Hypocrisy at its best!

Lately, it seems the Harper Government is doing everything in its power to reduce Canada's environmental sector to nothing! With their muzzling of Canadian scientists and their shrinking of our environmental impact assessments and their attack on Canadian charitable organizations, it just doesn't seem to end! Harper did say he was going to run a more transparent government and I suppose his aversion to the environmental sector couldn't be more clear...somehow, I don't think that's what Canadian's thought he meant by transparency though.

Whether or not you agree with the government's statement that opposing the oil sands shouldn't be a charitable act is irrelevant. If they are going to point the finger at charities that are anti-oil sands, then they must also point the finger at those that are pro-oil sands as well. The Fraser Institute, an "impartial" think tank that many describe as conservative, right wing and libertarian are just as political as all of the other charities under scrutiny.

All I'm saying is that the hypocrisy of it all is ridiculously apparent and enough is enough!

Here are some more fun facts about the Fraser Institute. Please note that all of the quotes were found on www.fraserinstitute.org but the sarcasm is all my own.

• The Fraser Institute describes itself as "an independent Canadian public policy research and educational organization" - Ha ha ha...independent...funny.
• The Fraser Institute also claims they are "improving the quality of life for people of all ages and income levels" - I see, supporting big tobacco and trying to disprove climate change is all aimed at improving my quality of life? Wow, thanks Fraser Institute! What would I do without you encouraging me to smoke and waste fossil fuels?
• The Fraser Institute also "depend on donations from people who understand the importance of impartial research..." - Oh, so impartial research refers to situations like when you receive money from ExxonMobil and Koch Industries to fund "climate research" that claims climate change fears are overstated and alarmist which goes against other so-called impartial scientists? I'm sure glad that's cleared up. 

For more information on the hypocritical conservative government and the Fraser Institute, check out the following links:

• http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/new-rules-in-budget-create-more-fear-among-politically-active-charities/article2388001/
• http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/04/26/koch-brothers-fraser-institute_n_1456223.html
• http://www.vancouverobserver.com/politics/2012/04/25/%E2%80%9Ccharitable%E2%80%9D-fraser-institute-accepted-500k-foreign-funding-oil-billionaires
• http://www.fraserinstitute.org/default.aspx

There are more than two choices people!

In the last few weeks I've heard a lot of people saying things like "I'm sick of the Conservatives so I think I'm going to vote for the Wildrose Party," or "it's time for a change so let's support Danielle Smith." This is ridiculous! There are more than two choices in this province and we don't just have to choose between the right leaning Progressive Conservatives or the ultra-right leaning Wildrose Party!

For all of you who think the Wildrose party is a legitimate choice for you because you don't like the PCs, I'd like to challenge you to complete the Vote Compass before you make up your mind. I have first hand knowledge of two people who thought the WRP was their only choice and after completing the Vote Compass survey, they both found themselves leaning to the left, more in line with the Liberals and NDP. How eye opening!

Now, the purpose of this posting is not to sway anyone one way or another, but to help point out that there are choices! I'm not naive, I know that a lot of people will take the Vote Compass and probably arrive exactly where they expected, but I would guess there are also a lot of people who might be surprised at their outcomes. Just take a minute to really understand what ALL of these parties represent before you jump on somebody else's bandwagon.

To check out the platform's of the major Alberta parties, check out the following:

• Alberta Liberals
• Alberta Party
• Alberta's NDP
• PC Alberta
• Wildrose

I condemn you Mr. Hunsperger!

As election day nears in Alberta, more and more scrutiny is being placed on all of the candidates and thank goodness for that, as we have now learned that Wild Rose candidate Allan Hunsperger is a bigot. I don't know about you, but I don't want someone with his views anywhere near my provincial government! Over the weekend, it was brought to our attention that Hunsperger had a blog posting basically condemning gay people to hell. Here are just a few ridiculous tidbits from his posting:

• "...and if you die the way you were born then you will suffer the rest of eternity in the lake of fire, hell..."
• "Warning people not to not live the way they were born is not judgement or condemnation - it is love!"
• "Accepting people the way they are is cruel and not loving."

What's even more ridiculous about this whole thing, besides Hunsperger's atrocious punctuation, is the fact that he defended himself by saying "the views I expressed in this blog posting are my own personal religious views and were given in the capacity as a church pastor" and "I fully support equality for all people, and condemn any intolerance based on sexual orientation or any other personal characteristics."

Well, what is it going to be Allan? Is condemning someone because they are gay considered love, as you said in your blog? Or, is it wrong to do such a thing as you said this weekend after everyone condemned you? Make up your mind!

Now, if you're wondering what kind of action the Wild Rose leader Danielle Smith is taking on this issue, the answer is nothing! Instead, she just regurgitated the same old thing she's been saying all along which doesn't really mean much: "our party is not going to legislate on contentious social issues."

Hopefully your party won't be legislating on anything!

To check out his blog posting in its entirety, read the Edmonton Journal article. Or, to read what others have to say about this ridiculous, ridiculous man, check out the links below:

• http://www.albertaparty.ca/statement_allan_hunsberger
• http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/04/15/wildrose-anti-gay-blog-alberta_n_1427008.html
• http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/04/15/allan-hunsperger-wildrose-blog/?__lsa=dd873a4a
• http://daveberta.ca/2012/04/allan-hunsperger-wildrose-candidate/

What?!

The Tennessee Senate recently approved a bill that would allow teachers and students to debate scientific theories in the classroom - theories such as evolution and climate change to name a few. Obviously, this bill is opposed by several groups including the National Center for Science Education, the American Civil Liberties Union and 350.org.

While I completely agree with students being encouraged to think critically and question what they are taught, I think it is ridiculous to go back to they way things were in 1925! There is a reason why we don't use mercury anymore to treat every injury or spray DDT on every weed that pops up or put cocaine in our Coca Cola and none of those need to be explained because it's obvious why we don't do those things anymore! It should be just as obvious why we shouldn't pass a bill allowing teachers to teach against evolution or climate change.

To read a more eloquent perspective on this and other issues, check out David Suziki's article in the Western Star! Or, check out the links below for more about this bill:

• http://act.350.org/sign/tennessee
• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/20/tennessee-science-bill-al_n_1368261.html
• http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120320/NEWS0201/303200034/TN-science-bill-protects-teachers-who-allow-debate-over-evolution

Not again!

I don't know about you, but promising Albertans "energy dividends" up to $300 sounds a lot like buying votes! In a province with over 3.6 million people with a deficit of over 3 billion dollars, that seems like an awful lot of money that could be spent on much more important things. Perhaps we could improve our health care system, or work towards ensuring that everyone has the opportunity for higher education or even save for a rainy day or disaster. However, according to Danielle Smith, spending surplus money on those things is squandering and wasteful. Hmm, and she accused Redford of not liking Alberta...

It was a ridiculous idea when Ralph Klein did it in 2005 and it's a ridiculous idea now!

To read more about these dividends, check out the following articles:

• http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20120402/CGY_energy_dividend_120402/20120402?hub=Calgary
• http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/04/02/kelly-mcparland-wildrose-opens-albertas-vote-buying-bazaar-with-a-bid-of-300-per-voter/
• http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2012/04/02/albertavotes2012-smith-bucks-dividends-wildrose.html

For a few more reasons not to vote for the Wildrose Party, check out the following:

• Rob Anderson's diva behaviour.
• Danielle Smith claiming that Alison Redford doesn't like Alberta.
• The Wildrose Party agrees with conscience rights that would allow health care and marriage workers the right to refuse treatment or service to people that have lifestyles they don't agree with or believe in.

Check out the Vote Compass to see where you fit in the Alberta political spectrum.