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On a recent Saturday afternoon, Ralph Klein could be spotted driving his 1977 Volkswagen Beetle into a strip mall parking lot in southwest Calgary. Clad in blue jeans, he emerged [...]

The setting put Preston Manning in a nostalgic frame of mind. In his only public appearance in Alberta last week, Manning addressed about 200 supporters in a cramped banquet hall [...]

As valedictorian for the 1960 graduating class at Horse Hill High School near Edmonton, Preston Manning compared his classmates' experience to the launching of a satellite. Graduates could only reach [...]

In one stump speech after another during the 28-day Saskatchewan election campaign, Premier Roy Romanow returned to the same refrain. 'Don't judge me against perfection,' he urged voters. 'Judge me [...]

Saskatchewan Premier Roy Romanow once joked that his destiny was 'to give Saskatchewan people the Liberal government they always wanted.' For one of the most successful New Democratic Party politicians [...]

For nearly two decades, Liberal MP Russell MacLellan toiled away in relative obscurity in Ottawa, perpetually overshadowed by two fellow Cape Bretoners, Allan J. MacEachen and David Dingwall. But last [...]

The leaders of the strengthening No side for the Oct. 26 referendum reflect an unlikely alliance among ardent feminists, Quebec separatists, disenchanted Indian chiefs, Reformers and other political mavericks. But [...]

The premier-designate was quick off the mark in setting out his objectives. One day after leading the NDP to a landslide victory that ended nine years of Conservative rule in [...]

From the earliest results, eight minutes after the polls closed in last week's Alberta election, it was clear that Premier Ralph Klein had scored a stunning personal and political victory. [...]

He describes himself simply as a ``common man, a working man,'' who shares Canadians' widespread cynicism about their elected leaders. Indeed, John Ostashek, whose Yukon Party last week won an [...]

For Saskatchewan Premier Grant Devine's beleaguered Conservative government, the decision was a mixed blessing. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled last week that electoral boundaries adopted by the Devine government [...]

Discusses the results of the Canadian federal election as of November 28, 2000. Observations on the bitterness of the campaign; Triumph of Prime Minister Jean Chretien; Results for the Liberal, Progressive Conservative, Canadian Alliance and New Democratic Parties; Possibility of partisanship in the Parliament.

Focuses on Manitoba's premier-designate, Gary Doer. His political desires; Election of Doer over his long-term Conservative adversary Gary Filmon for the premiership; Why Doer believes he was a better politician than Filmon; The challenges facing him when he is sworn in as premier on October 5, 1999. INSET: 'A co-operative environment'.

Discusses the outcome of the June 1997 elections in Canada. Evidence that the election has left Canada splintered as never before; The hollow victory for the Liberal party and Prime Minister Jean Chretien; How Reform party Leader Preston Manning's role as official Opposition leader highlights tensions between the regions; Quebec sovereignty worries; Outcome of election for Alexa McDonough and her New Democratic Party; The Tories and Jean Charest; Bloc Quebecois and Gilles Duceppe. INSETS: What comes next?, by Mary Janigan.;Victors and vanquished..

Profiles Reform Leader Preston Manning of Canada and the platform he is running on for the upcoming October 25, 1993 federal elections. Platform of drastic government cuts; Wants provinces to run medicare as they see fit; Cut in Old Age Security; The party is a predominantly white middle-class protest movement; Manning is main defence against charges that the party is intolerant; Background; Career highlights; Party's proposal to reduce immigrants. INSET: A gallery of Reform candidates..

Focuses on Manitoba Premier Gary Filmon's reactions and comments regarding the Legislature's inquiry into the province's election fraud scandal. Career background of Filmon; Reputation among fellow politicians; Potential impact of the scandal on Filmon's bid in the provincial elections in 1999.

Discusses the political success of Alberta's Conservative Premier Ralph Klein, who won his third straight majority government in March 2001. The Western Canadian province's lack of a strong opposition; View of some analysts that Canada's ruling Liberals serve as Albertans' opposition; Support for Klein's government due to Alberta's prosperity; The political difficulties he faced in 2000 and 2001; Opposition he faced from Alberta Liberal leader Nancy MacBeth; Klein's background.

Offers observations concerning the 2000 Canadian federal elections from 'Maclean's' magazine readers. Comments regarding defining moments in the campaign; Ideas in which to engage the Canadian electorate; Changes which readers would make to the campaign process.

Focuses on difficulties for farmers in Saskatchewan as of May 31, 1999. Problems with the Agriculture Income Disaster Assistance program created in 1998 by Agriculture Minister Lyle Vanclief; Effects of the difficulties on the calling of a spring election in Saskatchewan by Premier Roy Romanow; Attitudes of farmers toward the Romanow government; Comments from farmer Barry Hamilton and others; Outlook.

Discusses provincial elections held in Nova Scotia in the spring of 1998. Closeness of the race; Reaction of Nova Scotia Premier Russell MacLellan; Challenges facing MacLellan' Liberals as they attempt to put together a minority government; His folksy leadership style; Budget problems in the province.

Reports that special-interest groups appear likely to play a much smaller role in this year's Canadian election than in 1988. Absence of an overarching issue that has captured the attention of voters; Examples of special-interest groups that are gearing up for the election; Debate over funding of special-interest groups; Increasing skepticism of Canadians over groups.

Considers the election campaign to fill the position of Alberta Premier Donald Getty. Only 1,200 people showed up at the Calgary Stampede Corral for a showcase for nine candidates for the position and many left before the candidates made their speeches. Dwindling support for Conservatives; Six candidates running against the record of their own government; Challenges rooted in a restless electorate and sluggish economy; Controversies; The candidates.

This article discusses Alberta premier Ralph Klein's political condition following Alberta's 2004 elections. For some reason, this phrase came to mind as I contemplated the results of last week's Alberta election. Ralph Klein--long ago dubbed King Ralph because he's always triumphed during 25 years in politics--is, of course, far from dead. In Klein's home riding of Calgary-Elbow, Liberal candidate Stephen Brown, a political nobody, grabbed over a third of the popular vote. And in the key battleground of Edmonton, Tory candidates were heard assuring voters that Klein, 62, would be gone in less than a year--an unthinkable treason even a few months ago. He's a straight-shooter who relishes a good fight and might be just the man to push through oft-promised health-care reforms, including greater privatization and possible challenges to the Canada Health Act.

This article focuses on the efforts of political parties to gain popularity in Canadian provinces where their opposition party has maintained control. Ever wonder what it must be like to be an opposition politician in the one-party state that is Alberta? Consider the case of Kevin Taft, rookie leader of the Alberta Liberals, who decided to raise his profile, and that of his party, by driving around the province this summer in a rented red pickup truck. Currently, Taft is one of five Liberal MLAs who, along with two New Democrats and one Independent, are pitted against 73 Conservatives led by Ralph Klein, one of the most successful politicians in Canadian history. Since assuming the leadership of the Alberta New Democratic Party in mid-July, Brian Mason has undertaken what he calls his "Martha and Henry tour," named for the mythical average Albertans whom Klein is fond of saying are the people he listens to when formulating government policy. The party promises smaller government, more competition between public and private health care providers, and a firm resolve to hold the feds to account on everything from the Kyoto accord to its handling of the mad cow crisis.

This is an interview with Diana Kerry, sister to Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry, about her efforts to gain votes for Kerry from Americans who live abroad. If nothing else, the 2000 U.S. presidential election reinforced the hoary cliché that "every vote counts." George W. Bush took office after a contentious win in Florida by just 537 votes.Leading the Democratic effort is Diana Kerry, a teacher and linguist who is also the younger sister of presidential candidate John Kerry. As chairwoman of Americans Overseas for Kerry-Edwards, she recently visited Canada to woo the 680,000 Americans living here--the second-largest expat community after Mexico. The presidential race is a dead heat now. My brother is someone who listens and would work within the framework of international law and diplomacy.

Focuses on Canada's Reform party leader Preston Manning and the surging support that the party is receiving as the October 25, 1993 election nears. Son of Alberta's longtime Social Credit premier Ernest Manning; Volume and velocity of attacks on Manning by his political opponents; Manning's performance in the October 4, 1993, nationally televised political leaders' debate.

Focuses on Canada's Reform party Leader Preston Manning. How he is finding that it is sometimes easier to preach grassroots politics than to practice it; His question-and-answer sessions with his audience which often force him to depart from his chosen themes; Dissent among some Reform officials; Reaction of University of Calgary political scientists Thomas Flanagan and Roger Gibbins to dissidents.