Kim Mason

Trevor, we've been down this road before. I was there. In 2008, as a newly elected PC MLA, I witnessed one of the most remarkable caucus debates of my political career. Minister Lindsay Blackett brought proposals concerning Alberta's Human Rights Commission to caucus, amid pressure from Ezra Levant and others claiming it entertained frivolous complaints. There was discussion about abolishing the Commission and leaving hate-speech matters to the Criminal Code. I was so opposed that I walked out, declaring, “This is not the Progressive Conservative Party of Peter Lougheed or Ralph Klein!” George Rogers and the late Hon. Gene Zwozdesky followed me out and brought me back. Their advice? Never walk out of caucus. Stay, debate and persuade your colleagues. Normally, cabinet proposals passed quickly. This debate lasted nearly a month. We heard deeply personal stories of discrimination. First, racialized MLAs shared their experiences. Then older colleagues of German ancestry described discrimination their families endured after WWII. Finally, Premier @EdStelmachMLA spoke about discrimination he experienced because of his Ukrainian heritage and accent. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. Premier Stelmach demonstrated extraordinary courage and empathy! He announced we would NOT abolish the Human Rights Commission. Instead, we'd strengthen its processes, preserve its independence and screen out frivolous complaints. In 2009, we passed Bill 44, formally adding sexual orientation to Alberta's human rights legislation, following the Supreme Court's landmark 1998 Vriend v. Alberta decision. I was enormously proud of Premier Stelmach that day. He didn't ask for a caucus vote. He'd made his decision as Premier and asked for our support. I remember thunderous applause from most of caucus with the exception of @FreeAlbertaRob & @TedMortonMLA But the debate didn't end there. In 2014, as Liberal leader, our House Leader Laurie Blakeman introduced Bill 202 to protect LGBTQ students and guarantee gay-straight alliances in schools. It divided the PCs and created controversy for Danielle Smith's Wildrose Party. The late Premier Jim Prentice introduced a competing Bill 10. I voted against its original version alongside Laurie, Danielle and others. Following public opposition, Premier Prentice reconsidered. Revised legislation protecting gay-straight alliances passed in 2015. Again, leadership mattered. Human rights protect ALL Albertans: Indigenous peoples, racial minorities, women, people with disabilities, religious minorities and LGBTQ communities. Frivolous complaints should be dismissed, but that doesn't justify dismantling protections against discrimination. Freedom of expression and protection from discrimination are not mutually exclusive. Nearly two decades later, we're revisiting the same debate, again following pressure from Ezra Levant. @ABDanielleSmith should remember the lessons of Premiers Stelmach and the late Premier Prentice. True leadership means defending the rights of ALL Albertans, even when it upsets your own supporters. Weakening human rights protections to satisfy one political constituency would be morally wrong and politically disastrous. Then again, the Premier does have a history of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. :) @nenshi @Alberta_UCP @UCPCaucus @albertaNDP @TheBreakdownAB @ryanjespersen @cspotweet @LukaszukAB