Julie McLaughlin

Here’s my list of the worst of provincial politics during the last year, followed by a list of the best. No doubt readers will have their own items to add.

The overwhelming power of the Alberta Conservatives. They made it clear that with 72 out of 83 seats in the legislature, and millions of dollars in party coffers, they can do what they want, when they want. Public opinion just isn’t part of the equation, especially when the vast majority didn’t even bother to vote.

The barely breathing Liberals. Only 4,500 Liberals cast a vote in last fall’s leadership race. Compare that to the 144,000 votes cast in the Tory leadership race of 2006. The Liberals are in such dire straights financially that they have had to cut office staff and tap their regular donors over and over again to stay alive.

The delusional NDP. When are they going to come to grips with the fact that two Edmonton seats in the legislature does not make for a provincial political party? They have no hope of ever winning a seat in Calgary. Ditto for anywhere outside Edmonton.

The shredded Greens. It wasn’t that long ago that the Alberta Greens looked as though they could build on popular opposition to proposed mega power lines in central Alberta. Joe Anglin led that charge but then executed a messy takeover of the party which drove many members away. Looks like it’s been reduced to a party of one.

The wacky Wild Rose Alliance. Their most recent leader, Paul Hinman seems like nice man, but he said the most ridiculous things; climate change is a hoax; the market is always right; and there should be no minimum wage. It’s hard to take the alliance seriously, but this is Alberta so unfortunately we can’t count them out.

The Alberta Health Services Board. Our ever-abrasive health minister, Ron Liepert, organized this illustrious group of wealthy people, most of whom know nothing about health care, to run our public health care system — every piece of it in every corner of the province. Just as the recession was settling in they gave themselves a 20 per cent raise and hiked the amount they receive for each meeting they attend. And more recently they threatened to pull a laser machine from Rockyview Hospital until two private donors pledged to cover the cost. Calgary Herald columnist Don Braid was right when he wrote that this board is no better than Somali pirates.

Despite our huge democratic deficit there were a few glimmers of hope.

Peter Bailey of Edmonton. Kudos to Bailey for spotting the mysterious lake in the new Alberta branding campaign. He wanted to know exactly where it was so he kept e-mailing those who should know until someone finally fessed up and admitted the lake wasn’t in Alberta at all, but in northern England. Sometimes the ordinary citizen can accomplish more than the opposition parties and news media combined.

The Pembina Institute. Premier Stelmach gets so upset whenever anyone suggests that the tarsands are messy, that they spew carbon into the atmosphere and toxic waste into our rivers. But despite all the spin and millions of taxpayers’ dollars spent on greenwashing, the Pembina Institute continues to challenge the premier’s version of events with clear, factual information and analysis about all things environmental in Alberta. Check out their latest offering, Oil Sands Myths, at pembina.org.

President Barack Obama. Without his push for a national cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions, and more green energy, Alberta would be even further behind on climate change policies than it already is.

The public debate over Bill 44. Amendments to the Alberta Human Rights Act provoked a flurry of protest that would be normal in most parts of the country but is quite unusual in Alberta. Cabinet minister Lindsay Blackett tried hard to defend this sloppy piece of legislation but in the end, key players such as the Sheldon Chumir Foundation and a Facebook group of high school students made way more sense.

The Democratic Renewal Project. Some Albertans to the left of the Conservatives have decided it’s better to join forces than continue to split the vote. So NDPers, Liberals and Greens, as well as a few disenchanted Conservatives, are already strategizing for the next provincial election. They aren’t getting much support from party leaders. For example, the NDP has decided to run a candidate in the Calgary Glenmore byelection even though its chances of getting even a respectable vote are zilch. NDP leader Brian Mason seems to have forgotten that Liberals openly supported NDP candidate Linda Duncan in Edmonton and helped get her elected as a federal MP. DRP enthusiasts hope they can bypass dictatorial party leaders and appeal directly to voters with a grassroots campaign. There’s a strong Calgary contingent. For more info, check out drpcalgary.wetpaint.com.