In a province that celebrates calf-roping and Wranglers, and smells of horse manure after a day of rain we never would have thought the day would come. Well, (r)evolution is upon us here in the Wild Rose province as our new Premier, Alison Redford has taken the reigns of Alberta after a 14-day fight from distant second against Tory favorite Gary Mar.
Alberta’s fearless, and dare I say boring, Premier Ed Stelmach announced he was stepping down earlier this year after much criticism about his leadership and provincial spending habits. For the past few months, the Alberta Conservatives have scrambled to find the right leader for their party, and the right leader for our Province. (Because, in all honesty, it was unlikely that it would be anything but a Conservative government.)
Alberta has never seen a Premier that is non-white, female, or for that matter under the age of 60; this is a huge victory.
Alison Redford is pro-choice, a feminist, and believe it or not, she even marched in this year’s Calgary Pride Parade (I know! What is going on in the wild wild west?), and given that she is a Conservative leader, this is at least respectable.
In 2011, Calgary has elected a Mayor that is Muslim (and awesome) who coincidentally was the Calgary Pride Grand Marshal this year. Ms. Redford is a welcome addition to this Albertan politicians joining the right (see what I did there?) side of history, and the right side of the insanity/values debate that is tearing American Conservatives apart.
So ride on cowgirl, and show them how its done. (P.S. you will get bonus points if you ban the calf-roping, at least from this lezzie.)
Via @ canada.com
In the Headlines
Meghan Potkins, Gay Rights Activists Plan To Bring Unique Camp To Calgary Next Summer. Calgary Herald, (October 2, 2011).
Snicks, Madonna To Perform During Superbowl Half-Time. Name Your Set-List!, AfterElton.com, (October 3, 2011).
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AWSOME!!! :D very very well written dallas!!! i love it!!! U always have a good way of saying things
Thanks Spyke! Hope you are doing well!
An interesting development surely. I am always hesitant to get too excited about women politicians just because they are women though. I mean, female Conservative politicians can be just as bad, or worse than, the male ones. Case in point, Sarah Palin, or Michelle Bachmann. Female politicians CAN be trojan horses.
Also, I can’t comment on her politics, but many Conservative women claim to be feminists and yet we would probably have a hard time finding feminist principles on which we could agree. So, let’s just use caution in celebrating this victory I guess.
Again, I haven’t researched her politics, so I am keen to watch and see what happens.
Thanks Dallas!
I agree Erika with the fact that having a female political leader can be a Catch 22. You are excited that a female has taken that role, and you hope that they are just like you simply because they are females. I think what is remarkable, maybe with more congrats towards the Conservative party of Alberta, is that they did elect a female leader. This may seem a little primitive to some, but Calgary is not known for its progressive politics. This is the first female Premier of Alberta. Perhaps this may be a baby step, but it is a step nonetheless.
Redford & Stelmach have marched in Royal Accented discriminaTory legislation that erodes LGBT family rights and under her rule as so called JUSTICE MINISTER she failed & i believe negligent to protect gay families and innocent children of malicious and discriminatory gaps. Recent decision by Justice Bensler in prima facie challenge for Gay family equality states this and will be online through legal system shortly. She knew for years directly about Gaps and #childabuse yet did nothing but appoint AHRC Rabot who DISMISSED CASE along with D.B Mason who did nothing but basically look at HIS work and also DISMISS CASE. NOW we are to trust these pple to help us…..=SCANDAL