Like a dinosaur roaring at a meteor


It’s not unlike the UCP patriarch, Jason Kenney, who is also teetering on the edge of losing political power and/or the death of his future political career. Kenney (played not-so-brilliantly by himself) is also spending his final days in power manipulating and torturing members of his caucus and his party. They are now openly turning against each other in a struggle for control of the UCP.

Advertisement

October 18 can be a referendum on Jason Kenney’s leadership


Getting rid of equalization is a ridiculous notion. Equalization is a way of ensuring all Canadians have a reasonably comparable level of public services at a similar level of taxation. Voting no will be an easy choice for the majority of Albertans, but some may not be considering it an opportunity to also state their no is not just a rejection of the question but a rejection of the person who wrote the question – Jason Kenney.

Grassy Mountain is thrown out and we should do the same with the K-6 curriculum


Our elected representatives are rarely the leaders, everyday Albertans are the ones who often know best. And it’s Albertans who will have to continue to lead them (at every level) to the proper conclusion because they’ve long ago lost their way. Subjected to all manner of lobbying and incentives from industry to do what’s best for corporations, they repeatedly make bad decisions that are not in the best interests of citizens.

A million dollar lottery, a billion dollar giveaway and a complicated transfer of cash no one understands


Almost 70% of Albertans over the age of 12 did not need this incentive, but yeah, let’s waste money that could be used for badly needed services because 30% just haven’t gotten around to getting vaccinated in time for the Stampede. A tiny, tiny percentage will actually be enticed to get the shot by the remote chance at this lottery win.

Bigfoot, thin blue line and big biking news


But beyond the sheer audacity of claiming a children’s fictional cartoon about an elusive, furry creature of folklore should be more - accurate - this whole episode is extremely disturbing from a censorship perspective. When you have the full force and resources of a government, trying to silence critics, including in the artistic realm, this is never acceptable. It’s an abuse of power. We should be alarmed, not just embarrassed.

Women’s lives and livelihoods are at greater risk but the government is unresponsive


UCP women instead used the opportunity to reinforce the idea that systemic discrimination against women is a myth and that we just need to “work hard” and “earn” our way to the top. This is an incredibly harmful attitude and serves to further oppress and discourage women who are struggling against the odds every day.

A dank meme, a grim situation and we now own a parole board


The Covid-19 response this week was particularly confusing. On Wednesday, Dr. Deena Hinshaw said it was important to keep the current restrictions in place a little longer in order to keep healthcare available for everyone. On Thursday, Minister Shandro said it was a grim situation, getting worse. Then, in a late-day news conference on Friday, the government announced things were going so well they were relaxing restrictions on gyms and restaurants.

Sign saying, "Do not enter if you have symptoms of Covid-19, racism, sexism, homophobia"

The dais of discontent


As images of Trump supporters violently attempting to take control of the government by force started appearing on Twitter, the symbolism of the moment became painfully clear. https://twitter.com/igorbobic/status/1346906369232920576 Soon, other images appeared. A guy carrying the Confederate flag (also a flag used by German neo-Nazis since the swastika is outlawed in that country) into the … Continue reading The dais of discontent

This pandemic is teaching us how a lack of action endangers others


Climate change is like that - we can’t see the body bags piling up right in front of us in most cases, but people are dying nonetheless. When it comes to climate action, don’t be like those anti-maskers promenading perversely on Stephen Avenue in a state of denial. Take action on climate change in any way you can and help save lives.

Leaks, whistleblowers and barber shops


Civil servants were holding their collective breath this week as a CBC investigative team released secret recordings of meetings held between Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, and her team at Alberta Health. The bombshell story revealed an exasperated and cynical Dr. Hinshaw talking about her “uphill battle" with the UPC Cabinet and Premier … Continue reading Leaks, whistleblowers and barber shops

Managing issues brilliantly


The first question is why does Wolf do the things he does? The UCP were not even remotely on the moral high ground on this amendment. Did they not spot the glaring omission of Canada’s Indigenous genocide? They set themselves up for criticism by not doing their own homework, which generally involves…well…thinking about bills they are voting on in committee.

COVID-19 communication in Alberta is not working


Over the last two decades, communication practices during a crisis have evolved and adapted to changing technologies. One thing that has not changed in the last 20 years, however, is the need for simple, succinct messaging. There is a large body of knowledge out there on how to explain risks to people. There is also a highly researched best practice approach and a knowledgeable cohort of professional communicators across the globe who can help with communications in a crisis. There is no excuse for this kind of mixed messaging

UPDATE: We ALMOST gave a conspiracy theorist a platform


It’s a cautionary tale for any volunteer-run, non-profit organization. The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) is a respected association of professional communicators that has been around since 1970. Which is why I was shocked to learn that an upcoming professional development conference in Banff on October 27th featured Vivian Krause as the opening day … Continue reading UPDATE: We ALMOST gave a conspiracy theorist a platform

How about we not give conspiracy theorists a platform?


In early September, I was going through my email inbox reading and deleting the crazy amount of newsletters I’ve subscribed to (note to self: stop subscribing to so many) when a familiar name popped out from my screen.   Vivian Krause, lobbyist, writer and researcher in Canada (and Alberta) is known for her association with … Continue reading How about we not give conspiracy theorists a platform?

The Day After: Reflections on International Women’s Day


Another International Women’s Day has come and gone and along with it another round of clever hashtags, hopeful social media posts and frankly, hollow pledges of support. We’ve been through it before. Some of us have been through it more times than others and after a while, there’s a certain fuming cynicism that sets in. … Continue reading The Day After: Reflections on International Women’s Day