Tag: politics

Dear AB residents who did not want this. The election in Alberta

We can take today to be confused, angry and disappointed. We can wonder how people worry more about money but not about the most vulnerable in their communities. We can be wounded that it feels like people’s basic needs are not as important as ravaging the earth for commerce. We can, for a moment take this personally.

What we CAN NOT do is give up. We can dream that ‘elsewhere’ will be better. But it’s not. This ideology is seeded everywhere.

What we must do…. Fight, education and appeal. The majority was NOT a landslide, that means, there are many of us who feel the community and working to the greater good is important. We must come together and use our voices ( it still is a democracy) and our actions to keep this government in check. Educate those around us about the cost of doing business with the UCP. Appeal to the basic humanity of those supporters when it comes to marginalized people.

It feels exhausting, it feels easier to pack up and go, but what we are saying then, is that we are only willing to care for each other when the majority makes it easier, not when times are tough and the vulnerable need it more, not to be abandoned.

Take the time to find balance, it’s out there, there are people and programs doing great things. Find them, amplify and support them. Yes we need to point out the ick and gross treatment/ideals and methods of the far R, but make the community minded people heard as well.

For every ‘can you believe this 💩’ angry post you do, I challenge you to amplify 1 or 2 ‘look at the amazing things people are doing’ posts. We can do this.

Alberta Politics

*I originally published this on the eve of our provincial election. I am republishing this, because some fears written here have become realized, some may be to come. I want to inspire my readers to be active, stand up, speak loud and remind the government WHO THEY WORK FOR!!!!

An open letter my my Family, Friends, Tribe, Village, Community, Province – including the UPC and Mr. Kenny

I have been an Albertan my whole life, born and raised here in Cowtown. Surrounded by hard working farm communities, and yes the oil patch. There has always been the pervading Good Old Boy mentality here, it is one that has always been in the background within my own community, however the folks I am surrounded with are giving, loving and community minded. We never let the perceived mentality stop us from being inclusive, kind and wanting to strive for better. This is still my hope for the future.

Here we sit the day after a contemptuous election. I must say, I am embarrassed by our descent into American type rhetoric and name calling, the Us vs Them mentality that saw horrid graffiti and out right threats to marginalize whole communities.  Ideally to the winner of such a contest one would want to say that you ran a good campaign. But UPC/Kenny, you did not. You ran an american type, inflammatory bullying rally that now has many concerned citizens rightly afraid for their kids, their jobs, their healthcare and their education. Big business is thrilled, promising the return of the oil patch was a great play, a reminder of glory days, but we can’t build a future on memories. Pretending that you can fight the feds on taxes and pipelines is an expensive pipe dream. 

UPC/Kenny, I did not vote for you, you did not pass my job interview, however you got in. Remember YOU ALSO WORK FOR ME NOW, your bosses are NOT the big companies, your cronies or just the people that bought into your campaign. YOU ARE PUBLIC SERVANTS, this means you must also represent me and my concerns, we must find away to work together to build a better future for what is to come.

 So expect that if you are going to try to set back or dismantle the forward progression of our education system you will need to answer to me, one of your many bosses. 

If you are going to pull apart our already fragile healthcare system to create business opportunities for corporations rather than really looking at and taking care of the health concerns of the public you again must answer to me, one of your many bosses.

If you are going to put any child in danger by ignoring their right to privacy because your religion tells you too, as your boss I would like to remind you religion has NO place in politics. And again you will have to answer to me, one of your many bosses. 

I would also like to remind you there are far more than a single religion in this province, and each needs to be respected, no more my God is better than your Gods pissing contest. I know many Pagans, Christians, Muslims, Hindi and a plethora more are all very concerned what much of your election rhetoric has brought forward. I see the vile ooze that your bigotry toward the LGBTQ community has brought. So UPC/Kenny, since you now also work for me, and these communities too, that are all very vital and important contributing members of our society, may I suggest that as one of the first items on your list of things to do your first week of work is try to come up with a plan to build the bridges your campaign destroyed. Denounce the people who aim to disenfranchise and threaten these communities. Show us that you are worthy of the position, that you aim to work for all of Alberta.

For better or worse YOU WORK FOR ALL OF US now. You will be held accountable.

I hope that all of my other friends and community members whom supported you know that I love them, I support their growth and safety to, just not at the cost of others. So let’s put aside this Us vs Them and truly look at building up our communities, cities and province, to lead by example for inclusion, forward education thinking and diversified economic growth. 

Love your neighbour, look out for your neighbour.