If Andrew Scheer failed to score on an empty net on a breakaway, Rachel Notley just fired a slapshot on her own goal. The former Alberta premier’s strong performance as opposition leader over the last week against Tory boogiemen, both real and imagined, came to an embarrassing halt Tuesday as she just couldn’t help herself from taking a shot too many..Notley thought that she had Kenney by the shorts when she claimed that his government had expensed $35,607.77 in booze from a Tory-donor business. Without any context, she went for the kill..“Well, the corruption keeps coming.” She tweeted. “A government ministry purchased $35,608.77 worth of alcohol from a company named Prestige Liquor, owned by a long-time conservative donor and financial supporter of Premier Jason Kenney’s leadership campaign.”.Following on the heals of actual Tory wrongdoing, this would be a powerful argument, if it was true. The liquor purchase was actually made in February 2019 under her own watch. The very act that she denounced as “corruption” was undertaken by her own government. It was a brutal turnaround.. FILDEBRANDT: After a week of strong hits on the Tories, NDP score on their own netSource: Twitter .In addition to any political fallout, the NDP realized that they were now open to legal recourse from Prestige Liquors, the firm they maligned as the dirty-money corruption machine. The NDP Caucus – not Notley – issued a statement apologizing to Prestige Liquors for the slander. It was a cop-out. The person doing the slandering – Rachel Notley – was too important to have her own name attached anywhere to a statement apologizing for her own words. Adding to it, the apology didn’t make any concession that they were incorrect about Kenney or the UCP..Kenney was smart not to respond with angry snark. Instead, he posted a picture of him stocking up his liquor cabinet in front of, you guessed it: Prestige Liquor. It was a smart trolling move that left NDP partisans sputtering with hapless indignation..Most importantly, the NDP have shot a hole through their own credibility in attacking the Tory government on these issues at precisely the time that we need a strong opposition..In an act of gross and genuine conflict of interest, the Tories rammed through Bill 22, a piece of legislation that effectively fired the Elections Commissioner while he was investigating them for a long series of Elections Act violations. Tories insist that this was merely a cost-cutting operation, but no one but the most blindly loyal partisan really believes it. In private, most Tories admit it is exactly what it looks like, but that it is “OK” because its for the home team..To add insult to injury, the Tories invoked debate closure on the bill even before it was introduced, a practice used by the NDP in cooperation with the Tories against smaller parties before the last election. It might be wrong for the Tories to allow for next-to-no debate, but it’s a taste of the NDP’s own medicine.. FILDEBRANDT: After a week of strong hits on the Tories, NDP score on their own netNDP Leader Rachel Notley (source: Daveberta.ca) .Notley was in top form as opposition leader, roasting the Tories for a bill with such a brazen conflict of interest. Whatever one thinks of the NDP’s peculiar worldview, somebody has to be the opposition..Without excusing the NDP for being trigger-happy, there are a few important points to make in understanding the blunder..Opposition parties are starved for media attention. While every utterance of a government minister is printed verbatim in tomorrow’s Edmonton Journal, opposition parties have to fight hard just to get a mention..While ministers’ offices have large staffs and enjoy virtually unlimited resources, opposition caucuses have limited resources and are staffed by overworked and often underpaid twenty-somethings looking to leave a mark. They’re eager for battle and to score points now, sometimes leading them to not do their homework sufficiently..This all combines to create an environment where they can pull the trigger too early..Today’s advertising and subscription starved media also fall into this trap more often than it should. With skeleton staff compliments, and an economic need to beat their competitors to the punch, reporters too often hit “publish” on a story before it’s been properly fact-checked, or given appropriate context.. Trudeau on WE scandal: Case closed .As yet, the Western Standard hasn’t fallen into this trap, but we inevitably will at some point. But when that day comes, we will take responsibility and own it. It’s not only the right thing to do, but it may help maintain the credibility of a news outlet that gets it wrong..Notley’s clumsy use of the scandalette and her refusal to appropriately take responsibility might be consistent with how politics is done now, but it hurts her ability to do her job as the Leader of the Official Opposition.
