Category Archives: Education

GSAs in Alberta (Even Doug Ford Does It Better)

Posted on June 16, 2019 by susanonthesoapbox

It started when the Kenney government introduced Bill 8, the Education Amendment Act which they said would provide “the strongest statutory protections” for gay-straight alliances (GSAs) in the country.  It ended with a news release issued by Education Minister LaGrange … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Politics and Government, Privacy and Surveillance | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

The UCP Addresses Conversion Therapy…”in due course”

Posted on June 2, 2019 by susanonthesoapbox

By a strange coincidence Ru Paul’s Drag Race Season 11 came to town the same week that Premier Kenney and his Health Minister, Tyler Shandro, explained (sort of) the UCP government’s position on conversion therapy. Ms Soapbox and her daughters … Continue reading →

Posted in Alberta Health Care, Culture, Education, Politics and Government | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

Don’t Look Away

Posted on April 11, 2019 by susanonthesoapbox

We’re on the cusp of the election and many moderate conservatives still don’t know who they’ll support.  Will they ignore the allegations of vote tampering in the UCP leadership race and the slate of unfit candidates stacking up “25 deep” … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Education, Energy & Natural Resources, Environment, General Health Care, Politics and Government, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 36 Comments

The Day Jason Kenney Edited the UCP Policy Document…

Posted on April 7, 2019 by susanonthesoapbox

The UCP policy document opens with a letter from Jason Kenney which cribs Ronald Reagan’s well known question, “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?” Kenney’s answer is no, and he lists a number of reasons … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Energy & Natural Resources, General Health Care, Politics and Government | Tagged , , , | 24 Comments

GSAs…Here we go again

Posted on March 31, 2019 by susanonthesoapbox

Last Thursday Mr and Ms Soapbox joined hundreds of Calgarians protesting Mr Kenney’s plan to out kids who join gay-straight alliances (GSAs) in schools.  The question on everyone’s mind was why would the man who says he’s fit to govern … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Education, Politics and Government | Tagged , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Politics in the Age of Bewilderment

Posted on January 6, 2019 by susanonthesoapbox

The historian and philosopher Yuval Noah Harari says we’re living in the Age of Bewilderment, the old stories have collapsed and the new stories have not yet been written. Ms Soapbox thinks some politicians are trying to bridge this gap … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Education, Energy & Natural Resources, General Health Care, Politics and Government | Tagged , , , , , | 28 Comments

Has Jason Kenney Evolved?

Posted on December 9, 2018 by susanonthesoapbox

The Up Series is an amazing documentary that follows the lives of 14 British children over five decades.  The children were interviewed every seven years starting in 1964 when they were seven years old. The next instalment, 63 Up, will … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Justice, Culture, Education, Politics and Government | Tagged , , , , , , | 49 Comments

Hello Ottawa!

Posted on November 4, 2018 by susanonthesoapbox

Ms Soapbox is on her way to Ottawa.  There’s a good chance she’s in the air right now squashed into a tiny little seat trying to figure out why her WestJet onboard entertainment app isn’t working (luckily, she’s brought along … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Education, Politics and Government, Uncategorized, Vacation | Tagged , , | 21 Comments

What Albertans Can Learn From Barack Obama

Posted on September 9, 2018 by susanonthesoapbox

To paraphrase that old E.F. Hutton commercial, when Barack Obama talks, people listen. Last week Obama spoke at the University of Illinois.  He broke with the tradition of ex-presidents stepping away from the podium to give the new guy a … Continue reading →

Posted in Alberta Health Care, Economy, Education, Lectures, Politics and Government | Tagged , , , , | 39 Comments

The Attack on Gay-Straight Alliances Continues

Posted on April 8, 2018 by susanonthesoapbox

Last week the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) brought a court application challenging the constitutionality of changes to the School Act which are intended to support the establishment of gay-straight alliances (GSAs) in Alberta schools. Just to get our … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Politics and Government, Privacy and Surveillance | Tagged , , | 40 Comments