PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada’s best premiers

PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada’s best premiers

Locutus

#1May 4th, 2012

EDMONTON — Peter Lougheed, who muscled Alberta onto centre stage in this country in the 1970s and ’80s, won by a landslide in a national search for Canada’s best premier, while Ontario’s Bill Davis came in second.

Mr. Lougheed, 84, who founded Alberta’s 41-year-old Progressive Conservative dynasty, ran far ahead of the pack, taking top scores right across the country on leadership skills, including from Ontario experts on the 30-member panel that ranked the premiers, said Ian MacDonald, editor of Policy Options, the magazine of the Montreal-based Institute for Research and Policy Options.

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PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada

MHz

Re: PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada’s best premiers

May 4th, 2012

I have to admit he could get some things done quite quickly, why it was almost overnight that he got some cocaine addiction centers opened up in record time, probably just a coincidence that he own son had just been picked up for possession of that very same substance. That is where King Ralph must have gotten his slack attitude from.

taxslave

No Party Affiliation

#3 Top Rated Post

Re: PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada’s best premiers

May 4th, 2012

How about it is because Alberta has a get it done attitude. No years of public hearing and committee meetings like other more socialist provinces. That is why Alberta has a booming economy while Ontario's is in the toilet.

captain morgan

Bloc Québécois

Re: PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada’s best premiers

May 4th, 2012

It's a sh*t or get off the pot mentality... In the end, the bills have to be paid and the province learned a tough lesson in terms of debt financing many years ago.

You're better-off to pay the piper from revenues rather than perpetually borrow cash for things you can't afford

Bar Sinister

No Party Affiliation

Re: PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada’s best premiers

May 5th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by taxslave

How about it is because Alberta has a get it done attitude. No years of public hearing and committee meetings like other more socialist provinces. That is why Alberta has a booming economy while Ontario's is in the toilet.

Umm, I believe that is called democracy in most other parts of the world. Oh, sorry I forgot; this is Alberta we're talking about. You know, the province where Peter Lougheed used to refer toanyone as who disagreed with him as being "unAlbertan".

captain morgan

Bloc Québécois

Re: PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada’s best premiers

May 5th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Bar Sinister

Umm, I believe that is called democracy in most other parts of the world. Oh, sorry I forgot; this is Alberta we're talking about. You know, the province where Peter Lougheed used to refer toanyone as who disagreed with him as being "unAlbertan".

There's no law that says you can't leave.

Don't let the door hit you in the *** on the way out

wulfie68

No Party Affiliation

Re: PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada’s best premiers

May 5th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Bar Sinister

Umm, I believe that is called democracy in most other parts of the world. Oh, sorry I forgot; this is Alberta we're talking about. You know, the province where Peter Lougheed used to refer toanyone as who disagreed with him as being "unAlbertan".

Democracy is about running a jurrisdiction as its citizens desire it to be run, not bogging down the processes of running the gov't until every objection by the minority has been addressed.

I'm not going to say I agreed with everything that Sheik Pete ever did, and I'll confess that in some ways I liked King Ralph better, but he was a strong champion of provincial rights and stood against possibly the country's strongest opponent of the political power of the provinces, in Pierre Trudeau.

Retired_Can_Soldier

Re: PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada’s best premiers

May 5th, 2012

Lougheed was definitely one of the good ones.

gerryh

+1 / -1

Re: PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada’s best premiers

May 5th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by captain morgan

There's no law that says you can't leave.

Don't let the door hit you in the *** on the way out

He's in edmonchuck..... nough said.

Bar Sinister

No Party Affiliation

#10

Re: PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada’s best premiers

May 6th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by captain morgan

There's no law that says you can't leave.

Don't let the door hit you in the *** on the way out

Your post is the typical response of the intellectually limited right winger. Apparently you don't believe in democracy as is indicated by your "My way or the highway" reaction. You also do not appear to understand that a good part of democracy is about an exchange of views, not telling someone to leave the country or the province if he or she happens to be in disagreement with you.

Quote: Originally Posted by wulfie68

Democracy is about running a jurrisdiction as its citizens desire it to be run, not bogging down the processes of running the gov't until every objection by the minority has been addressed.

I'm not going to say I agreed with everything that Sheik Pete ever did, and I'll confess that in some ways I liked King Ralph better, but he was a strong champion of provincial rights and stood against possibly the country's strongest opponent of the political power of the provinces, in Pierre Trudeau.

I stand by what I said. The so called "bogging down" as you refer to it is what democracy is all about. It is unfortunate that both Klein and Lougheed frequently forget that basic point. BTW can you find anything in my post that advocates the satisfaction of every objection of the minority?

Quote: Originally Posted by gerryh

He's in edmonchuck..... nough said.

Oh brilliant, you managed to insult Edmonton and Ukrainians in a single post.

damngrumpy

No Party Affiliation

#11

Re: PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada’s best premiers

May 6th, 2012

Carefully selected by the National Post the most conservative paper in Canada.
Peter was a good guy I don't deny that, but he had it easy, with the conservative
attitude in Alberta. At the time Alberta was steeped in the ultra conservative
Social Credit rule, and he replaced it with you got it a Conservative government.
There are others who were good premiers as well.
Tommy Douglas, who provided excellent financial leadership as well. Bill Davis
although I thought him another premier who ruled in an easy time, made policy
that saw the beginning of the end of the good times. No most don't realize
Bob Rae inherited the shortcomings of the Davis regime, when an international
recession struck.
I think Peter did do a good job though, was he the best? Perhaps but I think there
were others that did a good job in more challenging times.

JamesBondo

#12

Re: PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada’s best premiers

May 6th, 2012

I am too young to remember Peter Lougheed, but I like the provincial park named in his honor.

captain morgan

Bloc Québécois

#13

Re: PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada’s best premiers

May 6th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Bar Sinister

Your post is the typical response of the intellectually limited right winger. Apparently you don't believe in democracy as is indicated by your "My way or the highway" reaction. You also do not appear to understand that a good part of democracy is about an exchange of views, not telling someone to leave the country or the province if he or she happens to be in disagreement with you.

I'm afraid that you're quite incorrect there BS. Much like the abbreviation of your handle, your comment is chalk-full of BS.

Fact is, Albertans have voted for the past 41 years (opps, make that 42 as of this election) on that premise. Yep - democracy in action, exchange of views and everything... But as expected, those that do not share the views of the mainstream and majority piss and moan about the travesty of living in a non-democratic society.

That said, quit the sour grapes routine and get on with whatever it is that you do. Want to bitch and moan; then do something about it - as by the looks of it, leaving is your only option unless you're prepared to wait another 45 years or so.

Quote: Originally Posted by Bar Sinister

It is unfortunate that both Klein and Lougheed frequently forget that basic point.

Lougheed and Klein are amongst the most popular premiers seen in AB.... Apparently they didn't forget anything now, did they?

Quote: Originally Posted by Bar Sinister

Oh brilliant, you managed to insult Edmonton and Ukrainians in a single post.

Are you really that fragile such that a common, inoffensive tag sends you into raptures of angst and woe?

JLM

No Party Affiliation

#14

Re: PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada’s best premiers

May 6th, 2012

As Alberta has been one of the most prosperous provinces if not THE most prosporous province for 40 years, I'm not sure what the issue is!

Bar Sinister

No Party Affiliation

#15

Re: PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada’s best premiers

May 6th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by captain morgan

I'm afraid that you're quite incorrect there BS. Much like the abbreviation of your handle, your comment is chalk-full of BS.

Fact is, Albertans have voted for the past 41 years (opps, make that 42 as of this election) on that premise. Yep - democracy in action, exchange of views and everything... But as expected, those that do not share the views of the mainstream and majority piss and moan about the travesty of living in a non-democratic society.

That said, quit the sour grapes routine and get on with whatever it is that you do. Want to bitch and moan; then do something about it - as by the looks of it, leaving is your only option unless you're prepared to wait another 45 years or so.

Lougheed and Klein are amongst the most popular premiers seen in AB.... Apparently they didn't forget anything now, did they?

Are you really that fragile such that a common, inoffensive tag sends you into raptures of angst and woe?

And Trudeau and Tommy Douglas were voted the best of Canada's Prime Minister's and citizens. I guess if you go by popularity polls you have to concede that two of Canada's left leaning politicians outshone everyone else. Democracy in action - gotta love it.

captain morgan

Bloc Québécois

#16

Re: PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada’s best premiers

May 6th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Bar Sinister

And Trudeau and Tommy Douglas were voted the best of Canada's Prime Minister's and citizens. I guess if you go by popularity polls you have to concede that two of Canada's left leaning politicians outshone everyone else. Democracy in action - gotta love it.

I had no idea that we were even talking about Trudeau or Douglas... Remember, you were the one that started crying about the lack of democracy in AB, I simply offered a more sober and realistic view of the circumstance.

Locutus

#17

Re: PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada’s best premiers

May 7th, 2012

My dads' political party leader can beat your dads' political party leader.

Bar Sinister

No Party Affiliation

#18

Re: PC dynasty founder Peter Lougheed tops list of Canada’s best premiers

May 7th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by captain morgan

I had no idea that we were even talking about Trudeau or Douglas... Remember, you were the one that started crying about the lack of democracy in AB, I simply offered a more sober and realistic view of the circumstance.

You want a realistic view? Well how about a little history? We'll start with Lougheed first. You may recall he came to power in 1971 after decades of ultra-conservative Social Credit rule. He was just in time to luck into a ten-fold increase in the world price of oil. This gave Mr. Lougheed the vast revenue he needed to bribe the electorate with their own money, a technique he employed successfully until the mid 80s. Then as the price of oil declined and it became obvious that tough economic decisions were in order he bailed and left his successor Don Getty holding the bag. Essentially history shows that Lougheed governed well when the province was rolling in money and not so well when it wasn't.

Klein had a similar record. He took over in tough economic times and then saw the price of oil skyrocket from less than $20 a barrel to prices close to $80. This, along with falling interest rates, allowed him to balance the provincial budget pay down the provincial debt. It had very little to do with his governing genius. In fact Klein's arrogance and bullying of any critics along with a personality that more resembled that of a buffoon than an intelligent political leader contributed to Alberta's current redneck image. Klein made numerous mistakes while in power, many of which Albertans continue to live with, such as the deregulation of the electrical industry.and the continual privatization of government services such as health care.

I could really care less whether or not others think that the sun shone out of the backside of Lougheed and Klein. Both men were fortunate to govern during times of economic prosperity and both got out when the economic tide began to run the other way.

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