Surely, there’s a Montreal Canadiens jersey hanging in some Edmonton shop window just waiting for a firebomb?
Because, as we know – that’s the sort of protest Western media is sensitive to.
Surely, there’s a Montreal Canadiens jersey hanging in some Edmonton shop window just waiting for a firebomb?
Because, as we know – that’s the sort of protest Western media is sensitive to.
Send this to Haroon Sidiqqi and see if this is considered a hurtful cartoon….or to Warren Kinsella.
Is it hurtful, sure…do you ban it no…..do you firebomb something or threaten death no.
Canadian Muslim response has been proper, they are offended and taking appropriate political action….no problem, just like everyone else
Why is anyone surprised?
After the installation of a Conservative government tomorrow, expect the titular Left in this country to do what they do best (and to kick it into high gear): engage in the 3H’s of “debate.”
Hyperbole, Hysteria and Hatemongering.
Seems this article Kate’s linked to is zeroing right in to 3H territory.
Looks like tastless social bigotry buffered with a large dose of envy/greed to me….hatred?…ya in a way… but Albertans do not react like pissy-pants eastern gay liberals and whine to nanny because the big bad cartoon “scares” them….Albertans will just file the insult away with the others under the “to be reopened when asked for favors” file.
Frankly, the Albera independence movement can’t BUY this kind of motivator….I can see another 10000 soft separatists making the final commitment to western autonomy after a senseless bitter slagging like this.
Just needs a little rewrite:
For Mohammed’s sake, Alberta is rolling in money due to the skyrocketing price of oil, so much so that Ralph Klein recently sent a $400 cheque to every Albertan citizen (Allah forbid the money should have gone to hospitals, schools or affordable housing)Klein sensibly felt that a beer and popcorn fund for individual Albertans should take precedence).
Five reasons? No, thirteen Albertas. Oh, the horror; scarier & scarier. >> more
http://www.voy.com/178771/129663.html
Somewhere a clue by four is bringing its’ targeting system on line.
This article by Matthew Hays is silly. It illustrates the fact that not only does he not understand Alberta, he also does not understand Ontario or Canada.
For instance Ontario and Alberta have much more in common than any other two provinces in Canada in some respects. In various degrees, all other provinces are living on the dole each year, getting by on handouts from Ottawa courtesy Ontario and Alberta equalization payments.
Take Quebec for instance. Since 1961 Alberta has paid $167 billion extra in taxes to Ottawa while Quebec has received $202 billion extra from Ottawa. Alberta sent $11,100,000,000 (eleven point one billion dollars) to Ottawa in 2003 in equalization payments. Ontario paid even more. Even so Quebec wants more and threatens to leave Canada if they don’t get it. This is bizarre.
Saskatchewan and British Columbia will soon become have provinces and able to manage on their own. This will leave Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC supporting the rest of Canada.
Canada is changing, especially Western Canada. They are getting sick and tired of sending money each year to welfare recipients in other provinces when jobs are begging in Alberta and soon will be in Saskatchewan and BC as well. It’s fine to say that one wants to be a cod fisherman. But when the cod have disappeared is it smart to be satisfied with a few days work each year and live on the dole the rest? It reminds me of an Albertan sitting beside a dry hole waiting for the oil to come back when he could move a few miles and drill another hole.
I’d also suggest Mr. Hays might want to start planning a new column because he’s soon going to have even more reasons to hate Alberta when Ontario businesses begin to move here because of a more favourable tax climate, lower energy costs and less crime.
Wow, is that guy bitter. I love it!
analyze it to death all you want, they have a contacts link at the bottom of the page and sometimes just telling the editor to F.O. and so on and so forth for his juvenile penis envy gets the point across much more succinctly without causing a lot of extra greenhouse gas (for you of so hypocritical and ridiculous human-hating greeny’s out there… that’s a kiss my A– for you too… see how easy it is? Because arguing with them is never going to change their mind…)
Yeah. The writer of the piece in the Montreal Mirror also conveniently forgot to mention that the government of Alberta also gave a billion dollars for cancer research out of the oil/gas revenues, which is something that will ultimately benefit all Canadians, not to mention everybody else on the planet.
But we wouldn’t want to write that. Blows the image of Albertans as greedy, self-centred bastards and bitches.
And we wouldn’t want to write that, according to Statistics Canada, Alberta actually has the second-lowest rate of regular church attendance in Canada (B.C.’s the lowest), which makes it probably the second-most-secular province in Canada (far more secular than Ontario and equal in “secularity” to Quebec).
No, that wouldn’t fit in with the bigotry agenda at all.
(Oh, and I forgot — it’s actually the four H’s of “debate” for the Left: it also includes Harassment.)
If you’re self-identified members of the Right (or even have some sympathy with some of the politics thereof), gird your loins. You’re gonna have a rough time from those who consider themselves the natural rulers of the Canadian polis.
I sent an e-mail to Matthew Hays regarding the article and he responded with his side of the story and his reasons for writing it, although I do not agree with his point of view, I do agree with his right to express it. So, as loneranger says, send a letter off expressing your point of view, if you feel strongly enough about it.
Didn’t Danny Williams support the Liberals prior to the election.
Seems to me that we are seeing alot of people all of a sudden supporting the Conservative plan as the only way! Hmmmmmmmmm
cant we Albertans complain that the cartoon depicts us as tight pants sheep herding types wandering over a “brokeback mountain”
and whats with the long nose. and the environmentally unfriendly rig a gushin’ oil.
and not a turnip wagon to be seen.
Thats it.Now Im pissed.
The oilpatch will rise up and go after offensive eastern cartoonists for that insensitive blot on our province.
Feel free to refer us leaving burning bags of feces on your doorsteps as YEEHAD!
Well after listening to years and years of Quebec bashing, can you really blame Quebecers for being apprehensive about Albertans taking the reigns in Ottawa?
The article itself is bunk, but it does reflect some of the popular misconceptions about Alberta that persist down here. People still remember the crack about letting the “Eastern bastards freeze in the dark,” and having ideologues like Ezra Levant and Rob Anders blabbering their nonsense doesn’t help the situation.
It’s really rich that this guy complains about Alberta’s oil wealth, when every last penny of Alberta’s oil royalties, plus another $900 million on top of that, is confiscated by the federal government for equalization penalties. And Quebec is the major beneficiary of that confiscated cash.
Someone’s got to ask… Why does this guys nose look like a pecker?
Cause the guy who drew it obviously doesnt have much of one.
Envious of Albertans,Americans,and when it gets right down to it its all a case of “small dick syndrom”
JC: B.C. was a have province until we made the mistake of allowing a grinning idiot to become premier(Bill Van Der Zalm). B.C.’ers, particularly those of us in the Social Credit Party, made the error of voting in a “Personality”, instead of a competent administrator. Vander Zalm did for B.C what Brian Mulroney did for the federal Conservatives, and we ended up with nine years of watching our resource rich Province suffer a recession while the rest of North America boomed. Mike Harcourt, Glenn Clark, Ujjal Dosanjh combined to run B.C. into the ground. BCTV ran a series in the mid 90’s that showed corporate head offices moving to Calgary every day. The mining industry lit out for the U.S., South America, Asia, anywhere but our Socialist paradise. It has been obvious for many years, since the Trudeau era, actually, that Western Canada and Eastern Canada are, to use that phrase the MSM loves so much, two solitudes. The East is a socialist nation, we are capitalists, and never the twain shall meet, except when the East needs our tax dollars to subsidize their welfare programs.
I’m not Albertan, but I’m deeply offended by Hays’ column. Westerners would riot in the streets over this, but we’re all too busy earning a living, unlike some protesters I know. Instead, let’s just quietly separate, maybe no one will notice.
“I’d also suggest Mr. Hays might want to start planning a new column because he’s soon going to have even more reasons to hate Alberta when Ontario businesses begin to move here because of a more favourable tax climate, lower energy costs and less crime.”
Let me see now. Ford lays off thousandss, GM lays off thousands, Goodrich closes tire plant and lays off thousands.
And on the other hand, Alberta and B.C. are crying for workers.
Seem kinda like a no-brainer to me.
Horny Toad
dmorris. Yup. And I voted for him too. Live and learn I guess. And the NDP made things worse, although I didn’t vote for them. I also live in BC at the moment but I still call myself an Albertan, although I’m a Canadian first. I have family in BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. I want to see Canada stay together but I also recognize that the threat of separation will work in Alberta’s favour, just like it did for Quebec for so many years. The mere threat of all those equalization payments stopping will make Ottawa sit up and take notice. I think this will strengthen Steven Harper’s case in central Canada as well.
I also think that Quebecers will be some pissed when they realize what Harper really means when he says he’ll take a serious look at the province’s desires for more money from equalization payments. Some Quebecers voted for him simply because he said he’d consider their grievances. Hmm. I think he’s more interested in picking up additional seats in Ontario next election than in Quebec. If he can reduce equalization payments from the have provinces then he’ll pick up more votes from them. Last time I looked Ontario, Sask., Alberta and BC had a total of 184 seats.
Hyperbole, Hysteria, Hatemongering, and Harassment.
I guess the 4H club has a different agenda out east.
(shaking head)
Quebec is wasting away, shrinking in terms of population and economic power. The West is not. The difference is that we have a different culture. Many Quebecers are in a state of denial about their province’s decline, and many resent the charity that is being extended to them.
It’s much less offensive than the NEP…
I mean, the dude IS carrying a bag of money.
This goes to show how much influence the Liberals and the M.S.M have on swaying public opinion. It is obvious that Easterners suffer from the same steroetypical attitudes that some narrow-minded Americans do, the ones who think that Canadians (even Quebecers) live in igloos and drive ski-doos.
We have a lot of work to do to change the attitudes of Easterners about Albertans and obviously too on “who the government is”, and “who revenue comes from”, and “who spends it”.
I do have to say that he is bang on on #3. In my defense, I have NEVER voted for Ralph Klein and I will never vote for a government that tries to bribe me every 4 years with my own money, and has so little disrespect for democracy by excluding oppostion, playing games with election dates and legislative procedures.
Many Albertan’s think that Ralph Klein deserves credit for getting rid of debt (he does a little bit) but it was one party rule which got us into the situation in the first place, and current energy prices that got us out. The same energy prices that enabled the Libs to look good, or was it just creative book-keeping on the Libs part?
Mr. Hays is wrong, this is about the west wanting in. Central Canada has ruled this country forever. The Liberals and mainstream media have controlled various regions and minorities by playing one interest against the other.
I think Westerners are more tollerant and inclusive than we are given credit for. I think we want to see changes put in place to prevent future division and one-party control. We want balance and equality for all regions. Elected senate, elected judges and fixed election dates would go a long way to empowering voters rather than politicians and lobbyists.
I voted for Van Der Zalm and was never sorry . Van Der Zalm was a good man, he didn’t agree with killing small people and the meme minnions in B.C. didn’t like that. ‘Fantasy Gardens’ scandle would not even raise an eyebrow hair in the Liberano outfit. I can hear them snorting about such ‘small fry’. It was not Van Der Zalm B.C. ers ; it was the voters – they drove themselves right into the socialist tank.
I agree with Jema54. It wasn’t Van Der Zalm that screwed over B.C. It was the socialist horde of Harcourt/Clark/Dosanjh. The NDP took B.C. from a “have” province to a “have-not” province in no time at all.
The provincial Liberals could be 10years straightening out the mess those twits made.
As for Eastern Canada. Sorry folks, but you’re just going to have to get used to your natural position and condition; begging the West to help pay for your “stuff.”
Quebec may be wasting away but they are guarenteed their seats in the stacked parliament where eastern riding sizes are 20% smaller than western even after “EQUALIZATION”
For me it’s really quite simple.
Alberta sends Ottawa about 9 Billion Dollars (net) per year only to watch it be Abused, Wasted and Stolen! Then the Ottawa gang tells the country we’re a bunch of social radicals to be feared and hated. So yes, I did my share of complaining. But now things have changed. As long as I know the waste and lies on the Fed’s part are going to stop, then I don’t mind helping out. There’s much healing that needs to happen in this country.
One last point. A large portion of Alberta’s population comes from “somewhere else”. My neighbours are form Montreal. They came here when CP Rail moved it’s HQ here. So when someone insults Albertans they insult people from across the country who now call this province home.
Bill in Calgary
Mr.Hays simply doesn’t understand Western Canada and his article belies typical MSM lazy journalism. Most of his article doesn’t even deserve a response but what I find most insulting is that easterners continue to think that being “in” is about having representation in cabinet. I contend that this is a fundamental misunderstanding. Being “in” to Western Canadians is about how we do government. Hence, when Harper says we are “in” it means that finally we are going to see accountable government and that the days of eastern style pork barrel 18th century politics is over.
To me the cartoon/article displays the true nature of eastern hypocrisy and the foundation of their antiwestern sentiment- envy, jealousy, and greed. Is that not what our Dear Leaders from the East have demonstrated in their policies towards the West over the years?
NEP was not only a financial grab from Alberta but a slap down of any western power in this country.
I think the lone Ranger gave us the best capsulization of this type of Alberta bashing by describing it as: “penis envy”…right on Ranger!Give that man 800 shares of Suncor blue chip!
Penis envy…. Particularly true of the gay-politicized arts community at Concordia that has pissy “issues” with a rich, straight province.
As an Albertan, I gotta say the guy is right.
If it were not for the oil we would be in a different setting. Then again if it were not for cutbacks all over, we’d still be in debt. Remember the buget was set for I think $40/barrel.
But Klein and Co. are long in tooth and have about the same amount of scams going on and patronage appointments.
The biggest thing Alberta does is cater to big business. Hopefully this is changing, otherwise Alberta will be overtaken by greed just like Ottawa.
cheers
tom
tomax,
You have curious ideas. Are you old enough to remember all the debate about Alberta’s investment in the tar fields? Canada didn’t invest a dime … only Alberta citizens and the big bad companies.
Oil prices … when Alberta and the big bad companies did this oil prices were much lower than $40 a barrel.
I can’t help but think you want to penalize the citizens and the governments they elected for making good decisions. If that is the case … there are a lot of regions in Canada that provide bad decisions and bad government … go for it … you’ll feel better.
to Strong minister from the west. Who are you kidding. We don’t consider those wimpy, libs from lotus land strong, and if Annie was from any other province she would never have made cabinet. Rather than Alberta wanting IN, we wanted respect for our way of life, which does not mean the govt controls all our everyday actions or thought. We want the right to think and act for outselves. We don’t like liberal values and lifestyles shoved down our throat. So, lets make a promise, we wont criticize your gay pride parades in TO and you wont make fun of our stampedes. Maybe all the gays will come next year to try and find their own Brokemountain or whatever the name of that movie is. Funny, not many, if any ranchers and cowboys are going to that movie in AB. Maybe wannabes in TO will go and fantacize. Also time for Harper to recall all ambassadores to muslim countries and withhold all aid, money, medicine, food, and let those terrorists find out what life is all about.
Where was this MSM dipwad when Albertains rolled back their wages and bit the bullet?
How about five reasons to love Alberta?
1) Oil revenues. As much as the author would like to deny it, all of Canada benefits from the production of Alberta drilling and oilsands resources.
2) Lowest unemployment in the nation. It is nice to know that when your job in the fisheries or manufacturing sector is lost or “downsized” you have a place you can go to get work and continue providing for your family. Not to mention what it does to the national average.
3) Investor attractiveness. Whether you believe it or not, when one region of the country attracts investors from beyond our borders we all benefit. You only have to look at how well western entrepeneurs are able to attract investment for thier ideas, to understand that anyone can participate and reap rewards in these ventures.
4) National competitiveness. Without the west we would only have one national airline. The inventiveness in the west challenges the monopolies across Canada and provides customers with choice and diversity of product, service and price.
5) Risk acceptance. Alberta is always shaking the status quo. Always trying to find a way to improve on systems and is not adverse to risk. If there is a better way for Health Care, Government Reform or financial accoutability it will be found and proven in the West.
I was born and raised in Ontario and have had the pleasure of working in and visiting every province and territory in Canada (except Nunavut, but soon!). Alberta has become my home and provided me with ample opportunities to provide for myself, my family and my community with a degree of success not found in any other region in Canada. Those that are skeptical should take the time to learn about the sacrifices made and the risks taken by the people of Alberta. Come and visit before you pass judgement, you may find yourself surprised at what you find.
After a hiatus of 25 years (23 out West), I returned to Toronto 13 years ago to take up employment. I noticed 2 things immediately after I started work: Toronto was the political capital of Canada; Torontonians did not like Alberta (some hated it). Oh, yes, it was a job in the Ontario public sector.
Hey John,
Why would you single out cod fishermen as a drain on Alberta resources. The fact is that the population of Newfoundland is only 500,000 and contrary to popular belief, most work. A very small portion of this country’s transfer payments end up in Newfoundland. Marginilized Indians, crackheads, Ontario’s false economy and whiny Quebecers are the real cancer in our society.
“The difference is that we have a different culture.”
If Quebec was sitting on 250 billion barrels of oil it wouldn’t be shrinking.
“Canada didn’t invest a dime … only Alberta citizens and the big bad companies.”
That’s total BS – the feds gave huge *specific* tax breaks to industry for the oil sands. Check out “tax expenditures”. Eric Newell, the former CEO of Syncrude, was buddy-buddy with the feds. And if you think the Ontario Teacher’s Pension Fund and Les Caisses de Depots don’t have money in Alberta, you’re nuts.
“Rather than Alberta wanting IN, we wanted respect for our way of life, which does not mean the govt controls all our everyday actions or thought. We want the right to think and act for outselves.”
What the hell are you talking about? I mean, who’s controlling your thoughts? Or your actions? Frankly, the it’s the provincial and municipal governments that have way more contact with citizens on a day to day basis, not the feds. Garbage pick up? Zoning laws? Motor vehciles? Hospitals? Schools? How do the feds “control” your actions.
“We don’t like liberal values and lifestyles shoved down our throat. So, lets make a promise, we wont criticize your gay pride parades in TO and you wont make fun of our stampedes.”
Mary… true story: no one makes fun of the Stampede. Frankly, most people in the East think it looks like a really fun piss up (such as me) and the others just don’t care. And no one is “shoving value down your throats”. Don’t like what you see on TV? Shut if off. No one is stopping you.
This is just total paranoia, contrived paranoia if you ask me. I seriously think you over-estimate how much people in Toronto worry about the Calgary Stampede.
Disclaimer: I think the article in the Montreal Mirror is ignorant and full of rash generalizations. Not too disimilar from the vast majority of the posts/replies on this blog! 😉
I don,t give a s— if you like Alberta or not,Calgary is full of Ontario licence plates and there not here for a visit ,welcome to Alberta!!!!! xoxoxoxo
BC used to be a “have” province in years past, before the NDP got hold of it! Thankfully we are on our way back to that status, and will stay there if the “cradle-to-grave” twits living here realize it takes time to clean up a mess, and takes time for investment to work.
I think this is from an “independent weekly” type of arts & culture paper in Montreal.
Despite its’ slightly bitter tone, the writer is attempting to be funny. Or maybe not, in which case it’s even funnier! Love that nose.
Conservatives in Quebec and Alberta will form a new partnership within Canada, despite the intelligentsia’s best efforts to “divide-and-conquer” with little white lies and prejudicial discrimination. Perhaps even cross that bridge and bring Quebec into the constitution as full partners in Canada (the Bloc shivers at the thought!) and not the isolationist “minority” the Liberals loved to pander to with sponsorship money.
Quebec would be wise to look for friends in Alberta, as opposed to trying to create more enemies. Most Albertans love Canada, just not the regionalized mess the Liberals turned our country into.
ural
I was around when the tar sands were still being developed all right. Tax breaks were all around, so while Alberta did the most, they had help.
Your logic of “penalize the citizens and the governments they elected for making good decisions” doesn’t hold much water either.
If you’re bringing up memories, I just need one name: Don Getty.
Yep, elected and good decision maker…
cheers
tom
The harder part of being from Alberta is living next to Alberta. I’m so sick of the Sask Party tell people in Sask we should be more like Albeerta???That’s good?? Why??? Why’s it so great?
I keep telling you this tthat Alberta has more wealth than B.C.,Ontario,Quebec…..the rest of Canada period. Does every other province have to listen the the official opposition tell them to be more like Alberta or does that only happen in Sask?? I’m tired of it.The Sask party sounds like a broken record………..to the Sask Party get a new pedestal to stand on. I’m sick of your right wing narrow minority rural backward thinking. Go to blazes.
ok4ua…uh you lost me.
“I’m sick of your right wing narrow minority rural backward thinking. Go to blazes.”
..as in saddles?
Oh yeah Kate, forgot to mention you probably meant in a “Calgary shop window” as the guy in the cartoon is wearing a Flames logo in his hat…
😉
Just wanted to be correct, as we all know the best thing that came out of Edmonton was….
….highway 2 south. Or QE2 now.