Things are heating up a bit on the provincial front. There are rumours of an election in the spring, and many parties are setting up the pawns, rooks and kings on the board.

This weekend will be quite interesting as Stelmach makes a decision about what he prefers - the rock, or the hard place. He is trapped no matter what he does with Chandler. It would be very damaging to allow a candidate to stand under the party banner who constantly spews hatred against homosexual groups (harken to the human rights complaints that Chandler has lost, including the most recent Boissoin ruling - Cracked Crystal Ball has a beautiful discussion of this and does it more justice than could do so here.) But it would also be damaging for the leader of the party to reject a candidate that has been duly selected through a democratic process.

I must, however, give Chandler some credit. He has taken quite well to the muzzle that has been placed by the Conservatives, it must be killing him to keep repeating "no comment" to the media. I guess Gaff tape does have some very good uses! (I am so tempted to gift wrap a roll of it for Chandler for Christmas - it would go so well in the stocking along with the coal!).

But nobody is naieve enough to believe that Chandler will start toeing the party line - he has made claims himself that he's not a party player, and that he won't cooperate with the party if elected.

Even though every time he opens up his mouth he ensures that the Liberals get 500 more votes, I still am hopeful that he is turfed this weekend. I have seen an Alberta with Rob Anders and Ric McIver in power - and it's not a pretty sight. Let's turf him before he does more damage than he has done already, and let's see a fair and openhanded election without the dirty tricks and sly dealings that Chandler has trademarked on all of the election campaigns he has participated with in the past.

My predictions are as follows:

1. Chandler will be turfed by the Conservatives.

2. Chandler will run either with a party like Wild Rose, or as an independant.

3. Chandler will try to sue Stelmack as well as all reporters who have been "unkind" to him over the past few weeks.

4. The election will be held in March on St. Patricks Day.

5. Cathy Williams will take the Liberal seat in Egmont.

Ok, you heard it here first!