hear?

<voice of Ben Stein> Preston? Preston? ... Preston?

Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean's avatar

Pfft — Preston advised her to use Trump’s threats against Canada as a wedge to get pipelines built.

She’s surrounded herself with people who want her to do all these things they wanted done, APP, provincial police, sovereignty act. They don’t care if it’s good for us, and I don’t think they care if it takes her down.

Like the anti-health advice people who had those heroes who then died of Covid and they didn’t care. That’s the type of people she’s surrounded by. If she fails, they’ll find someone else.

Ruth's avatar

I am afraid not, but one can hope? 🙏

Mike's avatar

The ironic part is that she truly believes the UCP is saving us from a corrupt wasteful bureaucracy. If I was the minister of health I would take a wide tack from any idling bus.

Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean's avatar

The minister of health has her own problems to worry about.

Laura M's avatar

Curious if Lagrange’s travel & accommodation to the National Prayer Breakfast was at taxpayers’ expense?

Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean's avatar

It would have been; they had a few meetings set up with elected republicans as well.

Laura M's avatar

I guess that’s valid but it was a bit alarming that the travel was described as ‘attending the National Prayer Breakfast’ given the Christian Nationalist agenda south of the 49th! Perhaps a bit too close to the whole homegrown TBA crowd sort of religious fervour.

TL Philp's avatar

Oh, her high and mightiness needs a push alright … completley out of the true north strong and free!

Garth Jolly's avatar

Great summary and perspective. Smith eventually resigning over this assumes she has shame. And she does not. Also assumes her party and supporters will demand better. But because Trudeau, the carbon tax, his socks, SNC Lavolin, and blackface photos (because they really don’t like bigotry), there is twisted logic that because of all that “being okay” then she shouldn’t have to resign. They simply won’t demand it. The world and voters’ values have changed since Redford resigned following a comparatively minimal scandal. Sadly she’s already engaging in the coverup of the coverup. Then I expect this to fizzle.

Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean's avatar

There’s no fizzling.not this time.

Thomas O'Donnell's avatar

my ‘lay understanding is ‘malignant narcissists are most definitively ‘not nice persons..

‘malignant - ‘just getting worse.. & most ‘work at it every day.. ‘it’s become natural..

Am I wrong ? Sociopathic may be a better fit ..? Ms LaGrange seems a truly vapid evangel stooge.. simply ‘unfit for Public Service .. it’s why Jason Kenney deployed her of course

🦎🏴‍☠️🍁

Mary Louise Anderson Hyland's avatar

Support of women leadership is not acceptable to WomenInpower AB?

Callura Michael's avatar

A secured Relationship with America? There is no such thing as Secure Relationship. America is a FOREIGN FASCIST COUNTRY THAT BELIEVES IN DOMINATING THE WORLD. No matter the cost. Allies or Adversaries all are ENEMIES TO THE USA. Sanctions,Tariffs,MILITARY INTERVENTIONS,PROXY WARS, COUPS is what AMERICAN FASCISTS THRIVE ON, even at the SUFFERING OF THEIR OWN CITIZENS. International Law,World Rule Based Order,HUMAN RIGHTS , SOVEREIGNTY OF OTHER COUNTRIES ( Canadian Values) are not visible or followed by Fascist America . Unless those values are construed for their FASCIST NEEDS AND DOMINANCE OVER ADVERSARIES OR ALLIES .

Steve Kennefick's avatar

She needs a push off a cliff.

Steve Shortt's avatar

How can a “nice person” be such a deceiver?

Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean's avatar

As George Costanza once said “it’s not a lie… if you believe it.” He was talking about beating a lie detector, but it works. She believes the lies she tells and no amount of fact-finding can make her change her mind. Nice people can be really misinformed, I think.

Peter's avatar

hey I know a cliff!

User's avatar
Comment deleted
Feb 13, 2025
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Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean's avatar

To be fair, I was told this before that.

User's avatar
Comment deleted
Feb 12, 2025
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Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean's avatar

Wonderfully put, David :)