So…
Later today we find out whether Jason Kenney becomes the next (allegedly) Canadian (allegedly) Conservative politician to be put on an ice floe and sent off to sea.
He tried to finish in a blaze of glory, championing the recent 4 – 1 decision of the Alberta Court of Appeal that Bill 69, the Impact Assessment Act, was unconstitutional as some big “See? I told ya!!” victory.
For clarity, this is the same court that ruled that the federal government’s carbon regulatory fee (something conservatives have misguidedly and duplicitously labelled as being a “Carbon Tax”, and something the Supreme Court ruled was most definitely not a “tax”) was unconstitutional before the Supreme Court of Canada ruled 6 – 3 that it was indeed.
Pretty much the same arguments that were made in the latter case were made for this one too, so I’ve a feeling the Supreme Court may not be too impressed with the bench of the Alberta Court of Appeal for simply ignoring its previous ruling on these arguments when this case comes to it.
And it will.
And it will.
As it was only a reference case, the decision of the Alberta Court of Appeal is non-binding and the Supreme Court is obligated to hear it.
Kenney (if UCP Leader he is still after today) will probably lose this one too.
Then yesterday, Kenney went for ‘The Big Finish’, going to the US to testify before Congress: “Hey guys! What gives? You go to Venezuela first for oil before Alberta??!” (I guess 30 years plus of chasing away international investment and morphing into a wholly undependable investment market by pugnaciously objecting to skating to where the environmental puck is going has an impact over the long term, eh?).
Of course, the leadership votes were cast before Kenney did these final two things, so it may have just been him moving a lot of wind (about the only truly political skill he’s ever demonstrated in his entire embarrassment of a career as there is a very clear trail of documented failure from his time in Ottawa which, much deservedly, earned him the nickname ‘Bumbles’)
But if Kenney gets the boot, that will be Pallister, O’Toole, and Kenney gone since PM Trudeau (really) won (it seems) his last election…
Not bad for a guy who needs to be reminded to put his pants on before a debate and who’s obsessed with sock and hair, eh?
Until we next see each other, be kind to, and gentle with, yourself,
Your Eager Beaver
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