Posts Tagged ‘Politics’

August 3, 2025

Posted: August 10, 2025 in Uncategorized
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UPDATE: It is important to note that I wrote this to explain the structure of the process. There are many aspects of it that should be revisited and one that I often mention in more detailed conversations around the exclusion of Hydro power in the calculation. So take this as a very general explanation as it was intended.

Equalization payments 101. I’m beginning to believe a lot of citizens skipped grade six. Jason Stephan, MLA for Red Deer and member of Alberta’s Treasury Board, posted today about what he viewed is the money Alberta ‘sends’ to Quebec saying it’s “too bad Quebec didn’t separate.”

Let’s just pause on that for a second. A sitting MLA who is responsible for provincial finances is wishing a founding province had left Confederation. Because of taxes? That’s not just a cheap political shot. That’s a fundamental misunderstanding of how Canada works. And how the equalization system works.

And unfortunately, he’s not alone. So let’s try this one more time at a grade six civics level, since that seems to be where the understanding stopped. Equalization isn’t Alberta sending cheques to Quebec. It’s not a personal donation to daycare in the Maritimes.

Here’s the truth. Canada is a country, not a profit-sharing corporation. Let’s think of it like a big family. Alberta is the high-earning sibling who makes good money, works hard, maybe brags about it a bit too much at Thanksgiving. New Brunswick? That’s the older relative. Wise, tough, but not pulling in as much these days. Quebec? Well, Quebec is the family member who insists on doing everything their own way but still shows up for supper.

And like any decent family, we try to make sure everyone has what they need, even if we don’t all contribute the same amount.

That’s where equalization comes in. Here’s how it actually works. The federal government collects taxes from across the country (and yes, Alberta pays a big chunk because we earn more. Please know that’s not punishment, it’s math). Then, based on a formula, it gives equalization transfers to provinces that don’t have the same ability to raise their own revenue. That means more help for places like New Brunswick, PEI, and Manitoba so they can offer public services at reasonably similar levels and tax rates. Provinces like Newfoundland for example have been both the successful family member and the one that needed some help on occasion.

And just to be crystal clear Alberta does not send money directly to other provinces. No one’s mailing cheques from Edmonton to Quebec City. Equalization payments come from the federal government to each provinces.

And about that formula? It can be reviewed. And it has been including during the Harper years. So if Jason Stephan thinks it’s broken, maybe he should dig into those files before continuing the negative narrative. While he’s at it, maybe he can get a memo to Premier Danielle Smith because if there’s one thing this Premier loves more than chaos, it’s finding someone else to blame for it.

Canada is not a zero-sum game. Every province brings something to the table. Not all bring cash and thank God, because if money were the only measure of worth, we’d be a pretty soulless country.

Right now, we’re dealing with global instability, trade tensions, economic insecurity, war, and climate pressure on everything from food to fuel. The job right now is to take care of our own. That means defending each other, not dividing each other.

If we need to revisit how the family handles its finances, then fine we will. But not in the current situation our country (family) is in. And not because one provincial politician needs a distraction from his own lack of solutions.

Maybe Quebec is the kid who’s still living at home, expects dinner on the table at six, and reminds you regularly they might move out if the menu ever changes. Alberta is the sibling who just landed a big promotion and can’t stop telling everyone else how to run their lives. Annoying? Absolutely. But guess what? They’re both still family.

Because in the end these provinces are all part of this amazing country and in my view we are family. And like any real family, we all have a seat at this table. No one gets to kick anyone else out.

We argue. We pass the potatoes. We fight over who has to do the dishes. But we also make sure everyone’s plate has something on it. That’s not weakness. It’s the strength of the system.

So if the way we split the bill needs a second look, we’ll do that. Together. Like grown-ups. But let’s not confuse family finances with family values. Because from this citizens point of view we make sure everyone gets dinner on their plate. We argue, we grumble, and sometimes we roll our eyes at each other. But we don’t cut anyone out just because it’s politically convenient.
We show up. We share. We do the work. That’s what being Canadian actually means.

July 27, 2025

Posted: August 3, 2025 in Uncategorized
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What did I actually just witness? Normally, I wouldn’t be doing a post at this time of day. But because I’ve spoken recently about the importance of this U.S.–EU deal and what it could signal to Canadians, I felt it was important to put something out there right away. Just a reminder that this is where I stand right now. My opinion might change if more information becomes available. (Imagine that, a person adjusting their view based on facts! Wild, I know.)

So here we go. We just watched Donald Trump and Ursula von der Leyen announce what was alternately called a deal, a framework, a partnership, and, let’s be honest a show. It happened at Trump’s golf course in Scotland, following what we’re told was a meeting that lasted less than one hour.

Let me repeat that: less than one hour.

So, I ask you: What real trade deal between the world’s two largest economies, involving $750 billion in energy, $600 billion in U.S. investments, “hundreds of billions” in military purchases, and no documentation, gets hammered out in under 60 minutes?

It doesn’t. This was performative. And it worked, for Trump. He got to sit there and declare “the biggest deal ever made,” while von der Leyen smiled politely, said all the right diplomatic things, and let the man-child bask in his imaginary glory.

But here’s the problem: we still don’t know what this actually is.

There was no written agreement. No release of the framework text. No clarity on timelines for these alleged investments. No mention of climate policy, which is foundational for the EU in every negotiation. Steel? Still untouched. Pharmaceuticals? Excluded. CHIPS? Deferred to Trump’s favourite timeline: “two weeks.”

The numbers thrown around were large. $750B, $600B, “hundreds of billions” seem completely unverified. And without a timeframe, they mean nothing. I could say I’m buying a cottage in the Muskokas. Sounds great. Doesn’t make it true. Not unless I’ve got a few hundred years and a magic money tree.

So, what does this mean for Canada?

Well, we don’t know yet. But we should be paying attention.

This vague spectacle doesn’t necessarily threaten us, but it does signal how Trump is approaching trade: with optics first, substance later (if ever). We’ve got our own looming deadline on tariffs, and despite new relationships being built we still have our own deeply integrated economic ties with the U.S. but also expanded economic ties with the EU. How this deal unfolds could very well shape the tone of upcoming negotiations with Canada.

That’s why I’m not panicking but I am watching. Because Ursula von der Leyen has been in real, ongoing talks with Prime Minister Mark Carney. On climate, regulation and on trade standards. My instincts say they’ve spoken recently, maybe even this morning. And while I do think concessions were made between the EU and the U.S., I do not believe this agreement is as it was presented.

Ursula played this smart. Savvy, even. She gave Trump the optics he needed without surrendering the EU’s deeper priorities or at least not visibly. But a reminder: until there’s a document with dates, mechanisms, and enforcement, there is no deal. There is, at best, a placeholder. At worst, a photo op.

And we need to remember, too, that Canada has its own long-standing relationship with the EU, built on predictability, regulation, and climate accountability and a new enhanced relationship built on relationship where our Prime MInister is considered to be a key allie. I don’t believe that relationship disappeared just because Trump needed a stage today. If anything, I’m more convinced that the real diplomacy is still happening, off-camera.

So here I am, asking questions, reflecting out loud, and inviting feedback. I’m not claiming to have the answers, just raising the red flags I see flapping wildly in the Scottish wind.

And for anyone wondering how it all landed, I’ll just leave you with this image: the EU and U.S. flags, side by side, planted squarely in a sand trap. Fitting, really. They walked out claiming the biggest deal ever made, and left it resting in the sand, soft beneath the surface. Not exactly solid ground. Some might even call it quicksand.

July 26, 2025

Posted: August 3, 2025 in Uncategorized
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I might have to start getting up at 4 a.m. (or start doing lives, because Trump’s tantrums don’t respect my posting schedule)

I’ve discovered something. My commitment to writing thoughtful posts the night before and publishing them at 7 a.m. is becoming less of a routine and more of a liability. Because, between 10 p.m. and sunrise, Donald Trump inevitably throws another tantrum, drops another truthless screed, or tries to dismantle international relations. It’s exhausting. But here we are again.

I had a whole post lined up, and then Trump declared he was “done negotiating” with Canada. And now people are asking me, “Nancy, do you still think Mark Carney is the right one to handle this?”

Yes. I stand exactly where I stood. Carney is the only one in this country who has both the credentials and the composure to deal with Trump basically by not ‘dealing’ with him at all. Because, as I’ve said before and I’ll keep saying: you don’t negotiate with crazy. You route around it.

And that’s exactly what Carney is doing. Let’s not forget what he said the night he became Prime Minister. I’ve quoted it before and I’ll paraphrase again: ‘the Canada–U.S. relationship as we knew it is over.’ And maybe that’s what some of us are still struggling to accept. Maybe I am too.

A few weeks ago, I posted an image of a cracked road that resonated widely. Well, that crack? It’s now a full-blown canyon. And unless something, or someone, removes the unstable force at the center of it, we’re not crossing that bridge any time soon.

Now, here’s what you didn’t hear in Trump’s tantrum: according to credible sources, the real trigger was money. Trump demanded what’s been described as a “one-time loyalty fee” from Canada, a price to be paid for tariff relief. Call it a handshake. Call it a favour. Call it what it is: extortion.

And Carney? He told him to pound salt. Or, more accurately, he told him no, the Canadian way: quietly, firmly, and repeatedly.
Trump didn’t take it well.

And that’s why we’re here. This wasn’t a trade breakdown. This was a mobster getting snubbed by a banker who saw the scam coming ten miles away. The threats and the 35% tariff bluff are because Carney wouldn’t buy in.

And here’s something Canadians and Americans need to understand: when Trump says he’ll “have all these deals in place,” they’re not negotiated agreements. They are imposed conditions. One-sided ultimatums dressed up as diplomacy. There’s no give and take. No mutual interest. Just a string of threats, followed by declarations of success when the other party either folds, or walks.

Please, for the sake of truth and sovereignty, don’t take him at his word. Don’t listen to the noise. Do your due diligence. Read real sources. Get the straight goods on what he’s actually done, not what he claims to have done. Because the words are meaningless. The record is what matters.

Meanwhile, Carney’s been building the bypass: finalizing the Canada–Mexico Trade Corridor, with no American permission slip required, locking in historic agreements with the EU and Japan, launching Canada’s Energy and Transportation Sovereignty Corridor, connecting provinces and territories coast to coast to coast, and preparing retaliatory tariffs and a Buy Canadian strategy that actually hits Trump where it hurts, his electoral map.

Trump has taken a detour to Scotland, where even his ancestral homeland wants no part of him. He renamed a golf course after his mother, hoping to buy affection. It didn’t work. The cliffs, the castles, the wind-swept resistance, they said no. The land of fierce rebellions and long memory doesn’t forget. To my ancestors from those highlands: thank you. You did us proud.

Now, tucked into this week’s schedule is another meeting we should all be watching: Trump is expected to meet with representatives of the European Union. I’m hoping they hold the line, as they’ve publicly indicated they would, in standing by Canada in this process. Whether they stand firm or bend will speak volumes. At least, it will to me. So let’s put a sticky note on that one. Bookmark it and watch it. Because the outcome of that meeting could quietly shape the next chapter in all of this.

And as for Canada? We’re not backing down. We’re not bending.
And if being “tough and nasty” is what it takes to defend our sovereignty? Then yeah, we are. Nicely. I am happy to have that handle. Because Canada doesn’t do fealty. We do strategy. We do dignity.

We’re already partway across a long, solid span, something real, something built to last. It stretches across deep waters, connecting more than just provinces. It represents who we are: a country that doesn’t flinch when the crossing gets tough. We’re not at the other side yet. But the pillars are strong, the direction is clear, and we’re moving forward. One kilometre at a time. No turning back now.

July 25, 2025

Posted: August 3, 2025 in Uncategorized
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There are some things I’ve avoided writing about. Not because I don’t care, but because I care so deeply. I’m afraid I’ll say the wrong thing. I worry that I don’t know enough. I worry that someone will be offended. But some images burn so deeply into your brain that silence feels like complicity. And today I didn’t allow myself to scroll past. I forced myself to look at every one of those images.

You know the ones I mean. The images coming out of Gaza, of children starving, of skeletal babies with wide eyes and no voice left to cry are more than I can bear. And more than anyone should bear.

Let’s put something on the table right now: Hamas is a terrorist organization. It has done enormous harm, not only to Israel but to its own people. That is not in dispute. I’m not here to defend terrorists. No one should be. But this is one of those times when more than one thing can be true at the same time.

We can condemn Hamas AND condemn the deliberate blockade of food to civilians.

We can mourn the horrific attacks of October 7 AND be outraged at a policy of collective punishment that leaves children to die of hunger.

We can believe in Israel’s right to exist AND still demand that humanitarian law be followed by everyone.

And so here it is: no child on this planet should be starving. No child should be shot at while trying to reach food. And yet we are seeing both. In real time. On our screens. And the world is fumbling through excuses. Some claim that Hamas steals the food, that they’re to blame. But let’s talk facts. The United Nations and the World Food Programme, highly trained, internationally respected humanitarian bodies are not being permitted to run this operation. Why? Because the U.S. and Israel say they’ll “handle it.” But they are NOT handling it.

The World Food Programme has publicly stated they are ready to deploy 400 aid distribution sites to avoid the kind of chaos that leads to violence and desperation. But they are being blocked. Not invited to the table. And what a bitter irony, people starving, and we’re locking out the people with food.

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, also prepared and willing, is being sidelined. These organizations exist for moments exactly like this, war, disaster, famine, and yet they’re standing by with full capacity while children die.

Tonight, Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a statement. And while I’ve been critical that he maybe wasn’t speaking out enough, this was important: “Canada condemns the Israeli government’s failure to prevent the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian disaster in Gaza. Israel’s control of aid distribution must be replaced by comprehensive provision of humanitarian assistance led by international organizations. Many of these are holding significant Canadian-funded aid which has been blocked from delivery to starving civilians. This denial of humanitarian aid is a violation of international law.”

From me to PM Carney: ” Thank you for taking this step. For saying out loud what needed to be said. But this is only the beginning. We need more than condemnation. We need action. Canada must now push harder, louder, and with real urgency to ensure that aid flows. Words matter. But what you do next matters more.”

Under international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions, civilians must be protected during conflict. Aid must be allowed to flow. Blocking it is not just immoral. It’s illegal. Some will respond to this with more “What about Hamas?” noise. But I’m going to say it clearly: I’m not entertaining that in this post. I know what Hamas is. We all do. But if your outrage ends there, and doesn’t extend to starving children then it’s not really outrage, is it? It’s politics. And politics should never be more important than human life.

We don’t know when this war will end. Maybe not for a long time. But we can’t wait for peace to begin humanitarian aid. When my children were young, they’d get up from their comfy beds, eat breakfast, cereal, toast, maybe pancakes on weekends, and head off to school. There were swimming lessons, football practice, and rainy movie nights curled up in the fifth wheel.

I know not every child in North America has that life. My kids knew that too. We talked about it. We volunteered. We supported programs in our community to help those who had less. This is not comparable. In North America, even when families struggle, food exists. Programs exist. There is no systemic blockade between a child and their survival. What’s happening in Gaza isn’t poverty. It’s manufactured starvation. It’s children dying not because there’s no food, but because we are refusing to let it reach them. Mothers are burying children with bloated bellies and sunken eyes. Kids are dying, not just from bombs but from emptiness.

So I’m done staying quiet. I’m done worrying about who I’ll offend. Because if this offends you, if demanding food for children offends you, then I don’t think we’re on the same team.

I am an Albertan. I am a Canadian. But ultimately, I am a citizen of the world. And as a citizen of the world, I have to scream this: We need to let the aid in. Now.

Please speak up. No matter what country you’re in. Contact your MP, your congressperson, your representative. Write. Share. Demand that humanitarian organizations like the UN, the World Food Programme, and the Red Crescent be allowed to do their jobs.

The war may not be over. But the starvation can be. If you can scroll past starving children and still argue about politics, you’re not defending your values, you’re burying them.

July 9, 2025

Posted: August 3, 2025 in Uncategorized
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So, Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly nominating Donald J. Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. Because of course he is. What better way for Bibi to flatter his own ego while distracting from his horrific international reputation.

The rationale? Supposedly because of the Abraham Accords, a set of diplomatic agreements signed in 2020 during Trump’s first presidency, normalizing relations between Israel and a few Arab nations: the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. These were significant steps, no doubt. But let’s not kid ourselves, they came with arms deals, the complete sidelining of the Palestinian people, and the distinct whiff of transactional diplomacy. The ink wasn’t even dry before Trump turned the moment into a 2020 campaign asset and Netanyahu used it to flex before an audience of increasingly uneasy Israeli voters. Fast forward to 2025.

Now, before anyone panics: this nomination isn’t for this year’s Peace Prize, unless Netanyahu managed to quietly submit it before the January 31 deadline, which no one seems to believe he did. That means we’re likely talking October 2026. So, deep breath. You’ve got time to be disillusioned in stages.

Previously every time Trump’s name got mentioned in the same breath as the Peace Prize I’d feel my blood pressure spike. It offended me, not just politically, but morally. The very idea that a man who actively undermined alliances, courted despots, mocked the international order, and fanned the flames of domestic insurrection could receive that prize? It felt obscene.

But something has shifted. And it’s not because I’ve become indifferent to peace. Quite the opposite, it’s because I care so deeply about the concept of peace that I’ve decided not to look for its validation in the Nobel.

Let’s talk about the rules for a second. The Nobel Peace Prize, according to Alfred Nobel’s will, should go to the person or organization that has done “the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” That’s a noble goal. But in practice? The rules are discretionary. There’s no official short list, no vetting of criminal records, no requirement for lasting peace, just significant action that someone, somewhere, thinks nudged the world in the right direction.

Eligible nominators include members of national parliaments, heads of state, university professors, and past laureates. Netanyahu, as a sitting prime minister qualifies. And if the committee wants to take it seriously, they can. Or they can file it under “we’ll pretend to read this later” and move on.

But here’s where it shifts for me. Because if this nomination is what it takes to get Trump back onside with supporting Ukraine then I’m not sure I care about the price of that bribe. Because today Trump reversed course and endorsed continued U.S. weapons aid. If dangling a gold medallion in front of him helps even a little in resisting Putin’s bloodlust, fine. Let him have the shiny object.

Because the truth is, the Peace Prize has already been handed to people with long shadows. Henry Kissinger, and Yasser Arafat, and really even Barack Obama win was aspirational more than earned. The award has always been half idealism, half geopolitics. Sometimes it celebrates courageous changemakers. Other times it gets used to slap a sauve on a festering wound and call it healing. So if that’s the game, I’m not going to rage at the players anymore.

I used to think the prize itself stood for something unshakable. But peace is not a PR strategy, and we cheapen it when we hand out accolades like participation medals in a global ego contest. So if Trump wants a Nobel to cap his legacy, let him chase it. If it keeps him vaguely pointed in the direction of global cooperation, fine. Everyone’s got their own fight to fight. And I’m not going to fight over this one.

Because here’s where I’ve landed: I’m not shocked anymore. I’m not angry. I’m not even disappointed. I’m done caring. The Nobel Peace Prize? It just doesn’t mean anything. And whether Trump wins it or not? It has no bearing on the things I actually care about, like whether people are still dying in Gaza, or if Ukraine gets shelled into a crater, or if children anywhere have to grow up in rubble.

Give him the prize. Wrap it in velvet. Let him hang it in Mar-a-Lago next to a fake Time Magazine cover. If it shuts him up and slows the march to another war, I’m good with that. Because in the grand scheme, whether he wins it or not is just not the most important thing to me anymore. Peace is. Not props. Not pageantry. As for the signficance of this medal. Maybe it once stood for something but now I question that and I’m fine if they give it to whoever needs it to behave, like the promised treat if the tantrum stops. If it keeps the missiles grounded and the egos quiet, hand it over and move on. I just can’t waste my energy on this one. Not when there are actual lives at stake elsewhere. Not when the prize itself has already been gamified. Not when the possibility is that someone behaves better just because they want a sticker.

Gratitude Began At Walmart

Posted: October 12, 2014 in Uncategorized
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BeautifulSunsetthankful               

 “As we express our gratitude we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words,                                   but to live by them. ”  John F. Kennedy

So on a last minute trip to Walmart today to buy an oversized roasting pan for my oversized turkey a gentleman in the check out line behind me said,  “Thank you for the work you do for our community.  I really appreciate it.  Politicians work hard for their constituents and are under appreciated.  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.”  I was pleasantly surprised by his comment and although I don’t know him I am very grateful for his words.  This last few weeks have been difficult politically (and I get it times 2). There have been some controversial issues and sometimes disagreements.   What am I grateful for?  The fact that I live in this amazing country where I have the freedom to choose my own point of view, honour another persons opposing views and move forward.  I’m grateful for my amazing family; a husband who works hard to support his family and children who make me proud.  I am grateful for the gift of parents who taught me the value of service, hard work and open mindedness.  I am thankful for my mentors who have forged roads I can now travel.  I am grateful for my friends and sisters who are always there; to pick me up, to raise me up and to walk beside me.  I am grateful for the wonderful community of Drayton Valley but remain grateful for my Maritime roots. Gratitude means thankfulness, counting my blessings, noticing simple pleasures, and acknowledging everything that I receive. It means learning to live my life as if everything were a miracle, and being aware on a continuous basis of how much I’ve been given. Gratitude shifts my focus from what my life lacks to the abundance that is already present. In addition, behavioral and psychological research has shown the surprising life improvements that can stem from the practice of gratitude. Giving thanks makes people happier and more resilient, it strengthens relationships, it improves health, and it reduces stress.  Gratitude helps those who practice gratitude to be more creative, bounce back more quickly from adversity, have a stronger immune system, and have stronger social relationships than those who don’t practice gratitude. To say I feel grateful is not to say that everything in my lives is necessarily great. It just means I am aware of my blessings.
I try(not always successfully) to practice giving thanks to appreciate life more fully and to use gratitude to help put things in their proper perspective. When things don’t go my way, I try to remember that every difficulty carries within it the seeds of an equal or greater benefit. In the face of adversity I ask myself: “What’s good about this?”, “What can I learn from this?”, and “How can I benefit from this?”  This is more often than not a challenging exercise for me.  But as I  become oriented toward looking for things to be grateful for, I find that I begin to appreciate simple pleasures and things that I previously took for granted.  Today, I will start bringing gratitude to my experiences, instead of waiting for a positive experience in order to feel grateful; in this way, I’m on my way toward becoming not just grateful but maybe; just maybe a master of gratitude.

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