Canada, beware: Alberta is the canary in the coal mine

Calgary Herald

10 hours ago

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I was born and raised in Alberta, in the shadow of the legislature. My family was deeply rooted in this place. They were community builders — people who believed in the quiet dignity of doing the right thing, even when no one was watching.
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Ethics were not an accessory; they were the foundation of our lives.
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Morality is my compass. I do not often hesitate when asked what is right and what is wrong, but I do dwell on my decisions. My friends are thoughtful people, challenging my views and forcing me to see the world from perspectives I may not instinctively understand. It is through those conversations that I refine my beliefs — not to win arguments, but to avoid doing harm.
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I am an Albertan. I love the prairies, the Rockies. I even love Calgary — if I am allowed to say so in Edmonton.
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This is a land of great beauty and great potential. But something is changing here, and not for the better.
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Over the past two decades, American political influence has crept in like a shadow. What was once a proud province is now infected by a divisive ideology. It is not just political influence. It is psychological warfare. The infection spreads through social media, talk radio and cable news. The goal is always the same: divide the people so they never unite against the powerful.
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The story of Alberta is becoming a cautionary tale. It is not a story of left versus right, but of top versus bottom. The ultra wealthy, those with more wealth than conscience, have found their clearest path to domination is to keep the middle and working classes locked in combat.
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And now, Alberta is becoming cruel. Not because Albertans are cruel, but because their empathy is being replaced by suspicion. The fastest way to turn compassion into contempt is to convince good people that their kindness is being exploited.
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Nowhere is this more evident than in the treatment of Albertans with diabilities.
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I have heard the phrases repeated too many times: 'They don't look disabled to me.' 'They should be working.' 'They are lucky, we give them the most generous benefit.'
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These are not statements of fact. They are political theatre. They are used to justify clawbacks, cuts and cruelty.
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To boast about being the 'most generous' while citizens with disabilities are forced to choose between food and rent is a grotesque sleight of hand. Alberta is the wealthiest province in Canada, and yet it steals federal support from its most vulnerable, like a churchgoer plucking bills from the collection plate because they feel the donation was too generous.