Where is the bottom with that candidate in Calgary? We here at Rage hope it’s right here.
Kevin J. Johnston, a racist, an anti-masker, and somehow a candidate for mayor in Calgary, managed to break the wall of decency and inject American-style garbage-politic into Canada. On Thursday, Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro was forced to grab his kids and move them to safety after a group of Johnston’s supporters (supporters??) accosted Shandro and hurled their dissatisfaction with him at his children.
“Sorry buddy but your father is a war criminal,” one was quoted as saying to Shandro’s kid.
This offers a quick chance to point at the dumb and dangerous rhetoric we’ve tolerated for too long in Alberta. The paisley-shirted one in Calgary has often talked of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau or anti-pipeline activists as being guilty of “treason.” We heard “Lock her up” on the steps of the Legislature when Official Opposition Leader Rachel Notley was premier.
All of this is garbage. This talk of locking people up, of suggesting they’re treasonous or war criminals, takes disagreement with politics that have far, far, far lower stakes than a war.
It’s juvenile, ignorant, divorced from reality, and dangerous to suggest disagreement over energy policy or the poor management of a health department is treasonous or similar to the behaviour that has seen actual war criminals tried at The Hague.
If you’re not speaking against this garbage you’re tolerating it. That’s the line.
This sort of thing has been allowed to fester for years as pundits who clutch their pearls at the idea of disruptive activism also issue calls for violence whenever it suits them.
And the Johnston issues just keep on going…
Fireworks?
This week fireworks became a proxy for what people are willing to do for reconciliation at the municipal level. Morinville cancelled their fireworks after a difficult week where a historic Catholic church burned down.
But the Big-City mayors? They had their cake and ate it too.
Summer Doldrums
Paul Fairie expresses what we are feeling about this election this week. Looking at several elections at once means a growing awareness that a lot of candidates lack a specific vision and instead rely on political tropes and pet grievances.
Fort Saskatchewan is Now A Board Game!
Looking for a Few Good Subs (no, not that kind)
Rage is still looking for seven new subscribers to meet our fundraising goal! We are wanting to expand our writers to other areas of the province and need your help to be able to offer fair compensation!