Happy Easter
The Soapbox family is not terribly religious, but every Easter we gather with the girls and their partners (if they’re around) for our favourite Easter tradition: colouring eggs. This year…
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Smith’s Demands
“She’s playing with fire with a foreign adversary.” Political scientist, Duane Bratt in an interview with Mark Hislop This week Alberta’s premier, Danielle Smith, gave Canadians another reason not to…
Sabbatical
You may have noticed that Ms Soapbox has been a little quieter than usual. Like many of you, I’m trying to come to terms with the state of the world,…
Happy (Canadian) Family Day
On the third Monday in February eight Canadian provinces will celebrate a special day. Alberta, BC, New Brunswick, Ontario and Saskatchewan call it Family Day. Manitoba celebrates Louis Riel Day;…
The Captain Must Go Down with the Ship
NOTE: WORD PRESS HAS POSTED THIS BLOG TWICE. IF YOUR COMMENT ISN’T HERE YOU CAN TRY CLICKING ON THE LINK WITH THE SAME NAME ABOVE TO SEE IF IT’S THERE.…
The Captain Goes Down with the Ship
“This isn’t mismanagement—it’s a scandal”—Mike Parker, president of the Health Sciences Association. Calling for an independent investigation into the Alberta Surgical Initiative (a $400 Mill effort to outsource surgeries to…
The Captain Must Go Down with the Ship
“This isn’t mismanagement—it’s a scandal”—Mike Parker, president of the Health Sciences Association, calling for an independent investigation into the Alberta Surgical Initiative (a $400 Mill effort to outsource surgeries to…
Trump’s Tariffs: “What Does He Want?”
“I know Canadians are famous for being nice. Thoughtful. Decent. Those are great qualities in human beings. But in a knife fight with Donald Trump, none of them matters”—Bradley Tusk,…
What Is She Thinking?
Last November Danielle Smith said she wasn’t worried about tariffs on oil and gas products (at that time Trump was threatening a 10 to 20% tariff on Canadian goods). Last…
Chaos and the Importance of Community
“In the most dangerous of times, those who escape and survive generally know people whom they can trust. Having old friends is the politics of last resort. And making new…
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Kwanza! However you celebrate the season, the Soapbox family would like to wish you and yours a safe and happy holiday. All the best…
Do The Math
I swore I was going to put politics aside in the run up to Christmas, but when the latest screed from Free Alberta Strategy dropped into my inbox, I had…
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…
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…