Josh

A complicated man leading a simple life.

[Josh @albertabozo]

I’m 51 and the definition of Gen X. I’m married with 2 kids in their early 20s and a dual-ticketed Red Seal veteran of the O&G industry.

My family has been in Canada for 9 generations, 5 in Alberta. My Mom’s side spent their first winter near Westlock in a sod hut breaking the land.

I believe in personal autonomy, fiscal responsibility and that government is a necessary evil that should be kept as small as possible. Hard work should pay off, my vote should count and the people that paid into the system first should be the first in line.

I was too young to understand the NEP in the 80’s but remember its impact on my family very well. Debt, divorce and suicide followed.

Recovering nationally from just 5 years of that program took nearly 2 decades. Recovering personally took a little longer. With the clarity of hindsight, I’ve often wondered why anyone would want to enact similar policies ever again and yet here we are.

I’ve been actively exploring the idea of Independence ever since the guy with the socks was elected and tried to finish what his father started. Dressed up with a new hairdo and different marketing campaign the end result was the same. The subjugation of a Province, the crippling of an industry and the destruction of the families who harness it. All to the detriment of an entire nation.

I never voted for any of this and to say that trying to support my family over the last decade has been challenging is an understatement. I worry much more about my children’s futures however. They both stand on the cusp of adulthood facing the consequences of decisions they had no part in making either. This enrages and saddens me in equal measures.

We have a long list of well documented grievances regarding Alberta’s treatment within Confederation. I see little point in rehashing them for the sake of argument. I’m free to believe what I believe and so are you.

I believe the historical inaction on addressing these issues has been exacerbated by more recent policy failures in pursuit of a broader agenda. The introduction of UNDRIP, unvetted immigration and rampant environmentalism have cost us dearly with little to no benefit. I’m not sure how much more evidence you need but I am convinced that continuing to vote one way while the GTA and Lower Mainland vote another won’t change anything.

So what to do? We’re all familiar with the definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I think that perfectly captures this moment and simply put, if nothing changes then nothing changes. This isn’t so much a plea to sway your vote as a personal explanation of my position. I believe the country I grew up in has been irreparably altered and will ultimately fail. I also believe that those who disagree are lost in the nostalgia of a bygone age or are employed by the status quo to one degree or another.

Regardless…

The most direct form of democracy I can think of is a referendum and that’s what I’m voting for. Ultimately that’s what I want. I want to ask the Province a straightforward question and have as many people as possible answer it. How can that be anything but positive? To know the will of the people, in real time, on a specific issue. Are my neighbours really satisfied with our current direction and have hope for the future or should we risk it and try something different?

Regardless of your answer to this specific question, I fail to understand the resistance to a referendum other than fear. I may not be the brightest bulb in the chandelier but my message is genuine and heartfelt. Please consider what I’ve said and one way or the other, get out and vote.

Talk - Action = ZERO

#AlbertaIndependence

[Josh @albertabozo]

I would encourage anyone fretting about the States to read @scoopercooper or @RealAndyLeeShow for a well documented, deep dive into the corruption by CCP of our institutions, elections and law enforcement agencies. The call is coming from inside the house and you’re worried about our neighbour?

[Martyupnorth®- Unacceptable Fact Checker @Martyupnorth]

Our carrot is a pipeline and $8 billion is spending over 8 years.

We'd save that much every 6 months.

[Josh @albertabozo]

@TamIWas The days of leveraging fear to shut people up are over Jane. Articulate a coherent position or sit down.

[Josh @albertabozo]

@Demslayer13 Your punctuation and babbling is so incoherent I’m not sure what you’re getting at.

[Josh @albertabozo]

Watching CBC right now…they’re gnashing their teeth about the referendum in Alberta while the PQ Premiere of Quebec gets sworn in WITHOUT swearing allegiance to the Crown.

The double standard is eye watering!!!

[Josh @albertabozo]

@drtybryd Oh to be sure!!

[Josh @albertabozo]

Loaded up and going to meet the boys for a few days of touching grass and chasing elk. It’s the perfect distraction while this referendum plays out.

[Josh @albertabozo]

@mattsshookbaby @CheeseWizExtra I don’t know… proper punctuation?

[Josh @albertabozo]

Cast my vote about an hour ago. The Returning Office would not accept the mail in ballots I had, so I took a spot in line. I was mistaken about how that process works, you have to mail them in. Anyhoo, there were hundreds of people there and they just kept coming. I wore an article of clothing clearly indicating my support for independence and didn’t get side eyed or chirped at all. The vibe in line was really chill and positive. Took about 90 mins. I left there feeling hope.

[Josh @albertabozo]

I know right!!? 😭

The instructions gave the address to a place literally called “the Returning Office”. Made sense that I’d be able to drop off a properly completed and sealed mail-in ballot to a designated agent but we’re talking about the government here. I published an error and the correction. I hope attempting to pile on me for making a simple mistake helps bolster your sense of moral superiority.

[Josh @albertabozo]

@LSamosn Hahaha!!! The tv was on in a public place, I didn’t stick around long enough to find out.

[Josh @albertabozo]

@johangreg I’m not the one with all the flags in my bio bud.

[Josh @albertabozo]

Idk, it’s my first. The instruction gave the address to a place literally called “the Returning Office”. Made sense that I’d be able to drop off a properly completed and sealed mail-in ballot to a designated agent but we’re talking about the government here. I published an error and the correction. I hope thumping your chest about a simple mistake helps bolster your sense of moral superiority.

[Josh @albertabozo]

@sarobertson_ A disagreement!!? Hahaha!!!

[Josh @albertabozo]

@BoswellDoug Yeah, and? That promise is broken Doug. It’s was based on a bad plan and there’s nothing he’s willing to actually do about it.

[Josh @albertabozo]

An end run around disclosing TFW hiring practices? What could go wrong?

[unusual_whales @unusual_whales]

BREAKING: The Canadian government is removing the requirement for employers to prove they can't find a Canadian for high wage jobs, per CTV

[Josh @albertabozo]

@sunlorrie What margin? The polls!? 🤣

[Josh @albertabozo]

@RJR364235493902 @ryanjespersen Hey @grok… answer the question.

[Josh @albertabozo]

10 fucking years of missed opportunities, to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars in investment and all the good paying jobs that went with them… but now we can trust the Liberals? Give it a rest Ryan and take a good long look in the mirror. You’re part of the machine dude.

[Josh @albertabozo]

@sarobertson_ The world is looking to us!!? Man, the delusions of grandeur you all suffer from is spectacular!!

[Josh @albertabozo]

@yegwave @CanTrueCrime Can they see GIF’s?

[Josh @albertabozo]

@RodKahx Why you in Ontario bro?