Tuesday, July 04, 2017

It's NOT about YOU, Alberta


Any of us who have had the opportunity, or, perhaps, been unwise enough, to stand in front of a large group of people and speak about something will know that occasionally, it's possible to forget something.  To say something you wanted to say.  To blurt out something you really didn't want to say.  To mispronounce someone's name.  To leave something out.  Hell, even seasoned public speakers do that from time to time.

So it was with Canada's PM Justin Trudeau.  While calling out a list of Canada's provinces and territories during a Canada Day speech, he left out Alberta.  His wife poked him in the ribs after and likely reminded him of his error, and he did apologize, profusely, several times, after.



But the damage was done.  The lunatic right was all over it in an instant, suggesting everything short of immediate succession from the union (or the Confederation, or whatever it is Canada calls itself).

Jason Kenney and Derek somebody or other, two unite-the-right conservative party wanna-be leaders decided, for their own pander-to-the-base reasons, to play this, once again, as a nobody-loves-Alberta-and-its-contributions-to-Canada story.  Again.  God, I am so sick of entitled twits whining about how nobody loves them and how they don't get any respect.  They should live in a part of Canada where that is REALLY an issue and where people really don't have anything, in comparison, of course.



Brian Jean, the Wild Rose leader, the one who once chastised the Alberta NDP for actually keeping an election promise (the shame, the horror) made sure to add his two cents worth as well.  @BrianJeanWRP tweeted: 
"Happy Canada Day. Our country is stronger because of Alberta and, unlike our Prime Minister, I won't ever forget that."
Classy, Brian.  Classy.  There were quite a few tweets in response, most from more reasonable and sensible people than Brian Jean, apparently.

Anyhow, collectively, these three, and their supporters, have just managed to open Alberta up for more ridicule.  The Beaverton had this to say, in a short article entitled: 


Albertans erect ‘forgotten province’ memorial in wake of Trudeau’s Canada 150 address

A former member of the Alberta Legislature had a bit of a tongue-lashing for the three public figures leading the chorus of Alberta hurt.

Calgary's mayor had this to say: "Are we really that fragile as Albertans?....I screw up speeches all the time"

Exactly.  Don't we have more important things to worry about?  We love you Alberta, even more than we love Toronto.  But some of you need to get over yourselves.

EDIT:  Vice came up with the "Definitive Ranking of the Most Easily Offended Provinces".



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