All the yahoos in Calgary, straight outta Stampede, and another strongly-worded letter
The Colossally Irrational Report, Stampede Edition, July 2023
My Scottish/Irish ancestors arrived on the east coast of Turtle Island in the late 1700’s or early 1800’s and were part of several waves of genocidal colonization of the Indigenous people who were already here. I know I have benefitted as a result, and I find this deeply troubling. I like to start every new post by explaining my family’s history and keeping this foremost in my mind (and my writing) at all times. I moved west with my family in the 1970’s and am grateful to be here, producing this newsletter in Moh’kinsstis, and the traditional Treaty 7 territory of the Blackfoot confederacy: Siksika, Kainai, Piikani, as well as the Îyâxe Nakoda and Tsuut’ina nations. This territory is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3 within the historical Northwest Métis homeland. I recognize that the land I now work and live on was stolen from these nations (truth) and I support giving the land back as an act of reconciliation.
It’s the biggest cosplay event of the year in Calgary right now, and all the politicians were in town. With the attendance at the Stampede opening day parade alone estimated at around 300,000, is it any wonder?
Both Premier Danielle Smith and federal conservative leader Pierre Poilievre saddled up and rode in the parade.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was also in town on both Friday and Saturday, although he was not in the parade, much to the relief of everyone in charge of his security (I’m speculating here.) Trudeau was greeted by admirers at several pancake breakfasts. One of my co-workers pushed his way in close enough to shake the PM’s hand, but only got a photo of two disembodied grasping hands. We’ll have to take his word that one of the hands was Trudeau’s.
Countless politicians were photographed in cowboy hats and boots, glad handing, posing for selfies, and signing autographs. Most also took a turn at flipping pancakes, which is a rite of passage for all Alberta politicians and wannabe politicians. Some probably had to practise in advance, otherwise, they could end up looking like former premier Jason Kenney trying to figure out how to gas up his own pick-up truck during a disastrous media photo op last summer.
Poilievre’s likeability ratings may have sagged
It had been widely reported that Poilievre was trying out a new look in an effort to improve his likeability. Turns out he’s ditched his eyeglasses, is wearing more t-shirts instead of suits, and tight t-shirts. Showing off some muscles even.
Poilievre is having a rough time of it, though. This past week some scoundrels took to Google maps and pinned a label on his official residence at Stornoway. It has since been removed but you have to admire their creativity.
All did not go well in Calgary either as social media commentators posted an unflattering image of a sweaty Poilievre who appeared on horseback in the parade with the entry from Rafter Six Ranch, of all places. It turns out he showed up in the blazing heat wearing a light-coloured shirt. Instead of his charm rubbing off on the crowd, it was his fake tan (or makeup?) rubbing off all over his collar that drew attention.
(I no longer link to Twitter in this newsletter - so you’ll just have to trust me on this one!)
Ironically, the Rafter Six Ranch has a bit of a comeback story of its own, having been sold when the longtime owners were going through tough financial times. The new owners promptly demolished some of the buildings and a lot of folks mourned its loss thinking a bit of cowboy history was gone forever.
Alas, like Poilievre and his loyal conservative voters, it seems they couldn’t quit the Rafter Six. The place was soon back in circulation again under the new owners. The website is a bit of a horror show. Think about every “cabin in the woods” slasher movie you’ve ever seen. (TW: for graphic designers on that last link). For extra points, I recommend reading the Trip Advisor reviews of the ranch. Very entertaining.
Conservative snaps promote straight pride (say that quickly 10 times)
But speaking of photo opportunities, social media was abuzz this week when a photo of Smith in her Stampede cosplay outfit revealed her smiling and posing with a man wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the words “Thank a straight person today for your existence. Straight Pride.” The shirt depicted the bathroom symbols of a man and a woman holding hands. On the back were the words, “Good people disobey bad laws.”
Then, a similar photo emerged of Poilievre with what looks like the same guy in the same Straight Pride t-shirt. Gotcha.
Both claimed they either were not aware of what was on the shirt, or don’t support the message of the t-shirt. What most people may not realize is that the guy in this t-shirt also appeared in one of the recent outbreak of anti-2SLGBTQIA+ rallies in Calgary. The message is as much about “straight pride” as the “pro-life” movement is about about life.
(see all my photos from the most recent rally, as well as photos from the latest attempt by anti-queer activists to gain access to a public library in Calgary hosting a drag story time)
Of course, there are those who will defend these types of photos saying politicians will pose with anyone - it doesn’t mean they support their message or are even aware of them. But oddly enough, we’ve never seen Smith or any conservative politician in Alberta “accidentally” pose next to a person wearing an anti-oil t-shirt, and I’m pretty sure we never will. It would not, under any circumstance, be permitted to happen.
Smith had already been seen in several photos with Mahmoud Mourra, one of the organizers of recent anti-2SLGBTQIA+ protests in Calgary. Mourra appears to have been an active UCP volunteer during the recent provincial election.
And, as we all know, she’s been known to take awkward personal telephone calls from Artur Pawlowski, whose “Lake of Fire” comments about homosexuality are well-known and who was seeking her intervention in charges filed against him related to the convoy blockade at the Coutts border. Just another “good person disobeying bad laws,” I guess.
Another strongly-worded letter goes unanswered
Speaking of blockades, Smith sent another strongly-worded letter to the Prime Minister on July 8. She just wrote to him last month, you may recall. Does he ever write back? I don’t think so.
“I am writing to raise concerns about the current work stoppage affecting Canada’s West coast ports. We are now a week into the work stoppage and urgent federal action is required to resolve this dispute and mitigate economic damage to the country.”
She was referring to the fact that 7,500 dock workers represented by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) walked off the job on July 1 after failing to agree on a new wage deal with the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA).
The United Truckers Association made it clear that real truckers support the dock workers strike. And they posted the above photos with some choice words for the so-called “freedom convoy” whose supporters harassed workers picketing an oil refinery in Alberta.
Smith’s letter went on to lament that “Canada’s supply chains have been negatively affected in recent years by various events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, extreme weather, and other labour disruptions within the transportation sector.”
You may be surprised to hear that she made no reference to the negative effects of last year’s Coutts border protest in her letter. In fact, it was not long ago that she called that protest “a win” for Alberta, despite economic losses in the tens of millions of dollars. She claimed it benefited the province because it got rid of vaccine “mandates” brought in by her own party!
In her most recent letter, Smith wrote the “federal government must ensure labour stability and support a resilient supply chain to protect our economy and the Canadians who rely on it.” That same supply chain was not as much of a concern back in February of 2022, it seems.
The feds say 2035, the province says 2050 - while the global temperature rises
The whining about net zero continues at a furious pace. Nearly every day there is a new story in the media about Alberta’s inability to meet the 2035 goal, with the latest squabble over cleaning up the electricity grid.
CBC News is reporting “though Alberta has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, the province's lack of hydroelectricity and heavy reliance on natural gas for power generation means its grid faces steeper transition challenges than many other jurisdictions.”
But no matter how much money the federal government is threatening to throw at Alberta for the greening of the grid, Smith isn’t having it.
Federal Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson was in Drumheller Alberta July 11 for the opening of a new 25MW solar project. While he said Ottawa has already made significant financial commitments, it may be willing to do even more to get provinces over the finish line.
"So we have put money on the table for those provinces that are willing to engage in that conversation. It may be that we have to do more."
The day before Smith was fretting publicly about electricity regulations being “too aggressive” and “infringing on the province’s constitutional authority over its natural resources.” She did not mention the money that Ottawa was offering.
She must keep stoking the rage of that Take Back Alberta base! And promoting the fossil fuel industry’s bottom line!
It wasn’t that long ago Albertans were grumbling about equalization and not getting their fair share from the rest of Canada. Now, the federal government is jostling to put more money into the province’s economy, while Smith and the UCP government keep blocking their efforts.
She repeated at a Stampede breakfast early in the week that she’s “not going to do anything that’s going to indicate that our oil and gas sector is going to be phased out.”
Capstone Infrastructure CEO David Eva said at the Drumheller opening of the company’s solar generation plant that “within the span of a few short years, the cost of solar technology has come down so much that it's now cheaper than fossil fuel generation, and many of Alberta's traditional oil and gas companies are signing off-take agreements with renewable power companies for their own electricity needs.”
Eva believes net-zero is totally possible for Alberta by 2035.
Of course it is.
Alberta is in denial on many fronts, not just climate change
The other crisis facing Alberta is the spectacular failure of the province’s abstinence-based drug policy.
The Calgary Herald reported that provincial data released this week shows weekly EMS responses to overdose calls reached all-time highs of 111 in Calgary and 339 across Alberta over the week of June 26. That’s in addition to April drug poisoning death data released last week, which showed record highs of 76 drug-related deaths in Calgary and 179 provincewide.
Euan Thomson, an advocate and the executive director of Each and Every, a coalition of businesses supporting harm-reduction measures warned, “EMS dispatches for drug poisoning is an almost perfect predictor of deaths . . . I think we are going to see really a new phase of the crisis being opened up. I think June is going to vastly exceed 200 deaths (provincewide) for the first time.”
Even more frightening is that outreach organizations have said the supply of fentanyl recently has been cut with the horse tranquillizer xylazine. The mix makes opioid agonists such as naloxone less effective and has played a part in elevating deaths and calls to paramedics to record levels.
(see my previous blog post about what this crisis looks like in one downtown Calgary community)
As with the need for real action on climate change, there’s an urgent need to face the truth about the drug crisis.
Another influential group joined the call for action on July 11.
The Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations declared a state of emergency. Treaty 6 territory covers the central regions of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Leaders say death rates have spiked since the provincial government closed safe consumption sites. Grand Chief Leonard Standingontheroad said people will continue dying if harm reduction isn't made available.
Thomson has said recently that Alberta’s approach to the drug crisis is a continuation of Canada’s genocidal residential school policy.
"if we combine Premier’s chief of staff Marshall Smith’s alleged history of forced labour in addiction facilities with the UCP’s plan to expand police powers to force people into abstinence, we arrive full-circle back at Indian Residential Schools."
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To end this week, here’s some feel-good content about the first ever Allies Mountain Bike Festival hosted in 2022 by the Simpcw First Nation, just north of Kamloops, B.C.
More about the festival here: https://www.mountainlifemedia.ca/2023/06/the-reconciliation-trail/