Dee

[Dee @Ocean_Strand]

@ABDanielleSmith Prove that this isn’t smoke and mirrors.

[Dee @Ocean_Strand]

@ABDanielleSmith What a messed up application process. Can’t you figure out who the real Albertans are and issue cheques or some simpler process? The Alberta government’s own bank isn’t even listed. What a gong show.

[Dee @Ocean_Strand]

@YakkStack I understand that there is a reduction in mgmt positions in the fish & feathers dept too. They either walk or put on a uniform. Wonder if it has anything to do with the future provincial police force.

[Dee @Ocean_Strand]

@MarkJCarney When sicko ped@s, drug pushers, and human traffickers are dealt with so harshly that they never ever think of doing disgusting to kids, then I will believe you are protecting the children of our country.

[Eva Chipiuk, BSc, LLB, LLM @echipiuk]

As I see it, one of the greatest problems in politics today is that too many elected officials treat public office as a stage rather than a responsibility.

Instead of providing clear leadership, we are subjected to performative nonsense, ideological games, virtue signalling, personal branding, and political theatre.

When everything is performative, it becomes difficult to know where people actually stand. Citizens are left guessing what their representatives truly believe, what principles guide them, and whether they are acting out of conviction or political convenience. When people are constantly guessing, it becomes hard to trust, follow, or hold leaders accountable.

Public office is a position of trust. It carries an obligation to act in the public interest, not personal or political interests.

What we need are adults in the room. Serious people willing to make difficult decisions, solve real problems, manage public resources responsibly, and serve the people who put them there.

Instead, far too often, we see public officials focused on appearances over results, slogans over substance, and self-interest over public service.

All you need to do is look around. Costs are rising. Public trust is declining. Basic services are deteriorating. People are increasingly frustrated and disconnected from the institutions that are supposed to serve them.

That should concern everyone.

The solution is not more performative politics. It is a return to competence, accountability, humility, and genuine public service.

The public deserves representatives who understand that these are serious jobs with serious consequences.

And if those currently in positions of power cannot meet that standard, then it is time for serious people to step forward and replace them.

[Dee @Ocean_Strand]

@ABDanielleSmith And yet you want to double the population of AB.

[Dee @Ocean_Strand]

@GregClarkAB AB has rats in the house not mice.

[Dee @Ocean_Strand]

@nowthis254 @C1Roxie @DaystarJoni @Daystar Did you take a screenshot of it? Hopefully someone did.

[Dee @Ocean_Strand]

Why do people who make excellent salaries, live extravagant lifestyles need to ask for donations for personal events in their lives. Joni’s estate or Dougie couldn’t come up with the funds? Really @Daystar ?

[And Now For Something Completely Different @nowthis254]

Daystar removing the option to donate to Joni Lamb’s memorial tells us something clearly: their first priority is money. Their second is image. They will compromise the second to get the first so long as no one notices. Examples:

[Dee @Ocean_Strand]

@ABDanielleSmith The only way Alberta can stand strong is as an independent nation. Then we will have power to negotiate resource exports to Canada, Asia, etc.

[Eva Chipiuk, BSc, LLB, LLM @echipiuk]

Today’s ruling by Justice Leonard essentially found that the citizen-led independence petition process cannot proceed because the government did not fulfill certain constitutional responsibilities owed to First Nations.

But here is the important point: the Alberta government did not initiate this petition process. Citizens did, through a lawful statutory mechanism created by the Legislature itself. So how does a court conclude that the government failed to fulfill duties that had not yet even arisen or been carried out, particularly when the government itself had not initiated the referendum process?

It is also important to understand that the Alberta government has always had the ability to call a referendum on independence at any time if it chose to do so. That is not in dispute, and it was not the legal question before the Court in this case. Nothing in today’s ruling prevents the Alberta government from calling the very same referendum itself tomorrow.

So think about that carefully.

A citizen-led democratic process established by law is effectively halted, not because citizens failed to follow the legislated process, but because of obligations assigned to government itself. Yet the government retains the full ability to ask the same question directly.

Courts and those in government must always have regard to the overall interests of justice, including democratic participation, the integrity of legislated statutory processes, and public confidence in lawful democratic frameworks established by the Legislature.

I figured it would be appropriate to reflect on a few words from the Supreme Court of Canada:

“…liberal democracy demands the free expression of political opinion” and political speech lies at the core of the Charter’s guarantee of freedom of expression. The Court further affirmed that freedom of expression includes “the right to attempt to persuade through peaceful interchange.” — Harper v. Canada

The Supreme Court of Canada has also held that:

“…the right of each citizen to participate in the political life of the country is one that is of fundamental importance in a free and democratic society.” — Figueroa v. Canada

And in the Reference re Secession of Quebec, the Supreme Court of Canada recognized that democracy is grounded in the participation and democratic will of the people, and that a clear expression of the will of citizens carries constitutional and political significance that cannot simply be ignored. Specifically, the Court confirmed:

“The democratic principle identified above would demand that considerable weight be given to a clear expression by the people of Quebec of their will to secede from Canada…” — Reference re Secession of Quebec

So how does any of this truly reconcile with a situation where government itself can ask citizens a question through a referendum process, but a group of citizens following a lawful statutory process established by the Legislature is not permitted to ask the question?

What message does that send when citizens engage in lawful democratic participation, comply with the very process created by government, and yet their voices are disregarded or treated as something to be feared?

Democracy is not strengthened when lawful citizen participation is restrained or silenced. In this case, it was not government stopping the process, but the Court. That reality raises profound questions about the role institutions play in democratic participation and how citizen engagement is treated when it touches controversial political issues.

After all, citizens do not hold institutional power. Their power is their voice. And if even that voice can be restrained after citizens lawfully engage in the exact democratic process created for them, what meaningful role are citizens truly left with in shaping the political future of their province and country?

What do you think? Should lawful citizen participation be encouraged, even when institutions disagree with the message?

[Dee @Ocean_Strand]

@soothkeep Kristen is doing a great job on these platforms. This frees up Lee’s time to focus on other aspects of the ministry. I appreciate all of you involved with Soothkeep!

[Lee W. Brainard @soothkeep]

Every great man of God in the history of the world had an imperfect mother. That means no matter how imperfect you are, you maintain your integrity before the Lord.

You maintain your sincerity, your seriousness about His things. You've got all the hope there is in the world to raise kids that will be powerful forces for the Lord. Your imperfection cannot keep you from molding your children the way God wants them to be molded.

[Dee @Ocean_Strand]

@ABDanielleSmith Genuine Albertans should always be considered first.

[Dee @Ocean_Strand]

@ABDanielleSmith @demetriosnAB Let’s be a true leader in cancer treatment by offering more treatment options. There are many in AB that would volunteer to be in the alternative/repurposed drug treatment program.

[Dee @Ocean_Strand]

It’s always nice to see the lights dancing in the night sky.

“The heavens tell of the glory of God; And their expanse declares the work of His hands.” Psalm 19:1

[Dee @Ocean_Strand]

@ABDanielleSmith Since Canada has chosen foreign oil over AB oil, ditch the Alberta in a united Canada mantra and adopt the Alberta for Albertans. We can be successful w/o Ottawa.

[Michelle Phillips @Michphil1998]

Pop up Alberta Independence Petition signing in Barrhead near the McDonalds from 12:00-5:00

[Dee @Ocean_Strand]

@YakkStack And April 1st federal politicians get an automatic pay raise that comes out of our pockets.

[Dee @Ocean_Strand]

@PaulMitchell_AB Crosswalks were intended to be SAFE places for pedestrians to cross the street. “Art work,” regardless of what it represents, has nothing to do with traffic and pedestrian safety and should be banned.