Rumors are circulating about Danielle Smith's future. David Cleminhaga writes:
There’s a whiff of smoke in the air, as if a cow has kicked over a lantern in a stable somewhere, and flames are just starting to spread.
On Saturday, the Breakdown, an Alberta political podcast, tweeted “Heard from multiple reliable sources today that the UCP caucus is a hair's breadth away from boiling over and prospective leaders to replace Smith are actively being discussed.”
The Breakdown’s thread continued: “Apparently caucus is split along rather predictable lines, and there are increasing concerns within the larger faction that Smith is more focused on the ‘Danielle Smith Show’ than she is actual governance or winning the next election.”
“This all comes at a time where the same groups that elevated Smith are becoming more frustrated with her constant equivocation on her promises to them,” the folks at the Breakdown said. “One source told us today that there is a very real possibility of a new leader before the next election.”
There are leaks in the UCP house:
On Sunday, former Progressive Conservative deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk tweeted an intriguing fragment of a message he said was from a member of Smith’s cabinet.
“It would be easy to leave,” the purported minister lamented, with a certain lack of clarity. “To stay. Not so easy when I see something that has been said that is unacceptable from my new leader. Honestly. Is she going to lead this party in the next election? I don’t know. Do you? Won’t be me but who? A good opposition is as important as a good government.”
Lukaszuk commented that Smith “indeed has problems when her cabinet ministers exchange among themselves messages like this one.” Most of us would want to respond to the mystery minister: “So, resign already? Make a scene!”
Still, if this really was said by a member of Smith’s cabinet, it’s hard to disagree that it suggests the premier’s problems are growing.
Has she overplayed her hand?
Image: The Globe And Mail
9 comments:
I think I've seen this movie before. An ignorant, narcissistic media star makes stupid promises to slack-jawed yokels and greedy bazillionaires. Chaos ensues as reality intervenes, and impeachment follows. Is this a rerun?
This show is well into re-runs, Cap.
Better that she step down now instead of being trounced in an election and storming the provincial Legislature with truckers claiming a fraudulent election.
She appears to appeal to that crowd, zoombats. It would be better for the province if she took that path.
Perfect analogy, zoombats! What's that word that describes doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result? Oh yeah, I think its probably "insanity".
Insanity has gone viral, Lulymay.
Thanks for this piece, PoV. It's really interesting. When it comes to investments, the question is always, "Where and in what are you investing?"
Always nice to see the economists noticing an issue. I expect the demographers have been onto this for years. We probably should check back with David Foot at U of T.
John Ibbitson and Darrell Bricker published a popular press book on this back in 2019. Empty Planet: The Shock of Global Population Decline .
I have not read it unfortunately but I did hear an interview with the authors on TVO. They have some interesting points IIRC.
I remember when the book came out, jrk. You're right. We have some good data to work with.
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