Brock Skywalker

Alberta vs. Berlin · 8 November 07

I received this email from my buddy Geoff Berner yesterday and thought I needed to share it with the 3 of you who are still reading my blog from time to time.

I just came back from Alberta, Canada. They’re using 5 barrels of fresh water to get every barrel of oil out of the ground, but at 100 bucks a barrel, by God, they’re gonna get it. There’s money to be made, and jobs to be had, if you can find a place to live, which you can’t. Nowhere for the homeless to go, and winter’s coming on. Fun!

Meanwhile, because there’s so much demand and nowhere to live, there’s a huge labour shortage there. This means that nobody will come to fix your plumbing or electricity, because the tradespeople are all busy on the rigs.

This has led to the revival, in Alberta, of jokes about the unavailability of electricians, like the ones I first heard told about Eastern Europe before the fall of the Berlin Wall. I always loved those jokes about how the electrician never comes, and to think I’d hear them in 2007 in Canada, for entirely different reasons!

The best part is the fact that it’s probably the same East German electrician, now emigrated to Canada, who’s still not coming.

Good old Geoff. When he is not talking crazy, he only speaks the truth.

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Am I a councillor now? · 15 May 07

The Edmonton Arts Council (EAC) is a non-profit society and a charitable organization funded primarily by the City of Edmonton. The EAC serves the arts community through Grants, Advocacy and Projects… and last night I was elected to the board of directors! Pretty cool.

I have spent a lot of my life leaching off the arts – for a living and for entertainment. When I finally got a real job and was able to go to shows without begging for comps or being “on the list” I was proud and anxious to do so. I guess being a member of a grant giving board was the next logical step.

So here I go. Viva la grants!

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Run Fortier Run · 7 November 06

Dear Friends,

I have just read and signed the online petition: “Run Fortier Run”

hosted on the web by PetitionOnline.com, the free online petition service, at: www.PetitionOnline.com/runfort/

I personally agree with what this petition says, and I think you might agree, too. If you can spare a moment, please take a look, and consider signing yourself.

Best wishes,
BrockSky

Thanks to Rick Mercer for setting this up.

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The CMCC · 26 April 06

I just caught wind of something super cool:

We are a growing coalition of Canadian music creators who share the common goal of having our voices heard about the laws and policies that affect our livelihoods. We are the people who actually create Canadian music. Without us, there would be no music for copyright laws to protect.

Until now, a group of multinational record labels has done most of the talking about what Canadian artists need out of copyright. Record companies and music publishers are not our enemies, but let’s be clear: lobbyists for major labels are looking out for their shareholders, and seldom speak for Canadian artists. Legislative proposals that would facilitate lawsuits against our fans or increase the labels’ control over the enjoyment of music are made not in our names, but on behalf of the labels’ foreign parent companies.

Read more and sign up at www.musiccreators.ca

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3rd way 86ed · 21 April 06

The privatization happy Alberta Tory government has announced, to many Albertans relief and glee, that it will not proceed with its undefinable “3rd way” health care reforms.

My favourite Liberal health critic, Laurie Blakeman, says the Tories now have a better idea of what the public thinks of increasing the role of private health providers in Alberta… and it is a big raspberry.

“I hope it’s a defeat,” Blakeman said. “I don’t know how much taxpayer money this government wants to spend in bringing forward a new privatization idea every three or four years. I think that’s wasteful and disrespectful. Albertans continue to say the same thing over and over again and the government should listen to them.”

Blakeman went on to say that health minister, Iris Evans, not only had trouble explaining the fancy plan to the public, but to her government cronies as well. Blakeman believes that this was the syringe that broke the premier’s back.

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What's better than voting? · 10 April 06

I sent an email to the most rockin’ Laurie Blakeman back in February expressing my concerns over the “3rd Way” Health Care Reforms our De-Kleining premier was proposing. I noticed the other day that my email message was actually tabled in Legislative Assembly! How cool is that!?

Tabling Returns and Reports:
Ms Blakeman, Hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre:
E-mail message dated February 22, 2006, from Brock Skywalker to Ms Blakeman, Hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre, expressing opposition to the Government’s proposed health care reforms.
Sessional Paper 45/2006

You can read the whole Votes and Proceedings or just take my word for it.

It sure is awesome to be able to rely on your MLA to get your message out there. This feels even better than voting!

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55% is not enough % · 4 April 06

Premier Ralph Klein moves up retirement date; will ask party to convene leadership race in September 2006; says he’ll step down as soon as a successor is chosen.

“Last Friday, I received a show of support from party members – for that, I’m truly grateful. However, that support was not what I had anticipated, nor is it strong enough for me to stay on as long as I had intended.”

“I have therefore decided that I will submit a letter to the PC Party sometime in the month of September of this year. In that letter, I will urge the party to convene a leadership race. The timing and duration of that race is a matter for the party to decide. As soon as a successor is chosen, I will resign my position as party leader and premier.”

I don’t know why exactly… but I have to say – I will believe it when I see it.

• Read the official News Release

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Please explain · 21 March 06

On the front page of the Edmonton Journal today I read that Premier Ralph Klein says Albertans may receive another round of prosperity cheques next year (back in January everyone in the province received a $400 cheque from the Alberta government at a cost of $1.4 billion to the provincial treasury).

Klein says he might continue giving away money if oil prices remain high.

But he also says we can’t afford to sustain public health care in Alberta.

How do you explain this, Premier Klein?

Oh well, at least we are not this far gone.

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Green beer makes them angry · 17 March 06

In contrast to the rest of the world — when “Kiss me, I’m Irish” hats are worn by shamrock shaking Paddies drinking Guinness dyed an atrocious green — the rituals attached to St Patrick seem to become a greater source of embarrassment in his own land with every passing year.

Trevor Sergeant, the leader of the Green Party, is exasperated that the Irish parliament has gone into recess for almost a week because of the absence of so many of its members. 29 of its members travelled to 22 countries across 5 continents for St Patrick’s Day. Bertie Ahern, the Taoiseach, is in Washington with four Cabinet colleagues to mark the daywith President Bush.

Meanwhile, in Dublin, the start of five days of St Patrick’s Day festivities was marked by high security levels, calls for bans on selling alcohol and warnings of trouble on the streets.

Organisers of the Dublin St Patrick’s Day parade estimate that 700,000 may turn out to watch. The Irish Times said this week that the afternoon of March 17, once the parade has finished, is “the most depressing and dangerous” day of the year in Ireland.

Over 700 people were arrested across the country for public order offences on St Patrick’s Day last year, more than double the number from 2004.

Me, I think I am going to celebrate my 1/4 Irish heritage by having a nice quiet beer somewhere and keeping myself out of the hospital.

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More on the 3rd way · 8 March 06

Anyone who would enjoy a clear and concise critique of Premier Ralph Klein’s magical 3^rd Way Health Care plan should visit CBC’s – Mercer Report website (under the heading ‘Week of March 7, 2006’ click the ‘Video: Rick’s Rant for March 07, 2006’ link).

As usual he sums it up beautifully!

Thanks Rick, you are the best.

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