The Alberta Sovereignty Act Rises Again
Alberta moved one step closer to becoming a banana republic this week. Premier Smith announced she will use the Sovereignty Act to combat the federal government’s cap on emissions by…
susanonthesoapbox
A Harsh Reality
The election of Donald Trump on Nov 5 left me feeling numb. Why? Because it confirmed my worst fears about the majority of Americans. Over the coming weeks we’ll see…
The Day Donald Trump Told My Husband A Secret
The US election is like a train wreck, it’s impossible to tear your eyes away. But we made a conscious effort not to get sucked into the maelstrom. There’s nothing…
Bill 20: Another Bill No One Asked For
” are good for municipalities, good for voters, good for Albertans.” – Ric McIver, minister of Municipal Affairs with respect to Bill 20. How do they do it? How can…
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving! This is a quick note to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. The Soapbox family celebrated as it always does with dear friends, our daughters and their partners,…
Alberta’s Healthcare System is on Life Support
Mr. Soapbox’s timing couldn’t have been worse. A couple of days before my husband experienced chest pains that landed him in the cardio unit at Foothills Hospital, Dr Paul Parks,…
Premier Smith Closes the Door on Asylum Claimants
On Sept 12, the day after The Trump/Harris debate, Premier Smith told the federal government that Alberta has closed its doors to any more asylum seekers. Here’s what she said:…
Happy Labour Day
Yesterday Premier Danielle Smith issued a statement celebrating Alberta Day—a non-stat holiday created by her predecessor Jason Kenney to commemorate the day Alberta became a province—without once mentioning Confederation. Today…
Happy Alberta Day
I just finished reading Premier Smith’s statement celebrating Alberta Day and wondered how I would explain it to someone who knows nothing about Alberta’s history. I suspect the conversation would…
Nenshi Visits Calgary-Elbow
Naheed Nenshi has been busy visiting NDP constituencies across the province. This afternoon he came to the Calgary-Elbow Constituency BBQ. After a (very) enthusiastic introduction from NDP MLA Samir Kayande,…
May I Make a Suggestion?
Where’s our news? I ask because I’ve noticed that the UCP is adept at flooding the media with good news stories about what they’re going to do to help Albertans…
What’s on your mind?
As you may have gathered Ms Soapbox is still under the weather. I’ve realized that what I miss the most about not writing is not getting your comments. Consequently I’d…
HAPPY CANADA DAY!
Everyone in the Soapbox family has or is on the verge of a horrible cold; nevertheless we’d like to wish everyone a Happy Canada Day. Canada Day is a day…
Nenshi Wins the NDP Leadership Race
“The purple is an invitation to say: set aside who you are and let’s define ourselves by our common humanity. And I thought to myself: I’ve got no political home.…
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY
What I love about Father’s Day (and all the other special days of the year) aside from the fact that it’s an excuse not to write about politics, is it…
The UCP Goes Over The Top: Bill C-59
It was bound to happen sooner or later. The UCP government’s over the top reactions to anything the federal government does finally pushed it into the looney zone. On May…
Rachel Notley’s Last Day in the Chair
After an illustrious career in the NDP movement, including 16 years in government, 4 of which were as premier, Rachel Notley is stepping down as party leader. She made her…
Taking it to the Streets: the Enough is Enough Rally
“Nothing is real that does not end on the streets. If tyrants feel no consequences for their actions in the three-dimensional world, nothing will change.” – Timothy Snyder, historian. On…
The ‘stay-out-of-my-backyard’ (‘no-funds-for-you!’) bill
Ric McIver, the Minister for Municipal Affairs, is the point man on Bill 18, the Provincial Priorities Act or as Danielle Smith like to call it, the ‘stay-out-of-my-backyard’ bill (images…
NDP Leadership Candidates’ Slogans: A brief discussion
According to those who know about these things, political slogans, those short pithy statements plastered across websites, banners, and lawn signs, are an important part of a candidate’s brand. The…