Stelmach, PC Winner

[jdobbin]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/12/03/alta-tories.html

Anyone have a take on this guy? I don't know anything more than the bio on him.

[Charles Anthony]

You may be able to find out what other people think of him in this thread:

Alberta Leadership Race -- New focus by candidates

or maybe in this second new thread:

Five bucks to vote for President of Alberta -- Shouldn' it be free?

[fellowtraveller]

I think he is going to be an excellent Premier.

Dinning would have been too business oriented, and Morton far too socially conservative.

Albertans recognized both those realities, and Ed is the winner.

[stignasty]

Well, I have to admit that I'm a bit put off by the one-party state in Alberta. Hopefully more people will feel the same and we can elect an effective opposition.

[jdobbin]

Well, I have to admit that I'm a bit put off by the one-party state in Alberta. Hopefully more people will feel the same and we can elect an effective opposition.

I haven't see anything that will change that in the future.

[August1991]

In another thread, Geoffrey posted this:

Stelmach is a useless guy, he just stares at the floor and mumbles in interviews. He's out of his league.

Somewhere else, I read Stelmach described, IIRC, as the "kind of guy who parks your uncle's tractor".

I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I understand these descriptions accurately.

Can someone here who knows Albertan politics put the rest of us into the picture? Who is this guy?

----

Found the link:

The only major problem I have with Eddie is that he plans on giving the teachers unions the unfunded portion of the teachers pension (that they somehow forgot to pay) to the tune of several billion of my tax dollars. Other than that, I wouldn't mind having a Ukrainian premier that sounds like he just parked his uncle's tractor. Would definitely be a change, and that would be good. I can only hope that his cabinet shuts him down on the motion. Of course, my 9 year old could probably push Eddie around.

Ukrainian? Stelmach?

Edited December 4, 2006 by August1991

[geoffrey]

Ok August, a bit of a ancedote to explain.

On GlobalTV news yesterday, 6:00, they interview Stelmach on the way to cast his ballot. The reporter askes him "did you get any sleep last night?" referring to the obvious nerves a candidate would have. Stelmach's response (roughly quoted):

"Well, the furnace motor went on the furnance last night, so we had to get that all repaired."

Like what the hell did we elect? Morton might be 'backwards' in some people's view because of his strict stances on Alberta "sovereignty" and social conservatism... but the guy can act like a statesman and sounds like he's got a light on when he talks.

Stelmach is clearly the guy that parks your uncles tractor. He's a farmer, acts like a farmer, talks like a farmer. His responses (I'm sure he's actually a bright guy) are simple and sound uneducated.

In essence, this guy is the rural Ralph.

[margrace]

Yes some of those farmers are hicks. Funny I haven't met any and we have a lot in our family. Several millionairs in fact. I do know that city slickers like to put farmers down, its their low mentality.

[geoffrey]

Yes some of those farmers are hicks. Funny I haven't met any and we have a lot in our family. Several millionairs in fact. I do know that city slickers like to put farmers down, its their low mentality.

Sure there are some rich farmers.

I grew up semi-rural as I'd like to describe it, I had farmers as neighbours in both Ontario and Alberta. I'm not really a 'city-slicker'.

I don't see what the deal is about millionaire farmers and how that changes the fact that Stelmach sounds simple-mind in his talking, lacks political acumen and is way way way out of his league.

[stignasty]

I don't see what the deal is about millionaire farmers and how that changes the fact that Stelmach sounds simple-mind in his talking, lacks political acumen and is way way way out of his league.

I worked up in ranch country (North-east of Brooks) - one conversation I had with a pretty gritty looking guy was "oh, I have my bachelor of commerce too." You can't judge a book by its cover - I imagine our new Premier is the same. I'm willing to see what he's like in the big chair before I decide whether he's a good Premier or not.

[August1991]

So Stelmach is Jean Garon? Or Eugene Whelan? A smart farmer?

Is he "Canadian university approved smart" or is he "U of HK real-life smart". IOW, is he Dion or Chretien?

[stignasty]

So Stelmach is Jean Garon? Or Eugene Whelan? A smart farmer?

Is he "Canadian university approved smart" or is he "U of HK real-life smart". IOW, is he Dion or Chretien?

My mother just called me and asked me what I thought of him. I said basically the same thing I said earlier, let's see how he does in the big chair and leave the other stuff aside for now.

[geoffrey]

So Stelmach is Jean Garon? Or Eugene Whelan? A smart farmer?

Is he "Canadian university approved smart" or is he "U of HK real-life smart". IOW, is he Dion or Chretien?

He is a graduate of the U of A. He's not a complete backwoods hick.

Being said, Morton was a prof for 20 years at the U of C. So maybe education has little to do with hick-ed-ness.

Is he Dion or Chretien?? Tough. He's got the quiet, unconfident feeling of Dion with the common-ness of Chretien.

[B. Max]

So Stelmach is Jean Garon? Or Eugene Whelan? A smart farmer?

Is he "Canadian university approved smart" or is he "U of HK real-life smart". IOW, is he Dion or Chretien?

He is a graduate of the U of A. He's not a complete backwoods hick.

Being said, Morton was a prof for 20 years at the U of C. So maybe education has little to do with hick-ed-ness.

Is he Dion or Chretien?? Tough. He's got the quiet, unconfident feeling of Dion with the common-ness of Chretien.

As I said before I don't think he'll do any damage. Lets see if he can grow into the job and do the right thing before we burn the capital building down.

[Saturn]

Ok August, a bit of a ancedote to explain.

On GlobalTV news yesterday, 6:00, they interview Stelmach on the way to cast his ballot. The reporter askes him "did you get any sleep last night?" referring to the obvious nerves a candidate would have. Stelmach's response (roughly quoted):

"Well, the furnace motor went on the furnance last night, so we had to get that all repaired."

Like what the hell did we elect? Morton might be 'backwards' in some people's view because of his strict stances on Alberta "sovereignty" and social conservatism... but the guy can act like a statesman and sounds like he's got a light on when he talks.

Stelmach is clearly the guy that parks your uncles tractor. He's a farmer, acts like a farmer, talks like a farmer. His responses (I'm sure he's actually a bright guy) are simple and sound uneducated.

In essence, this guy is the rural Ralph.

Hello? And what is Alberta? A bunch of rural Ralphs (are you saying Ralph is not rural?). That's what Albertans need - a mumbling xenophobic drunken villager who will burn gays alive and will give away their oil to Dallas. That's what they've had for over a decade now, that's what they want more of.

[Canadian Blue]

Ralph Klein is from Calgary saturn, and since you couldn't get that right, I think we can write off your entire post as verbal diarrhea.

For some reason I don't remember ever burning gays at the stake, I know some in Alberta, but somehow your description justs comes off as ignorant.

[fellowtraveller]

Yes some of those farmers are hicks. Funny I haven't met any and we have a lot in our family. Several millionairs in fact. I do know that city slickers like to put farmers down, its their low mentality.

Sure there are some rich farmers.

I grew up semi-rural as I'd like to describe it, I had farmers as neighbours in both Ontario and Alberta. I'm not really a 'city-slicker'.

I don't see what the deal is about millionaire farmers and how that changes the fact that Stelmach sounds simple-mind in his talking, lacks political acumen and is way way way out of his league.

I just absolutely love this stuff. That is how Kleins opposition - and it was huge from the first day he promised major change in Alberta , then did what he said he would do- kept losing and losing and losing to him for over a decade. By deciding the aw-shucks demeanor was all there was to the man, they gave him a lead they could never overcome. Two days into the Stelmach reign - same thing.

First rule in war and politics: underestimate your opponent at your peril.

[Hydraboss]

In another thread, Geoffrey posted this:

Stelmach is a useless guy, he just stares at the floor and mumbles in interviews. He's out of his league.

Somewhere else, I read Stelmach described, IIRC, as the "kind of guy who parks your uncle's tractor".

I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I understand these descriptions accurately.

Can someone here who knows Albertan politics put the rest of us into the picture? Who is this guy?

----

Found the link:

The only major problem I have with Eddie is that he plans on giving the teachers unions the unfunded portion of the teachers pension (that they somehow forgot to pay) to the tune of several billion of my tax dollars. Other than that, I wouldn't mind having a Ukrainian premier that sounds like he just parked his uncle's tractor. Would definitely be a change, and that would be good. I can only hope that his cabinet shuts him down on the motion. Of course, my 9 year old could probably push Eddie around.

Ukrainian? Stelmach?

Let me clarify my earlier comments. Ed Stelmach is from Andrew, Alberta, a primarily Ukrainian town east of Edmonton. He is the type of guy that you remember as being the soft-spoken social studies teacher you had in grade 10. Very down to earth, definitely not prone to any quick decisions. Strong ties to the rural parts of Alberta. This is all good. (My father's family were/are all farmers from southern Alberta and this guy reminds me of most of my uncle's).

My daughter's godfather and his parents are from Andrew and know Ed. I asked them yesterday what they thought of his win, and they just shook their heads (that it wasn't good). Concensus from my circle of friends is that Ed doesn't have the balls to tell anyone what to do (his caucus) nevermind how he will attempt to deal with Ottawa. I can't imagine him trying to sit down with George W's government the way Klein did.

The reference to the "uncle's tractor" was not a negative comment aimed at farmer's. Anyone who is from rural Alberta knows at least one guy that your uncle used to count on to get the farm work done if he was sick or in Vegas. Ed is that guy. Too meek to say no, and always wants to be the guy that everyone knows as "a nice guy".

Ed would have made a great Social Development minister. Or Agriculture minister. Premiere? Oooohhhh. Not so sure about that one.

We'll see I guess.

Ed! Resist the urge to pay the teachers what they have not earned!!!! Don't do it, Ed.

[Black Dog]

The main concern I have with Stelmach is that he could turn out to be too rural-centric for a rapidly urbanizing province. I said before we needed a dynamic leader with an eye on the future. I don't know if Steady Eddie fits the bill.

[stignasty]

The main concern I have with Stelmach is that he could turn out to be too rural-centric for a rapidly urbanizing province. I said before we needed a dynamic leader with an eye on the future. I don't know if Steady Eddie fits the bill.

The rural part suits the PCs though because they've stacked the ridings to favour rural seats.

[Saturn]

Ralph Klein is from Calgary saturn, and since you couldn't get that right, I think we can write off your entire post as verbal diarrhea.

For some reason I don't remember ever burning gays at the stake, I know some in Alberta, but somehow your description justs comes off as ignorant.

From Calgary or not, Ralph is an obtuse, xenophobic drunk, who can barely make a sentence that's longer than 3 words. That's what Albertans need - someone of average intelligence would make them feel uncomfortable, like he is trying to be a smartass talking down to them. Ed will fit in perfectly in that respect. I hope that at least he is not a swine like Ralph.

[Hydraboss]

Wow. What an unmatched show of stupidity. Nice comments, Saturn. Have you ever put any thought into your replies, or can we all look forward to this type of nonsense from now on?

Come back when you get out of high school.

[Canadian Blue]

From Calgary or not, Ralph is an obtuse, xenophobic drunk, who can barely make a sentence that's longer than 3 words. That's what Albertans need - someone of average intelligence would make them feel uncomfortable, like he is trying to be a smartass talking down to them. Ed will fit in perfectly in that respect. I hope that at least he is not a swine like Ralph.

Xenophobe, how so. As for Ralph Klein being swine, he's far better than a certain government that used tax dollars to fund their own election and also spent one billion dollars registering gun hunters instead of hiring more police officers.

You don't know much about "average" Albertan's obviously. I'd rather have an "average" individual leading the province than some intellectual snob who thinks he know's everything, and is gods personal gift to earth.

As for Albertan's being staunch Conservatives, very much so on the federal front. However look at how Albertan's elect politician's in municipal elections. A staunch Liberal won with more than 80% of the vote in Calgary which is the bedrock on conservatism.

Albertan's would probably vote in more Liberal MP's if candidates had similar moral characteriscs of the former Liberal MP David Kilgour. However, we haven't seem many come that are nearly as good as him. My dad who has voted for the Reform party, the CA, and the Conservatives, said he would vote for Kilgour. What Liberal's need to do is take a page from what the Democrats were able to accomplish in the US and start running more candidates who can be appealing to your average Albertan.