When Jason Kenney asked former finance minister Janice MacKinnon “to conduct a deep dive into Alberta’s fiscal situation” he told her to deliver recommendations to balance the budget by 2023 and develop a plan to retire the province’s debt without considering the revenue side of the equation. Ms M
Continue readingAuthor: susanonthesoapbox
Susan on the Soapbox: Albertans: “People of Destiny”
On Sept 1 Premier Kenney wished Alberta a happy birthday. Not once in his video message did he mention Canada. It was as if Alberta became a province in 1905 only to float around in No Mans Land for the next 114 years. He did, however, acknowledge Alberta’s connection to
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Mr Kenney’s Announcements on TMX and KXL
This just in from the how-to-make-a-good-news-story-sound-bad department: Mr Kenney’s government issued two press releases this week, one about the restart of construction of the TMX pipeline project, the other about the favourable ruling of the Nebraska Supreme Court on Keystone XL. Both of these announcements are about a good result
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Trudeau’s Ethics Violation
It was a headline befitting the National Enquire, splashed across the top of the newspaper in four different fonts and three different colours: “The evidence abundantly shows that Mr Trudeau knowingly sought to influence Ms Wilson-Raybould both directly and through the actions of his agents.” And boom, it turned into
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Patriot Games
“Patriot: the person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollering about.” Mark Twain Last week Mr Kenney joined the patriot squad. On August 4 and August 7 he released two odious videos on social media. Let’s call them “Patriot Games One” and “Patriot Games Two.” Patriot
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: What Do They Want?
When Ms Soapbox read the “open letter” to Canadians published by three oil executives she was reminded of Sigmund Freud. Freud spent 30 years asking himself: what do women want? After 70 years of riding the boom/bust roller coaster with the energy industry Canadians are wondering the same thing:
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Calgary Flames Arena–Have We Got A Deal For You!!!
To paraphrase Jane Jacobs, the majority of Calgary City Council regard Calgarians as “empty-headed young ladies whose main duties were to see that their nails were clean, their curves properly distributed and their behavior seemly.” These councillors refuse to allow adequate public consultation on their decision to spend $275 million
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: A Letter to My Councillor About the Flames Deal
Dear Councillor Woolley, I am a constituent living in your riding. Thank you for bringing forward a motion to extend the time available for public consultation on the proposed deal with the Calgary Flames. I am deeply disappointed that the Mayor and most of Council rejected your motion. The
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Trump’s “Go Home” Tweet
Ms Soapbox found herself organizing the sock drawer this morning. She blames this burst of domesticity on Donald Trump. She’ll explain how this ties back to Alberta politics in a moment, but first a quick recap of the most recent Trump blowout. The Tweet Last week Mr Trump tweeted
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Cowboys and Politicians
It’s the last day of the Calgary Stampede. It’s also the last day for politicians to dress up as cowboys for one last photo-op before getting back to business of politics. The issue we have with this photo isn’t that these men aren’t real cowboys but that they’re not
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Mr Kenney’s Laundry List
In a manner befitting the serious business of governing, the Alberta UCP caucus celebrated the end of the spring session by jumping into the reflecting pool in front of the Legislature. Perhaps it was the strain of being held to account by the NDP Opposition for seven whole weeks
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Happy Canada Day!
Dear Canada: Happy birthday! With hugs and kisses from Ms Soapbox. PS: You may have heard some silly talk to the effect that Alberta wants to separate from Canada because Albertans don’t think Canada appreciates their contribution to Confederation. They’re being egged on by a silly little man, our Premier,
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: About Those Ear Plugs…
Sigh. I expected to spend the next four years writing letters to my MLA, Doug Schweitzer, but I didn’t think the first one would be about ear plugs. But we play the cards we’re dealt so here goes. Dear Hon. Doug Schweitzer, Justice Minister and Solicitor General, I’m a lawyer
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Sisters’ Weekend
Ms Soapbox just returned from a fabulous long weekend in Victoria with her sisters. As a result I wasn’t terribly focused on the machinations of our politicians. Did I miss anything?
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: GSAs in Alberta (Even Doug Ford Does It Better)
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 late Friday afternoon on “the protections for students under the
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Mr Kenney’s Speech on Bill No. 1
Mr Kenney and Bill No. 1 There comes a time for politicians who spent the campaign trail foaming with righteous indignation to transform into thoughtful representatives of the people who elected them. Sadly, for Mr Kenney that time did not come before he rose in the Legislature to speak
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: The UCP Addresses Conversion Therapy…”in due course”
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 had tickets to the Ru Paul show and were delighted
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Throne Speech: Whose Destiny Are We Talking About?
“I am your density…I mean your destiny.” — George McFly, Back to the Future (1985) All eyes were riveted on Lois Mitchell, Her Honour the Honourable the Lieutenant Governor, last Wednesday as she delivered the Kenney government’s first Throne Speech…er…your eyes weren’t riveted on HHHLG? You were having coffee with
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: The Day the Circus Came to Town
On May 21, 2019 Jason Kenney’s UCP government will officially be “open for business” in every sense of the word. Mr Kenney’s government will kick off with a Throne Speech which will outline how Mr Kenney intends to deliver on his promise to pull Alberta out of its state of
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Lessons from the AFL and AOC
What if we’ve run out of time? What if there’s no time left for baby steps; for one step forward and two steps back? What if it’s time to go big or go home? Last weekend Ms Soapbox attended two events focused on our future. One was a convention hosted
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