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31 May, 5 tweets, 6 min read
At the Alberta Legislature. A sunny day. A solemn vigil. #215children #ableg #yeg #SenCA ImageImage
The vigil begin now with smudge and prayer. #215children #215CanadaDayOfMourning #yeg #ableg #SenCA ImageImage
“We’re feeling this grief, coast to coast on Turtle Island,” says Kookum Kathy. “We’re feeling it in the marrow of our bones.” #215children #215CanadaDayOfMourning #yeg #ableg Image
There are people here in ribbon skirts and hijabs, turbans and baseball caps. I haven’t been with a group of people in so long. But I needed to be here. So I’m wearing two masks and keeping a distance. But.
I won’t lie. I feel vulnerable to suddenly find myself with others. And then I think how vulnerable these children were, how many of them died due to infectious disease. And I still fear scared- but so privileged to be here. To remember together. #215children #ableg #yeg ImageImageImage

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More from @Paulatics

Paula Simons Profile picture
1 Jun
There's lots of talk on Twitter today about whether we should take down the Grey Nuns mural in the Grandin LRT station. I talked about that issue of @aaronpaquette last winter, as part of @AlbertaUnbound. Here's an excerpt. #yeg #yegheritage
Here's my whole conversation with Aaron about truth, reconciliation, the intergenerational legacy of residential schools, and how we, as Albertans and Canadians, need to confront (and depict) that history. podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/s2-… @aaronpaquette @AlbertaUnbound
Aaron and I recorded that conversation in December - before the horrible details of the Kamloops burials were known, but with both of us well aware of the horrific legacy of residential schools. But I feel as if last week's news was an epiphany and turning point for many.
Read 4 tweets
Paula Simons Profile picture
13 Apr
Debate begins now on @jeneroux 's Private Members Bill C-220 is beginning now. parlvu.parl.gc.ca/Harmony/en/Pow… #cdnpoli #SenCa #yeg
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously - and third reading begins now, with @jeneroux, the MP for Edmonton-Riverbend. parlvu.parl.gc.ca/Harmony/en/Pow…
Matt Jeneroux begins by thanking Liberal MP @AHousefather for his championship of the bill, and then thanking many MPs from all parties for their support of this bill - which will grant workers under the Canada Labour Code an additional 5 days of bereavement leave. #cdnpoli #yeg
Read 10 tweets
Paula Simons Profile picture
12 Mar
There has been so much (quite legitimate) griping about airlocks in Alberta's Covid testing and vaccine booking systems, that today I wanted to share two more hopeful anecdotes, by way of happy balance.
Monday, my nephew was sent home from his high school, after one of his schoolmates tested positive for Covid. He went for his own test Thursday afternoon. There were no lines at all - he was in and out of the Expo Centre in less than 30 minutes.
AHS texted his test results at 3:20 this morning - negative, thank goodness. That was about 12 hours after he was swabbed. I was impressed with the turn-around. (Especially since I wasn't the one awakened by that 3 AM text.)
Read 5 tweets
Paula Simons Profile picture
12 Mar
This afternoon, the Other Place passed Bill C-7, with changes as suggested by the Senate, including a 24 month sunset clause on the prohibition of MAID for those suffering solely from a psychiatric condition. Here is my own Senate speech on this point:
Let us be crystal clear. This would not mean that people suffering from suicidal ideation or transient depression would be offered medical aid in dying. Nor would MAID be available to anyone who was delusional or lacked capacity to consent.
There are all kinds of psychiatric conditions that are not depression. And you can be “mentally ill” and still have clear legal capacity to make your own medical decisions. Each patient would need to be accessed individually and with great clinical care.
Read 6 tweets
Paula Simons Profile picture
9 Mar
A lot of people have asked why I haven't spoken out more publicly about the plight of the beautiful & historic Ring Houses on the University of Alberta campus. After all, as a newspaper columnist, I was a very public advocate of heritage preservation. But now - I'm a senator.
And that's a differnt role. As a columnist, it was my job to be a frank and outspoken catalyst for community debate. And I raised a stink about all kinds of heritage buildings that I fought to save. Some stories had happy endings. No column of mine saved a building. But...
Often times, conversations I provoked inspired others to step in. When I travel #yeg and see buildings such as the old Molson Brewery, or the old Bay Building (Enterprise Square) or the old McDougall United Church, I rejoice to see the splendid buildings we came together to save.
Read 13 tweets
Paula Simons Profile picture
8 Mar
I first saw @KimsConvenience on stage at Edmonton's @citadeltheatre. It was a sweet little show, but I didn't fall head over heels. I remember saying to my husband as we left, "You know, that could be the basis of a pretty good sitcom."
Thank goodness smarter people that me thought so too - and turned a stage play into some of the greatest Canadian television. Don't get me wrong. I love @SchittsCreek too. But I loved the way Kim's Convenience was grounded in the Toronto that I knew.
Maybe it idealized Canadian multiculturalism. But I was OK with that. I loved its full-throated celebration of multiculturalism. I only lived into Toronto for a couple of years, in the mid 90s. But the show made me nostalgic for the polyglot energy of the city.
Read 7 tweets

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