| 2004 has been another banner year for Premier Ralph Klein as far as gaffes and indiscretions go. Here are just a few highlights:
In May, Klein became extremely testy while Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman grilled him on government spending at the legislature’s public accounts committee. Acting like a schoolyard bully, Klein demanded to know three times if Blakeman was calling him a liar. And then he continued to taunt her, asking five times, "You don’t believe me?"
Then, just a couple of days later, Klein made this infamous comment during a legislative debate over auto insurance. After Liberal leader Kevin Taft suggested a public auto insurance plan, Klein said, "It sounds like former president Salvador Allende in Chile, you know, when he took over all the copper mines and said, ‘The Americans are out’…. I’m not saying that Pinochet was any better, but because of the only elected communist in Chile, Allende, and the socialist reforms he put in, Pinochet was forced, I would say, to mount a coup."
Then, attempting to defuse the outrage his comment caused, Klein produced an essay he’d written on Chile for a university course. However, the media quickly discovered that large portions of it had been taken directly from an essay on the Internet, without any attribution. "What is the big deal?" was Klein’s comment when asked about accusations of plagiarism.
Last but not least, the Tory premier was credited with hurting the chances of the Conservative Party during the June federal election after commenting to the media that proposed health reforms in Alberta might contravene the Canada Health Act. Thanks for that one, Ralph. |
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