Alberta Premier Klein skewered over outburst | Globe and Mail

[Ediacara]

Klein skewered over outburst


Photo: Darryl Dyck/CP
Alberta Premier Ralph Klein speaks with
reporters at the Alberta Legislature in
Edmonton after appearing before the all-
party public accounts committee to answer
questions on Executive Council expenses.

Canadian Press

Edmonton — An outburst by Ralph Klein that was characterized as bullying by his target drew an unusual amount of criticism last week in a province where the popular Premier is seldom seen as a pariah.

Mr. Klein was lampooned on radio and skewered in political cartoons for his three-minute tirade Wednesday during an all-party public accounts committee in which he repeatedly demanded of Liberal Laurie Blakeman whether she thought he was a liar.

A Klein-friendly talk show host even turned on the Alberta Premier for badgering Ms. Blakeman, who had asked Mr. Klein for a receipt to show that taxpayers had been reimbursed for his personal expenses during a 2002 trip to the Fox Harb'r golf resort in Nova Scotia.

More at the Globe and Mail

[American Renaissance]

1. loser,

Ralph is terrible, and probably the only sitting premiere or govenor to spend a night, intoxicated, in a homeless shelter while in office.

[Ediacara]

2. OMG

I knew he was a bafoon prone to saying stupid things, but jesus, that takes the cake!

[CHIMO]

4. References to The

Incident

http://www.calgaryurbanvibe.ca/articles/article-detail.asp?ID=36

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2001/dec2001/can-d22.shtml

The next scene should be out later this week. Hang on.

[daleo]

6. He didn't spend the whole night at the homeless shelter.

He stopped by after a binge, berated the homeless, threw coins at them, and left. Mind you, his chauffeur had to drag him out, as he still had plenty of abuse left in him.

[TrogL]

9. I don't remember that story

There was one where he visited a shelter as part of his official duties and started causing havoc.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

10. That was the one when he threw some money around with disdain,

bitched at them for being lazy and staggered off to his limo, as I recall.

[Spazito]

3. I saw the display of childish temper on TV while in Edmonton...

it was disgusting. He deserves every bit of lampooning he might get and more for his behavior, imo.

[daleo]

5. He also claimed recently, that Allende forced Pinochet into the coup

Another torture defender.

He made the claim that bringing public auto insurance to Alberta (as exists in BC, Sask and Manitoba) would be similar to Allende nationalizing the copper mines in Chile, which "forced" Pinochet to mount the coup, with the consequent murder and torture. I mean, to the extent you could make sense of his rant, that is what I made of it.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

7. He's drunk again. There's no other explanation.

[Kitsune]

8. I know a few Albertans

They say they elect Klein for the entertainment value.

(I am not making this up.)