Hi Bluesky 👋

Small life update: I’m at the centre of a multimillion dollar lawsuit in Alberta launched by a failed candidate for Jason Kenney’s UCP

It may be the longest and most expensive media trial in Canadian history

I’m ready to go public about it and I want to share more details with you 🧵

Libraries are political!!!!!!!! !!!!

Jennifer’s right. And her earrings are cool.

As you cancel streaming services, here is a casual reminder that only 16% of Americans read for pleasure anymore, and your local library has hundreds or thousands of books you haven't read.

They would love to see you stop by and renew your library card.

I know they're not inclined to listen, but this is a good time to write to your MLA. Also as municipal elections are this fall, to indicate to candidates how important it is to adequately fund the public library so they can continue to provide universal and democratic access.

Thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for this morning.

If you are wanting to get a Covid or Flu vaccine this fall in Alberta, make sure you sign up here to order them

bookvaccine.alberta.ca/vaccine/s/pr...

This is awful. And could so easily be a story about Trump’s United States now.

On the book bans...

Smith repeated the unsubstantiated claims that 7 year olds were being "exposed" to age inappropriate books...

She claimed there is "pornography" in school libraries.

Which is not only a lie, but a complete disregard for teachers & librarians.

#abpoli #abed

Alberta Used Lists of America’s Most Banned Books to Target ‘Inappropriate’ School Material | The Tyee Internal emails show how education ministry staff compiled book titles subject to new content restrictions.

Internal emails throw light on the sources used by Government of Alberta staff to search for “inappropriate” materials in school libraries, including an index of America’s most banned books and a website linked to the rise in attempts to ban books in the U.S. #abpoli

GSAs, Kenney and Carpay: The tangled web of Alberta politics | OPINION | CBC News Oh, what a tangled web. At the centre is John Carpay, president of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, UCP member, friend of leader Jason Kenney, but no friend of gay-straight alliances.

Certainly there are manifold problems with the Strong Borders Act, but surely it's possible to link a critical article that doesn't centre the odious John Carpay? www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... and www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

It's possible to stagger request activation dates! You can often set the dates in your account yourself or you can request it of staff at the library.

The government has a survey live until June 6 your.alberta.ca/school-libra...

Going to take this opportunity to remind the defenders of age verification legislation that this is exactly what is going to happen if it comes to pass. Queer and trans material, no matter how innocuous, will absolutely be declared "explicit" or "pornographic" and invasively age-gated.

Alberta's UCP government is testing the waters on US-style book bans with school libraries. It's unlikely to stop there. There's a survey available to June 6. Note--they use charged language ("sexually explicit") throughout. your.alberta.ca/school-libra...

I assure everyone that libraries have considered this. Most of them want this! Library PATRONS have to provide the political pressure for municipal governments to fund and prioritize those services.

People largely like libraries and librarians more than ever - but that isn't necessarily translating to voting for funding.

Which, ultimately, is what matters. Without funding, we don't exist.

#CILDC

They're clearly targeting the library in a variety of ways. A "parent/guardian children’s book review board" is a censorship organization bypassing the professional expertise of librarians and outsourcing operations is a way to cut costs, devalue labour, and silence the library.

Not every Canadian Pierre Poilievre supporter is a Trump supporter.

But every Canadian Trump supporter is a Pierre Poilievre supporter.

That’s a big red flag. #TeamCanada