Kathleen Smith

Oscars Schmoscars - The Ten 2012 Films That Deserve Your Time

2013-02-24T02:30:43-05:00

The Academy Awards have been a personal addiction since I was about 13 years old. In my misguided youth, watching Hollywood's "night of nights" was about the stars, the hype, the fascination with the eternal, perpetual motion Hollywood machine and the extravagances and facades the Oscars paid homage to. With maturity comes a far more discerning taste.

These days I watch the Oscars for one reason only: an excuse to have too many glasses of Moët while screaming out loud at my TV about the plethora of great films ignored by the industry in favour of kissing each other's over publicized asses for films that, when the truth is told, aren't really all that great. Also, I kinda enjoy the mantra of "eat a damn cheeseburger already" that I repeat each time an underfed Hollywood actress, airbrushed to within an inch of her life, graces the red carpet and bats her three inch long falsie eyelashes at Ryan Seacrest's pompadour.

There's no doubt there are other true film buffs like myself who realize that the best in film is lost, year after year, to the latest top paid actor in his blockbuster yet entirely lacklustre performance in the big money maker, studio saver, production of the year.(Russell Crowe ain't got no right in a musical. No right at all). I'm not alone in my search for quality, quiet films that hover in one's psyche long after the end credits. There is comfort in that thought. And having watched 273 films over the course of 2012 (I said I was a film buff), I'm not afraid to share my opinion. I'm no Jay N' J, (I suggest you check out their Oscar picks, they are far more knowledgeable than I), but film is my passion, surpassed only by my love of great literature (that's another list). So, for the film lovers, here is my "anti-Academy Awards" list.

These are the 10 films that stuck with me over the course of 2012, accompanied by their trailers, when I could find them. There are a few surprises, a couple that are nominated (because occasionally the Oscars get it right - a broken clock is correct twice a day, after all) and a few films you have likely never heard of but if you're a true film buff, won't want to miss.

10. Jeff Who Lives At Home

This little film will change everything you think you know about Jason Segal. It's brilliantly written, adeptly acted and is one of those films that years from now you will turn to a friend and say "remember that great film Segal did? The one that was so non-Segal? That was a great little film." Quirky, surprising, funny with a subtle tone of sad, this film is a quiet delight. "Jeff" is Segal's "Punch Drunk Love". Only Adam Sandler fans will get that reference.

9. Moonrise Kingdom

I'm going on the record as saying Wes Anderson is getting screwed out of the credit he deserves for this gem. Yes, I'm as tired as anyone of Anderson's love affair with Bill Murray, who seems to be the Johnny Depp to Anderson's Tim Burton. Still, don't let that dissuade you. If there is one thing Anderson is a master at it's taking the shame out of being a misfit, finding the absolute glory in those who "don't belong" and making normalcy seem insane. This could be his best film to date. Even if you're not an Anderson fan, this film is worth your time.

8. Safety Not Guaranteed

What? You've never heard of this film? Of course you haven't. It's a small, independent film that will make you question what is believable, what defines sanity, why and who we trust and our personal barriers to faith. This is a not to be missed film with an amazing performance by its male lead. "Safety" will leave you perplexed but jumping to your feet with pure joy at it's climax.

7. The Invisible War

One of the films on my list that made it on the Oscar list, this film examines the secret underworld of the US military's culture of sexual brutality against women in the forces. It's not an easy viewing, but it's an important viewing that examines the misogynistic environment women who volunteer to put their lives on the line for their nation face.

6. Perks of Being a Wallflower

I didn't want to like this film. I really didn't. Angsty emo misfit teens? Bad 80's music glorified? What could there possibly be to like about this movie? In short - everything. Like Anderson's "Moonrise Kingdom" before it, "Wallflower" makes being an outcast not only cool, but something to strive for. Its depiction of social pariahs is laudable, and Ezra Miller's performance as an out homosexual in a relationship with a closeted "cool kid" will break your heart. Emma Watson's seething and insipid performance aside, this film is well worth the time spent just for Miller's breakthrough performance.

5. The Sound of My Voice

Spellbinding. There is no other way to describe this film. Every performance is perfection, the premise is without flaw and you'll find yourself lost between reality and cult-like belief by the film's midpoint. Perplexing, disturbing... accuse me of hyperbole but I can promise you this film will be a conversation you bring up with friends who've taken the time to see it.

4. Insidious

I can count on one hand the number of films that have truly scared the bejeebies outta me: The Exorcist, The Omen (original), Silence of the Lambs (holy crap), Mothman (pretty sure I was ovulating that day because really, Mothman is horrible) and Insidious. Most horror films bore me to death - they lack originality and true scares. Insidious manages to provide both, and does so in an intelligent manner. Like a good scare? This is the film for you.

3. The Cabin In The Woods

There isn't much I could say about this film that the critics haven't already said in a raving fashion. The only "slasher flick" I've ever enjoyed as much as "Cabin" is the original "Saw". The premise of "Cabin" is so brilliant, the irony so spot on, the humour so perfect that this film survives even it's own incredibly weak ending. It's ironic. It's funny as hell. It's anything BUT scary. It is these things that make it worth your Friday night viewing. Plus, Bradley freaken Whitford. That is all.

2. The Sessions

Had you asked me what I thought of Helen Hunt prior to viewing The Sessions, I would've let loose with a long string of obscenities, interspersed with phrases like "are you kidding me?" and "how do YOU spell 'overrated'?" and "Twister. Enough said." The Sessions blew my impression of Hunt out of the water, and I couldn't be happier about it. Like "Sound of My Voice", every performance in this film is brilliant, but Hunt is a standout. Her portrayal of an emotionally detached sex surrogate is so damn courageous, so "non-Hollywood starlet" in its nature that the film is worth viewing just for that. She spends a great deal of this film naked, fully naked, full frontal nudity in very awkward and uncomfortable sexual situations in a movie that isn't about sex. I'd suggest you watch it just for her portrayal, but the film itself is a treasure. Plus: William H. Macey, people. WILLIAM H. MACEY. AS A PRIEST. This movie is on my "don't miss it" list.

1. Bully

Anyone who follows me online knows that I'm a documentary film buff - every Sunday in my home is "Documentary Sunday". I like to think of it as my way of staying informed, but truth be told it's more likely "Documentary Sunday" is my "hail Mary" against the TV crap I digest on a weekly basis. Regardless of that, "Bully" is, without a doubt, the most important film I saw during 2012. If you can watch this film without being moved, without reexamining who you are, how you treat others, what behaviour you model to your children and to your community, well... you're the owner of a dead soul. "Bully" changed how I engage online. It changed how I behave with my children. It changed my understanding of what bullying is and how we, as adults, encourage hostile and judgmental behaviour in our kids. You will not be unmoved when the end credits role. If you see but one film on my list, make that film "Bully". It's that important.

That's my list. But I'd love to hear what you watched this year that has stayed with you. Please make your recommendations in the comments section. I'm always looking for some new movie to sink my film buff chops into.

Jodie Foster's Closet is None of Your Damn Business

2013-01-14T16:24:01-05:00

Jodie Foster seemed nervous.

To any of her fans or any of us old enough to have grown up with Foster, she seemed more nervous last evening than she did as a young woman facing down hoards of media attention. But make no doubt Foster knew exactly what she was doing. When Jodi leaned over the microphone to accept the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award at the 70th Annual Golden Globes and said that she was ready to say something she'd been holding back on for many, many years, anyone who is a true Foster fan knew the announcement middle America was waiting for was not going to happen.

We also knew Foster wanted our full and complete attention because she doesn't do media stunts. She doesn't play these games. She was ready to be heard.

To those who expected Foster to announce publicly that she is gay, the speech was likely a disappointment. Certainly celebrity news opportunists like Harvey Levin and Perez Hilton were deleting hastily written posts for their websites when Foster said little more than "I'm single" as her big announcement. The subsequent outcry from some in the LGBTQ was perhaps far more surprising than Foster's refusal to publicly come out.

It seems lost on far too many people that what Foster is doing is actually ground breaking. In an age when LGBTQ artists and actors are being shoved out of the sexual orientation closet by their publicists and the media, Foster is taking a stand. And she is 100% correct in the stand that she is taking. Why she is correct is clear.

Foster understands that there will be no true equality until the question is irrelevant. The mere question itself is an act of discrimination. And those who insist she somehow owes it to the LGBTQ community to come out or to have come out years ago don't seem to understand that it is no more their right to ask that question or demand that of her than it is homo-obsessed Hollywood media's right.

Jodie Foster is not responsible to make your life any easier. She is not yours to claim. Her private life is not yours to own or to attach yourself to or to help you feel stronger about your decisions or being in the closet or being out of the closet.

She is not your property.

In the end, Foster said something last evening that went unnoticed by many - she has never been "in the closet". Her friends and family have known who she is since she was a teen. She just didn't make that the public or media's business.

You see, Jodie Foster was never in the closet and is now not out of the closet. And do you know why? Because the contents of that closet are none of your damn business.

Alberta Must End Funding of War on Gays

2013-01-13T18:24:27-05:00

When does the right to freedom of religious expression become an act of war?

Whenever Pope Benedict XVI opens his mouth.

In recent months the Pope has done everything he can to dehumanize those in the LGBTQ community and, by his actions, advocate for their death. Benedict has stated that gays are "not fully formed humans". He has stated that gays are "a threat to world peace". He has called gay marriage a "threat to humanity's future". He has publicly blessed Rebecca Kadaga, the Ugandan law maker who managed to push through the "Kill the Gays" bill in Uganda. Benedict has denounced gay adoption, stating that "no one has a right to a child" and children should grown up in a traditional marriage with a mother and father. And just recently the Catholic church in The United Kingdom declared that equal rights for gay couples are an infringement on the religious rights of Catholics and a form of discrimination against the faithful.

Dear Catholics: your right to religious freedom ends the moment those rights infringe upon the rights of others. The moment your Pope declared war on the LGBTQ community is the moment those rights should have come to an end in Canada and specifically in the Province of Alberta.

There is no arguing that the Roman Catholic Pope is the very portrait of homophobia, and although some would argue that he has a legal right to spread his message of hatred, the question must be asked in Alberta why our government is so willing to fund a school board that supports this hatred, this outright advocation for gay genocide. By what measure is the continued funneling of tax payer dollars to a school board with a curriculum in keeping with a religious organization that pays no tax dollars while spreading hatred world wide acceptable to any of us?

It's time the Government of Alberta addressed this issue. Because while Premier Alison Redford may show up at Pride in Edmonton, while she denounces the social conservatives in the Wildrose Party, while gender reassignment surgery is now covered by Alberta Healthcare, she is not addressing the daily issues faced by the LGBTQ community - the continued rationalization by those on the religious right that attacks on LGBTQ persons are somehow okay with their God, condoned by their church or by that picture of homophobia and gay hatred, Pope Benedict XVI.

Alison, your hypocrisy is showing. And we don't like the colour of it.

Furthermore, this government's refusal to protect gay students and teachers in the recent overhaul of The Alberta Education act is an affront to every person in this province. Their flimsy, myopic statement that education in Alberta "Should contribute to a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment" is a bandaid on a cancer and is entirely meaningless in light of the continued war on the LGBTQ community.

It's time this government addressed the public funding of any private or religious school in this province that condones such outright hatred and lies. We as taxpayers should demand a complete overhaul of The Alberta Education Act, demand that our tax dollars no longer go to any school fronted or supported by or based on a theology that does not acknowledge the equality of all Canadians, regardless of race, sexual orientation, or gender. The Education Act is being used as an instrument to discriminate and therefore is not acceptable and contradicts the Charter of Rights of this country - a Charter that states all Canadians are equal.

Hatred doesn't deserve our tax dollars, regardless of how fine a garment it wears. End the funding of the war on the LGBTQ community.

Most Fascinating Edmonton Twitter Accounts of 2012

2013-01-11T02:25:06-05:00

At the close of 2011, KikkiPlanet.com published a list of those we found to be the "Most Fascinating #yeg Tweeps" of the year. The post was a huge hit, and following its publication we were contacted by several tweeps who had been included on the list thanking us for not only the mention, but for the instant increase in followers as a result of their inclusion.

When 2012 came to an end, we thought about reprising the list, however in light of the upcoming #yeggies, we chose not to. Too much of a good thing is not always a good thing and with the #yeggies making their mark on the Twitterverse, Vue Weekly now including Tweeps in their yearly "Best of Edmonton" round up, and the premier report on all things #yeg Twittery, Mack Male's "State of the Twitterverse", our list was done away with.

Then, the requests came pouring in. It seemed many of you truly enjoyed our 2011 list and expressed disappointment we hadn't followed up with a 2012 version. Based on that demand (because we really weren't going to do this again - it's too much damn work), we relented and put out a call for nominations as well as put our heads together with some of our more devoted readers to come up with a Top Ten list.

We're doing this just a bit differently this year, giving our top ten with runners up just as we did for 2011 but our overall "Most Fascinating Twitter Account of 2012" is a stand alone honor. Here are our top ten:

READ AFTER THE GALLERY HOW AND WHY THESE TWEEPS MADE THE CUT..

#10. The Comeback Kid - Jamey Hopkins

I am followed by a suspicious number of cats.
— Jamey M. (@JameyMPhoto) January 10, 2013

Back in 2010, Jamey was on Twitter as "HeyItsJam" but took a hiatus and shut
down his first account while focusing on his photography business. He came
on strong in 2012, gaining 2000 followers over the course of the year with his
profile "JameyMPhoto". Tweeting about everything from his love for Paris to his
daily calendar, Hopkins has earned the top spot in this category.

Runner Up - Jerry Aulenbach

Checking out some houses with clients from BC. But first, they must taste @vsandwiches.
— Jerry Aulenbach (@ZoomJer) January 10, 2013

Yes, I know - did he ever leave? The truth of the matter is that the man best
known for his bacon fixation took a bit of a hiatus and lost interest in Twitter.
Inconceivable! Give the guy a break, cut him some slack. With four very young
children, his career as a realtor and his constant involvement in the Edmonton
Twitter community, exhaustion had to set in at some point. But Zoomjer has
battled back to almost full strength - and is smearing his greazy pork fat self all over
the stream again. We missed you, Jerry. Never leave us again.

Update: I've been advised that Jerry actually has FIVE kids. Really, Jerry?
Are you going for a full pound of bacon strips here?

#9. The Wild Card - Josh Bazin

Gawd, I hate entitled gamer bullshit.
— Josh Bazin (@joshbazin) January 9, 2013

You will never know what to expect from this Tweep. When you think he's
flattering you, he's actually cutting your inflated ego to the quick. When you think
he's insulting you, he's likely expressing his adoration in a way only he gets.
Often hilarious, more often than not biting, and seldom anything less than
entertaining, how he doesn't have more followers we don't know. But we're
willing to bet that changes in the very near future.

Runners Up - Wildsau & Tanis Miller

Ah yes, the good old #yeg evening news - where they start it with "Good evening" and then proceed to tell you why it isn't.
— Tom Sedens (@Wildsau) January 11, 2013

There isn't much to say about Wildsau that he himself hasn't already said,
and likely said it in a snarky, sarcastic, smart ass tweet. Fair warning -
he likes to creep on you when you least expect it and hit you with a response
that will leave you gobsmacked. And all meat references will be met with "you
said 'meat'. Hehehehehe". Take our word on that.

I just would like to know how (most) of you find the energy to do stuff like shower and put on pants. Because I can't do it all, people.
— Tanis Miller (@redneckmommy) January 10, 2013

One can't refer to The Redneck Mommy's popularity as "a cult following" -
this powerhouse of a woman is a bonafide celebrity. Tanis Miller was nominated in no
less than three different categories for our 2012 list. This category was not one of
them. So why put her here? Because Miller is far more than what you see on the surface.
Yes, she's a survivor. Yes, she's an inspiration. But more than that, Miller is a sassy,
smart mouthed realist with a wicked sense of humor and a "take no prisoners" attitude
we worship. Plus, she cut off all her hair way before Miley did it, bleached it blonde
and rocked that shit like nobody's business (she will love that we used "rock that shit"
to describe her transformation). For showing that "surviving" isn't all there is to life
and definitely not all there is to motherhood, Tanis Miller is our runner up.

And an honorable mention in this category:

All right, confession time. How many of you on my frigging timeline are high on cold medication right now. How many? #imwaiting
— Mr. Yegpie (@yegmagpie) January 10, 2013

We'd be remiss if we didn't give an honorable mention to @yegmagpie in this
category. Anonymous Twitter accounts have been verboten on our Top 10 list, but
this account has amassed a huge following. Delightful humor that any citizen of
Edmonton will immediately relate to forces us to acknowledge Edmonton's
favorite pesky critter as a true twitter contender.

#8. The Charity Case - Jennifer Banks

NEW JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE TODAY!! Sorry, excited.
— Jennifer Banks (@JenBanksYEG) January 10, 2013

As the driving force behind "Make Jen's Day", Banks wowed us all with both her
capacity to give and her ability to inspire. Her pay it forward spirit landed her on
Breakfast Television and resulted in a Fierce Woman of the Year nomination. But
her real claim to fame? Giving out absolutely ridiculous + K on Klout. Wondering
why you are "influential in small rodent hunting"? Chances are Jen is to blame.

Runner Up - Jessie Radies and Nadine Riopel

My cats are harassing my husband. #bossyFelines
— Jessie Radies (@jessieradies) January 8, 2013

Trying to research the ethics of offshoring - is it ethical to have some work done more cheaply overseas? Why or why not? Anyone?
— Nadine Riopel (@philanthusiast) January 7, 2013

Both these tweeps made their mark in the past year. Radies as a very vocal
advocate for sustainable food sources in our area and Riopel for her critically
acclaimed (by me) series on Edmonton's new, young breed of do-gooders and how they are affecting positive change in the community. More of this on our
Twitter feeds, please! People who inspire us with their involvement is always a
very good thing.

#7. The Politicians - Danielle Smith

No other politician in Alberta uses Twitter as effectively as Smith. Yes, Calgary's
Mayor Nenshi beats out Smith in terms of popularity, but Smith's use of Twitter
during the election was heads and tails above anyone else's. Redford may have
won the Premier's office, but Smith kicked proverbial ass on Twitter. Plus, she
mistakenly responded to a tweet about "erectile dysfunction" and was willing to
laugh at herself for doing so. Unfortunately, Smith has the writer blocked. So all
you get is a link to her Twitter profile, not a tasty tweet. The irony of her
blocking the writer when the writer is touting Smith's willingness to engage is not
lost on us. No idea why she blocked us. None at all

Runner Up - Thomas Lukaszuk

Another proof that Santa is Polish. Northpolish:-) RT"@amandaash: I just ate a dill pickle candy cane."
— Thomas Lukaszuk (@LukaszukMLA) January 8, 2013

The Deputy Premier didn't shy away from the trolls, the sock accounts and the
online political bullies before or after the election, was always willing to say
exactly what he meant and.... oh.... that unicorn like mane of golden hair in his
Twitter profile pic! Strong willed, strong minded and the man who brought the
insult "bottom feeder" back into popularity, how could we not include him here?
Plus, he's a snazzy dresser. Like, REALLY snazzy.

#6. The LGBTQ Rights Game Changer - Blake Robert

Catching up on #ableg. Gotta side with the WRP on a cheap, unnecessary shot at Anderson's faith from a press secretary. Deserves an apology.
— Blake Robert (@BRinYEG) January 5, 2013

Better known for his secret identity "Adam York", Blake Robert changed the
recent Alberta election when he tweeted a link to Allan Hunsperger's now
infamous "Lake of Fire" blog post. Up to that point there had only been
accusations and suspicions when it came to social conservatism in the Wildrose
Party. With that single link and two tweets total from the Adam York account,
Blake put a face on homophobia and gave Alberta voters a reference point on
how the WRP's conscience rights policy was about far more than they were
willing to admit. He's also to blame for every "Lake of Fire" t-shirt you saw at
Pride 2012 simply for letting us know the Lake of Fire existed. Jury is still out on
where this flaming water source is, although rumor has it it's located under the
ice rink at West Edmonton Mall. For being a major player in the election, Blake
Robert is the top winner in this category. By the way, he's not gay. Not that
there's anything wrong with that

Runners Up - Kristopher Wells & Adam Rozenhart, and I Dig Your Girlfriend

Here's the link to #nohomophobes on @cbcasithappens- We're under section 3 near the end. cbc.ca/asithappens/ep...
— Dr. Kristopher Wells (@KristopherWells) January 11, 2013

It was such a simple idea: develop a website that tracked homophobic slurs in
real time as a statement on exactly how discriminatory we are in our daily
language. Simple and powerful. The No-Homophobes website garnered international
attention (it even made CNN) and the man behind that, Kristopher Wells deserves huge
credit and accolades for his effort to help us understand ourselves and each other,
and change the language we use on a daily basis. Adam Rozenhart, a longtime favorite
with #yeg tweeps was a major player in getting the website up and operational. To
not include him here would be a sin!

Having a great hair-day = One of the perks of having your awesome femme girlfriend do your hair in the morning.
— IDigYourGirlfriend (@IDigYourGF) January 10, 2013

It was the podcast heard 'round the country! Terah and Janelle of the website
"I Dig Your Girlfriend" managed to get an exclusive interview with Danielle Smith,
leader of the Wildrose Party. Not only that, but they managed to get her on tape
saying that she would not delist gender reassignment surgery in this province.
BAM! Not only did their scoop make national news, it was the start of the party's
internal power struggle between social conservative Rob Anderson and libertarian leader
Danielle Smith (although they still deny any power struggle at all). Even better was
their "gay agenda", laid out for the first time for all of the public to see.

#5. The Survivor - Sheena Millar

Don't think I'm funny and then request my friendship on Facebook. It's not going to help our relationship. Trust me.
— Sheena Millar (@Arbitral) January 11, 2013

It would be impossible for us to share anything about Sheena she hasn't already
shared about herself, including the time she spent this past summer at the bedside
of the love of her life, @poprocketcomics, and the final moments of his life when she was
forced to make a very difficult decision. Through all of that, Sheena emerged as a
sarcastic Phoenix with what one of her recent dates called a solid case of "Twitter
Tourette's Syndrome". A member of our staff spoke with that date, known only as "Minion"
to protect his identity, and he's still not quite "over it".
For sharing her vulnerability, her #widowtweets, her sarcasm.... but most of all for being
the only woman in Edmonton to win a real live human being as a "door prize" at a fundraiser,
@Arbitral is the top survivor on #yeg's Twitter Island.

The Runners Up in this category are all of Greg's online friends and surviving family,
who number too many to mention individually. Greg, you are remembered, you are loved.
And you live on in those who love you.

#4. The Poli Spice Girl - Sheila Gunn Reid

Just saw one of my tweets stolen word for word. Some one is going to make a great Director Of Education for the Toronto Public School Board.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) January 10, 2013

Any Twitter feed with a political hashtag is in danger of becoming a self-
congratulatory monstrosity, but the #WRP feed turned "echo chamber" into an
online art form - before, during and after the election. There were a few stand
outs in that feed, but Gunn-Reid was heads, tails, and "natural boobies" above
them all. Smart with a biting wit, Sheila was never led astray by any of the red
herrings thrown her way by political foes. She's savvy as hell, she knows her
politics, and her favorite past time is throwing back a Sour Monkey shooter each
time someone calls her a "racist" (which she isn't, people). If 2012 was "the year
of the politically minded woman" in Alberta, Gunn-Reid is the conservative voice
that deserves your attention. I plan on drinking with her some day. Drinking a lot.
Fair warning: #TwitterGulag changes people. Sheila plays everything by prison rules
now.

Runner up - Mimi Williams

Some asshats just can't resist their asshattishness even when politely asked. Thus, for my 1st non-spambot block ever, drum roll, please ...
— Mimi Williams (@willmimi) January 10, 2013

If Gunn-Reid is the ballsy broad on the right, Mimi is her lefty counterpart.
Unwilling to shy away from anything, and just as unwilling to kiss the butt of
anyone on either side of the political spectrum, Mimi left a huge mark on #yeg
Tweeps in 2011. And if that mark hurt your myopic understanding of what is
happening in this country, she's happy there was a little pain to go along with the
bruise. And seriously, who doesn't love a broad who hands out "Daryl Katz, Oligarch"
posters as hostess gifts? By the way, Mimi - that poster now hangs in the offices of
KikkiPlanet.com and we thank you again for your generosity.

#3. The Local Hero - Constable Brendan Power of Edmonton Police Services

Happy 2013 folks. Health, happiness and hopes some egg head doesn't try to calculate a planetary orbit discrepancy for the Mayan calendar
— Cst. Brendan Power (@CstPower) January 1, 2013

It was one moment with an iPhone and a gun that resulted in what was possibly
the most poorly done CTV report of the year. During a standoff in Edmonton,
Constable Power - who was quite a distance from the actual site of the standoff
and knew the suspect was already in custody - took a picture looking down the
barrel of his gun and tweeted with a caption about the real life of an EPS member.
Then, some overly enthusiastic television reporter decided to turn that tweet into
a story that suggested dereliction of duty. The public outcry in defense of Power
filled the Twitter feed for no less than 48 hours and when the good Constable stated
he would be scaling back on his tweets, the outcry reached epic proportions. He stuck
around, thankfully. For serving, protecting, interacting and doing it all with no regrets,
we're pinning our Local Hero medal to the chest of EPS Constable Brendan Power.

Runner Up - Luke Fevin

Plane crash survivor Thanks God & says "He is Good". The familes of 3 others dead not so sure #atheistrollcall #atheism bit.ly/VGhDkh
— Luke Fevin (@According2Luke) January 6, 2013

Take on an entire school board? Why the hell not! When Fevin found out his kid
was being subjected to prayer in a non-religious public school, he bit back hard
and refused to back down. Taking on The Education Act and the Alberta Government,
Fevin continues to fight for the right of all students in the province to an education
free of religious influence. Atheists and Free Thinkers everywhere thank him and applaud
his courage and his immovable stand on this issue. Even the faithful pray for him - much
to his dismay. He also bears a striking resemblance to Daniel Craig (thus the nickname
"Double OH Fevin!") and has a delicious British accent. Not that this matters on Twitter,
but it still matters.

#2. The Wit - Marty Chan

Alex Jones' CNN meltdown was so bad I'll bet even Chris Crocker was embarrassed for him.
— Marty Chan (@Marty_Chan) January 8, 2013

If you don't think a children's author can't appeal to adults, you need to be following
Marty Chan - or as we "in the know" call him, "Chan the Man". Every tweet from this
amazing wit is a treasure, a delight, a laugh out loud observation on life in Edmonton
and current events. Chan manages to have that effect without venturing into the Twitter
gutter that far too many tweeps seem to dwell in. His clean, intelligent innuendos are
funnier than any toilet humor you'll find on Twitter. We received more than 30 nominations
for Chan the Man. He deserved everyone of them. Also, ask him who his muse is. He loves
that stuff.

Runner Up - Omar Moaullem

There's something beautiful about #AlexJones's Bieber rant. Especially where he actually screams "Ahhhh!" youtube.com/watch?v=_t3POf...
— Omar Mouallem (@omar_aok) January 9, 2013

With one tweet about "Truck Nuts" and their relation to "Dani Dollars" during the
Alberta election, Omar managed to win over fans and almost go viral. And thanks
to him people around the world think the official flower of Alberta is "truck nuts".
Wait - that actually kinda makes sense. If you like your wit dry, biting and sarcastic,
we highly recommend this tweep.

#1. The Reporter - Vassy Kapelos

If you're counting - that's now 5 of 8 members of the Premier's comms staff that have left in the last month. #ableg
— Vassy Kapelos (@VassyKapelos) January 10, 2013

Vassy came into her own this year both as a Global reporter and as a Twitter
personality. She live tweeted the election, the PCAA AGM (from the foyer because
reporters were not allowed into the actual AGM, the re-election of Barack Obama and
everything in between. She kept us abreast of what was happening in our city and
in our communities, and did it all with grace while still interacting with those
who tweeted in response. Vassy was the local face of Alberta Election Coverage and
has become an influential member of the #yeg Twitter community. Heir apparent to the
throne of the reigning Monarch of Edmonton mainstream media, Paula Simons? That
coronation is a LONG ways off. But this political broad held her own.

Runner Up - Josh Wingrove

Re: that Slate tweet, I remember writing about Apophis in university. Got a B. Prof didn't like my lede. She was wrong, obvs.
— Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) January 10, 2013

As the Edmonton corespondent for The Globe and Mail, Wingrove has
impressed with his involvement in the #WRP and #ableg feeds, garnering a solid
following along the way. He's sarcastic. He's opinionated. He's funny as hell.
He's been accused of being biased (by me) but he takes it all in stride. It's
possible he was even called an "unethical asshat" at one point (by me) but that
has no bearing on how influential he's become on Twitter. Keep up the good work,
Wingrove. Asshat. ;-)

Our Most Fascinating Twitter Account of 2012 should come as no surprise to anyone who is an armchair politico or a regular #yeg Twitter participant.

Dave Cournoyer

New Post: Three investigations kick-off 2013 in Alberta politics. bit.ly/VQIJoW #ableg #pcaa #wrp #cdnpoli
— Dave Cournoyer (@davecournoyer) January 10, 2013

When a local blogger becomes not only the voice of an election but one of the most influential political voices in the province, people should take note. And that is exactly what happened to this Daveberta blogger in 2012. If there was one word that defined Cournoyer and his feed during the past year, that word was "influence". Dave has been deservedly compared to American blogger Nate Silver, and he welcomes that comparison. Alberta Social Media see Dave as the voice of politics on a municipal and provincial level. Considering this isn't what he does for a living, it's all the more impressive that Cournoyer has as much influence as he does, and that mainstream media are now competing with him, as opposed to the other way around - and he's earned their respect as a peer. He's raised the bar on political blogging. He's factual. He's timely. If you follow only one person on our list, make Cournoyer "that person". You'll be better informed as a result.

On a personal note (and I don't get personal very often, so listen up people!) Dave is just a really nice guy, a damn fine human being and, to quote Judge Judy, "smarter on his dumbest day than you will ever be." I had the pleasure of meeting Dave in April 2012 on the set of Breakfast Television. There aren't many people I get nervous at the thought of meeting - I'm pretty much jaded and cynical and stuff, but meeting Dave was a personal thrill and an honor and I got a little "bumbly" in his presence. He does what he does from a place of true passion for politics and he does it with respect and intelligence. His top place on our list is well deserved.

As we did last year, we welcome your input on both our Top Ten list and any additions you'd like to make to it. Be sure to comment below and include YOUR favorite tweeps so that our readers can follow them, as well. Happy Tweeting, #yeg people. And be sure to get your nominations in for the 2012 #yeggies! I know the organizers are counting on your support for their debut awards!

Glass House of the Wildrose Party: Soliciting Funds From Olds College

2012-11-22T18:27:19-05:00

Following days of accusations that Lynn Redford, sister of Alberta Premier Alison Redford, had been involved in illegal donations during her tenure as the Government Relations officer at Calgary Health Region, and subsequent accusations on the part of the CBC that Alberta Health Services has been "wining and dining" on the taxpayer's dime for quite sometime, the Deputy Premier struck back Thursday during Question Period.

Thomas Lukaszuk first alluded to "something he would tell you about later" during his response to Danielle Smith's question with regard to what the Premier knew about "wining and dining" expenses as well as illegal donations to political parties on the part of the Premier's sister. And tell us later he did.

Although it seemed to go largely unnoticed, the Deputy Premier went on to state that Raj Sherman, Leader of the Liberal Party of Alberta, had in fact been part of the Covenant Health habit of submitting receipts for reimbursement that included alcohol. That however, was not the bombshell event of the day.

Lukaszuk then went on to state that the Wildrose Party had illegally solicited campaign funds from Olds College. Danielle Smith did not respond to the remark made by the Deputy Premier, but at the close of Question Period Lukaszuk tabled correspondence sent to Tom Thompson, President of Olds College.

Anderson Letter

The letter to Thompson is clearly personally addressed to him and the sender of that letter is Rob Anderson of the Wildrose Party. The letter is clear, as is the response of Mr. Thompson's office.

As for accusations that Raj Sherman was "wining and dining" on taxpayer funds, although the receipt clearly shows that on October 18, 2012 at approximately 2:00 pm, Mr. Sherman was "dining" on the taxpayer's dollars at Joey's Southside in Edmonton, the receipt is not itemized. The total including tip came to $100. Considering Mr. Sherman is a fairly healthy looking gentleman, one is hard pressed to believe he consumed a $100 worth of Joey's sliders, regardless of how delicious they may be. Without an itemized receipt, however, one can only prove that Mr. Sherman was definitely "dining" on the taxpayer's dime. Still, one would think that those submitting receipts would be required to provide more detail than a VISA slip.

Raj Receipt

A Wildrose Party Coup D'Etat (VIDEO)

2012-11-11T00:19:02-05:00

While the Wildrose and Progressive Conservative parties of Alberta were duking it out in the Legislature over the past ten days, and with the mainstream media focused on the Daryl Katz "One Cheque to Rule Them All" election donation controversy, something took place on social media that went unnoticed by most armchair politicos and online party supporters. How it went unnoticed remains a mystery because the accusation that was made is shocking enough to be deserving of both our attention and our concern.

For the past several months, rumours have been circulating of a fractured Wildrose Party about to be ripped asunder not only by its own infighting but by a clear act of subterfuge on the part of at least three party members. While the party has officially denied these rumours, Danielle Smith, the leader of the official opposition alluded to the possibility that the rumours are true during a recent interview with The Globe and Mail. According to the article, Smith worries that Alberta's opposition parties have been too quick to turf leaders and she is hoping Wildrose won't make that mistake.

It has not gone unnoticed that Rob Anderson, the Wildrose MLA for Airdrie and representative of the hard right so-con side of the party - Anderson being the man who insisted on running Alan "Lake of Fire" Hunsperger - has been stepping out into the spotlight more as of late. Then, just this past week, a video link hit local social media.

Yes, THIS really happened:

Wildrose Internals by x999999999x

It is easy enough to surmise from the video that an attempt at overthrow is at play within the Wildrose party and the rumors of the party self destructing are not only true, but the players are very clear. The source and maker of the video are anonymous, but the intended ominous message is clear:

Insurrection is at hand.

If one is to believe what is contained in the video, Rob Anderson, together with Shane Saskiw (former executive director, now the Wild Rose MLA for Lac La Biche), John Wescott (Saskiw's longtime friend who was appointed to the executive director position following Saskiw's departure), Saskiw's girlfriend Shannon Stubbs (who was working for the Legislature and the WRP at the same time, her contract personally approved by Saskiw) as well as several other party insiders - Grant Monsour, and Paul Collins (not as a co-conspirator but a passive enabler) among them - have methodically, precisely, systematically constructed not only an overthrow of the Wildrose Party's current leader, but an overthrow of the grassroots party itself. And thanks to the construct of the Wildrose party's constitution, Danielle Smith has very limited power. There is nothing she can do to stop it.

Smith, as many suspected, is little more than the media face of her party. There is nothing to stop her removal as leader, and there is nothing the so-con faction of the party would like to do more. After all, she was only meant to serve as a means to get the party into power. Furthermore, as a result of being surrounded by those very same people who would have her replaced as leader, it would seem Smith is mostly blind to what is taking place.

Why this should matter to a party that calls itself a "grassroots" movement is obvious. By all accounts, the Anderson/Saskiw/Wescott trinity has already gathered their dream team around them, and plan to stack the Wildrose board with hand picked so-cons. That is not grassroots. That is not transparency. This is not open government.

But why should this matter to Albertans? Why should those of us who voted against the Wildrose Party be concerned about the politics at play within the party itself?

The people of Alberta deserve a strong opposition. Knowing that, 34% of Albertans voted for the Wildrose Party. They voted for Danielle Smith. In many cases those same voters ignored the so-con policy and agenda of some party members, choosing to believe that Smith's words during her campaign were true - that the hard right faction in her party did not have the power to make their agenda the party's policy. They trusted in that. Now, in all likelihood, the official opposition is about to make fools of every Albertan who believed they were voting for a fiscally conservative, socially libertarian, grassroots party while simultaneously making a fool of their own leader.

What takes place during the Wildrose Party Annual General Meeting later this month will tell us how much of what is contained in the anonymous video is true. Will the party's leader be overthrown? Will the so-con faction within the party take over by ensuring a stacked board? Will the true grassroots supporters of the party stand up to be counted against Rob Anderson and his brotherhood of subterfuge? Will they stand behind the leader who took them to where they are now, or will they discard her in favor of a move to the hard right, thus ensuring they will never form a government in this province?

But most importantly, once the AGM has ended, will the people of Alberta have a strong opposition in the Legislature? At this point, all signs point to "no".

The game is afoot!

Kathleen Smith: Romney Gate - Closing Out The World

2012-11-05T07:43:02-05:00

May these gates never be closed. These words are emblazoned on the Peace Arch, a monument that is a dedication to the sibling-hood of Canada and the USA. The arch marks the border between British Columbia in Canada and Washington State in the US.

As a younger woman, I stood beneath the arch on countless occasions at the height of the Cold War. It was a time when there were far fewer allied nations and as a Canadian teen I knew my closest allies were those I could reach through the arch to connect with. In 1984 the Americans were not just my neighbors, they were my family in every sense of the word.

Suddenly, it's 28 years later. You find yourself in 2012 in the midst of the US election and you realize, with shock and awe that the gate is closing - not because of economics or war or terrorist threat or because a guard is standing at the border locking the gate in front of you - but in the name of blind adherence to ideology.

So we, Canada, stand at the gate. We peer over at what is happening to our southern sister and we wonder why she is so willing to close us and the rest of the world out. We ponder, debate and discuss what could've happened to drive us so far apart. We examine the differences between us and we struggle with those things we can't comprehend about life on the other side of the 49th parallel. As a result of those discussions, we come to a few conclusions:

We don't understand why gay marriage is even an issue for our southerly neighbors. It's not made much of a difference up here aside from better weddings, less contention and more happiness. And love.

We don't "get" the preoccupation with the wombs of American women. There are no restrictions on abortion in Canada and that has not resulted in our nation being destroyed by God, nor has it resulted in women running amok, having abortions whenever the urge strikes them. We're left aghast at rape being twisted into a part of God's plan for procreation, not to mention the mere use of words like "rape" or "incest" to validate why women should be able to make these decisions for themselves.

The backlash against providing medical care for all? That causes us confusion as well. Why wouldn't you want to save the dying, heal the sick without worrying if it's a small portion of your taxes that are giving them life? When we measure this up against your love of Jesus, we don't recall Jesus asking Lazarus for his coverage information, or telling Lazarus he's against "Godcare".

While we're on the topic of Jesus, all the "God" talk in your campaigns leaves us in wonderment. God isn't a candidate. God isn't fixing your economy or government. Jesus isn't sweeping down on the day of the inauguration to set everything right again because you voted for "that" guy, nor is he damning your nation to eternal hell because you voted for the other guy. Electing a candidate because he loves Jesus won't grant you a miracle that changes everything for the better. It confuses us that you think it will.

It's not naiveté that causes us to think this way. It's basic human decency.

There are many ways to close a gate, but the way to lock it tightly is to say no to equality, no to human rights, no to caring for the 47%, and the sick and the hungry and the dying.

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free... I lift my lamp beside the Golden Door.."

America, your lamp is dying. And your Golden Door is tarnished.

On Tuesday, November 6th, I'll gather with friends to watch the results of the election. We are a gay couple, a couple of hippies, a conspiracy theorist, a Mormon, a Catholic and several atheists and even more conservatives. We will drink together (not the Mormon or the pregnant Catholic right winger) laugh together, toast each other and love every moment of that evening. But until the final results show up on the television screen, there will be a sombre note hanging in the air and even the atheists in the crowd will be clinging to the faith that the United States of America will get it right.

From the heart of Canada to the heart of the United States of America:

Please, don't close the gate.

"Geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners and necessity has made us allies. Those whom nature has so joined together let no MAN put asunder." - John F. Kennedy

Motion 312 - Don't Blame Stephen Harper or the CPC

2012-09-26T04:48:02-04:00

After months of media and political hysteria, Motion 312 has returned to the floor and the accusations against Harper and the CPC have hit all new inflammatory levels. What has been lost in all of the rhetoric is the truth: Stephen Harper has stayed true to his word, maintaining his stand that the issue of abortion will not be reopened in Canada so long as he is Prime Minister. That being the case, how did we reach the point where the blame for Motion 312 and it's implications on the reproductive rights of women in this country are perceived to be solely with Stephen Harper and the CPC?

To answer that important question, a very brief examination of the history of 312 is required.

Kitchener Center Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth brought forth Motion 312, which calls upon Parliament to debate whether an unborn child is a human being and to examine the human rights implications of those findings. The Harper Government was so opposed to the motion that Woodworth's only option was to bring the motion forth as a private member.

As is required for all private member bills, Mr. Woodworth's Private Member's Motion 312 went before the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs' subcommittee on private members' business. There is a strict set of guidelines on what makes such a motion "votable" and members of the committee are held to those guidelines, whether they like it or not. The subcommittee is a non-partisan convention, made up of members from all parties. The Harper Government has no control over this committee. It was this committee that decided the motion was "votable", simply because they were bound by the procedures and regulations set forth in the guidelines.

The official comment of the subcommittee on Motion 312 was as follows:

This motion does not seem to fall outside federal jurisdiction; it does not clearly violate the provisions of the Constitution; it does not concern questions that are the same as ones already voted on by the House in private members' motions in the current session; and it does not concern questions that are currently on the Order Paper as items of government business.

As a result of the subcommittee's findings, on April 26th, 2012, Motion 312 came to the floor. At that point in time the CPC Party Whip, Gordon O'Connor, had the following comments to make:

The ultimate intention of this motion is to restrict abortions at some development stage in Canada. Trying to amend the legal rules governing abortion as is intended by this motion will not improve the situation, it will only lead to increased conflict as the attempt is made to turn back the clock. Society has moved on and I don't believe this proposal should proceed. As well, it is in opposition to our government's position.

Following those comments, O'Connor went on to reiterate Harper's stance on this issue by stating that the current government will not reopen the issue of abortion in this country.

Earlier that same date, NDP leader Thomas Mulcair confronted Stephen Harper during question period for a comment on Motion 312. Harper's response was clear, concise, and in keeping with his mantra on the matter of abortion throughout his leadership:

"In my case, I will be voting against the motion," Harper said.

When one examines the comments of the remaining federal parties, it is interesting to note that only the NDP have stated they will unanimously vote against the motion, according to Hedy Fry, Secretary of State for the Status of Women and Multiculturalism. And yet both Thomas Mulcair, leader of the NDP and Bob Rae, interim LPC leader, have declared this a free vote for their members, advising them to vote "according to their conscience."

Since April 26th, the media and politicians across this country have whipped the madding crowd into a frenzy, insisting that Motion 312 is a true risk to the rights of Canadian women while knowing full well that it is anything but. They've done this by focusing on a handful of CPC members who have announced they are in favour of the motion even though both the media and those in Parliament know this Motion hasn't the slightest chance of getting past it's second appearance on the floor, September 26, 2012.

Why would the media, the NDP and the LPC do such a thing?

It is one thing to report on those matters which directly affect the rights of women in this country. It is another thing entirely to use the very real fear women have of losing their reproductive rights to stir up a nation of those women for political gain, use their fear against them for nothing more than to sell a few more newspapers.In the case of Motion 312 that is exactly what has happened.

Regardless of what one thinks of Harper and CPC pro-life misogynists such as Jason Kenney (who voted in favour of the motion), this time around it was those who profess to be on the side of Canadian women who did us the biggest disservice of all. Rather than quell the fear of women, rather than act as true leaders would by expressing calm and reassuring us that Motion 312 is a non-issue, those leaders who profess to defend our rights decided instead to use us and our reproductive rights to further their own political agendas.

Those who profess to protect us used our fear to raise their profile. And for that it is they who deserve our chagrin, not Stephen Harper nor the majority of CPC members.

Daryl Katz - No Champion of the City of Edmonton

2012-09-13T00:40:08-04:00

Dear Daryl;

You don't mind if we call you by your given name, do you? After all, we've been in this mess together for quite sometime now and at this point one would hope we're beyond formalities. Yes, we know you're not one for familiarity, but perhaps just this once we could chat like friends and do away with social niceties. So, with that understanding and with all due respect....

What the hell, dude?

Yesterday we were all somewhat shocked when our city council announced that you and your business bros had made yet another demand on us for more money. You've had the support of a critical mass of Edmontonians for nearly two years and after the circus that was the "Arena Hearings" in 2011 - gosh, weren't they a big load of fun? - and the subsequent vote in favor of the arena deal by all but two of our city councillors, (Kerry Diotte and Linda Sloan, who took more than their fair share of heat for standing up and stating the deal wasn't good for Edmonton) we all kinda thought it was good to go, green flag, full speed ahead. Following yesterday's theatrics, the message we received was much different.

Edmonton, we have a problem. Abandon lift off.

When our good Mayor Mandel exited from Council Chambers to face the media scrum yesterday afternoon his face said far more than his words could ever say. What his face said was clear - Mayor Mandel is mad as hell and he's not going to take it anymore.

Daryl, here's the thing about our Mayor. He has his critics. He pretty much ignores them. He has his supporters. He kinda ignores them as well. Mandel marches to the beat of his own drum and he's willing to keep rhythm when he truly believes it's in the best interests of the citizens of Edmonton (or the best interests of himself) to do so. If you mess with Mandel's rhythm, the marching band is coming to a full stop. To top that off, when the pro Mandel parade marshall, city councillor Kim Krushell trades her baton for a flame thrower, there is gonna be some trouble. Our parade marshall had fiery eyes yesterday. Her flame thrower is fully fuelled.

Until yesterday you had unwavering support from some very influential Edmontonians - some great business people. Folk we look to for a future vision of our city. When even they aren't quite as supportive as they've been in the past...well...the rest of us get kinda nervous and stuff.

To add to the rest of this, many of those same supporters have stated time and time again that there is no way you, as an Edmontonian, as the golden son of our city, as a local business owner, would move this team. We've relied on your loyalty to the City of Champions and we naively saw you as a champion of the city.

Then the talk of your recent move to Vancouver comes up and following our city council's resounding "no!" to your demands, Seattle city council announces they've finalized the funding model for their new arena - and offered $80 million in concessions to an NHL team. Kind of interesting, don't you think? Especially given that Seattle is less than a 3 hour drive (precisely 49 minutes by private jet) from Vancouver. We're all pretty certain you wanted us to know that. We do. We read you loud and clear. But guess what - we still aren't biting and the following is why.

Daryl, we love the Oilers. Our hockey team is the soul of this city. The Oilers have stood as the one unifying force across gender, tax bracket, education, race. The Oilers belong to Edmonton. We, the people of Edmonton, built that team. You did not. You've made it very clear that the Oilers will not play in Rexall past 2014. You've even got the NHL's Boogeyman Bettman on your side. Oilers fans see exactly what you're doing and suggesting but understand this: your threats to come like a thief in the night and steal the very soul of this city are not only entirely unacceptable, they're tantamount to treason.

You call yourself an Edmontonian. You've claimed on many occasions to be a hearty supporter of both the city and of OUR team. You operate businesses here that are supported by the damn fine people of Edmonton. No one who considers himself an Edmontonian would ever consider robbing this city of it's soul.

If you pull the Oilers out of the City of Champions, pull your business out as well. Edmonton doesn't take kindly to traitors. If you need some schooling on how well we deal with owners who betray us call Peter Puck, buy him a Venté non-fat Macchiato and discuss while you overlook the Pacific Ocean.

You know that old saying "you can't go home"? That only applies when home doesn't want you anymore. So we hope you've packed a lot of umbrellas to keep you dry out there on the wet west coast because if you rob us of our soul you won't be welcome home again.

We may not be as high falootin as your west coast friends, or your Palm Springs golfing buddies, or Gary Bettman .... but Daryl, we know what loyalty means.

And we now see that you have none.

Sincerely,

Edmonton, The City of Champions

Hey Ladies, Are Those Political Speeches or the Vagina Monologues?

2012-09-05T05:20:23-04:00

For women who are politically minded, it's been one hell of a week. For feminists the word "hell" is the only apropos metaphor for what we've been subjected to.

It began with Ann Romney's shockingly Miss America-esque routine at the Republican National Convention last week in Florida, which one can only suspect was co-written by Sarah Palin.

Covering her mouth like a beauty pageant contestant when the crowd cheered for her, Romney then followed up her aging ingenue routine with a cheery "I've been all over this country and I know a lot of you guys" as she flailed out an arm and finger to the masses cloying at her feet. Then, as opposed to giving the crowd anything of note, Ann proceeded to share a lengthy tale about waiting for Mitt to get home from his mission for his church, and how they were married within a few weeks after his return, and some incredibly offensive pandering to feminists. The pundits may have adored the delightful faux blonde, but feminists everywhere cringed.

To add insult to injury, POTUS candidate Mitt Romney took the stage and proudly stated "And as America saw Tuesday night, Ann would have succeeded at anything she wanted to."

"Would have succeeded." I kid you not. In my opinion Mitt Romney is saying Ann "would have been successful" but she chose instead to have a lot of babies and devote her life to her church. Ann Romney has a BA in French from Brigham Young University, the post secondary institution known for handing out MRS degrees to young women while they wait for their Mormon missionary boyfriends to return from abroad.

Ann is a member of a church that believes polygamy is God's plan, a man can't enter the the highest level of heaven without more than one wife, and if she reaches the highest level of heaven her eternal reward will be popping out spiritual babies to populate another planet and follow her husband God's side for...well... all eternity.

But let's not hold that against her. Let's hold against her the fact that she allowed her husband to stand in front of an entire nation and say: "Ann could've been successful."

Shame on you, Ann.

The assault against feminism wasn't limited to the RNC and the GOP. The Democratic National Convention gave us Tammy Duckworth, a Thai-American veteran of the Iraq War running for Congress who was a keynote speaker at the DNC just last evening. There is no arguing that Duckworth is an inspirational human. She lost both legs in the Iraq War and she is one tough soldier, by any measure. But on Tuesday night, Duckworth chose to wave the vagina flag and it didn't play well.

Someone should've explained to Duckworth prior to her taking the podium that stating your accomplishments in the context of being female as though being a female is an immediate hindrance doesn't play well with feminists anymore than a male politician stating the length of his penis.

It would've been far more informative to hear Duckworth advise us of her credentials as opposed to her "equipment." Because, for the most part, feminists don't care about what's between your legs. That's kind of the point. And when Duckworth walked away from the podium no one in the audience was anymore aware of what her credentials were. She's a war vet. She lost her legs in the war. Yes, her sacrifice for her country was huge, but so was Lieutenant Dan's and that of every other vet who served his country. (Okay, so Lieutenant Dan wasn't a real war vet but you get the point.)

If Ann Romney and Tammy Duckworth were not enough of an assault against feminism, what happened in Canada on Tuesday evening should be.

After months of spewing hateful anti-anglophone, anti-First Nations, pro-separatist rhetoric, Pauline Marois of the PQ was elected Quebec's first female premier. Marois' entire campaign was based on dividing the great nation of Canada. She has suggested bills that would ban any non-French person from seeking public office in Quebec.

She has publicly and loudly stated that "Quebec will be a sovereign nation" -- words that would be considered treasonous in most free nations around the globe (and under the USA's Patriot Act would result in an all expenses paid vacation at GITMO) but somehow Marois' hate speech is entirely acceptable in Canada, a nation that prides itself on its "hate speech" laws. Marois the Xenophobe (Mme X, for short) has riled up the militant separatists, whipped them into a near FLQ frenzy, and the anglophone media with the exception of the CBC, has largely ignored her home grown terrorist rants against Canadian Anglophones.

During Marois' acceptance speech on Tuesday evening, shots rang out. One man was killed, another was sent to hospital. Marois was immediately whisked off stage. There was a fire set someplace nearby. A man in a bathrobe and a belaclava, whom is reported as saying "the Anglophones are awakening", was arrested.

Marois, undaunted, returned to the stage and had this statement to make:

"This is an example of a woman head of state. Voila."

Throughout her campaign, Marois brought up her sex several times. In a country where Alison Redford and Danielle Smith ran campaigns that had nothing to do with their sex, where Christy Clark has screwed up as much as any man in power has ever screwed up, where Helena Guergis was twice the politician her wannabe politco husband ever was, and Kim Campbell served as Prime Minister decades ago (we still count that, right?) such remarks are not only entirely inappropriate, but entirely irrelevant.

Marois sex has no more to do with her ability to remain calm than it does with the xenophobic comments she made throughout the campaign.

There was one, bright, shining moment for feminists in the past week. Two words: Michelle. Obama.

On the very night that Pauline Marois was working to divide a nation, Michelle Obama, or "FLOTUS" as she has been affectionately referred to, took the stage at the DNC and delivered a keynote speech that was aimed at uniting a nation. By the end of her speech every feminist in North America was cheering her on.

Obama stood there, with her Harvard degree, with her devotion to her nation, with her pride in her children and her husband and herself and she laid it down with no apologies. She spoke as a lawyer. She spoke as a citizen. She spoke as an equal partner and as a mother. But at no point in the 29 minutes she held that audience captive did Michelle Obama ever use her vagina as a credential or as an excuse for anything. What feminists bore witness to as Michelle Obama delivered her speech is that which we have fought to be for decades:

An equal.

And when Obama said "after everything, I am still 'Mom in Chief'," every feminist in North America heard her message, loud and clear.

It's not about not about being a supportive wife. It's not about being a mom. It's not about sacrificing your career or using your vagina as an excuse for why you "could've been" successful, or as a credential for public office, or as a shield against the hate you spew. It's about one thing: the right to choose what it is about for you. On Tuesday night, Michelle Obama stood for that choice and made no apologies for her own.

And then she strutted herself offstage to a Beyonce song.

Who run the world?