What I see from your Facebook post is the following. I’d like to clarify.
So of the 471 deaths so far in Alberta only 10 of them MATTER to you because everyone else had preexisting conditions? 2/
Let me tell you something, Ms. Harder. I’m a 38 year old woman, with an 11 year old son and 14 year old stepson. My husband & I have a beautiful life.
I am four years older than you are. This is my family. We adore each other.
The thing is, I live with what the doctors have told me is an incurable cancer, but so far it’s proven to be slow-growing & I could (I hope) still live for years. Our family prays every day for this.
It’s in my lungs, though, so covid would be a serious threat to my life. 4/
My baby is 11. You’re telling me that those of us with “pre-existing conditions” are just- out of luck? Oh, so sorry, but you aren’t worth protecting? Neither are our precious elderly or the THOUSANDS of Albertans who live with pre-existing conditions STILL LIVING GOOD LIVES? 5/
This has been one of the most shocking parts of this pandemic in my mind, Rachael, is the absolute callousness with which some members of the general public- conservative politicians in PARTICULAR- have treated those who are elderly, sick, disabled.
We’re disposable to you. 6/
Do you know how this SOUNDS to us? Do you know how it FEELS?
Look, anyone who follows me on this platform knows that I don’t throw pity parties for myself. I move forward. I find silver linings. I’m optimistic & hopeful. But when I see posts like YOURS?
I feel like this. 7/
YOU, Rachael, are an ELECTED OFFICIAL. You speak publicly about VERY IMPORTANT legislation, ideas, and governance that impacts our lives in big ways.
You’re supposed to represent ALL OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS, not just the ones you deem worth saving. 8/
I don’t know how to wrap this up. There’s no pretty bow to put on that garbage gift you posted on Facebook.
Just- to you, Rachael, and to every conservative politician out there currently gambling with our lives- could you just not? Could you just look at ALL of us as humans? 9/
Our grandparents, parents, those of us with illness or disability- WE ARE NO LESS HUMAN than you are. We may get less time on this earth than you will, but that doesn’t mean our lives deserve to be prematurely shortened because people can’t be bothered to care.
-fin
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Watching question period, just heard @rebeccakschulz say, re: AISH, "I would encourage the members opposite to quit playing politics with vulnerable Albertans."
Are you KIDDING US, Minister Schulz? The UCP has been "playing politics" with vulnerable Albertans since election day.
In fact I cannot REMEMBER a government at ANY level that has done as much gaslighting and projection about their own actions
-You messed up AISH payments, as predicted, when you moved dates.
-You're screwing over patients with your STAMP program.
-AB children at risk in school.
-Students have to pay more tuition.
-EVERYONE has to pay higher insurance rates cause you got rid of the cap.
-Seniors with dependents were screwed over with your drug plan.
-You are undermining our public health system.
-You are undermining our education system.
"There was never any goodbye. He was just gone. It’s like the world swallowed him up. We could only have 10 people at the funeral, and I didn’t make that list. I break down sometimes, but mostly I’m empty." 1/
"Am I glad to be alive... I don’t know how to answer that. There’s no relief. This virus, I can’t escape it. It’s torn up our family... How many people would have gotten sick if I’d never hosted that weekend? One? Maybe two? The grief comes in waves, but that guilt just sits." 2/
Me talking now. Look- I don't live my life in fear. I don't make decisions based on fear. Fear honestly isn't a familiar or common part of my life, for the most part. But compassion, connection, community and family are all part of my life. This is what I'm passionate about. 3/
Just a wee thread on what it means to "vote with your wallet." Let's just talk about this like rational humans, yes?
There's a lot of discussion out there about "the list." I understand both sides of this discussion, because I agree to a point with people on both sides of it.
On one hand, is it immature & unnecessarily punitive to “punish” a small business owner for their political affiliations? It probably is.
On the other hand, when government in question is being immature & unnecessarily punitive, does a boycott make sense? I would argue yes.
There’s also free market at play in all of this. Do we have the right to know and therefore choose where our money is going? Yeah, we do. Boycotting companies and ‘voting with your wallet’ has long been a common technique, for WAY more reasons than political affiliation.
Funny, @MattWolfAb: I don’t recall the #UCP running on this platform?
-undermining & demonizing Alberta physicians, attempting to privatize health care system, driving doctors elsewhere
-harassing & demeaning teachers, firing 25,000 educational staff IN A WEEKEND EMAIL #abPoli
-A corrupt, kamikaze candidate leadership race (still under RCMP review?)
-Arbitrarily changing AISH dates carelessly, sending payments late, causing hardship for vulnerable AISH recipients
-Changing PUF finding model, leading to anxiety for parents with children who need it
I don’t recall the party promising to
-remove insurance premiums cap, leading to more expenses for Alberta drivers (17% higher?!)
-slashing post-secondary education grants, removing tuition freeze, creating additional cost for post-secondary students #AbLeg
Your heavy handed tactics won’t play in your favour. We WANT to compensate physicians for saving our lives.
What Albertans want to see, Mr. @shandro, is the “sunshine list” of big UCP donors, accountability for your asinine War Room funding & other propaganda. #abpoli#ABhealth
What we WANT to see is the list of your salaries & the salaries of your issues manages & secretaries compared to other provinces.
Why so high?! Ya’ll aren’t saving lives here. (In fact, you’re attacking the educational & health structures that would.) #ableg#ABdocs4patients
What we’d LIKE to see, mr. @shandro, is exactly how much your family will financially benefit from increased need for health insurance when your wife runs a *checks notes* company that provides health insurance. #ableg#abpolicalgaryherald.com/news/politics/…
Okaaaay let's just go over this, shall we? Just your friendly neighbourhood politico over here, pointing out a few things Albertans SHOULD be awfully concerned about.
(TBH, there are MANY things you should be awfully concerned about regarding this UCP government.) #UCP#AbPoli
Don't get me started on Bill 22 and outrage fatigue. But TODAY, I'm just going to highlight TWO THINGS: 1) In case you didn't notice, last week the UCP voted (after limited debate, within four days, while the premier was off in texas so he didn't have to face critics) ...
...to fire Lorne Gibson, the elections commissioner, who had -to date- issued more then $200,000 in fines to UCP folks for failing to abide by election laws. He was IN THE MIDDLE of an investigation. He has said his office had received more than 800 complaints about...