As Christmas approaches, it is once again time to reflect on those who have been nice in St. Albert – and those who have been naughty.
Luckily for the latter category, there’s less coal to go around in the province these days, although some might wish for a lump or two in January to warm their houses when a new electrical fee comes into effect.
Here at the Gazette, we have our own ideas of what Santa should haul in his sleigh.
For our optimistic mayor, Cathy Heron, we have two gifts in mind.
Although she supported steep cuts in the City’s funding for the St. Albert Housing Society, our first wish is for her initial dream as mayor to be realized: an end to homelessness in St. Albert. We know the need is still here in this community and it is not going away. While blue-sky thinking has its place, we hope Heron comes down out of the clouds in 2019 and starts some real tangible work on this initiative.
The second gift is to her and those of her fellow councillors who found it in their hearts to spend $7,500 on a display case to show off the city’s awards and $51,900 to get around taxes on their own salaries but couldn’t dig a little bit deeper to stave off massive cuts to some of St. Albert’s hard-working non-profits: a copy of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
To embattled Premier Rachel Notley, we won’t wish for the obvious present of a pipeline – that would take a Christmas miracle befitting a higher power than the jolly man in red. Instead, Santa should load his sleigh with jobs for all the NDP MLAs who will lose theirs come the spring election.
As for our local MLAs, we wish them and all election candidates the best of luck in 2019. Although Santa can’t give them all a seat at the legislature next year, we hope he is kind to St. Albert’s Marie Renaud, who has seen some wins this year after tirelessly advocating on behalf of people living with disabilities.
Speaking of the upcoming election, we would love for Santa to bring the gifts of honesty and decorum to politicians wanting to lead the province. Many of them sorely need it.
To Jason Kenney, the leader of the official Opposition, we would ask Santa to gift him a decent party platform that can actually help address the economic mess Alberta is mired in.
Looking east to Ottawa, we would gift our hapless Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a jester’s suit and cap to match his government’s joke of an announcement last week of $1.6 billion for the country’s energy industry to solve absolutely none of the actual problems it is dealing with. Perhaps this gift, coupled with his experience teaching drama, will come in handy in October when his government faces the music before Canadian voters.
As for all the non-profits, businesses and everyday St. Albertans who are hurting this Christmas – whether due to the boneheaded moves of our various politicians or extenuating circumstances – we wish you joy, love, laughter and hope this holiday season. You are the ones who make St. Albert a wonderful place to be.
