Women of ABpoli: Hot Flashes - Issue #12
This Week in AB
The Best Summer Ever is finally over
June: "Face it, the pandemic is ending"
August: "Taking some personal time so that I don't burn out"
September: "We are facing a life and death crisis here"
That is some real leadership https://t.co/RcRRpkVmyw”
On Tuesday, the day after the federal election, Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver announced he had requested federal assistance to bail Albertans out of the crisis his government created. Despite being on this track weeks ago, McIver said he was "just told this was needed yesterday". Depends on who you're listening to, that is.
Snitches have glitches
Parents dreaded the positive Covid notification school emails throughout the entirety of the 2020-21 school year. Somehow, though, the Alberta government was able to justify keeping parents in the loop of a potentially deadly virus outbreak then but can no longer do so this year. After all, it's not like their kid joined a GSA.
Alberta's going to party like it's 1899
A number of Edson residents ended up in Alberta's already over-capacity ICUs after partaking in a "Covid Party". Following months of Premier Kenney's promotion of the benefits of "natural immunity", the Premier's Office communications and planning director decided it was an opportune event to blame for cancelled surgeries announced at the beginning of September.
Trading titles on the UCP Cabinet merry-go-round
““A theatrical exercise in futility as the province burns” - an Alberta cabinet shuffle memoir”
Health Minister Tyler Shandro and Labour and Immigration Minister Jason Copping traded titles Tuesday for no apparent reason. Many Albertans reported feelings of nausea, and an urge to hurl a Premier.
Lacking confidence
A motion for a non-confidence vote aimed at the Premier was reportedly tabled during a UCP caucus meeting in Calgary on Wednesday, but was withdrawn after being unable to secure a secret ballot. Jason Kenney is the least popular premier in the country, his party has been out-fundraised by the opposition NDP since the beginning of the pandemic, thus we can only surmise that those who still support him didn't want anyone else to know.
Kenney also staved off a leadership review at the scheduled November conference, asking that it be held next spring to give him a chance to careen Alberta into a fifth or sixth preventable wave.
Speaking of which, Fuck the UCP
Join us on October 1!!
Canada
Election night in Canada
“Anchors excited to bust out their French accents for Quebec riding names #cdnpoli #Elxn44”
The best part of election night for me was, by far, The Beaverton's live tweets, and it's a three-way tie between Alberta electing two liberal and two NDP MPs, the PPC electing zero, and Derek Sloan having "NA" under his picture as he collected around 2% of the vote. Still an embarrassingly high number, imo.
Bernier blows a whistle
“In case you’re wondering what your inbox looks like after Bernier tweets about you”
After journalists requested comment on the public support from white nationalists and other bottom dwellers, People's Party leader Maxime Bernier tweeted out the journalist's emails saying they "we will play dirty, too". Bernier's tweets were reported for targeted harassment and removed as violations of Twitter's standards.
It was the best of trolls, or the worst of trolls
Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who spent nearly three years detained in China, were released in an apparent hostage swap for Meng Wanzhou on Friday. We all look forward to the Hollywood version of events in 40 years or so when the documents are unsealed.
World
Kenney's inhumanity graces the New York Times
Laundry List: GoA press releases
Spin Cycle
The Alberta government will cover the cost of printing copies of the vaccine passports at Alberta registry offices.
There's public health orders and then there's exemptions for public health orders. Today's mixed messaging comes for under 18 sports.
Kenney congratulated Trudeau on the "re-election of his minority government." In a rare show of humility, Kenney didn't take credit for helping send two liberal MPs to Ottawa.
Rinse and Repeat
The Restrictions Exemption Program (more commonly known as a vaccine passport) is now up and running. Businesses across the province are deciding whether they will, or will not, comply because Kenney has yet to clarify if public health orders are recommendations or actual laws.
The third and final million-dollar draw for protecting yourself and the healthcare system during a public health crisis is upon us. If you were not eligible, you can still get $100 for getting a first or second shot and until October 14.
On September 22, in 1877, the first signatories to Treaty 7 were promised many things are still missing today.
Delicates
September 20-24 is Gender Equality Week
Mobile vaccination bus is still moving along
The celebration of Sukkot begins on the evening of September 20
Third shots of the Covid-19 vaccine are available for more immunocompromised Albertans.
Alberta to fund new cystic fibrosis drug.
Last Load
Investigation into RCMP officer-involved shooting causing injury continues.
September 25 is Provincial Hunting Day. Go shoot stuff, but don't get injured because you'll also have to hunt for available doctors, nurses, and hospital space.
Cover photo by @abpressrelease #onyourown