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Alberta Politics

Sandra Jansen’s brave statement against online harassment and violence


Calgary-North West MLA Sandra Jansen, who crossed the floor from the Progressive Conservatives to the governing New Democratic Party last week, stood in Alberta’s Legislative Assembly today to speak against the disgusting online harassment and violence that has been directed at her and other women MLAs.

This is not the first time an Alberta MLA has raised this issue but it was a brave statement that is certainly worth watching.

Once you have watched the video of Ms. Jansen’s statement, head over the to Calgary Herald and read Don Braid‘s powerful column in response. Here is an excerpt:

We have to face it — some men in this province simply can’t stand the sight of a government run by a female premier, who is in turn supported by a caucus with a higher percentage of women than any other in Canadian history.

Alberta has become a kind of social laboratory, unique in North America, to test whether a near-majority of women in a government caucus makes a change in style and substance. The verdict is already in — they do, as shown both by Notley’s conciliatory style and the NDP’s advancement of women and minorities.

The more obvious this becomes, the more the language escalates. It slimes its way from women to the LGBTQ community and back again.

One reply on “Sandra Jansen’s brave statement against online harassment and violence”

I have been following events in Ottawa and Edmonton quite closely. It seems that PM Justin is losing his commitment to integrity as the federal Liberals revert to their previous ways. After just one year, there are many indicators that Liberal party privilege, arrogance and hypocrisy are returning; a typical “political class elite” approach to governing is taking hold once again. Meanwhile, in Alberta, after a longer stint as Premier, Ms Notley has lost none of her pre-election integrity and continues to show a practical and inclusive approach to governance. No wonder Sandra Jansen can feel comfortable abandoning the old-boys club Conservatives for the NDP. I am already wondering if we Canadians should have given Tom Mulcair the opportunity in Ottawa to demonstrate that the NDP really is different from the Grits and Tories.

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