After yesterday's dumpster fire pressers by both @jkenney and @TracyAllardUCP, I have a few things to say on a more personal note. Maybe that will penetrate thick layer of privilege covering you both. #ableg #abpoli /1

My mother was hospitalized from October through early December when we moved her into a LTC facility.

I can count on one hand the number of times I was able to visit her during that time. Hospital units were locked down to visitors for most of that period. /2
I was only able to take my father to see her in hospital once in that 2 months - they've been together 64 years. /3
Then, when she transferred to the LTC home, she was immediately quarantined for 14 days. I wasn't able to take my father to see her until Dec 23. /4
On Dec 24, the home went into COVID lockdown because of a staff member testing positive.

We had plans to be with my mother on December 25. One little bit of normal we could have had vaporized on one test result. /5
My father and mother who saw each other every day for 64 years have seen each other a total of 3 or 4 times since October.

Not just because of my mother's health, but because of the restrictions that COVID has placed on our lives. /6
... and you thought it was "okay" to travel to Hawaii because you've done that "every year for 17 years"?

I can't even begin to describe the callousness that represents to me. /7
Here we have a government telling Albertans "don't travel", "don't gather socially over Christmas" because of COVID, and you have the unmitigated gall to tell us that it's alright that YOU went abroad because "it's your family tradition". /8
My partner's family has its own crisis going on with a parent who is terminally ill. (and hospitalized briefly twice before Christmas.

Because of their illness, and the dangers COVID presents, we didn't visit them over Christmas either. /9
... why? Because your government's directives specifically said _DON'T_, and common sense said "DON'T".

... yet you and a bunch of your colleagues all thought it was a good idea to go jump on a plane and holiday it up in Hawaii. /10
That puts all of you firmly in the camp of "do as I say, not as I do". Last time I saw stuff like that, it was reading about pre-revolution France. /11

More from Government

Long thread: Because I couldn’t find anything comprehensive, I’m just going to post everything I’ve seen in the news/Twitter about Trump’s activities related to the Jan 6th insurrection. I think the timing & context of his actions/inactions will matter a lot for a senate trial.

12/12: The earlier DC protest over the electoral college vote during clearly inspired Jan 6th. On Dec 12th, he tweeted: “Wow! Thousands of people forming in Washington (D.C.) for Stop the Steal. Didn’t know about this, but I’ll be seeing them! #MAGA.”


12/19: Trump announces the Jan. 6th event by tweeting, “Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there, will be wild!” Immediately, insurrectionists begin to discuss the “Wild Protest.” Just 2 days later, this UK political analyst predicts the violence


12/26-27: Trump announces his participation on Twitter. On Dec. 29, the FBI sends out a nationwide bulletin warning legislatures about attacks https://t.co/Lgl4yk5aO1


1/1: Trump tweets the time of his protest. Then he retweets “The calvary is coming” on Jan. 6!” Sounds like a war? About this time, the FBI begins visiting right wing extremists to tell them not to go--does the FBI tell the president? https://t.co/3OxnB2AHdr
Let me take a stab at this after years of reporting on Marine One, HMX-1, Continuity of Government, etc. None of this is definitive, but it could help explain what folks are seeing:

1.) HMX-1, which flies the VH-3D and VH-60N 'White Top' helicopters used to move... 1/X


the President and VP around, those helos being called Marine One or Two when either is onboard, need to train. The urban landing zones, including WH and VP Residence, are not simple to get in and out of. So, crews need some currency training. They are not just tasked with... 2/X

moving POTUS and VP to get them around the region and to Andrews AFB for long-haul flights, they are essential to Continuity of Government operations. This means that if a threat were to emerge, they need to be ready to snatch POTUS and VP in minutes. This is partially... 3/X

why they have a full forward operating location at Naval Support Activity Anacostia, just 3 miles from the WH. As such, practice is important and considering the state of things, it is critical now more than in any recent memory. 4/X

2.) Considering what happened last week, including mobs of Trump supporters screaming in unison to hang the VP for doing what the constitution states, absolutely despicable in every way, security has been tightened just as it has been all over. Using the helicopters instead.. 5/X

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