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Wildrose Party show true colours

Wildrose MLA Derek Fildebrandt was suspended from caucus after saying he was proud of a constituent who congratulated him on telling “the truth about Mr. Wynne or whatever the hell she identifies as.” Fildebrandt later insisted he had not seen the ‘Mr.’ in the social media post, but he surely didn’t miss “or whatever the hell she identifies as.”
Wildrose MLA Derek Fildebrandt was suspended from caucus after saying he was proud of a constituent who congratulated him on telling “the truth about Mr. Wynne or whatever the hell she identifies as.” Fildebrandt later insisted he had not seen the ‘Mr.’ in the social media post, but he surely didn’t miss “or whatever the hell she identifies as.”

Fildebrandt also chastised Premier Notley in the Alberta legislature for not inviting Brad Wall instead, he shouted across the aisle “Invite Premier Wall here! Invite Premier Wall!” Wynne looked on as Fildebrandt insulted her province as a failed debt-loaded enterprise, and warned Notley not to follow suit. Disrespect, misogynistic comments and insulting officials from other provinces is not only outright wrong, but also very unwise. Is it helpful for Alberta and Albertan’s? Of course not, after all Alberta wants to have approval for Energy East through Ontario and it is always wiser to pay some respect to visiting Premiers, and maintain good relations to other provinces.

Just a few days after the Fildebrandt episode the WRP lashed out again. This time nine Wildrose MLA’s compared the NDP’s carbon levy to the death by starvation of six to 10 million people in the Ukraine in the 1930’s under dictator Joseph Stalin. A blazing social media controversy followed as many Albertans are of Ukrainian descent and found the Wildroser’s comment painful and wrong. The nine Wildrose MLA’s: Ron Orr, Grant Hunter, Rick Strankman, Dave Schneider, Drew Barnes, Dave Hanson, Don Mac Intyre, Wes Taylor and Mark Smith are now referred as the ‘Nutty Nine’ on social media.

Such bizarre comparisons, remarks, social media postings and disrespectful behavior is not new for the Wildrose Party. In 2011 Wildrose MLA and former leader Paul Hinman compared the PC’s ‘Land Use and Assembly Act’ to the same Stalin land collectivization policy.

Ilse Quick

Lacombe