Ralph adds another nail to his own coffin

Seldom has a country to opportunity to watch a politician self-destruct as thoroughly as Alberta's Ralph Klein seems to be doing.

With a First Minister's conference on Health Care pending, Ralph decides that he's not going to participate after the first day.

Says Ralph: "there's no bloody votes down there". Further, he'd like to attend a speaking engagement in Lethbridge.

Wow - that's leadership for ya. We elect this clown to lead the province, and what does he do when there's actual governing needed? Runs for cover.

In the fall sitting of the Legislature, he conveniently was unavailable for the bulk of it. Granted, given the overwhelming majority that the Klein Tories hold, the legislature is something of a joke in Alberta, but for the Premier to absent himself for the bulk of a 3 week session is an inexcusable slap in the face to Albertans.

Now, what do we find? He knows damn good and well that with Dosanj sitting in the Minister of Health chair, and Paul Martin behind that, Ralph's pet project won't get much sway. This conference is an opportunity for Ralph to actually show that he is _in_fact_ the elder statesman of our provincial premiers - go there and show some actual leadership Ralph! Negotiate, don't just try to start your usual pissing match with the Federal Government. We (the voters) all know damn good and well that's about the most ineffective way to accomplish anything.

Earlier this week, Ralph proclaimed that he was going to consult with Albertans as to what government spending priorities should be in 'post-debt' Alberta. Sure - more like this is a cheezy little poll so that he can decide how to buy the next provincial election. I'm sorry Ralph, but anyone with half a brain in this province can see more than 10 options for how the government should be applying spending. It's not just a priority list. This 'consultation' is nothing more than an excuse for you to "justify" the next round of nastiness that you and your backers have in mind.

What do we have in this province? A dictator, and a worn out one at that. Ralph keeps trying to play populist cards, when he should have grown beyond that and actually be acting as the senior statesman among our premiers. Instead, we have a premier who runs and hides when he knows that he won't get his own way. (I think the people of Lethbridge might actually forgive you not showing at a speaking engagement if you are doing something productive - like being part of the solution to the problems that Health Care in this country is experiencing)

Along with a recent attempt at vote-buying with Alberta's seniors, Ralph's stance towards the First Minister's conference is deplorable. At best it is an attempt to raise an issue prior to an election - preferably one where he can squawk about the evils of the Federal Government, rather than actually have to be accountable for his own policies and activities in power.

Ask yourself if Klein is really transparent and accountable:

- The legislature sits for fewer days now than it did in the mid-1980s
- Klein thinks it is acceptable to absent himself from that legislature
- Has anyone actually benefitted from energy deregulation in this province? (I certainly haven't, nor has anyone I know)
- BSE emergency funding. Okay - $400 Million vanished into the pockets of the meat packers, and the program was "working as it was intended to" ????

Right now, Klein is setting himself up for another election. As voters in this province, it is vital that we recognize how tired and worn out the Klein tories are becoming. Where there should be leadership, there is only confrontation; where there should be clarity and accountability, we are rebuffed with the same schoolyard taunts that most people outgrow in grade school.