XPost: can.politics, ab.politics, calgary.general   
   XPost: edm.general, bc.politics   
   From: Panca@nyet.ca   
      
   > On Tuesday, December 16, 2014 7:12:18 PM UTC-7, (ಠ_ಠ)  wrote:   
   >> Never underestimate the power of an offer for more power . . . .   
   >> _________________________________   
   >> CBC News Posted: Dec 16, 2014   
   >>   
   >>   
   >> Danielle Smith among 7 Wildrose MLAs crossing to Alberta PC party   
   >>   
   >> Seven Wildrose MLAs are planning to cross to Alberta’s governing   
   Progressive   
   >> Conservative party, CBC news has learned.   
   >>   
   >> Two party sources said the seven are:   
   >>   
   >>       Party leader Danielle Smith (Highwood)      <<====   (=_=)   
   >>       House leader Rob Anderson (Airdrie)   
   >>       Jeff Wilson (Calgary-Shaw)   
   >>       Gary Bikman (Cardston-Taber-Warner)   
   >>       Pat Stier (Livingston-Macleod)   
   >>       Blake Pederson (Medicine Hat)   
   >>       Jason Hale.(Strathmore-Brooks)   
   >>   
   >> Members of the 14-person caucus met Tuesday afternoon to discuss an offer   
   from   
   >> the PCs, led by Premier Jim Prentice.   
      
      
   On 12/17/2014 8:12 AM, Roy wrote:   
   > Alberta is not rat-free as evidenced by the Wild Rose Party desertion.   
      
      
   Here's what I think is 'going down' in Alberta's politics . . . .   
      
   1.  Their economy is taking a big hit (TG!) through dropping oil prices.   
   2.  Prentice has already told Albertans they cannot make up oil revenue losses   
   through cuts to spending alone.   
   3.  He needs to introduce (gasp!) a provincial sales tax - which he will call   
   "a temporary measure".   
   4.  By bribing the most vocal of the Wildrose party over to the PCs (cabinet   
   posts, for sure), he is effectively removing from the opposition party those   
   who would have blasted the sales tax most vociferously and gained voters   
   through sheer anger.  ['Keep your friends close; and your enemies even closer']   
   5.  There will be outrage in Alberta, but where the hell will they go - to the   
   Liberals or the NDP?  Maybe the Liberals, but they'll wait to time the tax for   
   AFTER the federal election.   
      
   This move will cause huge unrest in Alberta, but it sure as hell is going to   
   make life a whole lot easier for Greg Selinger in Manitoba, who had to increase   
   his PST by 1% recently.   
   And my prediction for the amount of PST coming up for Alberta? . . .  3%.  But   
   that will be only 'temporary measure', you understand.   ¯\_(ツ)_/¯   
      
   5.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)