Raging Grannies make their mark
By Jensen, Randy on August 28, 2020.
Members of the Lethbridge Raging Grannies write chalk messages outlining some of their concerns Thursday outside the entrance of MLA Nathan Neudorf's office. Herald photo by Ian Martens @IMartensHeraldIan Martens
Lethbridge Herald
The Lethbridge Raging Grannies are known for their satirical lyrics as they sing their songs of protest at rallies and demonstrations. But with singing out due to public health concerns during the current pandemic the Grannies instead brought out their brand of social activism Thursday morning with a sidewalk chalk tour across the city.
Coinciding with Thursday’s provincial fiscal update and other demonstrations across the province, the Raging Grannies focused their concerns on education and public health care.
“With Covid we are not singing and doing our usual raging songs. So we chose chalk art today to send a strong message,” said Raging Grannies member Barb Phillips.
“What a better way to show our activism than to support our children and grandchildren in education and public health care because as grannies, don’t you know, we need public health care.”
Among several stops through the city, the group wrote their concerns outside of MLA Nathan Neudorf’s office.
“We don’t feel the UCP is listening to the people. We want the children to return to school safely and to do that they must be funded appropriately,” said Phillips.
That sentiment was shared by fellow Ranging Grannies member and former MLA Maria Fitzpatrick, who felt more needed to be done to advocate for a safe return to school for children and teachers.
“An MLA needs to represent his constituency and not his party,” said Fitzpatrick.
With current tensions between the rural doctors and the health minister, Fitzpatrick said she is hugely concerned.
“Certainly when I was the MLA we had lots of conversation about how to get doctors into rural Alberta. And we worked really hard to do that,” said Fitzpatrick. “We’re losing those doctors.”
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic Fitzpatrick underscored the importance of safety measures and health care.
“We need our health care, our health-care workers needed to be provided and it needs to be public, not private,” she said.
The Lethbridge Raging Grannies sidewalk chalk tour had the group also scrawling their messages of support and concern outside of Chinook Regional Hospital, the Lethbridge School Division offices and MLA Shannon Phillips constituency office.
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