Opinions
COVID crisis is no excuse for education layoffs
By Medicine Hat News Opinion on March 31st, 2020
jappel@medicinehatnews.com@MHNJeremyAppel With a proverbial snap of the fingers, Premier Jason Kenney eliminated one per cent of Alberta’s entire workforce. In the midst of an unprecedented global health crisis, the government announced a temporary layoff of 26,000 workers – educational assistants, clerical workers, substitute teachers, bus drivers and custodians – as if more unemployment will make ... Read More »
2 responsesLaying It Out: We need a new health minister, stat
By Medicine Hat News Opinion on March 28th, 2020
Enough is enough. People will die here. Ongoing adjustments to the Medicine Hat News has left Laying It Out with a lot less space to work with than previously, so we’ll have to get straight to the point. Tyler Shandro should resign immediately as Alberta’s minster of health, and if he won’t resign then the ... Read More »
8 responsesLaying It Out: This crisis is distracting, don’t let it be
By Medicine Hat News Opinion on March 21st, 2020
If you’d like to place a bet on who is playing political games at a time when the focus should be on anything but, look for the one who makes a point of saying, “Now is not the time to play politics.” With everyone’s attention squarely on the spread of COVID-19 and what it will ... Read More »
4 responsesOpinion: Hope in a time of unprecedented crisis
By Medicine Hat News Opinion on March 17th, 2020
jappel@medicinehatnews.com@MHNJeremyAppel There’s no question our world has changed immeasurably in less than a week. Seemingly overnight, our daily lives have transformed into the beginning of every post-apocalyptic science fiction movie. But the choice of what happens next is in our hands. Please, for the love of all that is sacred, listen to the advice of ... Read More »
2 responsesGuest Column: Alberta’s parks belong to everyone
By Medicine Hat News Opinion on March 16th, 2020
Alberta’s parks are part of our identity. They are representative of our past – many influential Albertans have a park named in their honour – and they serve as a gathering place for the young families that represent our future. I am deeply troubled by plans to fully or partially close 20 of our provincial ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Opinion: Governments, union heads playing on workers’ emotions
By Medicine Hat News Opinion on March 16th, 2020
Union and provincial government relations have never been more strained and unfortunately each side is using the workers as pawns. It has been well documented where Jason Kenney and his Alberta government’s mutual love (sarcasm off) with provincial unions is unprecedented, but in Saskatchewan, government/union relations are not a lot better. There’s quickly growing tension ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Laying It Out: We don’t need a pandemic of failed leadership
By Medicine Hat News Opinion on March 14th, 2020
Since I’ve been home sick the past couple days, and since COVID-19 is affecting everyone’s life at this point, I suppose it wouldn’t do much good to do my planned piece, Economists: For Cryin’ Out Loud, Quit Listening. At the same time, most everyone with a keyboard has the best course of action for dealing with ... Read More »
3 responsesOpinion: Keep calm, but take action on COVID-19, economy
By Medicine Hat News Opinion on March 12th, 2020
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant The saying is “keep calm and carry on,” and we’d all do well to heed that message going forward. It’s not a license to be passive or nonchalant in response to danger, such as the rapidly evolving health crisis caused by the spread and seriousness of the novel coronavirus, or the economic pain that ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Opinion: A cautionary tale from Ontario
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on March 10th, 2020
jappel@medicinehatnews.com@MHNJeremyAppel Last week, the Ontario government caved on a couple of its major demands in its ongoing labour dispute with the province’s teachers, which could be a foretelling of developments to come in the near future here in Alberta. Ontario’s four teachers’ unions representing elementary, high school, Catholic and francophone schools, have been on rotating ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Guest Column: Government isn’t listening to physicians
By Medicine Hat News Opinion on March 9th, 2020
Over the past weekend I was somewhat confused when colleagues and patients began complimenting me on the advocacy opinion piece I had written in the newspaper. It took me a little sleuthing to realize someone had posted on social media an editorial I had written in 2014, and it had gone somewhat viral being rapidly ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!
