KEVIN TAFT: ON THE MOVE

For Special Ed, these are tough times. Brutal, in fact. For the past couple of weeks, with a single exception, its been all bad news. Indeed, he picked up plenty of speed going down the steep incline towards the Harry Strom world of political oblivion.

Calgary's Mayor Bronco continued his deft attack against Special Ed's double cross on what should have been no-strings infrastructure money to Calgary.
Surprisingly, Eddie's Calgary Tory Caucus Chair David Rodney, MLA for Calgary Lougheed was caught stumbling in the wake of the Bronco onslaught. Rodney blamed obvious Tory difficulties in Calgary to Bronco's attacks on municipal funding. He also accused the Mayor of misleading Calgarians on the issue in an effort to get the Government to knuckle under to his demands. Rodney added loftily that, "He [Bronco] needs to remember he's the mayor of Calgary, he's not his (sic) majesty's loyal opposition." Pouring more gasoline on the fire, Rodney said the Mayor was betraying Calgarians by sabotaging the efforts of Calgary Tory MLA's. Bronco, for his part, rose in righteous indignation to demand Rodney cease the 'personal attacks,' and work to solve the problem. Rodney's whining was surprising for a formerly sure-footed, two-time conqueror of Mount Everest cum gung-ho motivational speaker. Happily for him he stumbled at the low altitudes of the Alberta prairies rather than at 28000 feet.

Finance Minister Lyle Oberg continued his reckless musings by implying that that the Task Force looking into the adequacy of oil and gas royalties going into Government coffers would likely decide that they were fine. According to Oberg, because of high cost inflation in exploration and development, the oil companies just would probably not be able to pay any more. Hence, the obvious question - why bother continuing with the Task Force? Ministers had to clean up the motormouth's mess so that the Task Force could continue to stumble to what the oil barons are sure to see as a positive and just outcome.

In the meantime, formerly friendly editorial boards of the major print media are becoming increasingly bellicose and threatening of the Special Ed squad. Columnist Rick Bell of the Calgary Sun has been on the Government's case for a long time. But he is now being joined by the likes of the Edmonton Sun's Neil Waugh.

And to add to Eddie's woes, Cameron Strategies, a market research firm headed by political strategist Bruce Cameron who honed his skills with the Angus Reid firm for many years, released some polling results. The Tories could only regard them as bleak. In the formerly unassailable Tory bastion of Calgary, Special Ed's team had dropped 19 points from January to May - to a measly 40%. In Edmonton, the news was hardly better - the Tories had dropped 8 points to 42%. Worse yet, Ed's disapproval rating in Cowtown had jumped from 18% to 39%. That last number, Cameron colorfully described as the 'first shoe dropping.'

The only good news for the Tories was Health Minister Dave Hancock's announcement that he had convinced the Government to finally ban smoking in public places and work sites, as well as to restrict the number of establishments that may sell tobacco products. Not only did Hancock accomplish this over the strenuous objections of many in the Tory caucus, it is the only coherent piece of important legislation brought forth so far by the Government since Special Ed took power.

In the meantime on the by-election front, Grit candidate Craig Cheffins' campaign to win Ralph Klein's old riding in Calgary Elbow, is humming along nicely. Grit troops from throughout the City and some from as far away as Edmonton are busily knocking on doors, the red signs are out in abundance and the money is rolling in. In Drumheller-Stettler, Tom Dooley, a popular rancher from the riding who pilots his own plane, has his whole family out in force as well as his many friends and supporters. He too senses change in the air, as he cheerfully scours the large riding for Grit support.

And just this Wednesday past, Leader Kevin Taft spoke to 400 of the faithful at a fund-raising dinner at downtown Calgary's Hyatt Regency. His message was simple, effective, thoughtful and well received, and - not to mention - timely. According to Taft, it was high time an Alberta Government had a plan - a plan to manage our wealth for present and future generations. How was it, he asked, that even though the Provincial Government have spent 93% of all oil and gas royalties that it has received in the last 25 years, we still lack schools, hospitals, roads, and affordable housing? And where were the policies on land use, a dwindling water supply and proper municipal funding?

There were Grits in the crowd alright. But there were plenty of old Tories. And they were listening carefully, and clapped vigorously at the end. This is not a dream. It is happening. Special Ed's nightmares continue.

THE ADVENTURES OF FAST EDDIE: THE SKELETONS AND TURNCOATS COME BACK TO HAUNT

Lyle Oberg began letting it all hang out in the twilight of the Klein Dark Ages, when he warned the worst Premier in the history of the Province that he knew where the skeletons were. Although the statement didn't help him to become the new PC Leader and Premier, it did give him enough ink and airtime to make him a serious candidate. Although a lacklustre campaign precluded him from being among the three top finishers prior to the runoff, Oberg's salvation came in supporting Eddie in the runoff contest against Dinning and Morton which Eddie of course won. Thereby, for better or worse, the new Preem became beholden to Oberg, and made him Finance Minister.

Oberg, not unlike Treasury Board Head and Eddie henchman Lloyd Snelgrove, obviously likes his power and the trappings thereof and has continued his loose cannon ways that catapulted him into the public consciousness.

The most recent example is his stand on Equalization. He is saying very publicly one thing. Eddie, supposedly his boss, is saying quite another. The Preem wants Bush's pal Steve Harper not to include non-renewable resource cash in the Federal Equalization Program. Oberg says its of no concern to him as to whether Harper does or doesn't. In his opinion, a more important issue is that Federal per capita transfers to Alberta should be increased.

Given that Stelmach and Klein have invested so much political capital in the non-inclusion of non-renewable resource revenue in Equalization, Oberg's position looks very much like a challenge to the Premier's authority. It smacks of insolence and insubordination and he appears to be getting away with it. Obviously, as a result, Eddie looks weak and indecisive. If he can't get his Finance Minister to sing on the same page, how long will it be before other Ministers test the limits.

The Premier appears to be facing the same issue from at least one back-bencher. Gene Zwozdesky, one of the few Tory MLA's from Edmonton, and one of the urban Ministers dumped by Fast Eddie and his rural revival, had the gall to ask Seniors Minister Greg Melchin in the Legislature to abolish or reduce the provincial education property tax for seniors. The total divied up by Alberta senior citizens pursuant to that tax is about $147 million a year. Melchin, so far, has said no.

Zwozdesky is noted for his shaky party loyalty. He was once a famous former Liberal turncoat, who, upon the departure of Laurence Decore as Party Leader, vaulted over to the Klein Tories who treated him very well indeed, having him serve as Minister of Community Development and Minister of Education. Now that he has been defrocked by Fast Eddie and his rural posse, it is not beyond comprehension that Zwozdesky could stick a dagger here and there between you know who's shoulder blades.

Who needs enemies with pals like Oberg and Zwozdesky.