Richard Purdy

@cspotweet My aren't you a little communist. People cant have a view point different than yours?

“This separatist Premier, separatist government and separatist UCP caucus have shown their true colours time and time again." Alberta NDP deputy leader Rakhi Pancholi is calling on Premier Smith to unequivocably denounce MLA Jason Stephan's position on the sovereignty referendum

This is not the "Epstein War" — it's a war that could finally bring freedom to the people of Iran, who have for 47 years lived under oppression the likes of which we in the west cannot even begin to comprehend. Please don't gloss over their suffering 'cuz you don't like Trump.

Here's what government-run grocery stores looked like in USSR, btw. ☠️☠️☠️

Hey asshole, @WabKinew other than being a total fucking idiot in terms of what you’re saying, didn’t you get drunk and beat your girlfriend?

@stayfreealberta @nenshi Well now, we can all report him to the HATE program.

Dear Mr. Nenshi, "Mend your speech a little, lest it may mar your fortunes." — William Shakespeare I am writing to you today with this thought in mind. I felt disappointed and concerned when I see broad labels, such as 'separatist', used to describe supporters of an Independent Alberta, because it feels dehumanizing to me and seems to contradict the ANDP's policy on harassment. I would appreciate it if we could commit to using people-first language, such as 'people who support an independent Alberta,' so that we can maintain the dignity of all groups in our public discourse. I have attached the policy excerpt for your reference. Thank you for your time and leadership on this matter. Sincerely, A person who supports Alberta Independence CC: @GCarabine

Not a single member of the UCP campaigned as a separatist in the last election. But not a single one signed a pledge this year saying they love Canada and oppose separatism. Now we know why. This is a separatist government and a separatist Premier. They don’t just pander to separatists. Many of them are separatists. It’s time for them to come clean and tell Albertans who they really are and where they really stand. ctvnews.ca/calgary/articl…

@GreatBig_Sea @CraigBaird A foul mouth evil person. If Canada didnt have CANCON, where her music was forced on us, she would have been a nobody. Zero talent, zero class.

@CraigBaird Also, one of the most hated women in Canada, so there's that....

Happy birthday to Jann Arden, born on this day in 1962 in Calgary! Through her career, she has won eight Juno Awards (out of 19 nominations), two Canadian Screen Awards, the Order of Canada and has a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. She has 17 top ten singles from eight albums.

You mean he supports fairness for female sports by banning cheating males from competing against women? Good. How it should be.

@JasminLaine_ Can't wait for Trump to tell Canada to fuck off.

This is so unhinged

I’m really fucking sick of a corrupt government dictating my life. Fuck this shit.

Thank you Red Deer. The questions are getting better, and that tells me folks are having good discussions about Alberta's future. I'm also hearing a lot of stories about aggression towards our movement. That uncomfortable feeling is your government bearing down on you, and It's not going to ease up. Bravery in the face of an overwhelming opponent comes from conviction, and from standing side-by-side together.

@liberal_party BBBBBBBUUUUUUULLLLLSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHIIIIITT

NEW: Canada has met NATO’s 2% defence spending target — half a decade ahead of schedule. We’re moving with speed and scale to build a stronger, more independent, and more secure country.

@Jukehorse50 Wow, for someone you have never met, he sure is taking up all your head space. Here's a little song you can play to yourself every time your TDS takes over your peanut size brain.

I hate Donald Trump. I hate his face. I hate his smirk. I hate his voice. I hate his stunning ignorance and his arrogance. I hate his contempt for women and people of color. I hate his ill informed abuse of power. I hate his greed. I hate everything about him.

@ryangerritsen So then the Governor General should be fired also. Her statement was in English.

Over a video not spoken in French. Think about that. Could Quebec be more petty?

So with oil pushing US$ 100$ for wti why does alberta still have a 13 cent per liter tax on retail gasoline? @ABDanielleSmith

While preparing for a brief on the independence petition due tomorrow, I came across this from the Supreme Court of Canada that is worth sharing: “The right of the people to discuss and debate ideas forms the very foundation of democracy… For this reason, the Supreme Court of Canada has assiduously protected the right of each citizen to participate in political debate... Permitting an effective voice for unpopular and minority views — views political parties may not embrace — is essential to deliberative democracy. The goal should be to bring the views of all citizens into the political arena for consideration, be they accepted or rejected at the end of the day. Free speech in the public square may not be curtailed merely because one might find the message unappetizing or the messenger distasteful… The ability to engage in effective speech in the public square means nothing if it does not include the ability to attempt to persuade one’s fellow citizens through debate and discussion. This is the kernel from which reasoned political discourse emerges. Freedom of expression must allow a citizen to give voice to her vision for her community and nation, to advocate change through the art of persuasion in the hope of improving her life and indeed the larger social, political and economic landscape… Freedom of expression protects not only the individual who speaks the message, but also the recipient. Members of the public — as viewers, listeners and readers — have a right to information on public governance, absent which they cannot cast an informed vote.” These are words from the Supreme Court of Canada that recognize the importance of debate and discussion, even when the views are unpopular, uncomfortable, or distasteful. So when someone tries to shut down the conversation, shame you, or tell you certain topics should not even be discussed, remind them of that. The answer is not silence or suppression. A petition, a debate, even a controversial idea, these are not failures of the system. They are expressions of it. The real risk is when we start deciding which views are acceptable to be heard. Because once that line starts moving, it does not stop where you think it will. So the question is: Are we prepared to actually live this principle or do we only support it when we agree with the message? Because the more you know and understand, the more effectively you can participate, ask better questions, and actually effect change.

Andrew, this is one of those arguments that sounds neat until you remember Canada didn’t build its Constitution in a quiet room with everyone nodding along. “Other countries don’t have it.” That’s true. And other countries didn’t need it to get their constitutions signed in the first place. Section 33 exists because without it, there likely wouldn’t have been a deal at all. Even Jean Chrétien later acknowledged Canada probably wouldn’t have ended up with a Charter without that compromise. That’s not some quirky add on. That’s part of the foundation. Your Globe piece treats the clause like an outdated flaw Canada should move past, as if we just forgot to remove it once things settled down. But it was put there deliberately to balance power between courts and elected governments, especially in a country where provinces were not about to hand everything over to judges. And that part gets brushed aside. You frame Canada as the odd one out. But what Canada actually did was make the tension between courts and legislatures explicit. Section 33 is narrow, it has to be declared openly, and it expires after five years unless a government stands up and does it again in public. That is not sloppy design. That is accountability built in. What you are really arguing, underneath it all, is that courts should have the final word every time. Which is a bit rich coming from someone who often warns about concentrated power and democratic drift. Because here is the question your column dances around: Why is it somehow more democratic to give the final say to unelected judges, permanently, than to let elected governments make a limited, temporary override that voters can reward or punish at the ballot box? At least with Section 33, the public can see it, react to it, and vote on it. That is not perfect, but it is visible and it is accountable. You have argued before that the clause cheapens the Charter, that it is something governments should resist using. Fine. That is a real argument. But the people who wrote the Charter did not include it as a character test. They included it because they knew rights questions are not always clean or universal. They are shaped by regions, cultures, and real world pressures. And in a federation, those pressures do not disappear just because a court ruling lands. So no, the real issue is not that other countries do not have this clause. The real issue is that Canada had to bring provinces on board, protect their role, and still create a national Charter that worked. Section 33 was part of that deal. You can argue it is used too often. You can argue it is used badly. But treating it like some embarrassing mistake we should quietly erase after the fact is not really analysis. Please retire. Your opinions are outdated and unaligned with the issues that matter to everyday Canadians.

@stevenmackinnon So are you going to ban the longest ballot group? Or let them manipulate another election?

Today, we are taking concrete steps to better protect our democracy. 🇨🇦 With the introduction of the Strong and Free Elections Act, new investments to counter foreign threats, and stronger government coordination we are acting to ensure our elections remain free, fair, and secure at all times.

Canadian federal government is doing all it can to ensure Canadians aren’t safe expose-news.com/2026/03/24/can…

I don't care what laws get passed in Canada. I'll continue to be the same sarcastic, government hating, truth spreading, unvaccinated plague rat that I've always been. Come and get me. Free speech is my hill.