Doug Elniski: now just another walled off politician?
Did MLA Doug Elniski do something dumb? Yes. Was posting his thoughts online the mistake? No.
This is what makes social media such a powerful tool when it comes to politics: you get a chance to see inside the mind of our leaders and what makes them tick. And as you can imagine, when you get a chance to look inside someone’s mind you might not always like what you see.
The alternative to this is what we have been doing for generations. In that example, we elect someone without really knowing much about them and then either approve of what they do on our behalf or become belligerent and shocked when a massive scandal blows up.
I would argue social media like Twitter and Facebook allow us to get an inside perspective of what our elected officials do and think and that is a good thing. If they are corrupt or disengaged, status updates may give a peek at that attitude. If they don’t? Well they were just lying to us anyway so we’re no worse off then we were before.
Personally, I don’t agree with Doug’s comments. When I first read his tweets at the Edmonton Pride Parade I thought to myself, “Gee, I don’t think those are appropriate comments to say out loud.” And when I read what he said at a grade 9 graduation I thought, “That does not seem appropriate at all.” But you know what? He has a right to think and say those things. Just like we have a right to judge him based on what he said.
I would much rather an elected leader show me their true face and let me decide what to do with that information, than live a lie and pretend to be something they are not.
Where I really became disappointed with Doug was with his reaction to the controversy created by his remarks on his blog. Rather than apologizing on his blog and trying to help us understand why he made the remarks and what he is doing/going through in getting past them, he simply deleted the blog all together.
And in doing so left us all to wonder what is going on in his head and became just another walled off politician. And that is our loss.
Bill 44: the great and the befuddled
Let me first start of by saying I, for one, am glad Bill 44 has been tabled in the Alberta Legislature. I find it beyond embarrassing that it has taken my province so long to enshrine the equal rights of homosexuals in our Human Rights Act. I hope most everyone reading this can agree that for something to be a “right” they must be extended to everyone. Without rights being equal and available to everyone they carry no weight and are just a useless piece of discriminatory paper. Human rights are the basic building blocks of our society.
Despite my staunch position in this regard, I’ve waited a while before weighing into the Bill 44 debate because I’m not sure what my opinion on it is. Specifically I’m thinking about the contentious portion that declares a parent’s “right” to remove a child from a public school class they believe will be against their personal beliefs and teachings.
Where to start with my thoughts?
I guess I’ll start with the fact I don’t disagree with a parent’s right to protect their children from things they believe to be erroneous. Many may disagree with me on this, but this is a parent’s prerogative. Protecting a child is what makes them good parents. Now it is true that I also believe that public education should be taught the way the majority wishes it to be taught – religious understanding, cultural diversity and scientific theory (including evolution) are what we as a society have chosen to teach in our public schools. If a parent wishes to protect their child from these kinds of things public school is obviously not the place for them to send their children for eight hours a day. There are other more appropriate schools for parents wishing their children learn a different view. We – the people – have made this concession through separate schools, charter schools and private schools as well as the availability of home schooling. This is a good thing. Our government should not force our children into public education if the parent believes this is not the most appropriate place for them to grow and learn.
For me, where my opinion on this section of Bill 44 gets muddled is when trying to figure out why it is needed in the first place. Is the right of a parent to choose to which classes in a public school are appropriate for their child really a “fundamental human right”? I’d put that akin to: is my option to communicate with colleagues via telephone a “fundamental human right”? In both cases there are other options available – email, fax, Facebook, Twitter vs. separate schools, private schools and home schooling – so I don’t think the comparison is that far off base or that trivial. (Not being able to use Facebook at work would cripple my ability to be successful in my job.)
What I’m really saying here is a parent’s right to protect their child from different teachings SHOULD be protected. Even if I disagree with their reasons for wanting to do it in the first place. I don’t however think a bill of rights is the place to do it.
A Bill of Rights should be something the vast majority of citizens hold to be true. There should not be anything contentious in it. If we can’t agree it is a basic human right, then clearly it is not a BASIC right.
So please cut the contentious clause. It doesn’t make any sense whichever way I look at it. And protect this option for parents to select schools in regular legislation. (Which, by the way, I’m told it already is under the School Act.)
That’s my ill informed two cents. My position on Bill 44 and this post may not be clear to you. If that’s the case, I’m sorry, because it is not that clear to me. For more detailed analysis Ken Chapman has plenty to say here, here and here. So does Tiny Perfect Blog here, here and here. The Enlightened Savage and Anvish at Straight Outta Edmonton have good thoughts too.
An open letter to Ed Stelmach, re: please give me a job
Dear Mr. Stelmach:
I wanted to thank you for emulating Premier Lougheed. No, no, not for arguing with “Ottawa” over our energy plans, but for creating a ministry of Culture. It is absolutely great news to see something like this: not only a cultural policy but a department to implement it. Oddly groundbreaking, actually.
If anyone from the Alberta Government is reading this please have them pass my name along to Minister Lindsay Blackett. I’d be happy to help him out in anyway I can. You can see my LinkedIn profile by clicking the link over there on the right (you have to visit http://blog.djkelly.ca first if you’re using a reader). As you can see I have skills such as knowing the arts community. And actually spelling “Blackett” correctly. I also have my own car. So I can make deliveries, I guess. If you have need of a marketing/communications/policy/blogging guy with too much time on his hands anywhere if your ministry please don’t hesitate to email me at blog@djkelly.ca.
Go team! (See how I showed my “Community Spirit” right there? I’m good at that too.) I look forward to hearing from you.
Luv,
-dj
Kidz fun with… license plates?!
Hey kids want to have a blast online! The Alberta Government knows you love that internets thingy! So click here to play Ed Stelmach’s newest online game/internet sensation for the kiddies: the Alberta License Plate Scramble!
Does our government know how to speak to the latest generation or what? Certainly I could not think of a more fun topic for a kids game than license plates. Woo-hoo! (Children everywhere will be returning their Rockband Christmas presents at a dizzying pace, no doubt.)
(/sarcasm)
If you adults want to get in on the fun too you can take the Alberta Government’s license plate survey where you can pick colours for the new plates, select background graphics, suggest promotional slogans, and waste tax payer dollars one question at a time.
If you really want to get passionate about the process you can always join this Facebook group as well.
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