Jason Kenney sure can't get enough of bullying LGBT kids

Jason Kenney's at it again, arguing that public taxpayers which include many who don't agree with retrograde Catholic beliefs, should have their tax dollars finance lessons that teach that LGBT people are "disordered."

Kenney even has the gall to claim his position is in favour of a "diverse society," when in fact it achieves the opposite, giving power to religious bigots to crush the lives of LGBT teenagers.  

This issue reinforces again my belief that no public tax dollars should be spent on religious schools, including Catholic ones, in Alberta, Ontario or anywhere else.  

Kenney's latest bullying of LGBT kids is in line with the weaselly candidate's past recent pronouncements.

Earlier this year, the anti-gay candidate argued that vulnerable teens who wish to join straight-gay alliances in high schools should be outed to their parents.  

You know, the kind of thing that might terrorize a closeted teen struggling with their sexuality.

On all of these issues, the slimy Kenney proves time and again how awful he is when it comes to human rights and equality, always siding with bigots.

No decent person who supports equality can have a kind thought or any support for Mr. Kenney.   

As Kenney appears to be the frontrunner for the upcoming United Conservative Party leadership against former Wildrose leader Brian Jean (who actually seems more reasonable on equality issues than Kenney) and social liberal Doug Schweitzer, this paints a fairly depressing picture of the future of Alberta politics.   I'm hoping somehow either Jean or Schweitzer can pull off a victory against the disgusting Kenney. 

Thankfully, the current NDP government is adamant that public tax dollars should not be spent to promote religious bigotry in publicly funded schools.  So at least that progressive policy will remain in place until the next election expected in 2019. 

Jagmeet Singh will change federal politics and Canada for the good

New NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh

Just a short note to express my happiness with Jagmeet Singh's resounding victory in the federal NDP leadership yesterday.

I did have a sense a couple weeks ago that Singh would prevail easily and that turned out to be the case. 

Singh is a star but he also seems to have all the goods needed for leadership success, including policy chops, vision, compassion, supreme communication skills, and charisma.  He commands attention and when he receives it, he impresses.

Like I wrote a couple weeks ago, I think many Canadians including many Quebecers will give Singh a chance and a listen and most will be impressed.   His turban, as a practising Sikh, ought not to offend anyone who listens to and understands Singh's story as to why he chose to wear a turban in the first place - as an act of rebellion in favour of social justice.

Some critics have written him off as a silver-spooned socialist who likes the finer things in life.  On that, I say, "So what?"  His description of his choices to dress impeccably well, as well as earn a law degree and even learn mixed martial arts, all fit in with a member of a visible minority who was "arming" himself against racism and oppression.  Singh's description of his personal history rings true to me and I find him extremely sympathetic.

Now, Singh will get the chance to challenge underlying / sub-conscious racism that still exists in Canadian society.  Just by standing on the leaders' stage, he'll confront old prejudices. 

In the end, his power as leader may indeed end up one day or year soon truly challenging Justin Trudeau's Liberals and Andrew Scheer's Conservatives for government.  He brings to this considerable strength and promise. 

I'm looking forward to watching him over the next several years as he begins the process of challenging for power in Canada.  It's true that Justin Trudeau's Liberals have disappointed many progressives and clearly stand too closely with the Conservatives on too many issues that need real action today.   Singh's NDP will provide a viable threat to the Liberals on the left and force them into action on progressive issues, or risk defeat and huge losses of support to their left-wing rivals in the next election.