Michael Connolly

Thanks for the really interesting thread Chris.
This seems to be the problem with the internet broadly in the last decade. We’ve gone from seeing it as a tool of democratization to a tool of authoritarians and oligarchs.

For the first time in Alberta history, Danielle Smith will use the notwithstanding clause preemptively to shield her bills targeting vulnerable trans children from legal scrutiny.

Her actions are simply cruel and wrong.

Read my full statement below:

I want to know how much the Alberta government is spending on legal costs for all of their anti-science & anti-inclusion, anti-diversity, anti-equity, and anti-accesibility efforts. What's the spend to fight trans kids in court? What did the book ban cost? How much for the vaccine rationing? 1/

It’s called “taste,” look it up.

Tweet from Danielle Smith @ABDanielleSmith I'm going to be more explicit than usual so there is no misunderstanding this policy: 1. Get graphic pornographic images out of school libraries. 2. Leave the classics on the shelves. 3. We all know the difference between the items in 1 and 2. Let's not play any more games in implementing this policy for our kids. Retweet •Demetrios Nicolaides @demetriosnAB After becoming aware of a list of over 200 books that Edmonton Public Schools intended to remove off their shelves, I will be revising the order immediately to ensure that our classic literary works remain in school libraries, while books with graphic pornographic images, such as…

Danielle Smith fails to understand that pornography is subjective, and really, so are the “classics.”
She’s rewriting the rules because her favourite book, Atlas Shrugged(hardly a classic), got banned.
It’s all subjective, except what a complete failure she is as premier. That’s an objective truth.

Ed Broadbent’s Lessons for Rebuilding Today’s NDP | Perspectives Journal The task of the NDP is to find ways to add to, rather than supplant, its traditional working-class base.

"The parallels to the present are obvious and, again, the challenge for anyone aspiring to lead today’s federal NDP is familiar: providing an alternative vision to an economic model that has had disastrous consequences for the working-class."

🔗 ➡️ perspectivesjournal.ca/ed-broadbent-rebuilding-ndp/

First day of school in Alberta. And what are we seeing? A book ban, a ban on transgender athletes in school sports, and a spectre of a province-wide teachers strike.

Active shooter: Police advise residents to shelter in place, others to stay away Police say there is an ongoing active shooter situation in northwest Calgary.

Share this, please:
Active shooter: Police advise residents to shelter in place, others to stay away
www.ctvnews.ca/calgary/arti...

I’ve been to 6 Cubs games this year and they won one.

Trump escalates his attacks on cultural institutes | CNN Eleni Giokos speaks to historian David Blight about President Donald Trump’s attack on Smithsonian Institution museums, and his comments on slavery.

AHA member David Blight (Yale Univ.) was interviewed on CNN about the sweeping review of the Smithsonian ordered by President Trump. “They want to try to roll back about 60–70 years of historical scholarship. . . . They call it ‘wokeness.’ We call it good history.” 🗃️

Are you sure you’re listening? 🤨

Danielle Smith’s waste-of-taxpayer-money “Alberta Next” panels turned rowdy in Edmonton.

It’s clear they’re not interested in hearing from Albertans. The UCP just wants to continue to push their costly, destabilizing ideas on Alberta.

Despite requests from Indigenous leaders, HBC artifacts will not be returned Those interested in the items have been required to sign non-disclosure agreements

The more I think about it the angrier I get—auctioning off Canadian history & Indigenous artifacts without giving institutions & communities right of first refusal is a national disgrace

Tell Steven Guilbeault this cannot stand

Steven.Guilbeault@parl.gc.ca

#cdnpoli

ricochet.media/indigenous/d...

Liberals' shift from progressive to right of centre a ‘reflection of where people are today,’ say some Grit MPs The national Liberal caucus retreat in September will offer a clearer picture of how caucus members are responding to their party’s shift from a progressive to a centre-right party, say Liberal MPs.

Who said it?

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre or a Liberal MP?

“Everyone is progressive until they can’t pay the bills”

No. It won’t. Thanks for asking.

It’s my mission to make sure that everyone in my American office knows it’s Canada Day 🇨🇦

Egale Canada and Skipping Stone win injunction against Bill 26. Quotes from Honorable Justice Allison G. Kuntz. I find there are serious issues to be tried as it relates to the Applicants' rights claims under sections 7 and 15 of the Charter. I grant the requested injunction enjoining the Lieutenant Governor in Council of Alberta from proclaiming into force section 1.92 of the HPA until the Applicants' Originating Application has been finally adjudicated.

Egale Canada and Skipping Stone win injunction against Bill 26. Quotes from Honorable Justice Allison G. Kuntz. I find that there will be irreparable harm to gender diverse youth if an injunction is not granted. The evidence shows that the Ban will cause irreparable harm by causing gender diverse youth to experience permanent changes to their body that do not align with their gender identity. There is nothing speculative about this evidence.

Egale Canada and Skipping Stone win injunction against Bill 26. Quotes from Honorable Justice Allison G. Kuntz. Further, the evidence shows that singling out health care for gender diverse youth and making it subject to government control will cause irreparable harm to gender diverse youth by reinforcing the discrimination and prejudice that they are already subjected to.

EGALE & SKIPPING STONE WIN INJUNCTION AGAINST BILL 26.

Today (June 27, 2025) the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta has granted our injunction request to block the Government of Alberta’s denial of gender-affirming care for gender diverse young people from coming into effect. This is a historic win!

Who, exactly, are these immigrants that have made Danielle so angry? Filipino nurses who provide our healthcare? American computer scientists who make Edmonton an AI centre of excellence? Ukrainian refugees who've opened new restaurants? West Africans who have revitalized our francophone community?

I just left the Notre Dames archives where another researcher came in, took off his shoes AND socks, and once barefoot, proceeded to talk on his phone.
I’ve never been so shocked.

Very excited to see Cathleen and Boyd take over the Gilded Age & Progressive Era podcast!
It's more important than ever to understand the history of the late nineteenth century and these two are wonderful guides to the era.

Congrats! I can't wait to listen!

To paraphrase @grumpyoldsocialist.bsky.social, I love conservative parties, I wish we had even more of them.

YouTube video by Naheed Nenshi Albertans deserve better than a separatist Premier chasing clout with extremists.

Danielle Smith said the quiet part out loud:

She is putting our country at risk because she is chasing clout with extremists to stay in power.

Albertans deserve so much better than this selfish, separatist, power-hungry Premier.

youtu.be/W7KWHqcw9p4

I assume it has something to do with the Unabomber, and the whole post-Cold War “who’s the bad guy now?” thing.

I would also add that the house lacks historic integrity because of the current owner's extensive renovation, meaning it will cost significantly more to return it to its period of significance.

Nothing more American than exploiting people's faith to make a quick buck.

Separatist parties are nothing new in Alberta politics. There’s usually 2-3 occupying the fringes. The difference today is that these groups now operate inside the governing UCP and have tacit public support from the Premier, who is making it easier for them to trigger a referendum on separation.

New Pope Declares All Style Manuals Other Than Chicago As Schismatic

Oh I do, my friends, mother, and sister can attest. And now you’ve guaranteed that I will make it available at a reception haha.

I will remember this.