The video Premier Danielle Smith released today was remarkable. In it, she wrapped new restrictions on health care, privacy, and sports participation for trans kids in a velvet glove of kindness and words of inclusion. “I strongly believe that we as a society must support and reach out with kindness and inclusion to those who identify as transgender and work to eliminate the discrimination they often experience in their lives.”
It seems like almost everything this govt does is mean and limits the rights of individuals for minimal political gain.
Block investment in renewables? Block BC wine sales to AB? Take away rights from kids? Force party politics on munis? Insert prov in muni funding with feds? Continue to fight docs & nurses? Kick at unis? Etc etc
Scott, you really start with an anti-government perspective, that is clear.
The investment in wind farms and solar farms was a temporary pause to allow the regulatory environment to catch up to the immense popularity of those given Alberta's advantages. That pause is due to come off in March, as I recall.
Block BC wine sales? That was because those wineries refused to pay the appropriate taxes. If they want access to our market the simply have to obey our laws. Or do you think they should have a pass on being legal?
Take rights away from kids? Nope. Not at all. I don't know if you have viewed the Premier's video but I have. The whole area of children and sexuality is a one that is fraught with misconceptions and fears. It is clear that some children find that they feel that they need to change various aspects of whom they are. It is also clear that some changes, once made, are irrevocable and must therefore be done with care. It is also clear that the idea that parents should not be involved really means that "schools know best" an absurdity. Do you really think that one teacher with a class of twenty-five to thirty students can spend the same time as a parent with one or two or three children?
"Forcing" party politics on municipalities? Not so. The Premier mused about it after Calgary and Edmonton councils proved themselves to be massively out of touch. It seems to me highly unlikely that anything further will be done unless the populace wants it.
Insert the Province into funding arrangements with the federal governments? Well, the federal government has historically been intruding on provincial jurisdiction and is now intruding further in dealings with municipalities which are creatures of the province. Personally, I say that the federal camel should keep it's nose out of the provincial tent lest that nose be cut off.
Continue to fight doctors and nurses? Well, Alberta Health Care has proven itself to be incompetent - or do you disagree? Clearly, clearly something must be done to try to start to improve the system.
Kick the universities? On that one I can only commend the province.
So, as you will see, I find myself in agreement with some of the activities of the government and I am willing to see where the policies take us on some of the others.
I think you know KEN that most people writing on here are, shall we say, university adjacent, which also means vociferously against this particular "government."
They're even worse than the Kenney iteration with his covert Catholicism, always the source of the good, old "hidden agenda" attributed to Harper and the Reform crew all those years, but now manifesting under the more open, zealous "leadership" of David Parker, self-appointed saviour (aren't they ALWAYS?) and local home-schooled god boy.
It is now clear that the polite, tolerant term "social conservatism" has ushered in and enabled religion in all its evangelical, lake-of-fire glory because when Parker talks about "Take Back Alberta," he means FROM secularism, and from dangerous "progressivism." I mean who wants society to go forward or progress when you can take it backwards, like, say, calling an unnecessary, hypocritical BS moratorium on renewables? Like the UCP is just being "responsible." Pffffttttt......
Part of the juvenile but somehow effective strategy of the UCP and the Convoy Party of Canada, a.k.a. "cons" (remember when we didn't call them that, when they were just reasonable Progressive Conservatives?) has been to boldly accuse the left of what THEY are in fact doing so as to distract from it. So that childhood reply, "I know you are but what am I?" always comes to mind with the cons.
One example is to call us "ideological" as a slur of OUR ideas on governance (or more accurately, IDEAS in general) even though religion is the textbook definition of the word, albeit demonstrably THE worst set of ideas we've ever come up with. Note the Middle East AND the current GOP.
Another example of distraction is this contrived crap about "parents' rights" when the issue here is obviously the kids' rights, but we're not talking about five year olds here, are we? We're talking about the fact that this alt right/extreme right/religious right wing that is widely perceived to have lost its mind STILL doesn't accept homosexuality, let alone gay marriage OR women as adult human beings with personal reproductive rights. That's a biggie for David Parker I hear, so I say, bring it on.
Along with a referendum on separation from the rest of Canada, AND whether or not we want a theocracy or a democracy, AND withdrawal from the CPP, etc..
So the UCP has a lot of really bad ideas, AND are still trying to muzzle scientists and science itself, including the science of climate change, and vaccines, and viruses for gawd's sake, which not only makes them wholly incompetent in governance, but truly dangerous.
I think it’s a broad, ugly message from Premier D Smith on limiting rights. In the end, trans issues really aren’t the Premier’s business.
For kids and pronouns and the like, the issue is that (according to some polls) while 60ish% of kids are in a safe place where if they raise the issue with parents & teachers they will have a discussion with care & love, Prob ~30% will have really confused parents who aren’t sure how they’ll react
And ~10% will be at serious risk of physical harm. The Premier’s proposal puts those kids at risk.
Likewise , there are ways to make sure kids aren’t doing something irreversible (there are no bottom surgeries being done for minors , for example).
Blocking support and conversation aren’t it.
Likewise requiring Opt In for sex Ed or gender discussion in schools is ridiculous. That comes up naturally in high school discussions. This is an ugly escalation of a religious/ political position.
I will not say that I endorse his commentary entirely as some of it is more technical than I can deal with right now. What I can say it is that is, to me, sensitive to the needs of those with this issue; I commend it to you as a rational discussion. Clearly, not everyone will be in agreement with him but I think most folks will find it useful, if only as a basis for further discussion / respectful argument.
As for the issue of sex ed in schools, I was startled by that and, quite frankly, I want to know more. I would hope that it is simply wanting to ensure that sex ed classes are not used to be either pro or anti (especially not anti!) trans. I can offer one anecdote only that might, I repeat, might, repeat, might kinda, possibly, maybe, perhaps provide some explanation. In that anecdote a mother was reporting that her daughter had indicated that she might be trans and on considering, the mother realized that the daughter had just that week had her first period and found it terrifically uncomfortable. Is that justification to not have sex ed or to censor it? Not whatsoever! If, however, the sex ed had made the idea of being trans - please pardon the characterization - attractive, then it does need to be considered carefully. Information is important but trying to persuade is not at all good.
Anyway, take a look at that substack that I mentioned above.
Scott, I cannot argue against your first point; I can but offer that I reported what I read and whether she had or had not dealt with the subject previously I cannot say.
As to your second point, I absolutely agree. In fact, that is the point in the government announcement that gives me pause for it seems to be not what is required. It is my hope that this will be refined to better deal with the particular topic. There is no need to try to proselytize - which some "unruly" folks unfairly allege - but there is a need for proper foundational information. Again, I hope that this part of the announcement will be improved upon; in all other respects, however, I am encouraged by the announcement.
The real point is that there must be an acceptance of the children who face this issue and must deal with it. As near as I understand the government's announcement, the government has stated that these children must be accepted and we must all deal with it but - and this is paramount - these are children. As adults, we must assist all children, whether they are our own children or other children, but we should not expect them to make adult decisions until they have the ability.
Stooge? Well, you must be thinking of Moe, Larry and Curly; unfortunately, I am not nearly as old as any of those three and I have not earned the same as they. Government? It is to laugh! I am very derisory of most government actions.
Unintelligent - oh, it wounds! Uninformed - as compare to, say, you? I expect that I would find that term applicable to you. Unable to think independently - well, you are the knee jerk opponent so I suggest that you look in the mirror.
And you find it said that there are "so many" of my type. That suggests that perhaps, just perhaps we form a majority, does it not?
Once again, I'm saddened but not surprised. Daniele Smith is throwing raw meat to TBA and the far right of her caucus to ensure that she doesn't have to face a Jason Kenney like caucus rebellion. This doesn't mean waiting in the wings she has some progressive, enlightened, legislation on.....what IDK, to trade off, but that's moot, that's not how she works.
The worst parts of this are; the rights, lives, and mental health of young people mean nothing to these people, they're trinkets to be traded way to the ignorant and intolerant for political gain; and, we've got three and a half more years of crap like this to live through.
Who are the many? And what constitutes many? 50 people? This woman is overstepping her boundaries so badly! I'm just waiting for somebody to go after her and the lawsuit. And I may do so myself. Just diagnosed with cancer in my hips and if she tries to cause me grief for treatments on this, I will seek out a lawyer and I will go after her personally as well as the government for the negligence that this government and this leader have committed against the people in this province.
Cry freedom, yet restrict it for all but the RRR clan, (radical religious, right) . More smoke and mirrors and pretending to care. Goodness help us if we get Poilievre, Smith, Higgs, Moe and Ford
Only if we do nothing to stand our ground.....no one can make me regress from the values I've lived by....and I've never learned to keep my mouth shut.
So what happens to the warm, loving and accepting family who happens to have a transgender child? Are they not allowed to help their child become who they should be? Can they not ask the school to use the proper pronoun? Can they not enroll their child in any sports of their choosing?
They likely can do most of what you reference....Danielle's laws aren't necessarily enforceable...but they do make supporting your child harder in some cases. The kids most at risk are those suffering inside the kind of homes that used to pay for conversion therapy for their gay children.
Astounding! With all the challenges facing AB (grid reliability, healthcare challenges, possible drought & wild fires, extraordinarily high electrical rates, etc ...) this non-issue is a Danielle Smith priority??!!
Of course ... she was just on the stage with 3 characters from elsewhere (Tucker & the bone heads) exchanging policy ideas right?? This performance is not about the needs of Albertans. This is just the Danielle Smith 'watch me' personality show.
They like policing work Kathleen........it costs less money and keeps non confrontational Albertans in line. The politics of intimidation have a long history in Alberta....as does going bad shit crazy over any change at all. Look at all the resistance to seat belts, turbans in our musical ride show, bike lanes, or recently, restrictions on single use convenience products like paper bags. All these non issues become issues because they radicalize the base and cost very little.
I think the most dangerous thing with this woman is that she can turn on the charm and concern and dupe people into believing what she says. I, and many others are probably not well versed on the complexities of the topic and might need help deciphering what this really means for the kids( beyond its bad).
Gender Dysphoria is classified as a Mental Disorder by the American Psychiatric Association, is our Premier practising medicine without a licence by prescribing limitations on possible treatments?
This is a complex topic and it likely needs more discussion, and from a variety of perspectives. Most of us simply don't know enough about gender dysphoria or transgender issues...and the cases, though small in number are likely quite different as well. Hopefully, a majority of young people ready to come out as trans have parental support/knowledge, but in situations where this isn't the case, schools and teachers are in a difficult position. It would make more sense to spell out for educators the routes available to help a child present as they desire to do....if the home situation is not safe.
Simply legislating a series of laws and age limitations doesn't address the real issue....which is admittedly, a thorny one. As a society, we need much more understanding.........empathy.....and willingness to learn from these youngsters. They remain a minority population, but that doesn't mean their needs can be ignored....nor should they be policed.
The age of enforced heterosexuality is behind us....perhaps its time we considered that binary gender identification may not be universal.........or biologically dictated....either. Danielle Smith is doing what Danielle Smith often does......virtue signalling to the religious right. Hopefully, that's a smaller demographic than she imagines.
Bullshit baffles brains. I listen to Danielle Smith and she sounds so convincing that I almost believe her myself, then reality sets in and I realize the truth.
Thank you, Lisa. Ms Smith is a virtual track star when it comes to crossing the floor and other political shape shifting, so it's no wonder she's opting to play the magician here. As in, you know, "Watch the OTHER hand."
More to the point, this whole trans issue has me scratching my head a little. Why is the UCP so afraid of kids who aren't even a tenth of a per cent of the population? No wonder she imported Tucker Carlson for a media splash, she's adrift without watching him on TV every night. Her entire party is like a satirical comedy sketch I once saw, of the blind Samurai in a forest who can't tell if the trees are big or small, he just lashes out at all of them. The parallel here is that health care professionals are leaving the province in droves, and she's busy picking on a handful of confused kids, when she's not stirring the pot over plastic straws. UCP now apparently stands for the Ugly Culture war Party.
Hahaha, love that image and dearly wish we still WERE just talking satirical comedy.
But TBA has apparently been accepted as the wind beneath the wings of the UCP, with chatty, smiley Smith in the only acceptable position for a woman in their estimation, as placeholder or presenter.
TBA is dead serious though. Google David Parker and note his unflinching certainty and cold arrogance, traits common to most cult leaders/ true believers, ESPECIALLY when they've been democratically ELECTED for gawd's sake! How in hell did that happen? Only in Alberta, the bible belt after all, but also the complacency of decades of one-party rule and a refusal to confront the growing subterfuge of conservatism after Presto Manning's religious Reform Party took over, ( we WERE forewarned.) Look at Kenney's leadership "race." We ordered a F***k You Kenney mug when he took power, and the fact that it now looks like "the good old days" kind of says it all.
Hiding in plain sight behind the scenes and working the many lower levers of influence like the GOP apparently did was a winning strategy for the GOP, so TBA/UCP started with taking over the UCP board and is now focused on doing the same with all the school boards, (possibly a special target for a home-schooled outlier.)
And history shows that unusually stressed societies are sitting ducks for "strong men" leaders to restore "order," so the stars have truly aligned here in the bible belt, should have known it'd happen here first. And there's no "strong man" like a religious deity, regardless of whether "he's" real or not. And "He" is ALWAYS a HE, not a minor feature, particularly in the context of decades of an encroaching "feminism" that literally makes some men as crazy as even a half-black man winning the U.S. presidency did. Many see it as what set the stage for what's happened to the GOP.
Far too many think oh come on, relax, we're still part of Canada, right? And religion is FINE, right? We're multicultural and it's just a subset of OUR tribal brand of conservatism, but these people are IN CHARGE for four long years, which is truly terrifying when their alternate view of reality doesn't even consider existential climate change as REAL. Or homosexuality or basic reproductive, bodily rights for women. So the gender stuff is just a major pile-on for the good, honest, religious folk who want the line held on random societal evolution, period, and have wanted that since the flower children/hippies of the sixties.
At the very least MIGHT all smith's shots across the bow show that this isn't just one side liking vanilla and the other chocolate?
But if a great many of us refuse to take the bait, and instead overcome our fear and loathing and find some time to give to the NDP, or the Solar industry, or the climate fight...we just might turn their paranoia into something to be pitied rather than emulated.
On this current announcement.........let's look at Smith's concerns realistically and remind our neighbours that much of what she says she's doing to protect minors is already in place. Transgender youth are a small minority in our system and I suspect not all of them want the spotlight enough to be calling attention to themselves with pronoun use.
I see this dog whistle as an opportunity.....to sort our our own misgivings about transgender youth and to support the right of all people to be who they are. We might also suggest that fears of transgender people are diversions from what it is we're actually afraid of.
Losing our homes comes to mind. Climate disasters that bring drought and water shortages to southern Alberta is right up there. The drug crisis hasn't gone away....and our hospitals are constantly being overloaded.
Smith's gender bender legislation is a diversion........because for them, its more profitable to start tempests in teacups and dust ups in third rate bars. Let's refuse the bait and keep our eyes on our eastern slopes, our homeless crisis, and our pensions. And when appropriate, remind those we know and love, that who you love is nobody else's business....and we're too busy to play the discrimination fear game.
Diversity is our strength.fear of difference their Achilles heel.
It's all political all the time though Ingamarie, and whether or not we on the left "take the bait" has been overtaken by circumstances to say the least, circumstances that favour the now wholly unscrupulous right wing, also paradoxically disproportionate believers in religion, that enduring enabler of the patriarchal status quo AND emotional answer for the fear-based right wing, rage-farming users of deep fakes and AI, seemingly tailor-made for the proud boy/bad boy/Harper's boys in short pants contingent now in charge who see politics as the ultimate game that they want to WIN, and get women back in control. The Supreme Court is now taken over by the religion after decades of concerted effort, and what was the first thing they did? Although federal jurisdiction here, that's probably central to UCP's challenging of the Liberals not "staying in their lane;" they've been using the economy as a trojan horse for their "social conservatism" or religion ever since the Reform party takeover. So hiding in plain sight. In that same vein, people speculate that LGBTQ rights are next for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Thanks Tris......I don't know which is creepier....fat Ford or sleazy Danielle.....but I do know the Manning Institute is behind a lot of what passes for conservatism these days. All of this is true of course........but its also old...as in OLD....80 something and climbing.
Young people aren't for the most part in this loop. Their reality is quite different...and most of them aren't at all into policing other people's sexuality....or beliefs. They'd just like to be able to afford rent...or a small condo.
So I see these throwbacks as throwbacks to an earlier age...and reactives to much of the gains we have made in civil society. What's going on in the Middle East worries me much more...our complicity in genocide in Gaza....the quickness with which our government jumped to and stopped funding the only humanitarian aid reaching the people of Gaza........tells me that right or left, liberal or conservative................WE ARE PART OF AN EMPIRE STRUTTING AROUND WITHOUT ANY CLOTHES ON......at the rallies it shames me how few mainstream Canadians come out......if children losing limbs without any anesthetic or pain killer doesn't move us to any kind of action......what in the great Goddess' name will??
So perhaps it doesn't matter what the TBA do to poor old addle pated Alberta.
Sorry if this sounds depressing.....but I am depressed when I see American fighter planes riding high to bomb Iraq and Syria...........as punishment for something the claim Iran is funding...feels like we've all lost our imperialistic minds!!!
So of course Danielle and Ford look good to the most ethically challenged among us.
Bottom line? Religion in our politics and/or public life is no longer even remotely defensible, never HAS been for women when you look at the obviously man-made doctrines, but making major headway nonetheless because NO ONE will call it out. No one.
Only atheists, free and clear of the noxious continuum of religious belief, have truly objective eyes on all this. "Truth" and reason have never been more urgently needed.
For example, have a look at Sam Harris' piece on the war in Gaza....
Not a shock that the Queen of QAnon did this. She is being coach by Tucker Carlson who encourages her to mirror the Narcissistic Authoritarian lying corrupt psychopathic criminal bully. The sad part is that she caters to the rednecks in Alberta who buy into this bullshit she shovels which is turning Alberta into to a banana republic run by a dictator and supported by her radical redneck army.
It was salient that Lisa pointed out Smith's communication skills - its the Ronnie Raygun tactic - go all soft, aw-shucks, shoulder dip and eye-twinkle - then pronounce in the warmest, most intimate low banal tones to lull and neuter critical judgement, wait for the audience to drop to their most bovine resting state, then calmly, in an unhurried pace, utter the most outrageous, far-fetched, bugf**k batsh*t crazy rightwing crap.
Most in the audience will continue their somnambulant mental snooze and miss the semantic payload. Most will nod along not being alarmed at all as they missed the content - being all lulled by the delivery. Too bad folks haven't cottoned on to these cheap rhetorical tricks and techniques.
That being said, when did we get to the point where teachers and parents of minor children have been put at each others throats? The whole issue has been conflated, overstated and full of sound 'n fury without much measured, calm discussion. Smiths cockamamie rush to solve this "problem" with the dubious provincial government social engineering bigfooting isn't going to help.
Really??? I think it might be creating an amazing opportunity.......at least for those of us still considering ourselves citizens. If crazies make us take our marbles and go home silently....we're the problem.
The thing is that kids mature differently and irrelevant of age so how can age be used to determine when treatment can take place?
Also, as she went on, I asked myself what if the abuse being suffered by kids is actually coming from the parents who can accept their kid might not align with their biological sex? … what happens then? I read an interesting article back when the controversy was whether to have GSAs (without parental consent) in schools: many kids who are outed to their parents before they are ready to confront their parents with the news end up kicked out, on the street and homeless. … and I might add, likely very confused and traumatized by it all.
It seems like almost everything this govt does is mean and limits the rights of individuals for minimal political gain.
Block investment in renewables? Block BC wine sales to AB? Take away rights from kids? Force party politics on munis? Insert prov in muni funding with feds? Continue to fight docs & nurses? Kick at unis? Etc etc
Scott, you really start with an anti-government perspective, that is clear.
The investment in wind farms and solar farms was a temporary pause to allow the regulatory environment to catch up to the immense popularity of those given Alberta's advantages. That pause is due to come off in March, as I recall.
Block BC wine sales? That was because those wineries refused to pay the appropriate taxes. If they want access to our market the simply have to obey our laws. Or do you think they should have a pass on being legal?
Take rights away from kids? Nope. Not at all. I don't know if you have viewed the Premier's video but I have. The whole area of children and sexuality is a one that is fraught with misconceptions and fears. It is clear that some children find that they feel that they need to change various aspects of whom they are. It is also clear that some changes, once made, are irrevocable and must therefore be done with care. It is also clear that the idea that parents should not be involved really means that "schools know best" an absurdity. Do you really think that one teacher with a class of twenty-five to thirty students can spend the same time as a parent with one or two or three children?
"Forcing" party politics on municipalities? Not so. The Premier mused about it after Calgary and Edmonton councils proved themselves to be massively out of touch. It seems to me highly unlikely that anything further will be done unless the populace wants it.
Insert the Province into funding arrangements with the federal governments? Well, the federal government has historically been intruding on provincial jurisdiction and is now intruding further in dealings with municipalities which are creatures of the province. Personally, I say that the federal camel should keep it's nose out of the provincial tent lest that nose be cut off.
Continue to fight doctors and nurses? Well, Alberta Health Care has proven itself to be incompetent - or do you disagree? Clearly, clearly something must be done to try to start to improve the system.
Kick the universities? On that one I can only commend the province.
So, as you will see, I find myself in agreement with some of the activities of the government and I am willing to see where the policies take us on some of the others.
I think you know KEN that most people writing on here are, shall we say, university adjacent, which also means vociferously against this particular "government."
They're even worse than the Kenney iteration with his covert Catholicism, always the source of the good, old "hidden agenda" attributed to Harper and the Reform crew all those years, but now manifesting under the more open, zealous "leadership" of David Parker, self-appointed saviour (aren't they ALWAYS?) and local home-schooled god boy.
It is now clear that the polite, tolerant term "social conservatism" has ushered in and enabled religion in all its evangelical, lake-of-fire glory because when Parker talks about "Take Back Alberta," he means FROM secularism, and from dangerous "progressivism." I mean who wants society to go forward or progress when you can take it backwards, like, say, calling an unnecessary, hypocritical BS moratorium on renewables? Like the UCP is just being "responsible." Pffffttttt......
Part of the juvenile but somehow effective strategy of the UCP and the Convoy Party of Canada, a.k.a. "cons" (remember when we didn't call them that, when they were just reasonable Progressive Conservatives?) has been to boldly accuse the left of what THEY are in fact doing so as to distract from it. So that childhood reply, "I know you are but what am I?" always comes to mind with the cons.
One example is to call us "ideological" as a slur of OUR ideas on governance (or more accurately, IDEAS in general) even though religion is the textbook definition of the word, albeit demonstrably THE worst set of ideas we've ever come up with. Note the Middle East AND the current GOP.
Another example of distraction is this contrived crap about "parents' rights" when the issue here is obviously the kids' rights, but we're not talking about five year olds here, are we? We're talking about the fact that this alt right/extreme right/religious right wing that is widely perceived to have lost its mind STILL doesn't accept homosexuality, let alone gay marriage OR women as adult human beings with personal reproductive rights. That's a biggie for David Parker I hear, so I say, bring it on.
Along with a referendum on separation from the rest of Canada, AND whether or not we want a theocracy or a democracy, AND withdrawal from the CPP, etc..
So the UCP has a lot of really bad ideas, AND are still trying to muzzle scientists and science itself, including the science of climate change, and vaccines, and viruses for gawd's sake, which not only makes them wholly incompetent in governance, but truly dangerous.
Separating from Canada reminds me of Brexit. It’s made Britain poorer, and 60% are ready to attest to that fact.
Thanks for the feedback Ken.
I think it’s a broad, ugly message from Premier D Smith on limiting rights. In the end, trans issues really aren’t the Premier’s business.
For kids and pronouns and the like, the issue is that (according to some polls) while 60ish% of kids are in a safe place where if they raise the issue with parents & teachers they will have a discussion with care & love, Prob ~30% will have really confused parents who aren’t sure how they’ll react
And ~10% will be at serious risk of physical harm. The Premier’s proposal puts those kids at risk.
Likewise , there are ways to make sure kids aren’t doing something irreversible (there are no bottom surgeries being done for minors , for example).
Blocking support and conversation aren’t it.
Likewise requiring Opt In for sex Ed or gender discussion in schools is ridiculous. That comes up naturally in high school discussions. This is an ugly escalation of a religious/ political position.
Have a nice day
Scott, thank you for your thoughtful response.
I started a long, tiresome and, frankly, inadequate response to your response. Truthfully, I found my comments tedious and uninspiring. A few minutes later I saw another substack to which I subscribe by J. Edward List, MD. It can be found at https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#inbox/FMfcgzGwJvpdRLCJJjRLLndSVPGSqDvd
I will not say that I endorse his commentary entirely as some of it is more technical than I can deal with right now. What I can say it is that is, to me, sensitive to the needs of those with this issue; I commend it to you as a rational discussion. Clearly, not everyone will be in agreement with him but I think most folks will find it useful, if only as a basis for further discussion / respectful argument.
As for the issue of sex ed in schools, I was startled by that and, quite frankly, I want to know more. I would hope that it is simply wanting to ensure that sex ed classes are not used to be either pro or anti (especially not anti!) trans. I can offer one anecdote only that might, I repeat, might, repeat, might kinda, possibly, maybe, perhaps provide some explanation. In that anecdote a mother was reporting that her daughter had indicated that she might be trans and on considering, the mother realized that the daughter had just that week had her first period and found it terrifically uncomfortable. Is that justification to not have sex ed or to censor it? Not whatsoever! If, however, the sex ed had made the idea of being trans - please pardon the characterization - attractive, then it does need to be considered carefully. Information is important but trying to persuade is not at all good.
Anyway, take a look at that substack that I mentioned above.
I’d suggest that anecdote of a young gal not understanding her first period demands two things:
1. Mum needed to have a much more open conversation with her much much earlier
2. We need better & more relevant Sex Ed not less
Scott, I cannot argue against your first point; I can but offer that I reported what I read and whether she had or had not dealt with the subject previously I cannot say.
As to your second point, I absolutely agree. In fact, that is the point in the government announcement that gives me pause for it seems to be not what is required. It is my hope that this will be refined to better deal with the particular topic. There is no need to try to proselytize - which some "unruly" folks unfairly allege - but there is a need for proper foundational information. Again, I hope that this part of the announcement will be improved upon; in all other respects, however, I am encouraged by the announcement.
The real point is that there must be an acceptance of the children who face this issue and must deal with it. As near as I understand the government's announcement, the government has stated that these children must be accepted and we must all deal with it but - and this is paramount - these are children. As adults, we must assist all children, whether they are our own children or other children, but we should not expect them to make adult decisions until they have the ability.
A gov't stooge and lacky. Unintelligent, uninformed, unable to think independently.
It's so sad that there are so many of you types.
Stooge? Well, you must be thinking of Moe, Larry and Curly; unfortunately, I am not nearly as old as any of those three and I have not earned the same as they. Government? It is to laugh! I am very derisory of most government actions.
Unintelligent - oh, it wounds! Uninformed - as compare to, say, you? I expect that I would find that term applicable to you. Unable to think independently - well, you are the knee jerk opponent so I suggest that you look in the mirror.
And you find it said that there are "so many" of my type. That suggests that perhaps, just perhaps we form a majority, does it not?
A friend who agrees with everything that you say and do, is worse than the foe. Beware the sycophant!
Once again, I'm saddened but not surprised. Daniele Smith is throwing raw meat to TBA and the far right of her caucus to ensure that she doesn't have to face a Jason Kenney like caucus rebellion. This doesn't mean waiting in the wings she has some progressive, enlightened, legislation on.....what IDK, to trade off, but that's moot, that's not how she works.
The worst parts of this are; the rights, lives, and mental health of young people mean nothing to these people, they're trinkets to be traded way to the ignorant and intolerant for political gain; and, we've got three and a half more years of crap like this to live through.
Who are the many? And what constitutes many? 50 people? This woman is overstepping her boundaries so badly! I'm just waiting for somebody to go after her and the lawsuit. And I may do so myself. Just diagnosed with cancer in my hips and if she tries to cause me grief for treatments on this, I will seek out a lawyer and I will go after her personally as well as the government for the negligence that this government and this leader have committed against the people in this province.
Cry freedom, yet restrict it for all but the RRR clan, (radical religious, right) . More smoke and mirrors and pretending to care. Goodness help us if we get Poilievre, Smith, Higgs, Moe and Ford
OMG
Can you imagine how far back we would regress under these monsters?
Only if we do nothing to stand our ground.....no one can make me regress from the values I've lived by....and I've never learned to keep my mouth shut.
So what happens to the warm, loving and accepting family who happens to have a transgender child? Are they not allowed to help their child become who they should be? Can they not ask the school to use the proper pronoun? Can they not enroll their child in any sports of their choosing?
They likely can do most of what you reference....Danielle's laws aren't necessarily enforceable...but they do make supporting your child harder in some cases. The kids most at risk are those suffering inside the kind of homes that used to pay for conversion therapy for their gay children.
Astounding! With all the challenges facing AB (grid reliability, healthcare challenges, possible drought & wild fires, extraordinarily high electrical rates, etc ...) this non-issue is a Danielle Smith priority??!!
Of course ... she was just on the stage with 3 characters from elsewhere (Tucker & the bone heads) exchanging policy ideas right?? This performance is not about the needs of Albertans. This is just the Danielle Smith 'watch me' personality show.
They like policing work Kathleen........it costs less money and keeps non confrontational Albertans in line. The politics of intimidation have a long history in Alberta....as does going bad shit crazy over any change at all. Look at all the resistance to seat belts, turbans in our musical ride show, bike lanes, or recently, restrictions on single use convenience products like paper bags. All these non issues become issues because they radicalize the base and cost very little.
Please tell me that the majority of Albertans are not being sucked in by this garbage.
I think the most dangerous thing with this woman is that she can turn on the charm and concern and dupe people into believing what she says. I, and many others are probably not well versed on the complexities of the topic and might need help deciphering what this really means for the kids( beyond its bad).
That ain't charm this troll turns on Sheena.
Gender Dysphoria is classified as a Mental Disorder by the American Psychiatric Association, is our Premier practising medicine without a licence by prescribing limitations on possible treatments?
This is a complex topic and it likely needs more discussion, and from a variety of perspectives. Most of us simply don't know enough about gender dysphoria or transgender issues...and the cases, though small in number are likely quite different as well. Hopefully, a majority of young people ready to come out as trans have parental support/knowledge, but in situations where this isn't the case, schools and teachers are in a difficult position. It would make more sense to spell out for educators the routes available to help a child present as they desire to do....if the home situation is not safe.
Simply legislating a series of laws and age limitations doesn't address the real issue....which is admittedly, a thorny one. As a society, we need much more understanding.........empathy.....and willingness to learn from these youngsters. They remain a minority population, but that doesn't mean their needs can be ignored....nor should they be policed.
The age of enforced heterosexuality is behind us....perhaps its time we considered that binary gender identification may not be universal.........or biologically dictated....either. Danielle Smith is doing what Danielle Smith often does......virtue signalling to the religious right. Hopefully, that's a smaller demographic than she imagines.
Bullshit baffles brains. I listen to Danielle Smith and she sounds so convincing that I almost believe her myself, then reality sets in and I realize the truth.
What, that the first three words applied to you?
you recognize yer own self
Thank you, Lisa. Ms Smith is a virtual track star when it comes to crossing the floor and other political shape shifting, so it's no wonder she's opting to play the magician here. As in, you know, "Watch the OTHER hand."
More to the point, this whole trans issue has me scratching my head a little. Why is the UCP so afraid of kids who aren't even a tenth of a per cent of the population? No wonder she imported Tucker Carlson for a media splash, she's adrift without watching him on TV every night. Her entire party is like a satirical comedy sketch I once saw, of the blind Samurai in a forest who can't tell if the trees are big or small, he just lashes out at all of them. The parallel here is that health care professionals are leaving the province in droves, and she's busy picking on a handful of confused kids, when she's not stirring the pot over plastic straws. UCP now apparently stands for the Ugly Culture war Party.
Hahaha, love that image and dearly wish we still WERE just talking satirical comedy.
But TBA has apparently been accepted as the wind beneath the wings of the UCP, with chatty, smiley Smith in the only acceptable position for a woman in their estimation, as placeholder or presenter.
TBA is dead serious though. Google David Parker and note his unflinching certainty and cold arrogance, traits common to most cult leaders/ true believers, ESPECIALLY when they've been democratically ELECTED for gawd's sake! How in hell did that happen? Only in Alberta, the bible belt after all, but also the complacency of decades of one-party rule and a refusal to confront the growing subterfuge of conservatism after Presto Manning's religious Reform Party took over, ( we WERE forewarned.) Look at Kenney's leadership "race." We ordered a F***k You Kenney mug when he took power, and the fact that it now looks like "the good old days" kind of says it all.
Hiding in plain sight behind the scenes and working the many lower levers of influence like the GOP apparently did was a winning strategy for the GOP, so TBA/UCP started with taking over the UCP board and is now focused on doing the same with all the school boards, (possibly a special target for a home-schooled outlier.)
And history shows that unusually stressed societies are sitting ducks for "strong men" leaders to restore "order," so the stars have truly aligned here in the bible belt, should have known it'd happen here first. And there's no "strong man" like a religious deity, regardless of whether "he's" real or not. And "He" is ALWAYS a HE, not a minor feature, particularly in the context of decades of an encroaching "feminism" that literally makes some men as crazy as even a half-black man winning the U.S. presidency did. Many see it as what set the stage for what's happened to the GOP.
Far too many think oh come on, relax, we're still part of Canada, right? And religion is FINE, right? We're multicultural and it's just a subset of OUR tribal brand of conservatism, but these people are IN CHARGE for four long years, which is truly terrifying when their alternate view of reality doesn't even consider existential climate change as REAL. Or homosexuality or basic reproductive, bodily rights for women. So the gender stuff is just a major pile-on for the good, honest, religious folk who want the line held on random societal evolution, period, and have wanted that since the flower children/hippies of the sixties.
At the very least MIGHT all smith's shots across the bow show that this isn't just one side liking vanilla and the other chocolate?
But if a great many of us refuse to take the bait, and instead overcome our fear and loathing and find some time to give to the NDP, or the Solar industry, or the climate fight...we just might turn their paranoia into something to be pitied rather than emulated.
On this current announcement.........let's look at Smith's concerns realistically and remind our neighbours that much of what she says she's doing to protect minors is already in place. Transgender youth are a small minority in our system and I suspect not all of them want the spotlight enough to be calling attention to themselves with pronoun use.
I see this dog whistle as an opportunity.....to sort our our own misgivings about transgender youth and to support the right of all people to be who they are. We might also suggest that fears of transgender people are diversions from what it is we're actually afraid of.
Losing our homes comes to mind. Climate disasters that bring drought and water shortages to southern Alberta is right up there. The drug crisis hasn't gone away....and our hospitals are constantly being overloaded.
Smith's gender bender legislation is a diversion........because for them, its more profitable to start tempests in teacups and dust ups in third rate bars. Let's refuse the bait and keep our eyes on our eastern slopes, our homeless crisis, and our pensions. And when appropriate, remind those we know and love, that who you love is nobody else's business....and we're too busy to play the discrimination fear game.
Diversity is our strength.fear of difference their Achilles heel.
It's all political all the time though Ingamarie, and whether or not we on the left "take the bait" has been overtaken by circumstances to say the least, circumstances that favour the now wholly unscrupulous right wing, also paradoxically disproportionate believers in religion, that enduring enabler of the patriarchal status quo AND emotional answer for the fear-based right wing, rage-farming users of deep fakes and AI, seemingly tailor-made for the proud boy/bad boy/Harper's boys in short pants contingent now in charge who see politics as the ultimate game that they want to WIN, and get women back in control. The Supreme Court is now taken over by the religion after decades of concerted effort, and what was the first thing they did? Although federal jurisdiction here, that's probably central to UCP's challenging of the Liberals not "staying in their lane;" they've been using the economy as a trojan horse for their "social conservatism" or religion ever since the Reform party takeover. So hiding in plain sight. In that same vein, people speculate that LGBTQ rights are next for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, here in Canada, the political reality:
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2024/02/01/opinion/provinces-are-trying-break-canada?nih=b88d1a4d8194f43a664ab37ba3d65461&utm_source=National+Observer&utm_campaign=0aa760dd34-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_01_02_26&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_cacd0f141f-0aa760dd34-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D
Thanks Tris......I don't know which is creepier....fat Ford or sleazy Danielle.....but I do know the Manning Institute is behind a lot of what passes for conservatism these days. All of this is true of course........but its also old...as in OLD....80 something and climbing.
Young people aren't for the most part in this loop. Their reality is quite different...and most of them aren't at all into policing other people's sexuality....or beliefs. They'd just like to be able to afford rent...or a small condo.
So I see these throwbacks as throwbacks to an earlier age...and reactives to much of the gains we have made in civil society. What's going on in the Middle East worries me much more...our complicity in genocide in Gaza....the quickness with which our government jumped to and stopped funding the only humanitarian aid reaching the people of Gaza........tells me that right or left, liberal or conservative................WE ARE PART OF AN EMPIRE STRUTTING AROUND WITHOUT ANY CLOTHES ON......at the rallies it shames me how few mainstream Canadians come out......if children losing limbs without any anesthetic or pain killer doesn't move us to any kind of action......what in the great Goddess' name will??
So perhaps it doesn't matter what the TBA do to poor old addle pated Alberta.
Sorry if this sounds depressing.....but I am depressed when I see American fighter planes riding high to bomb Iraq and Syria...........as punishment for something the claim Iran is funding...feels like we've all lost our imperialistic minds!!!
So of course Danielle and Ford look good to the most ethically challenged among us.
Bottom line? Religion in our politics and/or public life is no longer even remotely defensible, never HAS been for women when you look at the obviously man-made doctrines, but making major headway nonetheless because NO ONE will call it out. No one.
Only atheists, free and clear of the noxious continuum of religious belief, have truly objective eyes on all this. "Truth" and reason have never been more urgently needed.
For example, have a look at Sam Harris' piece on the war in Gaza....
https://www.samharris.org/blog/5-myths-about-israel-and-the-war-in-gaza?utm_source=braze&utm_campaign=2024_w5_newContent_351
Not a shock that the Queen of QAnon did this. She is being coach by Tucker Carlson who encourages her to mirror the Narcissistic Authoritarian lying corrupt psychopathic criminal bully. The sad part is that she caters to the rednecks in Alberta who buy into this bullshit she shovels which is turning Alberta into to a banana republic run by a dictator and supported by her radical redneck army.
It was salient that Lisa pointed out Smith's communication skills - its the Ronnie Raygun tactic - go all soft, aw-shucks, shoulder dip and eye-twinkle - then pronounce in the warmest, most intimate low banal tones to lull and neuter critical judgement, wait for the audience to drop to their most bovine resting state, then calmly, in an unhurried pace, utter the most outrageous, far-fetched, bugf**k batsh*t crazy rightwing crap.
Most in the audience will continue their somnambulant mental snooze and miss the semantic payload. Most will nod along not being alarmed at all as they missed the content - being all lulled by the delivery. Too bad folks haven't cottoned on to these cheap rhetorical tricks and techniques.
That being said, when did we get to the point where teachers and parents of minor children have been put at each others throats? The whole issue has been conflated, overstated and full of sound 'n fury without much measured, calm discussion. Smiths cockamamie rush to solve this "problem" with the dubious provincial government social engineering bigfooting isn't going to help.
Time for adults to be in the room?
I think you may be under estimated most people in the general public.
TBA is taking over the UCP. This is creating a dangerous precedent.
Really??? I think it might be creating an amazing opportunity.......at least for those of us still considering ourselves citizens. If crazies make us take our marbles and go home silently....we're the problem.
The thing is that kids mature differently and irrelevant of age so how can age be used to determine when treatment can take place?
Also, as she went on, I asked myself what if the abuse being suffered by kids is actually coming from the parents who can accept their kid might not align with their biological sex? … what happens then? I read an interesting article back when the controversy was whether to have GSAs (without parental consent) in schools: many kids who are outed to their parents before they are ready to confront their parents with the news end up kicked out, on the street and homeless. … and I might add, likely very confused and traumatized by it all.
And the whole transgender and sports thing … wow.
the parents who can accept = the parents who canNOT accept