SPEAKING OF DEAD FISH

I have had occasion within the last few days of speaking intimately - at separate times and in Calgary - with a couple of former power forces of the ancien regime de Le Roi Ralph - in a civilized atmosphere with good booze (but expensive) and comely service. Although they have been politcally misguided for many years,they are bon vivants who have done well financially representing the flotsam and jetsam of favour seekers, promoters, flim-flam artistes, and other riff-raff who curried favour with the Klein Government.

Although they like the new Premier - in that they find him benign and possessing of a certain hayseed charm - they are of the view that the 'Strom Syndrome' is probably in play. For those of you who are not familiar with the 'Strom Syndrome,' its like the 'Frank Miller Syndrome' only with an Alberta farmer in place of an Ontario hamlet Rotarian. Either way, it means a change of Government. Harry Strom was an upstanding but boring southern Alberta farmer who replaced Ernest Manning as Leader of the Social Credit Party in 1969. Alas, he faced the cool, smooth, urbane Peter Lougheed in the General Election of 1971, and it was curtains for Strom and the Socreds. They have only now recently come back to life in their 'Conservative Party' incarnation under Bush's pal Steve Harper.

Likewise with Frank Miller, who replaced the cool and smooth 'Buttermilk Billy' Davis, only to go down to defeat to David Peterson which, come to think of it, was no mean achievement for Frank. Something like Buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson. It gave new meaning to the expression 'Cinderella Man.' That last crack was subtle, but you get my drift.

So, according to my two unimpeachable sources, the future is bleak for Fast Eddie. But that ain't all - as Stevie's pal Bush would say. No. The big story is that both of these gurus predict that Calgary Elbow - Ralph's Riding - will go to the Grits! No Contest they say. For the Tories, Elbow is history!