Politics in Alberta feels like a Monty Python comedy sketch, only not as funny. But that’s not why I’ve used John Cleese’s signature line as the title of today’s blog post.
I’ve been thinking a lot about “something completely different” ever since I started French classes last September. It turns out sitting in a classroom with a dozen other people who are desperately trying to understand what the teacher just said is a great way to take your mind off the troubling events swirling around us. At least for a couple of hours.
So for the month of December we’re taking a break.
That doesn’t mean the Soapbox is closed. We’re always interested in hearing your thoughts on the events of the day and why they’re important. So we’re turning the stage over to you.
Feel free to comment about anything you’d like (within reason). I’m especially interested in what everyone is doing to stay sane in these crazy times.
As I said, what I’m doing is taking French. In our last class we played a game where someone picked a letter of the alphabet and the class had to come up with a verb, a sport/leisure activity, something you could eat, and something you’d find in your house that started with that letter before the klaxon went off. The person with the most points won.
It’s amazing how competitive a bunch of adults trying to learn French can be.
Okay, now it’s your turn. Do you have some thoughts you’d like to share about politics? If not, what are you doing that’s completely different?
The Soapbox is yours.
Susan on the Soapbox 
I once met a woman who said that whenever she became frustrated with trying to change the world for the better, her house became very clean.
I’d like to clean house in Alberta right now. If that fails, maybe I could settle for cleaning my own house. Then I could move on to painting the whole place, because 3.5 years is a very long time.
Wishful Thinking: you made me smile. If I see sparkly clean, well painted houses scattered across the Alberta landscape then I’ll know the end is nigh for Danielle Smith and the UCP!
I applaud you taking December off. Working as you do to produce the blog, that close to the dysfunctional political system we currently we have here, is soul if not mind sapping. I can only think about it in small bits. The story this week, there are always so many to choose from, is the COP24 in Dubai. To send a delegation with no interest in climate change, that will significantly affect the next generations, to a party in the desert, while the earth burns, seems like a bad Monty Python movie.
But let’s concentrate on friends and families for the next month. There will be no shortage of screw-ups and poor decisions come 2024. Happy Holidays to you , Mr Soapbox and the entire Soapbox family!
David Watson: thank you for the kind wishes. As you said, the thought of Danielle Smith and her delegation which includes her husband who owned a restaurant in High River, making him a key member of the COP28 delegation, makes your head spin.
So we’ll turn our minds to other things just for a a few days.
Happy Holidays to the Watsons. May December bring joy to us all. :)_.
I agree with everything David Watson says. And Happy Holidays to everyone.
I agree with everything David Watson says above.
And thank you for your soapbox thoughts. Profitez de l’apprentissage de votre nouvelle langue! Happy holidays all.
Megan, merci!
Going to the Sunday rallies for Palestine feels like something different. So few white folks are there, and the ones who are, I often know. Next week we’re going to try and get more settler types interested in standing against obvious genocide……truly……the West these days looks like something completely different…”a lot of entitled people walking around naked and not knowing it…..nodding our bubble heads when Russia is accused of genocide and Israel is lauded for defending itself.
I feel somewhat liberated by marching with a diaspora….not simply of Palestinians, but of people of colour from all over the planet. And afterwards, Onyx is a lovely cafe just across the street, with a happy hour offering 6 dollar wine and delicious 8 dollar soup and 4 dollar creme brule. We’re trying to fill that venue with people who aren’t blase about genocide…….forget about Danielle Smith and the TBA crowd….they’re really small potatoes, compared to a world that has to get beyond war.
Understanding that its generally civilians, women, children, old people, who are killed in aerial bombardments would be a start. Right up to Christmas, we’re standing with the victims of settler colonization…….at home and abroad.
It’s more liberating than you might imagine.
Ingamarie: thank you for your thoughtful comments. As you said, Danielle Smith and the TBA are “small potatoes” we need to find a way to go beyond war.
I totally despair at many things happening in the world and at home. I despair at how lying has become normal, that people would rather listen to misinformation than Science, that wars continue to be used as a solution to problems. I’m sad that humans have not evolved.. that selfishness and greed takes precedence to saving the planet and lives.
But, to answer your question: I joined a Senior’s Improv group where we laugh a lot. My husband and I try and watch an episode daily from a comedy series. Right now we’re watching a show with “John Cleese” (Hold the Sunset). Keeps us sane…
checkyturned80: A senior’s improv group, what a cool idea. I think it’s important for people who are very engaged in the political process to take the time to step away and recharge periodically. Otherwise we’ll burnout, and then what good are we?
PS I”m intrigued by your name!
Susan: It’s just one thing after another with Danielle Smith and the UCP. Recently, Danielle Smith went on an attack against the federal Liberal government, and was trying to say that their policies on energy are going to cause blackouts and skyrocketing electricity prices in Alberta. She wanted to invoke the Sovereignty Act to fight that. This is the farthest thing from the truth. Ralph Klein deregulated electricity in Alberta, and I remember this very well. To date, electricity deregulation has exceed $30 billion in cost. The Power Purchase Agreements debacle, which also came from Ralph Klein, where power company CEO’s could become wealthier, has set us back $10 billion. An Alberta PC cabinet minister also created a bill where any new power transmission lines that would be constructed in Alberta would be used for exporting the power to American states, and these new power transmission lines would be paid for by the power consumers in Alberta, on their power bills. In 2010-11, TransAlta had been manipulating power prices, and in 2015 they were found guilty and were given a $56 million fine, which they have only passed onto the power consumers in Alberta. The UCP removed the NDP’s cap on power prices, which didn’t help lower the costs. Before the last provincial election in Alberta, the UCP blew billions of dollars on so many voter bribery schemes. One of them was where the UCP were making it seem like they were lowering the costs of power to Albertans, but this was merely a loan to power companies in Alberta, which Albertans are now paying back on their power bills. Another big blow for power consumers in Alberta is when the UCP allowed power companies in Alberta to hold back the power, which increased power prices exponentially. This is known as economic witholding, and since 2020, this has cost Albertans around $100 billion. Danielle Smith also tried blaming Rachel Notley for shutting down coal fired power plants in Alberta, which increased the costs of power. This is also false. In 2010, Jim Prentice was the Environment Minister in the CPC, and he said that coal fired power plants in Canada must be decommissioned by the earlier part of this decade, because they are a major contribution to GHG emissions and overall reduced air quality. When Jim Prentice was the last Alberta PC premier, he also wanted coal fired power plants decommissioned in Alberta for the same reasons. In addition, Jim Prentice wanted to get more solar power and more wind power for Alberta. Prior to the 2015 provincial election in Alberta, the political parties were campaigning on closing down coal fired power plants in this province, and they all wanted to get into more green energy sources. Also, contrary to what certain people claim, the carbon tax (which is a Conservative creation in Canada, because Ed Stelmach gave Alberta the first carbon tax in this country), isn’t responsible for higher power prices in Alberta. It’s unbelievable how people fall for the misinformation Danielle Smith is spreading. Her Sovereignty Act is impossible to utilize, because it’s unconstitutional and illegal. I hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. I’ll share some more good and fitting music. This is Elvin Bishop covering the Christmas hymn, Silent night. It was recorded and released around 1975. This features Mickey Thomas on vocals, who joined Jefferson Starship later on. I have seen Elvin Bishop 3 times live and met him. He is also in my music collection.
Dwayne, thanks for this excellent overview of who the conservatives drove our power markets into the ground and now we, the consumers, are paying the cost (what else is new).
I must say I had never heard Elvin Bishop before (at least I don’t think I have). It was a good piece. I’m not surprised you’d seen this group live…I think you’ve seen pretty well everyone who’s anyone in the music business!
All the best!
Susan: Elvin Bishop was in the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, in the 1960s, along with Michael Bloomfield, another great guitarist, who passed away at age 38, in 1981. He was one of the founder members. Elvin Bishop then went onto have a successful solo career. His musical influences include blues, old time country, funk and gospel. Here is a song from 1975-6, that you might remember, Fooled Around And Fell In Love. Mickey Thomas is also on lead vocals here. Others have covered this song, including Rod Stewart, The Winery Dongs, and Miranda Lambert.
Susan: The only way you can respond to me is under my other comments. I may share something by The Paul Butterfield Blues Band in the future.
Susan: Here is my next song pick. This is Christmas Must Be Tonight, by The Band. It was recorded and released in 1977. Robbie Robertson wrote it. He passed away this year, on August 9, at age 80. A great Canadian/American group. The (late) Levon Helm, was the only American in the group. Garth Hudson, Rick Danko, and Richard Manuel, and Robbie Robertson are Canadian. Garth Hudson is the only surviving band member. I also have The Band in my music collection.
Dwayne, so this was an interesting piece. I’m always amazed how musicians from different genres interpret traditional Christmas music. Thank you.
I just wish the news reported with the whole story, not just what the UCP said but why what they said is a lie or not the whole truth.
Mika: I agree. I heard Martin Baron, who used to run the Washington Post, say the older reporters thought they should restrict themselves to the facts, while the younger ones felt they should also present their opinions. Seems to me there’s a middle ground. The press can publish quotes from someone (even if these misrepresent the truth) as long as such quotes are accompanied with a statement that sets out the true facts.
If that is true, and it certainly seems to be, the older reporters are operating on the assumption that today’s politicians are operating like the those of a couple decades or more ago, when they wouldn’t have dared to lie so openly. Not that they were always truthful, but the blatant lying now is out of control.
Susan: Here is my final song pick. This is James Taylor performing his composition, Sweet Baby James, from the BBC In Concert, on November 16, 1970. I have seen James Taylor live, several years ago.
Dwayne, that James Taylor piece was lovely. I would think that seeing him perform live would be mesmerizing, right?
Susan: Seeing James Taylor live was fantastic.
For the last three years I have been looking for diversion projects to take my mind off many things that are troubling in our world. I have a degree in French, and can attest it is so much easier to learn at a younger age… so in doing a little genealogy research I have traced back to my 8th great grandfather in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, and spent 10 months studying Scots Gaelic via zoom… It is a very humbling experience to begin learning a new language at 68 and a darn difficult one at that. Bon Courage avec vos etudes de francais. I look forward to the resumption of your SoapBox.
Marilyn McLean: Kudos to you. Studying Scots Gaelic via zoom. Je suis impressionne (with an accent on the last “e”).
Dwayne above said it all. Listen podcast ENERGI TALKS.
August 14th and May 30th. David Gray is interviewed and he advised Klein about our electricity system and designed the market approach. In his interviews he admits the Conservatives then the UCP have failed to make a minor change to regulations which would give us baseload electricity.
Dwayne above explained it extremely well. Also a YouTube video on Energi Media where David Gray is interviewed by Energi Host Markum Hislop , you all would find interesting. 4 minutes
David Krieger: thank you for this additional information. Both Markham Hislop, the host of ENERGI TALKS and David Gray are highly respected experts. Something I can’t say about Danielle Smith’s coterie.
My thoughts are who is funding the “Take Back Alberta” and other right wing initiatives in this province.
Brent Calvert McFadyen: now that is the $64 million question!
I think you probably do not want to find out 🙂
Merry Xmas Susan to you and your family – thank you for this wonderful site as well.
Glad to hear you and yours are taking a well-deserved Xmas break.
My contribution today is to share my go-to for relaxation and re-creation – which is the process of finding derelict, forgotten and neglected motorcycles and restoring them back to operation. This is done with a good friend in his well-appointed garage/workshop.
From shambles, rust, greasy grot and spider-webbed abandonment, we bring these machines back to life. We’ve worked on an eclectic selection of machines ranging from wee two stroke Italian scooters, to a full restoration of a 1974 Honda 750, rehabbing a pair of crashed early 2000s Japanese sport bikes, rebuilding a pair of 70’s era BMW air-cooled twins, restoring a crashed Suzuki 650 Burgmann super-scooter to the latest completed project – the rehabilitation of a rorty 2003 Buell XB9R – a HD-sportster-engine based sportbike.
We also ride and service our own current riding machines as well as the bikes of others – show up, bring cool beverages and we’ll help you service your ride – I have the wonderful luck to have a group of male and female m/c riding friends – we have adventures all over the western region of North America during the spring and summer months. We are always looking for riders to join us – all riders/all machines welcome.
Rangin’ and bangin’ on about provincial politics is fun, but chasin’ the same “ill-mannered dog” gets beyond-weary after a while. There is no bad day on a motorcycle, just the realization one made a poor choice in riding gear. One never sees a motorcycle parked in front of a psychiatrist’s office – a good spirited ride will blow all the smoke from one’s mind.
Lee Neville: what a wonderful diversion! A long, long time ago I had a chance to ride on the back of a huge motorcycle (I’m afraid I don’t remember what it was). This was before helmets were mandatory and I was 15 so what did I know. I was a little nervous at first, but in no time we were flying down the highway, the wind whipping through our hair. I’ll never forget it!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Susan and all you Soapbox followers. Let’s eat, drink and be merry and hope the Unhinged Clown Party all drink tainted eggnog and get salmonella poisoning. Add to that, there may not be any room in ER or the hospital to treat them. Sorry I may have overstepped but I couldn’t resist.
Sharon, thank you.
I’m hoping that UCP will hoist themselves on their own petard). The minute I said that I had to look up the word “petard”. Apparently it’s a “primitive and exceedingly dangerous explosive device.” I guess we’re both feeling the need to overstep today 🙂
Many years ago when I was still in high school my sister took me to see that movie at the university. It was my first introduction to Monty Python, though I think we got their TV show soon afterwards. Great comedy. When I went to university a few years later they were hugely popular.
This old interview plays some of their bits:
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1632477900
Valerie Jobson: The ministry of silly walks, the dead parrot sketch…it doesn’t get any better than that. Thanks for this fabulous link!
I see that the Mayor and Council of Chestermere have been either fired or told to go sit in the corner until the next election. It looks like one or more individuals would not bend a knee to the Empress. So now Chestermere is being run by a UCP friendly unelected consultant. As coups go, this one was slow in developing, but they did manage to include the requisite nebulous accusations of malfeasance. I wonder if this is a research and development phase or a Trial Balloon by the UCP in order to gauge the public pushback when dealing with irksome progressive Municipal Councils.
Jaundiced Eye. The hypocrisy of the UCP is incredible.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/new-bill-would-halt-ethics-investigations-of-politicians-during-election-campaigns-1.7024473
Unfortunately Dwayne it is not just hypocrisy. We need to move from that if we are to survive.
This is deliberate moves to protect their stay in power and do whatever they want. They are slowly moving in that direction and will not stop because these people are sick.
Progressives are now the group to eliminate and Trump has already said so. We are the Jews of the 21 century.
Jaundiced Eye: I see it from this perspective. The UCP have gone full blown dictatorship. Any municipal politicians that don’t agree with the UCP, will get canned. Dissidents will not be tolerated. In return, UCP sycophants, fill the role, and fatten up their ranks, and squeeze out any remote traces of democracy. With Bill 8, this further undermines democracy. Cue Danielle Smith’s questionable ethics that had been revealed before the last provincial election in Alberta. Under Bill 8, investigations into MLAs ethics breaches, or other unsavory conduct, can’t be investigated by the Alberta Ethics Commissioner, if a provincial election is pending. Those MLAs are free to campaign and run. In addition, with Bill 8, gift limits to MLAs has changed. Who knows who could be donating to these MLAs, and the amount will never be revealed. It could also make way for MLAs accepting bribes. In Alberta, there are people who came from a country that is being run by a dictatorship, is a police state, or has a shady government. Or they have parents, grandparents, or other relatives who did. This is what we have in Alberta, under the UCP and TBA.
Jaundiced Eye: I’ve seen a few news reports indicting that there was a level of…shall we say skullduggery…going on in Chestermere which may have amounted to breach of trust. I’ll dig around some more to see if I can find the links. If this is true, then removing these individuals may have been the right decision. However with the UCP government so much has gone on that it’s hard to trust them even when they do the right thing.
A little consistency with the UCP would be nice to see. The “Chestermere 4” get tossed for what may or may not be a level of skullduggery. Jason Kenney and campaign finance fraud, with witnesses, we are going on 7 years and counting.
Usually I do like to discuss democracy and its non evolution due to constitutions and bad political corrupted systems.
Unfortunately Canada is not an exception. I thought at first, when this wave of Hitlerian populism started, that we would be better because of how we usually behave in the world context. Well I was very wrong and after a Christmas party where I met people I did not know before, I finally realized that this is not a temporary disease like the flu.
I asked one of the new people I met what were to him the best politicians of the last 2 decades. He replied very quickly – Harper and Danielle Smith.
This is a man that I respect and that it is well educated. So we are in a very new territory. I now have no doubts that 47% of this province, just like in Germany of the 1930s, believe seriously in fascism and pyramid schemas and scams.
I am glad I am old because I do not have any doubts that this is serious and that if Trump is not charged and wins the next election, the world may very well have its last war. VERY SAD.
Carlos: did that man you spoke to say why he thought Harper and Smith were the best politicians in the last 2 decades? I’m curious.
I had a conversation a week ago with a bright young man who’d just returned from a trip to China. He was very impressed with the dynamic cities he’d seen and the inexpensive goods and services he bought. He said if this was what an authoritarian government could provide, maybe it wasn’t so bad after all. I was stunned to hear it. Like the fellow you were talking to, this man was bright, well educated and conservative. I don’t know if these people don’t understand that in an authoritarian state life is grand if you’re wealthy and in the government’s good books. Otherwise, it’s not something anyone of us would aspire to.
Susan you have my answer in that young person you met and it is an easy answer – Give me the cheap products and money and I do not care at all. The world has changed and people, in my view, have a completely different approach to life in general. I truly believe life goes in cycles and we are approaching the pinnacle of an era that started after the second world war. Just like in the 20s and 30s people were blind with greed and selfishness and we know the end of it.
I believe we are in the same position right now with the aggravation that many crises came at the same time, as it was predicted by many people 30 years ago.
There are a lot other scientific predictions that will force us to remember we are just animals with a better brain but not the ones created by a God and especial. I think the next big one will be genetic disfunction and that will for sure reduce the population very quickly.
Longevity already fell in the US this year. Just the beginning.
This person I told you about did not need to answer any question. The way he talked and what he talked about was sufficient to know exactly what he was about. I mean anyone that thinks that Danielle Smith is one of the best politicians in Canada in the last 20 years has to be as demented as she is.
Look at this one – this is Alberta in the 21 century – WOW
https://albertapolitics.ca/2023/12/united-conservative-party-government-tells-alberta-nurses-dont-worry-theres-no-list-and-youre-not-on-it/
well I am sorry, I do not mean to drown people in information but from Graham Thompson I could not ignore this one
One of the great journalists in pour province and country. This is an excellent article on Danielle Smith and this embarrassing government. She entered like a Sheik and its entourage of clowns. Graham at one point talks about what the world thinks of our commitment to climate change and even worse what the world thinks of this display of marriage with the oil businesses so obvious it stinks of corruption. This afternoon MADAM Lagranje threatened the nurses in a time their aren’t enough anywhere in the world. A move that clearly defines a strategy of strangulating the system to start privatizing as much as fast as possible.
https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2023/12/05/Danielle-Smith-Doing-In-Dubai/
Have completed building my outdoor winter planter displays. DIY means the cost is kept within reason; I created 25 displays (24 outdoors; 1 indoor) altogether for an average cost of $24 per. To put that into perspective, your average basic outdoor holiday planter – 10 to 12 inch sized pot from Home Depot or Real Canadian Superstore – runs $40 per. Larger sizes are much more expensive – $60 to $80. Custom work is much more expensive – a big outdoor arrangement by shops offering such services can easily cost $250 to $400 to create a display in a large outdoor urn or planter. Lots of garden centers offer classes in how to make your own display. The average cost to take such a class runs $80 to $100, with a completed take it home planter you made at the end of the class. Myself, I watched some Youtube videos to get an idea of how to make my own. A nice indoor or outdoor arrangement makes an excellent (& unique) gift!
I’d like to discuss two different approaches to one of the existential crises of our times: homelessness.
Edmonton Police Service recently announced that they would be clearing homeless encampments in the days leading up to Christmas. This heartless decision seems to fly in the face of the values that adhere to this holiday season — you know, “Peace on Earth, Goodwill to all” and all that. I’m not a Christian, but even a secular humanist like myself can get behind those values, so I freely and willingly participate in many of the cultural rituals that surround the Christmas season. Apparently, though, the decision-makers at EPS don’t share those values.
Meanwhile, in the other side of the country, Halifax Mayor Mike Savage — certainly not known as a raging socialist — has decided to cancel the traditional New Year’s Levee at City Hall, and with council approval has redirected the $8,500 cost of the event to a community organization that supports the unhoused in that city, to provide at least one meal a day to those living rough. He stated that with unhoused people encamped on the Grand Parade right in front of City Hall, it just didn’t feel right to proceed with the event.
In addition, in that same city, a group of volunteers purchased and donated ice fishing shelters to those living in tents, providing at least some protection from the elements and reducing the risk of tent fires and resulting loss of life.
Of course, neither of these initiatives solve the problem of insufficient shelter space and the paucity of affordable housing, but they do demonstrate some capacity for humanity that the EPS could learn from.
Receipts:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/halifax-cancels-new-year-s-day-levee-uses-funds-to-support-homeless-residents-1.7060893
and
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/volunteers-purchase-ice-fishing-shelters-halifax-1.7048524
Ms Soapbox,
I’d like take up your invitation to “feel free to comment about anything you’d like”, but also shift the spotlight this evening from Alberta & even Canadian politics, & to geopolitics & the war in Gaza.
As I was driving home from the grocery store this afternoon, listening to music on my car’s Bluetooth connection with my phone, a song came on that caused me to reflect on the Gaza war.
Israel suffered the tragic & unconscionable loss of 1,200 of its people at the hands of Hamas terrorists, & it certainly has the unquestioned right to defend itself from such attacks. But the death toll in Gaza has now exceeded 20,000, or roughly 17 innocent civilians killed by Israel for every Israeli killed by Hamas. And now the IDF is even killing its own people held hostage by Hamas. Israel’s vengeance attack on the Gaza Strip is so grossly disproportionate that it can only be described as a war crime.
I’m going to steal a page here from Dwayne the music guy, & share this song & some of its lyrics & backstory here. The song is called ‘Blood Brothers’, by Iron Maiden, on their stellar 2000 album, ‘Brave New World’. The song was written by the band’s principal songwriter, bassist Steve Harris, reflecting on the death of his father. But it goes on to comment on war & violence. The relevant lyrics go like this: “And as you look all around at the world in dismay/What do you see, do you think we have learned?/Not if you’re taking a look at the war-torn affray/Out in the streets where the babies are burnt”. If that doesn’t make you think about Gaza or Ukraine, you’re not paying attention.
Then the final verse says, “When you think that we’ve used all our chances/And the chance to make everything right/Keep on making the same old mistakes/Makes untipping the balance so easy/When we’re living our lives on the edge/Say a prayer on the book of the dead”. Makes you think, doesn’t it?
Here’s a link to a YouTube video of the song:
(Music note: it’s in 6/8 time, which gives it that swaying feel).
Maiden are probably my favourite band. I first saw them in 1984, as a young Nursing student in Halifax; & I’ve seen them probably four or five times since, most recently this past September 30th in Edmonton. It’s metal for the educated & the literate: they’ve done songs about the Ancient Greek myth of Daedalus & Icarus … Coleridge’s ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ … the Charge of the Light Brigade … and the R101 airship disaster, among other topics. (Sadly, I can’t make a Dwaynesque claim to have met them though lol).
Thank you for allowing me to vent here.
First off I want to thank Susan for opening this forum to everyone for the month of December and express my sincere appreciation for all of her work to create and maintain this space. It’s no small feat and we shouldn’t take it for granted lest, much like our democracy, it disappears. Thanks so much Susan and I wish you and yours all the best for the holidays.
A number of years ago I read an interview with Tom Wilson where he said that he had recently taken some time alone in some remote location and was reading a book by Miriam Toews entitled ‘All My Puny Sorrows’. I had not heard of Miriam Toews prior to this but this comment stuck with me so I researched her and the book and subsequently bought it and read it. It was good. Like the song in the video below it isn’t happy or uplifting, at least in my opinion, but I consider both the book and the song to be raw, honest and authentically human. I will admit that watching the video below moves me to tears more often than not.
Fast forward to this year and in Alberta we have David Parker who, some of you may recall, was the subject of a CBC article by Jason Markusoff. Here is a brief excerpt:
“This is a war between the pro-humans and anti-humans,” he said. Parker referred to abortion, and modern urban women’s impulse to delay having children for their careers’ sake.
He also argues that NDP and progressives want to depopulate society for the sake of the environment. “You are the carbon they are trying to reduce.”
As we all know now, Parker and his supporters are the main reason that we are now all suffering under a government that regularly and gleefully sacrifices things that people need every day, affordable health care, public education, social services and environmental protections to name a few, on the altar of corporate profit. In my view of the world this is basically the definition of anti-human activity.
In juxtaposing these two examples of human behaviour I’m reminded, as it seems I frequently am, of a lyric from one of Bruce Cockburn’s songs, in this case ‘Rumours of Glory’:
“You see the extremes
Of what humans can be?”
In my world there is absolutely no room for the garbage that David Parker and his trained seal Dani Dumbass constantly produce, but I like to think that I will always welcome people like Tom Wilson and Miriam Toews with all of their beautiful scars. I believe that the immortal words of Linus are applicable: “That’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown.”
Guy great post.
David Parker is a person with obvious delusional ideas due, I believe, to an extraordinary ego centered complex.
A very controversial person that somehow got the power that allows him to fully play his game. Saying that progressives are anti-human is quite a claim when we know for a fact that these people only believe in money and are themselves against anything that sounds like a positive societal outcome. They are their own worst enemies.
To be honest I really stopped bothering with these people. They have to be careful though because people are starting to realize who they really are. The slogans are past their shelf life and everyone is scrutinizing the reality of these weirds.
They will fall with their own lies and garbage ideology. It is just a matter of time.
Thanks Carlos and I certainly hope that your prediction of the impending demise of TBA comes true. Enough is enough.
Best wishes to you for the holidays and the coming year.
Thank you Guy the same to you and every reader
Merry Christmas and a great 2024 for all of us.
From your kb to the universe’ ears Carlos, you too Guy.
Many thanks and best wishes all around.
From the link below:
Pressed by the media, the Alberta premier said it is not her duty to disclose her vaccination status to set an example,
“No, I think that medical provisions should be kept private…I’m not a doctor, talk to your family doctor.” (Good one Danni; you know as well as any Albertan there was at least a one in 5 chance that they could do no such thing. ha. ha.)
“I don’t think we go to politicians for medical advice, and I’m certainly not going to give it.” DS
Except here she is, givin’ it, badly:
“Indeed, before tobacco research was corrupted by a political agenda the…evidence was far from conclusive. The evidence shows (sic) moderate cigarette consumption can reduce traditional risks of disease by 75% or more.” – Danielle Smith
So apparently she and the UCP expect Albertans to get their medical advice from right wing newspaper columnists, and radio hosts, like they do. Which explains a lot.
https://mstdn.social/@NMBA@mstdn.ca/111621685017357044
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