Occupy Calgary

~ Members of Caldwell First Nation are celebrating after obtaining reserve status for the first time. An 80-hectare property at Bevel Line Road and Seacliff Drive in Leamington, Ontario which was acquired a decade ago in a land claim settlement, has officially been designated a reserve. This means members of the nation now have a permanent home on the ancestral lands they have been fighting to access for hundreds of years. "This is not only an historic moment for Caldwell ...Continue reading

~ VIA Susanne Debney ALBERTA SOUR WHINE --- PM Trudeau, Tues. Nov.24/2020 -- Supplies as of last week to Alberta: - 300,000 rapid tests and... - 444,000 face masks as well as - $1.3 Billion for everything from PPEs to contact tracers to the Safe Reset Agreement, with another - $260 Million for schools in Alberta for the Safe Return to school fund. Alberta should stop it's whining about the Liberal government and PM Trudeau not doing enough for Albertans when they should be looking to Kenney and the UCP for the complete and autocratic decimation of the province. THAT is where the problem lies in Alberta... NOT with the federal government. See more

~ It's time ........

~ https://twitter.com/andrew_leach/status/1334263562072543236

~ This is the way a government that doesn't put all its eggs in one basket takes care of its citizens. British Columbian families could receive $1,000 cheque in the mail before Christmas, part of a one-time recovery benefit promised by the BC NDP during its election campaign. On Wednesday, Horgan told reporters his government is working to get the payments to British Columbians before Christmas but that that plan could be delayed.... We’re pretty confident that in a week or so we’ll be able to get those deposits done shortly thereafter, said Horgan. He added: We’re targeting Christmas, of course, before saying the payments could come in early January. The $1,000 benefit applies to families with a combined household income of less than $125,000 per year. Payments to families making more than that will be granted on a sliding scale up to $170,000. Individuals making less than $62,000 a year were said to be eligible for a one-time $500 payment, with those earning up to $87,000 eligible for a payment along a sliding scale.

~ Always remember where the conservative bread is buttered.

~ So much for that theory.

~ Um, responsible planning would have avoided this situation we are now in.

~ Note the wording "elected decision-makers". We’re watching those very closely and preparing the recommendations to bring forward to our elected decision-makers for their consideration. No decisions have yet been made, but, of course, we’re watching very closely and considering what may need to be done if our numbers do not go down.

~ WINNING!! In the more than 2 months since O’Toole was elected, not one of the 25 polls conducted have showed him beating the Liberals. https://kimsiever.ca//federal-conservatives-not-making-g/

~ "These fools just closed the schools and they haven’t even given notice to the school boards. They heard it live on Facebook like all of us. What a communications disaster this government is."

~ That's what you get if you are fk'ng stupid and don't listen!! Ontario is moving the COVID-19 hot spots of Toronto and Peel Region into lockdown starting Monday. The government says that means no indoor organized public events or social gatherings except with members of the same household.... The lockdown will limit non-essential retailers to curbside pickup, ban indoor dining at restaurants, close personal care services, and shutter indoor sports facilities. Grocery stores, pharmacies and big box retailers will be deemed essential and remain open, with capacity limits. Schools and child care centres will remain open.

~ We're in desperate times in Alberta with the UCP decimating the province. Organizing against them is difficult as so many are apathetic. You may question this page as it seems I am promoting the Alberta NDP and I guess I am but I see no other alternative. They have the numbers and the power to stand up to them if anyone can. I would love to hear any suggestions as to how we can challenge the UCP on the mess they are making of this province.... https://www.youtube.com/watch

~ Is this too harsh? #NovaScotia this is how the world is seeing you. Hey, if the police don't protect indigenous folks, then this fits. Listening to police and local politicians say they "understand both sides" is alarming since only one side is assaulting folks and vandalizing property.

~ With this trainwreck happening in Alberta the NDP are a small ray of hope. "At the end of the day, the Alberta advantage is not what flows under the ground, but what walks on the ground. It’s everyday people that make Alberta strong. And that’s why we want to bring Albertans together. Because together, we can create a beautiful future." - Rachel Notley "Alberta’s NDP has a vision for an Alberta economy that works for everyone, not just the rich. To do that, we are engaging... in a long-term project to hear from Albertans and work on solutions together. We will take your feedback, your input, and your ideas and together we will create a plan for an economy that creates jobs today, and builds for the future. Here you will find a series of proposals that you are invited to read and submit your feedback. We will also be hosting a series of roundtable discussions where we will discuss these proposals with you face-to-face. The costing in each proposal on this site is only a starting point. It does not represent the final budget and intends only to fuel further discussion. As well, the list of areas we’re working in is not exhaustive. If you think there is a sector, an idea, or an opportunity that should be part of our plan, we invite you to submit those to us as well. Working together, we can build Alberta's future. SHARE YOUR IDEAS" https://www.albertasfuture.ca/about

~ DOES UCP WANT YOUR OPINION OR JUST YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS

~ "Did they have to die so bars, gyms and casinos can stay open or because the provincial government fails to impose and enforce meaningful fines against house parties? How terrible."

~ From the comments: A small victory. An arbitration decision is non-binding. It's kinda like advice from a marriage councillor; usually sound, based on facts & knowledge but both parties need to be willing to act on it. This government will likely reject this recommendation.

~ Some good points by SOS!! As we are told by Jason Kenney to knock it off and bear some personal responsibility, what role do students in overcrowded classrooms play? What behaviour should over stressed education workers knock off. How do single parent/income homes deal with ongoing isolation orders? The environment created by Kenney, for too many in both healthcare and public education is not merely a matter of personal responsibility but more a result of complete lack of leadership.

~ VIA Markham Hislop Healthcare workers are not happy with the Jason Kenney government. That message comes through loud and clear in my interviews with them and it's echoed in this interview with Gil McGowan of the Alberta Federation of Labour.

~ Last week, the chief received a link to a Sept. 8 council meeting in which McGregor was giving an update on the Homeless Coalition. McGregor referenced them in respect to dealing with the Indigenous homeless people in the northern town, saying, we need to stop being so nice to them, we need to stop feeding them and need to stop doing all these wonderful things. She said these people needed to return to their settlements and communities. As of right now, we have bee...Continue reading

~ US Wages contribute very little to the cost of products.

~ We had a made in Alberta plan where all the revenue stayed in Alberta. That revenue gave us funding for projects, infrastructure and JOBS. Now the money goes to the feds instead of Alberta coffers. How was this decision helpful?!

~ WestJet Airlines is notifying guests who flew on a number of its flights within the past two weeks about their possible contact with COVID-19. The airline provided an updated list on its website, adding 24 flights arriving or departing from Calgary International Airport since Nov. 16. Several of the flights involved U.S. destinations while three came from Mexico. A third of the flights also came through YYC on Nov. 22, data indicates:

~ A UCP MLA lectures on socialism at the legislature. The ignorance or feigned ignorance is pretty disturbing.

~ "This is scary, it's very unsettling," one defense official told CNN. "These are dictator moves." The Trump administration has carried out sweeping changes atop the Defense Department's civilian leadership structure, removing several of its most senior officials and replacing them with perceived loyalists to the President. The flurry of changes, announced by the Department of Defense in a statement roughly 24 hours after President Donald Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark ...Esper, have put officials inside the Pentagon on edge and fueled a growing sense of alarm among military and civilian officials, who are concerned about what could come next. Four senior civilian officials have been fired or have resigned since Monday, including Esper, his chief of staff and the top officials overseeing policy and intelligence. They were replaced by perceived Trump loyalists, including a controversial figure who promoted fringe conspiracy theories and called former President Barack Obama a terrorist. A senior defense official told CNN late Tuesday that "it appears we are done with the beheadings for now," referring to the wave of ousted civilian leaders, including Esper. But the moves will likely only add to the sense of chaos within the Pentagon following Trump's firing of Esper. The President jettisoned him two days after his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, was projected as the winner of the presidential election, a conclusion that Trump has refused to accept. Concerns are growing that a chaotic transition period could undermine national security. While top officials have been dealing with Trump's unpredictable decision making since he took office, the current level of uncertainty has risen steadily since the election. Knowledgeable sources told CNN's Jake Tapper Tuesday that the White House now seems focused on going after Esper's under secretaries at the Defense Department in the wake of his firing on Monday. Esper was replaced by Christopher Miller, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center. The sources said the effort may be because Esper and his team were pushing back on a premature withdrawal from Afghanistan that would be carried out before the required conditions on the ground were met, and other pending security issues. "This is scary, it's very unsettling," one defense official told CNN. "These are dictator moves." Conspiracy theorists and Trump loyalists Read more in the link. https://www.cnn.com//pentagon-policy-official-/index.html

~ THE RCMP NEGOTIATED ON BEHALF OF TERRORISTS, AND CRIMINALIZED THE 2 MIKMAW MEN THAT WERE SURROUNDED BY A MOB THROWING ROCKS AT THEM AND THREATENING TO SET THEM AND THE BUILDING ON FIRE. THE RCMP AIDED AND ABETTED TERRORISTS, HELPING THEM ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS.

~ Chinook Centre has reported that there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the mall. The mall said in a memo released on Nov.30, that the affected parties acted quickly and responsibly by contacting Alberta Health Services and Chinook Centre immediately. AHS has advised no further action and the mall remains open for business.... Chinook Centre is urging all customers to immediately notify both the mall or Alberta Health Service if any employee, contractor, or guest is confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19. The mall has implemented special cleaning in all common areas and high-touch points, physical distancing, handwashing signage in all washrooms and an increased number of sanitizer stations. The mall continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely.

~ THIS >>>>>> The UCP passed a resolution to bring in for profit American style healthcare at their AGM, yesterday. The decision was almost a 50/50 split in his own party. The federal government could step in as this violates the Canada Health Act. Klein tried this and the feds stepped in back then. It’s a real possibility to lose all federal Health funding if they do this. This contravenes the Canada Health Act. One of its five principles is that health care is publicly funded.

~ Isapo-Muxika, or Chief Crowfoot, is pictured in this 1886 photo, taken by Oliver Buell. Chief Crowfoot's diplomacy led to his role as one of the primary negotiators of Treaty 7, the agreement between the federal government and the First Nations of the region which the federal government considered to be part of the Northwest Territories at the time. (O.B. Buell/Library and Archives Canada/C-001871) A renowned Siksika chief and diplomat who helped negotiate Treaty 7 a... historic and controversial 1877 deal between the federal government and the First Nations in what is now southern Alberta could be the face of Canada's new $5 bill. Isapo-Muxika, or Chief Crowfoot, was one of eight nominees shortlisted by the Bank of Canada on Monday, out of 600 potential candidates. A decision on the new bill will be made by the finance minister early next year. The news was welcomed by his descendent Chief Ouray Crowfoot, who currently leads the Siksika First Nation, located about 100 kilometres southeast of Calgary. "To me, it's about bringing the recognition and the acknowledgement of the Blackfoot people to all of Canada," Ouray Crowfoot said.

~ University of Aberdeen in Scotland agrees to return a collection of artifacts known as Crowfoot’s regalia. The vote by Exeter councillors in early April to return Crowfoot’s regalia occurred at a time of active debate across England and Europe about whether and how museums should decolonize their collections. Arts Council England had commissioned the Institute of Art and Law in February to develop new guidance for UK museums on repatriation. The report is scheduled for r...elease in the fall of 2020 and will outline the ethical and legal considerations, as well as best-practice examples, involved in making decisions on how and when to return objects to their originating communities. The report follows on the heels of new policies in France, Germany and Holland that guide the repatriation of colonial-era artifacts. If you think about the history of museum-collecting practices and what museums try to do, there’s been this idea of museums as places where knowledge is created and to a degree controlled, with cataloging and classification and all those kinds of things, said Brown. But when you take that away and confront people with items that are related to their heritage, particularly if they’ve experienced colonial forces these things can become triggers for all kinds of stories in history and memory, and reminders of what’s not been passed on as well as what could still be. Full story in the link.

~ This is good news, I think. Considering the racism in the RCMP let's hope they do more good then harm.

~ Another slap on the wrist. A rally against mandatory masking and other public health measures in Calgary on Saturday, seen at left, was organized by Artur Pawlowski, according to police, who have charged the street preacher with violating public health orders. Artur Pawlowski, the Street Preacher speaks.... https://www.youtube.com/watch The organizers of an anti-mask rally in Calgary on the weekend have been charged for breaching public health orders. One of them is a downtown street preacher who was fined earlier in the pandemic for similar alleged behaviour. Hundreds marched through downtown Calgary on Saturday to protest against mandated masks and other public health measures intended to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The charges fall under the Public Health Act. Street preacher Art Pawlowski faces tickets for failing to wear a face covering and failing to have an event permit. David Pawlowski and Ryan Audette each face a charge of failing to wear a face covering where required. Police are looking for three others who are also facing charges. A first-time breach of the Public Health Act is a $1,200 fine, police say. Mask bylaw violations are $50 fines. Anti-mask protests show need for better public health messaging, Calgary researcher says Calgary police fine street preacher for violating COVID-19 health orders In April, Art Pawlowski, who leads a street church, was fined $1,200 for allegedly holding a gathering of more than 15 people at Olympic Plaza. Police said tickets were not issued right away Saturday because officers who attended the rally were concerned for their safety. "It is not always prudent to issue a ticket at the time of an alleged offence," said the Calgary Police Service in a written statement. "For example, during a protest or event where emotions are high." Speaking on the Calgary Eyeopener on Wednesday, Ryan Pleckaitis, the city's chief bylaw officer, said police and bylaw officers worked together over the weekend to gather evidence against organizers. "Moving forward, I anticipate if some of these rallies continue, and if there's not adherence to the public health order, we will continue to do the same. And hopefully, through enforcement, we can start to curb some of those behaviours." The protests have taken place weekly in the city and across the country for months, but Saturday's was the first since Alberta's 10-person limit on outdoor gatherings was announced five days earlier.

~ O'Toole claiming immunity for four months from COVID. Weird how he knows this when scientists don't. "I'm the easiest guy to hang out with because I can't give it or get it from anyone for four months," O'Toole said, answering Kenney's question about how O'Toole was doing after he and his wife got the novel coronavirus last month. Kenney's United Conservative Party is holding a virtual annual general meeting from Nobleford, Alta., this weekend, and O'Toole said he stopped ...Continue reading

~ BIG FAIL, Kenney!! Province struggling with soaring COVID-19 cases, hospitals are overwhelmed As COVID-19 cases soar in Alberta and hospital capacity is stretched, the province has reached out to the federal government and the Canadian Red Cross for help, CBC News has learned. A federal source with direct knowledge of the situation says Alberta has asked the federal government and the Red Cross to supply field hospitals to help offset the strain COVID-19 is having on the...Continue reading