It has been a wild few weeks in terms of political happenings.
Locally, we saw a group of Rocky View County (RVC) residents move forward with a court filing that will attempt to bring RVC councillor Mark Kamachi to court for alleged pecuniary interest matters.
That was in addition to the County having already sanctioned three councillors during the current four-year term, and one of those three is still awaiting a court date for her own alleged pecuniary interest matters.
Provincially, news broke that unnamed members of the United Conservative Party (UCP) are calling for the resignation of Premier Jason Kenney for how he has handled the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you go on social media – or engage in conversation anywhere, really, on the topic of current events – you are surely going to strike a chord somewhere with someone. Things are still so volatile.
It should be no surprise as to why this is. Our politicians can’t even sort themselves out.
There are many taxpaying citizens who look toward their elected officials for answers and clarity. When you look at the current situation, they can’t even do that effectively because often, controversy swarms all the things they try to do.
During a time when people should be trying to come together more than ever, we seemingly find ourselves more divided and isolated, both physically and philosophically.
I can remember being younger and wanting to be an adult. I think many of us can recall that feeling. The bizarre thing is that as you age, you find out most people never really grow up (myself included). You just get better at putting on a separate face for the public.
Every day that carries on, more issues arise. I am not going to sit here and take a political stance and tell you who I think did the best or the worst, because what I think about that is not important.
I don’t think anyone should base their lives on the words of politicians. That would be a terrible idea. But as elected officials, they reflect the people. Our votes as Albertans put these people in office. So, when we sit around and talk about the insanity that is politics in Alberta these days, we can only blame ourselves.
It is heartbreaking to know that at a time like this, with so much on the line, not even the UCP’s own members can trust their leader. How are we supposed to move forward during a pandemic when the premier is getting treated like the substitute teacher no one liked in high school?
I’m not saying it’s right or wrong. What I am saying is if we don’t figure something out soon within our democracy, it will surely crumble.
Jordan Stricker, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @Jay_Strickz
