Reporters' Notebook:
John Archer
A tight Tory squeeze
Monday, March 3, 2008
John ArcherI don't want to sound like I'm complaining. It's always a kick to be in the heart of the action on election night. Broadcasting live is a "seat of the pants" experience that is exciting and can be...Continue reading... » | Comments (0)
Treatment in a tent
Monday, March 3, 2008
John ArcherCould there be a worse election day story for Conservative hopefuls in Edmonton? The emergency room at the University of Alberta Hospital is so jammed, Capital Health is resorting to a measure that seems bizarre. They're setting up...Continue reading... » | Comments (1)
Walking away from the facts
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
John ArcherWhen a politician makes a statement that is proven to be false, they have a couple of options. They can claim to have been taken out of context, look for shades of grey to put up a brave...Continue reading... » | Comments (6)
A campaign coincidence
Monday, February 25, 2008
John ArcherGetting your mug on TV is not always easy for candidates during a campaign. Commercials are extremely costly and news coverage usually leans towards what the party leaders are saying or doing on most days. But Doug Griffiths...Continue reading... » | Comments (1)
Debate notes: Liberals like press releases
Friday, February 22, 2008
John ArcherWhile the leaders and some of my colleagues were a few walls away under the bright studio lights during Thursday night's leaders' debate, I was in the media area watching the proceedings on a big screen TV....Continue reading... » | Comments (0)
Happy new year! Oops.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
John ArcherPoliticians shaking hands and making chit-chat with campaign workers is part of the job these days. It makes for good photo-ops and helps rally the troops before sending them out to knock on doors or put up campaign...Continue reading... » | Comments (0)
Face time in Fort McMurray
Friday, February 15, 2008
John ArcherI had a chance to chat with Guy Boutilier on the flight up to Fort McMurray from Edmonton on Thursday morning. But the candidate wasn't holding campaign literature or election buttons in his hand. Boutilier's hands were full...Continue reading... » | Comments (1)
Mmm... cinnamon buns
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
John ArcherSharing campaign office space is becoming an increasingly common story in this election. With a lack of available commercial space and sky high rental rates, it's not unusual to find candidates from adjoining constituencies splitting the cost of...Continue reading... » | Comments (0)
Wait for me!
Monday, February 11, 2008
John ArcherAt one point during his Q & A with reporters Monday morning, Tory Leader Ed Stelmach was being urged to wrap things up. He had taken questions on the environment (from a heckler and from scribes), auto insurance,...Continue reading... » | Comments (0)
Tory week in review
Monday, February 11, 2008
John ArcherSo the first week on the campaign trail may not have gone as well as Ed Stelmach and the Tory brain trust had hoped....Continue reading... » | Comments (0)
How not to launch a campaign, Tory edition
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
John ArcherAs lacklustre as the Alberta Liberal campaign launch may have been, at least they did it on their own dime. The same cannot be said of the Alberta Progressive Conservatives....Continue reading... » | Comments (1)
How not to launch a campaign, part 2
Monday, February 4, 2008
John ArcherAround 1 p.m. this afternoon, the Alberta Liberals sent out a news release advertising that Leader Kevin Taft would kick off his own constituency campaign in the evening following "the premier's snap election" call....Continue reading... » | Comments (0)
How not to launch a campaign
Monday, February 4, 2008
John Archer With all the speculation and innuendo that has been around lately (not to mention the multi-million dollar government cheques), you can't blame an opposition party for launching an election campaign early. Once the writ is dropped and...Continue reading... » | Comments (0)






