Alberta Revolts:
An Introduction
Alberta politics in the aftermath of the Orange Chinook.
Welcome to Alberta Revolts! Which is now apparently going to be an ongoing thing instead of a one-off project. Hooray!
Medium’s first publication (as far as I can ascertain) dedicated exclusively to the Canadian Province of Alberta, and at the time of this writing, the only publication one too.
Alberta Revolts is focused primarily on the politics of our great province in the aftermath of the Orange Chinook.
Because the world needed another politics blog and blogger.
Alberta Revolts began life as a Alberta Revolting, a voter’s guide to the 2015 election. The best voter’s guide to the 2015 Provincial Election, actually.
What made it the best was that it was completely biased and also satirical.
It was also intended as a one-off, probably not exactly how Medium intended for the Publication feature to be used but nonetheless. However, it’s been (love it or hate it, and lots have hated it) one of the most read things I’ve ever written. Its got some followers and there seems to be a lack of material about Alberta on Medium too.
As such I am going to try to contribute some of my thoughts, observations and reflections on the major political changes happening here.
The original Alberta Revolting 2015 Voters’ Guide, snark and all, can be found by following the link.
My name is Jack Hope, I was born here in Calgary, Alberta, and I have lived here most of my life. I’ve been interested in politics since I was at least 10 or 11 years old.
I’m a committed social democrat (way left of an ordinary liberal) and supported of the New Democratic Party both Federally and Provincially.
I am overjoyed that we have an NDP majority government in Alberta.
That’s my bias, obviously.
All that being said, I don’t intend for this to be a distribution point for the new government’s talking points or to write propaganda.
I aim to provide reasonable and fair opinions on all matters in Alberta’s political scene. I’m putting my bias up front so everyone knows it, to keep myself as honest as I can be.
I also have priorities that supersede loyalty to the current government of the day, such as getting Alberta’s parliamentary democracy back on track.
I don’t want another dynasty government, even if its my team.
Dynastic government in Alberta, these endless governments with competitive elections perhaps once ever decade or two, have failed us.
A healthy, competitive democracy is what this province needs most of all. I hope Rachel Notley is Premier for four terms, but I also hope that she has to put up a genuine fight to earn each additional term.
I am also going to be actively seeking voices with different political viewpoints to submit posts to Alberta Revolts, to provide a broader look at opinion across the political spectrum.
If you’re an blogger, informed citizen, loudmouth blowhard or otherwise opinionated writer and you have an idea, completed work, or are somewhere in between that you would like to submit regarding Alberta politics, history, or life here, I want to hear from you!
Writers using Medium with a completed article can go ahead and submit using the submissions button.
If you’re in progress or not a Medium writer yet, email albertarevolts@gmail.com. Questions, comments are also welcome.
Alberta Revolts reserves the right to approve and edit any submissions before they are posted. Items considered inappropriate will be (politely) rejected.
A very special thank you here to Jacky Tang for creating these fantastic avatars, which I’ll be using as icons, art and graphic bits going forward on Alberta Revolts. Originally created for the This Is Calgary Project I am being very graciously allowed to continue using them here.
A very big thank you!
Coming Soon: Not entirely sure what all this about? Do you have questions such as: what is an Alberta? Would you like to know more? Coming up soon with the answers: Alberta: A Primer.
Twitter: destroyer of governments, bringer of Nenshi, Iveson, & Notley! You should follow @albertarevolts & @jackshope.
