,
9 tweets,
5 min read
Read on Twitter
Not apparent yet to most of the media and to the electorate in general is that @AlbertaParty candidates are *not compelled* to project a party platform, policy or talking point @CBCEyeopener. There is no party Whip. We are free address issues consistent with overall party values
The plan is to remain consistent, to support free votes in the legislature with our MLAs representing the views of their constituents in a meaningful way. If it seems to voters like a new way to behave in politics, imagine the shock to candidates. We have to think! #abparty
Which leads me to @SMandel_AB's appearance on the @CBCEyeopener this morning. His position is clear on the idea of required vaccinations for children enrolled in publicly funded institutions. It is a policy idea -- one that polls well in Alberta -- caught in the media eye #abpoli
There is nothing requiring @AlbertaParty candidates to automatically support the leader's position, on anything beyond our core values. We are free to disagree. The idea of imposing mandatory medical interventions on a defined segment of the population doesn't work for everyone.
I am working through the vaccination issue with friends, family and colleagues who are quite contrary to @SMandel_AB's position. There is a mountain of science to wade through before the idea becomes policy, much less policy becoming legislation. We need to listen & learn #abpoli
The vaccination issue is more complex than we may believe. There are references to established science in the media without the counterpoint presented by contrasting studies. Someone forwarded this link for consideration: docs.google.com/document/d/1y4… #abpoli #abparty #ListenAndLearn
Mandatory vaccination is a volatile issue for some, surrounded by an element of scientific uncertainty & complexity. Who decides? Being on the verge of having to elect representatives to government one might look at who can work with ambiguity to frame the right questions #abpoli
As a side note to the vaccination issue, we need to consider that there is strong evidence that vaccines in themselves do not cause autism. Yet rates of the disorder (ASD) have been rising for the last 20 years. Why? historyofvaccines.org/content/articl…
@MLA_Karen sorry I got this wrong, my apologies. Please don't whip the newbs... (although some days it must be tempting)
