Ideology > common sense during an awful August

Posted on 29 August 2023 by Ryan Dahlman

By Ryan Dahlman

Often politicians are labelled as being out of touch with the regular folk when it comes to understanding what is affecting ordinary citizens. It is frustrating for us as we watch fuel prices soar the roof, our utility bills need a remortgaging of our homes or come dangerously close to matching apartment rent. Food? There’s a reason why Galen Weston is smirking so much. 

Fear not, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will address Canada while he and his colleagues are at a lavish Party party errrrr… retreat in Charlottetown, PEI. 

“As leaders, MPs and parliamentarians of all types, part of our job is to be there, to take it, to support it as Canadians are anxious and put out solutions. So yeah, this is not an easy time to be a politician,” Justin said.

Right. It isn’t easy being him. Not the right timing buddy. Don’t remember him going to the food bank, trying to decide whether to pay for food or utilities because the having to steal empty bottles or going through garbages for food 

Nor was it the right timing when at the same press conference that a reporter asked for the PM to comment on Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre’s claims and criticism that the federal government with its various policies like the Carbon Tax, the push for renewable resources without much of a plan in place etc., the gallery of the federal government cabinet standing behind Trudeau, who was noticeably trying to keep a straight face, the gallery broke into at the very least a smirk, but collectively they almost all laughed.

Again, if those privileged people understood or felt what it was like to pick bottles every day in order to have enough money for a coffee or something to eat, they would think twice of how their giggling could be interpreted. Yes, argument can be made they are laughing at PP but as an ordinary citizen, all you see is arrogant laughter. Those less fortunate than them are after-thoughts, the focus is on one of them who doesn’t agree with them. 

Politicians didn’t show well when it came to natural disasters either. It was an emotional roller coaster of a week last week for many people. Those in the Northwest Territories were engulfed in numerous fires. As of Aug. 24 for example, no less than 10 active fires surrounded the community of Wekweètì, 200 km north of Yellowknife. There were 239 wildfires as of then, with 275 total fires this year. As of Aug. 24, 2,968,488 hectares were affected. That is 29,684.88 square km. 

In B.C. the dramatically horrific pictures coming from Kelowna have made the news and social media. Again on Aug. 24, there were a total of 372 wildfires, 153 evacuation orders and five floods. Horrific.

Now whatever your leanings on climate change are, it is definitely a horrible time in these regions of Canada. Many are quite dry from a lack of moisture. It is an emotional time who have lost homes, businesses, livelihoods, special get away places or even livestock or pets.

Of course politicians can’t help themselves. The same day the Kelowna fires really took over towards West Kelowna and then enviably jumped the lake and headed towards the main side of Kelowna.

Natural disaster as are the politicians are. 

Federal PC MP for Kelowna Tracy Gray on Aug. 17 as the fires are approaches sends a tweet out complaining about the hated carbon tax. No mention of the fires which has been approaching the city for days. When the pictures, notes of support and the warnings  started coming in on social media about the Kelowna fires, Gary said nothing about residents finding safety. No wishes of support, just Axe the Tax tweets. 

The Canadian Energy Executive Association (CEEA) was scheduled for Aug. 24 in Banff, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, Alberta Energy Minister Brian Jean, and Calgary Centre MP Greg McLean.

As of Aug. 24 noon the CEEA’s website read, “This year’s EBF will feature keynote speaker Alex Epstein, a Fireside Chat with our Western Leaders, and two panel discussions presenting on topics relevant to our conference theme.” 

A tweet criticizing the fact that a fossil fuel conference which environmentalist point out is causing global warming which in turn is making things drier which is the source of all of these wildfires, “Epstein, someone who wrote a book called — I kid you not — ‘The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels’.”

Not good optics on either. If you can’t see that it is not good optics, please take the blue-coloured glasses off. 

How about the Alberta NDP selling bumper stickers to wanting to “save our parks?” Again it is good that the NDP want to save the majestic wonder that is the southwest corner of the province where the Rockies and the many powerful rivers flow — rivers which supply drinking water to southern Alberta communities and has been an unofficial sanctuary for nature for thousands of generations. 

But to spend at least $25 for a plastic-coated bumper sticker, which could fall off and wreck the environment.. you get the idea. Oh and if you think you are getting too much of a deal for $25, there are also suggestions of $100, $200 or $400 for the ironically mainly blue with orange lettering. Blue which is the colours of the UCP and combined with orange of the iconic National Hockey League team in Edmonton, who are called the… Yeah. You can’t make this stuff up. 

THINK POLITICIANS! THINK! You are being paid a non-electrical truck load full of money to think.

Is all of this being soft? Are we all looking for things to tick us off? We are happy when we have something to complain about?

Could be true, but that is because we are in very trying times. Economically the economy has been set up for elite champagne tastes and the vast majority can’t afford it. While the politicians jet set burning fossil fuel around the country and the world to get to their next renewable resource event or sea