5 days ago
Wednesday's letters: Pushing separation isn't Smith's job
What would happen if I went to downtown Edmonton and encouraged 1,000 people to take over Canada Place and destroy it? My butt would be in jail regardless of the issue. Yet, we have Danielle Smith putting the idea of separation into people's heads.
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I've served in the Canadian navy, lived in five provinces and settled in Edmonton. We have the best country in the world. Politicians that even hint at separation should be charged with treason; no excuses. Their job is to make our home better, not destroy it.
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Danielle Smith and Mickey Amery are furious that a nonpartisan official did his job — because it got in the way of their latest performance art: the Alberta Separation Clown Show. They wanted a referendum question asking if Alberta should leave Canada. The chief electoral officer did what adults do when children play with fire — he called in the courts.
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That's when the UCP lost it. They don't want oversight. They want a blank cheque, signed by rage and underwritten by stupidity. And they're wasting your tax dollars pushing a question that will be laughed out of court and flushed down the toilet of constitutional law. This isn't democracy. It's cosplay for cowards who can't govern. While families struggle, they're busy stroking the egos of separatist zealots with tinfoil hats and Facebook diplomas.
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The UCP doesn't want sovereignty. They want chaos and they want you to pay for it.
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There has been much discussion about the long-ballot issue in the Battle River-Crowfoot byelection. I believe that the process underway is wrong for Alberta. I submit this as a Progressive Conservative rural candidate from the Lougheed government era and cabinet minister for two terms (1971-79). A very serious mistake seems underway. There has to be a better way.
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I urge Mr. Poilievre to step aside, and do so on behalf of the well-meaning folks in the Battle River-Crowfoot Alberta constituency. I was elected twice by rural Albertans, and they taught me a lot. What's going on now is not likely what these rural voters want. Make a mistake like this and you'll hear about it forever. Start over; take advice from those whose experiences know better.
