Editor:
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has been tripping over his tongue ever since the day he was elected. During all this time he has reacted to controversial issues by deflecting blame and shifting it upon someone else. His Napoleonic complex prevents him from hearing another side of things if they are contrary to his.
His handling of the pandemic has endangered the lives of hundreds of Albertans, their families, their neighbours, and just about anyone else you can think of. The numbers of active cases of COVID-19 has soared over the last few weeks, as has the daily death toll.
But now he should be hanging his head in shame. The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation is a new national holiday created by the federal government. It is a day all Canadians should embrace as we take small steps towards understanding the horrors inflicted on Indigenous children, their families, and the tragedies of intergenerational harm it has caused.
Perhaps Kenney hasn't heard of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, but that is not an excuse. It is his responsibility to acknowledge the indignities of not just the past, but also what still occurs today. By refusing to act and not declaring Sept. 30 a statutory holiday is another slap in the face to Indigenous peoples in our province. How on earth can healing take place if our own government turns its back.
Please let us take this day to honour and reflect and walk together towards truth and reconciliation.
Marilyn Foxford,
Canmore
