In celebration of Albertans
By Lethbridge Herald on August 3, 2024.
FROM THE HILL
Rachael Thomas – Conservative MP for Lethbridge
On Monday our province will celebrate Alberta Heritage Day. This special day gives us the opportunity to reflect on our history and culture with gratefulness and pride. From being a leader in energy production to functioning as an agricultural powerhouse, Alberta has much to be proud of!
What is the key to this success?
Some may think it is our natural resources, but to me, the answer could not be clearer. It is the people.
The spirit of the Alberta people is strong and enduring.
There is an understanding that we are constantly building for a more secure and prosperous future for the generations that will come after us. Though we are living in the present, we are dreamers and creators; we restore and invent. We say no to complacency.
Our province is globally known for its natural beauty with mighty mountains, glacier lakes, bountiful energy reserves, and expansive prairies. Though we face hardships like wildfires that ravage through beautiful towns like Jasper, the strength of our province shines through adversity as we come together to defeat the flames, support our neighbours, and rebuild our communities. Resilience is a hallmark of Albertans that has carried throughout generations.
This province is home to the Famous Five, who fought for women to be recognized as “persons” under the law. But Alberta’s significant impacts extend beyond extraordinary historic moments like this. Our perseverance powers Canada’s wealth and success daily.
Agriculture is a crucial part of our heritage in Lethbridge. Generations of farmers in the region have displayed incredible grit, determination, and creativity, turning what was once was the desert-like Palliser Triangle into some of the most prosperous farmland in the world. Today, our producers are responsible for much of the grain, meat, and produce that feed our nation and the those in other countries.
Our community is home to early ground-breaking innovations like the Noble Blade, invented in Nobleford, which tills the soil with minimal disturbance, or Andrew Briosi’s sugar beet lifter, which modernized the harvesting of sugar beets. Today, the people of Lethbridge continue pursuing innovation in food production and processing by forging paths toward sustainability and increased production.
The key to Alberta’s prosperity lies in the hands of the people. Unfortunately, this potential is under threat by an Ottawa-knows-best federal government that is doing its best to erode our province’s resolute spirit.
Punitive policies like the carbon tax punish workers and retirees alike.
The Liberal government’s inflationary spending has made life increasingly unaffordable for many.
My office continues to hear heart-breaking stories of families making the difficult decision to visit the food bank for the first time, young people giving up on homeownership, and seniors choosing between medication and food.
But it doesn’t need to be this way. We desperately need a common-sense government that empower Canadians to innovate and create without these burdens. It is time for a small government that will exhort the people and make big citizens.
Under a common-sense Conservative government, people will be empowered to dream, take risks, invest capital, and generate wealth without layers of red tape obstructing them. This promising future will finally allow their hard work to pay off, filling us all with hope and optimism.
Ottawa will no longer destructively leach from its citizens. Instead, it will let Canadians receive the powerful paycheques that they have so rightfully earned.
This future is not just a possibility; it is a promise we can all look forward to—a future where Canadians are unleashed to lead the way forward, a future where the hard work of regular citizens is our true strength.
The key to prosperity lies in you—the people— who have consistently risen amid challenging times by stewarding their gifts and talents, while demonstrating incredible fortitude to achieve great things.
Our rich heritage is not a product of government. It is the collective legacy of those who call this place home.
As we celebrate Alberta Heritage Day, let us reflect with gratitude on the past, commit to stewarding the present, and build toward a vibrant future.
What kind of inheritance will we leave for those to come?
23-22
While celebrating Alberta’s heritage don’t forget [the] First Peoples … ooops, you did.
And your poor, teeth-gnashing victims of the carbon tax should be reminded by your office about the rebate – otherwise it would be a deception unworthy of a public representative. Let’s try replacing common sense with good sense.
Please mind the possessive pronoun. The First Peoples of Alberta are not a possession. Otherwise, completely agree with your response to the mp’s grandstanding.
Thank you, IMO.
Thank you for your follow-up. Cheers!
Agreeing with other’s comments. Major oversight to ignore the significant historic importance of our indigenous population regarding settler immigration into Albertan landscape. Their literal kindness and examples saved our white asses many a time in the hardships of this land. Parapraxis or a leaking personal attitude ? Wow ! Rather shocking in truth. Stephen Harper infamously and undeniably probably did more than any other contemporary prime minister in his reign to undermine any gains the Famous Five and other women’s’ rights activists achieved. So his lackey pitbull Poilievre and crew certainly do not foretell any better future for women’s rights. As a retired senior I appreciate my carbon tax rebates. Better this than watching my taxes disappear into the maws of corporations with yet another Conservative government tax break that NEVER results in “trickle down” effects. I regularly reflect upon the future my granddaughter will live in and shudder. Recognizing that Poilievere and his head in the sand cronies routinely ignore queries, even from the resource folks (who want to know how to plan and budget themselves) to speak up as to the Conservative planned policies, I shudder yet more.
Agree. However, please refer to the following for any future reference to Indigenous peoples. Cheers!
https://www.ictinc.ca/blog/indigenous-peoples-terminology-guidelines-for-usage
I notice that I missed my typo in not capitalizing Indigenous (old eyes struggle with low contrast print on my screen), however I considered that my comment was including historical figures both Metis as well as First Nations pre-Confederation, so I was under the assumption that Indigenous was the correct term. If I am yet incorrect please inform.
The reference article covers information vis a vis terminology. My reply to you was regarding your use of the possessive pronoun, our, in reference to Indigenous people. The following excerpt is from the article:
Avoid using possessive phrases like “Canada’s Indigenous Peoples” or “our Indigenous Peoples” as that has connotations of ownership. Perhaps go with “Indigenous Peoples of Canada”. [emphasis added]
Thank you for your follow-up. Cheers!
Truthfully in this case I do not concur with your assessment of my specific use of the word “our”, my use was to denote an emotional RELATIONSHIP not a possession, to the notions of gratefulness. of appreciation. When I speak of our Rockies, our finches, our sunsets, it is no more possessive than my use here. It is an emotional acknowledgement, a positive attachment readily identified in conversation. Collins as an example notes: 2. A speaker or writer sometimes uses our to indicate that something belongs or relates to people in general. […]. There is nothing demeaning with my intent. Just the opposite.
Unfortunately, ReallyReally, from a grammatical perspective, the word, our, is a possessive determiner (or a possessive adjective). It is never correctly used to indicate relationship, emotional or otherwise.
Moreover, pointing out your usage of the word, our, in this instance is not my assessment. Please refer to the following to learn why. Cheers!
https://www.ictinc.ca/ict-team/bob-joseph
Please reread my quote regarding grammatical perspective from Collins dictionary and the recognized reference that determined my thoughts. Moreover language is constantly evolving and again I highlight how my use was intended as non-possessive though emotionally relative just as my common phrasing with the other topics I used as examples often is. I acknowledge the basis for your thoughts regarding the word our. Equally important I respect my right to my genuinely positive intention with my own perspective. We are simply at a stalemate in this regard. Cheers.
the word “our” suggests a sharing in the context it was used, does it not? to speak of things that form part of a shared whole, the word “our” seems reasonable and inclusive. one could have substituted words such as deer, water, earth, any ethnicity/religion/group, no?
however, i suppose one could take offense should one not feel a part of the group with which the use of “our” equates?
The grammatically correct usage of the word “our” does not involve sharing in any context. It is always a possessive determiner. It does not function to suggest something. Please refer to the Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. webpage which states:
Avoid using possessive phrases like “Canada’s Indigenous Peoples” or “our Indigenous Peoples” as that has connotations of ownership.
https://www.ictinc.ca/blog/indigenous-peoples-terminology-guidelines-for-usage
The founder and President of Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. is an Indigenous person.
https://www.ictinc.ca/ict-team/bob-joseph
“Common sense Conservative government”? 🤣
And regarding a future “inheritance”?
Perhaps ask yourself and Poillievre , exactly how is your environmental policy going to benefit future generations ?
Typically, you blame the current (not entirely blameless) Liberals for all societies ills with little or no real concrete solutions.
cannot tell from the reading, but did you fake-sob at all when you passed this wrote-for-you letter along?