On Aug. 5, I posted this quote from House of Cards in response to a link someone posted on Premier Jason Kenney’s Facebook page. The link was to an article regarding Premier Kenney’s veiled efforts in stoking Alberta separatist feelings amongst his base of supporters. A pretty mild response, would you not agree? I even gave myself a pat on the back at my cleverness.
Ah, hubris. My clever response was quickly deleted – but not by me. Not only that, I am now barred from making further comments of any kind on the premier’s page, nor can I even lamely pick any of the reaction emojis. Also, anything I ever posted on his page is gone.
This bothers me.
I did not use offensive language, name call or make any threats of any kind. Had I done anything like that, I’d have no cause to complain and I would not complain. In previous comments or replies I had made on Premier Kenney’s page, the worst thing I could be accused of is snarkiness or trolling.
I believe that the comment was deleted and my subsequent blocking was because he and his staff were sensitive to the home truth it contained.
I have also been blocked from Devin Dreeshen’s page but that was because I made reference to his active support of and his campaigning for Donald Trump. Awkward. But he is not my MLA, so fair enough, I guess.
In the grand scheme of things, this is small potatoes. However, it does not sit well that Premier Kenney and his staff are quite happy to quash even the mildest of dissent. He supports the implementation of the “Chicago Principles” when it applies to universities and colleges, but when it comes to his Facebook page, the shields are up on ideas and options they deem unwelcome, disagreeable or deeply offensive. His Facebook page appears to be only for his supporters, not for all Albertans. This is troubling.
Maggie Clayton, St. Albert
