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Alberta

Anti-Mandate and Anti-Mask protestors say staging protests outside the homes of politicians a suitable response to “government’s excessive overreach”

Published

3 years ago

5 minute read

News Release from Calgary Freedom Central

Multiple media outlets have reached out today for comments from the protesters who visited Jyoti Gondek’s house yesterday and Jason Copping’s home on January 1st.
The protesters have asked Calgary Freedom Central to post their answers to their questions here. The media is welcome to quote from these answers in their coverage of this story.
1. Why are you protesting at these politicians’ homes?
For over a year and a half we have been protesting non-stop the government’s excessive overreach into our lives and businesses on the premise of a public health emergency. We have held in excess of a hundred protests around the city, as well as sent thousands of emails to our MLA’s and city councillors to express our concerns about these measures.
Not once has any politician seriously considered any public input on these policies that have dramatically affected the well-being and livelihoods of millions of Albertans. Instead, they have responded with hate speech and slander against the people they are meant to represent, calling anyone who stands up for their rights and freedoms self-serving racists, misogynists, conspiracy theorists and other names.
Their policies and rhetoric have driven many thousands of Albertans into joblessness, ill-health and despair. They have torn apart families and destroyed childhoods with their fear-based narrative and unscientific mandates. They have forced their overreaching policies into the homes of every Albertan and have ignored all opposing voices.
They have hid themselves away from any form of public accountability for nearly two years. So we now feel it is time to take our message to their homes, and we have received overwhelming support for these protests from the public.
2. Do you feel your message is being heard?
It has become very clear to us that after nearly two years, none of these politicians are willing to listen to the voices of the people they supposedly represent. It seems to us that they are taking their orders from Justin Trudeau and elsewhere, and have relinquished all accountability to the people of Alberta.

Protestors outside the home of Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek

3. Do you plan on protesting at other homes?
Yes. We expect to continue protesting outside their homes until all vaccine and mask mandates and restrictions are removed and an open dialogue is started with the public.
4. Would you welcome a conversation with these politicians?
Yes, we would welcome an open conversation that allows for the voices of the public and uncensored medical professionals to be heard.
5. What do you say to people who think you shouldn’t be protesting at their homes?
These politicians have entered the homes of every Albertan over the past 22 months with their draconian policies, while ignoring or disallowing all voices of dissent. They have neglected their duties as elected representatives and have disregarded the very foundations of our democracy.
They have now decided that they have the right to impose experimental medical procedures on the population through coercion, threats and intimidation. This goes far beyond their responsibilities as elected representatives, making it a personal matter for which they must be held accountable by the people.
They believe it is acceptable for them to threaten and intimidate Albertans, but cry foul when the people show up to peacefully protest at their homes. This reveals the profound level of hypocrisy within our current political establishment.
If they were to actually listen to the voices of their constituents, there would not be a need for protests outside their homes. If they were acting lawfully and in the best interest of the people they are supposed to represent, they would not have any reason to be concerned about people protesting outside their homes.
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After 15 years as a TV reporter with Global and CBC and as news director of RDTV in Red Deer, Duane set out on his own 2008 as a visual storyteller. During this period, he became fascinated with a burgeoning online world and how it could better serve local communities. This fascination led to Todayville, launched in 2016.

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Alberta

EXCLUSIVE: Alberta Bill of Rights draft affirms parental authority over children

Published on September 14, 2024

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From LifeSiteNews

By Anthony Murdoch

A draft version of a forthcoming Alberta Bill of Rights provided to LifeSiteNews includes a provision beefing up parental rights, declaring the ‘freedom of parents to make informed decisions concerning the health, education, welfare and upbringing of their children.’

The United Conservative Party government of the province of Alberta is anticipated to soon introduce a new “Bill of Rights,” a current draft of which includes a provision that would cement parental rights as “God-given.”

LifeSiteNews was recently provided exclusive access to a draft version of the “Alberta Bill of Rights” from a source well connected with the ruling United Conservative Party (UCP). 

Included in the draft bill is a section titled, “Freedom of parents to make informed decisions concerning the health, education, welfare and upbringing of their children.” 

The text of the draft version, which is still subject to change, reads that the “Government of Alberta, on behalf of its citizens,” must acknowledge that the “freedom of parents to raise their children is sui generis – independent from legislation, not flowing from it – it precedes government.” 

“It is a government’s duty to respect that familial boundary until children reach the age of majority. Parents have an obligation to provide for the basic health, education, and welfare of their child as they exercise custody and authority,” reads the bill. 

The text then reads that the “state shall not target parents nor interfere with parental rights on the basis of religious or social standing, nor on the basis of fiscal status provided that parents are demonstrably providing for the necessities of their children.” 

“No officer or agency of the government, including any subdivisions, shall infringe on a parent’s freedoms except as demonstrably necessary on a case-by-case basis as provided by law, such steps to be narrowly tailored to meet a compelling government interest by the least restrictive means,” it states.  

“Remedial provisions shall be provided for the intentional interference of parental freedoms by governments, organizations or individuals.” 

The text concludes with a sentence affirming that “Family is in the best interests of a child.”

It is expected that the UCP government in Alberta will introduce its new “Bill of Rights” this fall. The bill contains a slew of pro-freedom proposals, including, as reported by LifeSiteNews, enshrining the “right to life” into law, including from “conception, gestation in the womb.”  

The bill also includes, as reported by LifeSiteNews, a section that guarantees each citizen has the “right” to medical “informed consent” as well as the “right” to “refuse vaccinations.” 

While the UCP source told LifeSiteNews that the draft version of the bill is subject to change, the source also said it is hoped by all of those who worked on it that the final version will not include many changes.  

It is not yet clear just how much of the bill has the support of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, leader of the UCP. She promised last year, as reported by LifeSiteNews, to enshrine into “law” protections for people in her province who choose not to be vaccinated as well as strengthen gun rights and safeguard speech by beefing up the provincial Bill of Rights. 

She has also said that parents should be primary caregivers of their children, and earlier this year announced what is the strongest pro-family legislation in Canada, protecting kids from life-altering so-called “top and bottom” surgeries as well as other forms of transgender ideology.

However, Smith’s view on the traditional nuclear family is at odds with the views of many conservatives, including many who support the UCP. As reported by LifeSiteNews last month, Smith noted, in a wide-ranging interview with Jordan Peterson, that conservatives should “modernize” their view of what the nuclear family looks like, including homosexuals “couples” seeking to obtain children.

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Alberta

Alberta government can soften blow of Ottawa’s capital gains tax hike

Published on September 14, 2024

By

From the Fraser Institute

By Tegan Hill

Several wealthy and successful industrialized countries (Switzerland, New Zealand, Singapore) and several U.S. states (including Texas, Alaska, South Dakota, Wyoming) impose no capital gains taxes. Of course, Alberta competes with these U.S. states for investment.

Earlier this year, the Trudeau government increased the inclusion rate on capital gains over $250,000 for individuals and on all capital gains realized by corporations and trusts. This tax hike will almost surely have a negative impact on investment and entrepreneurship, but the Smith government can lessen the blow in Alberta.

In simple terms, capital is money invested in an asset—e.g. a business, factory, intellectual property, stock or bond—to create economic benefit. A capital gain occurs when that investment is sold for more than its original purchase price.

Prior to the tax hike, half the value of a capital gain (50 per cent) was taxed by the government. Trudeau increased this “inclusion rate” to 66 per cent—and that has real economic consequences.

Why? Because capital gains taxes impose comparatively large costs on the economy by reducing the reward from productive activities such as savings, investment, risk-taking and entrepreneurship, which are essential for strong economic growth. Capital taxes are among the most economically damaging forms of taxation for this very reason—they reduce the incentive to innovate and invest.

Take an entrepreneur, for example, who’s deciding whether or not to risk their own capital to provide (and profit from) a new technology, product or service. The higher the capital gains tax, the lower the potential reward from this investment, which means they will be less inclined to make the investment or perhaps undertake the investment elsewhere (another country, for example) in a more tax-friendly environment. Less investment means less innovation, job creation, wage growth and ultimately lower living standards. In other words, Trudeau’s capital gains tax hike will not only hurt Canadians with capital gains but other Canadians who benefit from the knockoff effects of investment.

Largely due to this problem, several wealthy and successful industrialized countries (Switzerland, New Zealand, Singapore) and several U.S. states (including Texas, Alaska, South Dakota, Wyoming) impose no capital gains taxes. Of course, Alberta competes with these U.S. states for investment.

Previous federal governments also understood the disincentive that comes with capital gains taxes. In 2000, the Liberal government of Jean Chretien meaningfully reduced the tax rate applied to capital gains stating that we must “introduce tax measures that encourage entrepreneurship and risk taking.”

Today, fortunately, the Smith government can take action.

When governments tax your capital gain, they include a share of the gain in your personal income and it is taxed at your personal income tax rate. The Alberta government could simply add a step in the tax return process for Albertans to remove capital gains from the provincial income tax calculation. As a result, the capital gains tax would only apply to the federal portion of your income taxes.

The Alberta government doesn’t have to sit back and accept Trudeau’s capital gains tax hike. Eliminating capital gains taxes from the provincial income tax in Alberta would send a powerful message to potential entrepreneurs, investors and businessowners that the province is open for business—and that benefits all Albertans.

Author:

Tegan Hill
Director, Alberta Policy, Fraser Institute
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