Kootenay Crust by Ian Cobb

Op-Ed Commentary

Anyone shocked by the results of the Alberta referendum?

I’m not. For example, it was like I was trying to set up a joke when I typed “the Alberta referendum.”

The entire process seemed like a joke and in a way seemed to personify current politics, world-wide. There is a stampede of unserious idiots seeking to disrupt and destroy on behalf of extremely serious backers and manipulators, who tap into prejudices and paranoias.

On the biggest stage we have President Donald Judas Trump using the few lucid days he seems to have left in service of Vladimir Putin, who one must assume possesses damning Epstein Files information about said loopy president. The result: pretty much all the chaos currently unfolding in the world.

On a smaller stage we have a minority of whining nitwits in Alberta, manipulated and goaded on by resource weasels from the USA and bot masters in Russia, Iran and elsewhere, trying to force their wants on the majority.

The resulting referendum asking Albertans if they wished to remain a part of Canada, as well as nine other telling questions, cost an estimated $130 million. How many hungry kids could be fed? How many judicial entanglements could be resolved? How many positive and good things could have been accomplished with that much money? Put it in a frame and call it “Politics in 2026.”

The results: 1,509,416 voters said Alberta should remain a province in Canada and 497,606 want the Government of Alberta to commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada.

In what other era, where pedophiles and rapists are being protected by a long-corrupt and corroding system, would you see politics being forced on the public? Albertans were forced to the polls by a pack of selfish, simpering, angry toads with severe persecutory delusions, pushed on by powers beyond their small town cerebral flinchings.

The referendum numbers show that more the 75% of Albertans want to remain in Canada and fewer than 25% wish to become Republican Americans. It is the same ratio that plays out time and again when it comes to far-right nut biscuitry trying to bury into the mainstream and the same ratio when it comes to nut biscuit left wingers.

I lived in Alberta for a couple of years and, thanks to having lived in the East Kootenay for 35 years, I know a ton of Albertans. I likely know more Albertans than any other flavour of Canadians.

I can think of a few fellows who wallow on Youtube and Facebook and feast on algorithmic garbage who proclaim to hate Canada. They spout the usual crap. Ottawa is mean to Alberta because Alberta is rich, yet they are not rich and that is also because – Ottawa.

But the vast majority of Albertans I know love Canada. The vitriol that howled from the province toward Quebec in 1995, when it last sought to flee the embrace of Canada, was sonic.

I have many Alberta friends who are heaving exasperated sighs of relief today. To the person, they knew their province wasn’t going anywhere after this vote. And they growled about why it had even gotten to this point. Well, celebrate my friends. Democracy provided a way to tell the loud-mouth whiners to sit down and be quiet.

Certainly, Premier Danielle Smith pooped the bed big time in how she handled this, but it was a typical response by a modern politician. Don’t disagree with the nuts and allow their fetid brain rot to leak into your party’s mainstream because, well, you need their fringe votes. Lead them along and crush them in the end when push comes to shove (see also: hundreds of examples of Donald Trump tossing sycophants under the bus).

We must, as an adult and serious society, find ways to eliminate the single-issue nuts from gaining elected office or manipulate elected officials down reckless and expensive paths.

A quick way to achieve that is to adopt proportional representation in our voting system.

Another is to jail those who seek to undermine Canada’s sovereignty, especially during a time when the nation is under attack from the sleeping, farting elephant to our south.

This stampede of unserious idiots seeking to disrupt and destroy on behalf of extremely serious backers and manipulators has become a pandemic. Take. A. Look. Around.

Following that cheery note I wish to congratulate all the recently elected municipal, regional and school board candidates.

The only political level that remains true and connected to voters is local politics and that is because of proximity.

And a hearty’ thank you’ to outgoing local politicians, notably long-time Electoral Area C Director Rob Gay, Area E Director Jane Walter, Area B Director Stan Doehle, City of Kimberley Mayor Don McCormick, Village of Radium Hot Springs Mayor Mike Gray, Village of Canal Flats Mayor Mark Doherty, City of Fernie Mayor Nic Milligan and District of Invermere Councillor Gerry Taft, who has spent half his life in local politics. Thank you all for your service to your communities.

The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board room is going to feature a majority of new faces – a new era.

May it be one that leads to brighter days and continues to provide an example to all elected officials on how functional a government can be when run by the adults in the room.

– Ian Cobb is owner/editor of e-KNOW. He has covered the RDEK board for 35 years.

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