This got buried beneath the billion dollar boondoggle last week, so this week’s “This Week in Alberta”, is pleased to bring you the tale of Lorne Gibson. Lorne was, up until last week, Alberta’s Chief Electoral Officer. Now, given that the last election was a bit of a gong show, it’s understandable that Lorne would get a good grilling from the committee that decides his fate.

Lorne tried to explain away the problems by pointing out that many returning officers were only appointed two weeks prior to the writ being dropped – as supposed to the 13 months they had to prepare in 2004. But, you see, this suggestion implies that Ed Stelmach’s government dropped the ball, violating the first rule any impartial government appointee must live by – “Honour thy government and find no fault in what they do”.

Making matters worse, Lorne had the gall to call “for major reforms to “depoliticize” the province’s voting system”. De-politicize the voting system? Where does this guy think he is? He has also advocated for the bizarre position that election legislation should be “democratized”, and that “vestiges of former years” should be removed from it. Sure Lorne – keep smoking that wacky tabacky.

Faced with this insubordination, the Tories promptly exercised their majority to punt Gibson from his post – over the protests of the opposition parties.

AGRDT offers the complete media run-down of the saga, including some harsh words being directed Stelmach’s way by former star candidate Arthur Kent.