Resisting the pull of cynicism since 1969.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Those quotable Alberta Tories

All of these fascinating political things have been happening lately--the "nation" question, the Alberta Tory leadership race, the leadup to the Liberal leadership race--but in all cases, they're really somebody else's territory. I mean, unlike certain other people who were here for neither Meech nor Charlottetown, I know better than to muck about in something I don't fully understand. And other people's leadership races may feed my political geekery rather nicely, but nobody really cares about my opinions about them.

This quote from (future Alberta premier?) Ted Morton cracked me up, though, and I just had to share:

"Albertans understand that Ottawa is not Las Vegas," he said. "What happens in Ottawa doesn't stay in Ottawa."
Thanks, Ted. I'm sure the rest of Canada is relieved to hear that Albertans haven't been mistaking their country's capital for a desert city full of casinos, drive-thru wedding chapels, and Elvis impersonators. I'm happy to add, for the benefit of my non-Albertan readers, that Albertans also understand that Ottawa is neither an elephant, nor a skyscraper, nor a continent in the southern hemisphere. We do know a few things 'round these parts.

As you were.

5 comments:

BluesAndTwos said...

Hiya Idealistic,

It's nice to see that politicians are the same the world over!

The Labour Party in the UK are currently under police investigation for handing out 'honours' - knighthoods and the like, for financial donations...

Hmmm... Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely...

Ta-Ta

Blues And Twos

Olaf said...

IP,

I thought Morton's line was borderline clever - if completely obvious.

Despite living here, I can't get excited in the least over the leadership race... they're all just so damn uninspiring. They have Stephen Harper's charisma between them.

Idealistic Pragmatist said...

Olaf,

Are you a member? Are you voting?

Olaf said...

IP,

Not a member, not voting, don't really care. I support the party and would vote for them (unless Morton wins, in which case I might choose to abstain), but as I said I can't get interested in supporting any of the candidates.

In this case, I'm the textbook example of the apathetic youth. Also, I've never really been into party politics... I'd rather have the parties come up with what they come up with, and I can choose between them.

Feynman and Coulter's Love Child said...

Ted's point is not what Albertans know but rather about what non-Albertans don't.