tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55755752024-03-07T17:54:42.338-07:00Goodbye to "Ralph's World"Ralph Klein has gone and it is time to retire Ralph's World. Thanks to all of you who have supported this venture by contributing material and through your comments. It has been fun.
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Should we get another blog underway? Let me know your thoughts by e-mailing me at johnnyslow@gmail.com.
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John Slow
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January 1, 2007John Slownoreply@blogger.comBlogger315125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1164478419003408822007-01-01T11:07:00.000-07:002007-01-03T12:08:05.203-07:00Ralph Klein's LegacyNow that Ralph Klein has officially handed things over to Ed Stelmach, there will be a spate of "Ralph's Legacy" stories. Some will praise him for eliminating the provincial debt. Others will condemn him for his shoddy treatment of those who couldn't take advantage of the Alberta Advantage; the homeless, the poor, the disabled, the seniors on fixed incomes.Ralph Klein brings to mind another John Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1145560132115881152006-04-20T12:41:00.000-06:002006-04-21T21:42:05.050-06:00Towel Guys and Fat Cats"I go to the club and I work out, and you get some of the fat cats – you know, the rich guys – saying, 'You know you should spend it on education. You should do this and you should do that,' "But the guy who handles the towels says 'Right on, right on.'"With these words, Premier Ralph Klein, the guy who claims to stand up for the little guy against those “fat cat” oilmen, justifies his preferenceJohn Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1144766969673160002006-04-11T07:28:00.000-06:002006-04-11T08:53:28.716-06:00Who Sucks Best at the Public Teat?I don't know which Tory I admire more when it comes to extracting taxpayer money for their own personal use. There are so many worthy candidates to choose from.Admittedly the Klein government has set things up so it is pretty easy for Tories to get at our money. Performing government contracts where the deliverables are strictly oral in nature ala Rod Love and Kelly Charlebois is but one example John Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1144693691712869032006-04-10T12:08:00.000-06:002006-04-10T12:28:11.856-06:00Alberta Health Care and Unlucky #13 For those Ralph's World readers interested in "Third Way" discussions have a look at this article by Terilyn Paulgaard.Unlucky #13 refers to Iris & Ralph's private health insurance initiatives. This is what the Tories, including the new leadership contenders, think will make health care sustainable in this province of ours.Read the article and you be the judge.John Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1142618158254049022006-03-17T10:00:00.000-07:002006-03-17T14:37:56.976-07:00SALT Presentation to Iris EvansThe Seniors Action Liaison Team had the opportunity to present to Alberta Health Minister Iris Evans for half an hour on March 13, 2006.This is a copy of the presentation they delivered. To provide feedback to SALT please click here and we will forward your comments to them.SubmissionToThe Honourable Iris EvansMinister of Health and WellnessAs part of the consultation on theHealth Policy John Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1142529205455766682006-03-16T09:34:00.000-07:002006-03-16T10:41:55.060-07:00Two Sides to the Third Way DebateWith so much written about Ralph Klein's Third Way for providing health care in Alberta, the staff at Ralph's World has combed the media reports to bring you the two articles that we feel best represent the opposing sides of this issue.In order to appeal to all Albertans, and not just those interested in health care, we have chosen to display the picture at left. It is our hope that those of you John Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1141500199270426752006-03-04T11:54:00.000-07:002006-03-04T12:28:18.816-07:00Furnace Replacement Subsidy - An Interesting TaleThis classic Catch-22 was sent in by a Ralph's World reader from St. Albert. The following is from a letter that she sent to her MLA looking for advice. Now that my gas bills are running around $300 per month, this warmest winter ever in the Province of Alberta, I am motivated to quit dithering and try to wrestle a furnace replacement subsidy out of the (unwilling?) hands of the Government of John Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1141345755353420192006-03-02T17:21:00.000-07:002006-03-03T09:21:10.696-07:00Online "Third Way" Consultation Process EnhancedDateline March 3, 2006 - RW NewsWire - EdmontonStung by opposition criticism that one month was not enough time for Albertans to provide input to the new Third Way" health initiatives, Premier Klein has ordered Health Minister Iris Evans to implement major enhancements to Alberta Health's Online Public Consultation System."The system has to provide instant feedback to those Albertan that take theJohn Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1141228059211183592006-03-02T08:45:00.000-07:002006-03-02T09:14:14.590-07:00A Wink and a Grin - The "Third Way" is In.Premier Klein and his faithful sidekick Iris Evans have together conceived a new 18-page white paper entitled Health Policy Framework along with a spanking new webpage to explain it all to us rubes. This is the legendary "Third Way" for Alberta health care that the Premier has been teasing us with for the last few years.For an overview of what it's all about you might want to read "Klein moves toJohn Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1138984984029364192006-03-01T09:28:00.000-07:002006-03-01T08:15:06.690-07:00John Clark Moves OnJohn Clark, the most prolific contributor to Ralph's World of late, has decided to create his own weblog. He has asked that we remove his postings which we are in the process of doing. He plans to re-post a number of these on his new site.John's new weblog is called "Alberta -- The Details" and is located at http://www.albertathedetails.blogspot.com/.The management and staff at Ralph’s World wishJohn Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1140801551662514862006-02-24T09:23:00.000-07:002006-02-24T17:20:41.030-07:00Pesky Decimal Points Premier Klein is shown here explaining to a group of journalists how a simple misplaced decimal point along with a misunderstanding about how zeros work caused him to think that healthcare spending was out of control.The following quote from a story in today's Edmonton Journal explains the problem."During Thursday's question period, Klein made gaffes while trying to defend his plans for health John Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1140586998360155422006-02-22T09:40:00.000-07:002006-02-22T10:05:49.526-07:00Kevin Trudeau Appointed Alberta Minister of HealthResponding to criticism that last night's infomercial on the future of Alberta in the 21st century was fluff-filled, an animated Alberta Premier Ralph Klein today announced the first substantive step of his highly-publicized "Third Way" health care initiative – the replacement of beleaguered Health Minister Iris Evans with health guru Kevin Trudeau.The Premier elaborated."Colleen gave me this John Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1140024219418363272006-02-15T10:07:00.000-07:002006-02-15T10:23:39.473-07:00Cleaning Up Our CommunitiesRalph's World relies on an extensive network of correspondents throughout the province to bring forth timely, tasteful, and most importantly, relevant news to our readership. This just in. “We are going to clean up our communities and keep them that way,” said a spokesperson from Alberta’s Department of Protected Environments.The Premier’s Taskforce on Waste Elimination will deliver 400 free John Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1138395726200351552006-01-27T13:42:00.000-07:002006-02-08T17:12:26.390-07:00"Third Way" Makes Debut“There may be violations (of the Canada Health Act) but we don’t know yet because there are all kinds of steps to go through. But hemorrhoids are uncomfortable.”With these carefully weighed words at a press conference yesterday Premier Klein provided a glimpse into the future of two-tier health care in Alberta. He went on to say that in Alberta people have to wait up to a year to receive John Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1137343253127658542006-01-19T18:00:00.000-07:002006-01-19T18:26:17.360-07:00For Alberta - A Wish Comes TrueThe Alberta Right Wing Dream TeamWe got a Texan and two Albertans running things now.Canada - we're coming to get you.John Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1137503840208356162006-01-17T06:07:00.000-07:002006-01-17T06:22:49.513-07:00What is Mr. Harper's real position on health care?The media has been giving Mr. Harper a "free ride" on the issue of health care. They have generally ignored the position Mr. Harper has taken during the past eight years, and he has given no clear explanation as to what his position is now.In 1997, Mr. Harper quit being a Member of Parliament for Calgary Southwest to lead the right-wing lobby group, The National Citizens Coalition. It is John Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1135444173211615822005-12-24T09:51:00.000-07:002005-12-24T10:09:33.330-07:00Season's GreetingsFrom the management and staff at Ralph's World we wish all our readers a happy Hanukkah, a happy Ramadan, and a very merry Christmas. To those politicians we poke away at please remember that it is only your policies we don't agree with.Peace on earth!John Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1134415249425285812005-12-12T12:20:00.000-07:002005-12-12T12:28:52.406-07:00Mark Norris and GrassrootsThe Edmonton Journal recently published a story headlined "Norris backers ante up $1M". You can read the story by clicking here.It is a story of 106 Albertans who have ponyed up $10,000 each to help Mark run for Ralph Klein's job. The names of these generous fellows are listed in the story. The Journal had asked for the names of the donors and they were provided.Full marks to Mr. Norris for John Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1134082796529747552005-12-08T14:10:00.000-07:002005-12-10T09:54:14.150-07:00The Ant & The Grasshopper & The CEOI feel blessed. I do believe I am on the same e-mail distribution list as one of our most esteemed citizens in Alberta.Let me explain.Rick Bell of the Calgary Herald wrote an article covering a speech by EnCana CEO and prominent federal Conservative fund raiser Gwyn Morgan; - the esteemed citizen I'm referring to. You can read Rick's article by clicking here and smile back at Gwyn by casting yourJohn Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1133375010310775382005-11-30T11:12:00.000-07:002005-11-30T20:23:16.210-07:00Fee Fine Fo Fum at the ASCBill Rice, chairman of the Alberta Securities Commission was recently fined $1,000 for being a couple of months late in disclosing the insider trades he made in the shares of Tesco Corp., a well-drilling company he was also chair of until the beginning of November. You can read all about it by clicking here.ASC spokeswoman Siobhan Vinish announced it this way. "He was assessed a late-filing fee, John Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1133278700393862852005-11-29T08:26:00.000-07:002005-11-29T08:38:20.446-07:00Klein's "Third Way" FallacyThis letter appeared in the Edmonton Journal November 28th. The author is Noel Somerville who is Co-Vice-Chair of the Seniors Action Liason Team. Thank you for printing Paul Krugman’s article, “U.S. health insurance system fails nation,” (Journal, November 17).It beautifully illustrates the fallacy of Premier Klein’s assertion that there is a viable “third way”, a two-tier system that combines John Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1132950456948815812005-11-25T13:11:00.000-07:002005-11-27T08:51:03.256-07:00Klein's Loch Ness Monster is Ugly, Immoral - & StupidStupid? You ask. Aren’t Alberta’s MLAs intelligent and educated?Well, yes, but since humans arrived on earth, doing stupid things has never been confined to those of low IQ and poor education. Stupid is when intelligent men turn a blind eye to warning signs and dive into waters that suck them under and countless others with them.Want to see stupid? Think what’s happening to the supposedly John Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1132673094359109402005-11-22T08:14:00.000-07:002005-11-22T10:59:42.016-07:00Long Term Care - Alberta Style Have a look at this. If you have trouble reading what the billboard says click on the picture to enlarge it.Pretty much says it all about long term care in Alberta.Make sure you visit the Alberta Government Response page.John Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1132589144344178942005-11-21T08:46:00.000-07:002005-11-21T11:42:03.000-07:00Preston's War on MedicareThis article by the Toronto Star's National Affairs writer Thomas Walkom provides an insight into the strategies used by those that want to trash our public health system.Walkom describes the goings-on at the two day Saving Medicare Healthcare Summit recently held in Vancouver. The cost to attend the conference was $1100 + which pretty much guarantees that ordinary citizens will be excluded.The John Slownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5575575.post-1132407910737241292005-11-19T06:42:00.000-07:002005-11-20T10:09:25.970-07:00Klein's Choice Premier Klein theory of governing is to provide people choices. The word "choice" is sprinkled liberally throughout his speeches and “giving Albertans choice” is the justification for the many privatization initiatives his government has undertaken over the years. Better to choose your electricity from either Enmax at 8.10¢/kilowatthour or Direct Energy at 8.05¢/kilowatthour rather than have John Mathewsonnoreply@blogger.com