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Gil McGowan

@gilmcgowan

Jul 20

While everyone is focused on inflation, it’s important to note that low interest rates drive up asset prices. Why have home prices gone through the roof over the past 30 years? Why is the stock market disconnected from reality? Low interest rates. It’s class war by another means.

Yes, low interest rates helped many people buy their homes. But we need to ask why those homes were so expensive in the first place. Moderate levels of inflation are NOT bad for workers — as long as they have the bargaining power (eg unions) to get regular wage increases.

The low inflation obsession (which we’re still living with) was the worst of both worlds. It brought us housing that is unaffordable for most workers. And it was paired with union-busting policies that undermined worker bargaining power. All so the rich could get richer.

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Gil McGowan

@gilmcgowan

Jul 13

@Sharonadactyl

Our lawyers were successful in convincing the court to order the release of a key Power Point presentation that the UCP has been trying to keep secret. Here’s the link to the full court record. The Power Point starts on page 199. Great work @Sharonadactyl and @OrlaghOKelly1

https://twitter.com/sharonadactyl/status/1547252675036602368

@CMOH_Alberta

The Power Point was prepared for the UCP cabinet by @CMOH_Alberta. It was what the cabinet looked at before they made the decision to lift essentially all Covid protections in Alberta in February.

The big question is: did the UCP follow Hinshaw’s advice, or did they ignore it? In the Power Point, Hinshaw talked about the phases of a pandemic: pandemic, transition, endemic.

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Gil McGowan

@gilmcgowan

Feb 22

The UCP’s Throne Speech has been delivered and Albertans should be worried. It’s a roadmap for privatizing health care and splintering education. On the economy, they want to make Alberta a centre for cryptocurrency and financial deregulation. What a toxic, ideological mess!

Also on the economy: they’re going to double-down on failed “trickledown” policies like tax cuts for corporations and the removal of protections for consumers, workers and the environment (under the guise of “red tape reduction.”) The UCP wants us to win the race to the bottom.

It’s also important to note that the UCP has clearly decided to go all-in on the oil industry’s plan for addressing the #EnergyTransition. That plan depends on governments (federal & provincial) giving industry $50 billion to pay for (so far unproven) carbon capture technologies.

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Gil McGowan

@gilmcgowan

Feb 14

https://twitter.com/jkenney/status/1493320725318356994

To be clear, Jason Kenney is lying. Our case has NOT been thrown out. You really cannot believe a thing this guy says. #KenneyLiesAllTheTime #AbLeg #abpoli #cdnpoli #COVID19AB

https://twitter.com/jkenney/status/1493320725318356994

Acting with a group of parents, we asked for three things 1) a judicial review of the UCP’s decision to lift mask mandates in schools 2) a return to masking until the review is heard 3) nullification of the UCP’s prohibition on school boards setting their own mask policies.

The court threw out #3 because we’re not school boards. The judge said he’d have to hear directly from school boards themselves if they are treating LaGrange’s letter prohibiting school boards from setting their own mask rules as binding on them.

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Gil McGowan

@gilmcgowan

Feb 12

Kenney & his lapdog Staples are at it again: using the pandemic as a pretext to justify health care privatization. Why don’t we have enough ICU beds and staff? B/c of years of conservative underfunding! Why are staff leaving? B/c conservatives treat them like crap! #abpoli

Staples says: “Changing approaches is also in order. Any number of new programs and processes are worth a try if they increase the drivers of systemic efficiency, such as transparency, accountability and competition.” This is a privatization dog whistle.

And it’s pretty rich when Kenney says he’s “done everything possible” to increase capacity in our health care system during the pandemic. The truth is, he’s chase doctors and nurses out of the profession and out of the province.

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Gil McGowan

@gilmcgowan

Jan 7

Covid has entered our household. My partner, who is a nurse, recently tested positive. She’s fully-vaxxed and only experiencing mild symptoms. But it’s been an anxious time for all of us. 1/n

We had a family Covid plan which I hoped we’d never have to use. But here we are. Jen is isolating in our room. We’re bringing her all her meals. I’m sleeping in the basement. The kids and I are wearing masks around the house and limiting contact. 2/n

We’ve had family members bring us groceries, and we’re lucky enough to have three full bathrooms, so Jen can have one for herself. For the time being, we’re eating separately and we’ve stopped sharing things like towels and toothpaste. 3/n

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