Paula Simons

We had Dave Cornway on Tappert Exchange recently to talk a little bit about some of the... electoral boundary stuff, but also the implications of this referendum and how much of an undertaking it's going to be to count the vote all over the province.

And as this episode comes out at noon on September 25th, Karen and Linda, our co-founder, is talking to Senator Paula Simons about the referendum questions and all of the craziness that's happening in Alberta and what it's like to be a senator from Alberta during this time.

So I'm really looking forward to that conversation and I'm sure we'll write something up about that as well.

Okay, we got one more thing to tell you about.

No. No.

And there's been, uh, Paula Simons, who is a senator and a former Edmonton Journal columnist, uh, wrote a piece the other day saying that she's talked to some people who have said that they're boycotting the referendum, and these are, like, very smart, well, you know, well-educated, you know, university professors.

It's the same people who boycotted the 2024 presidential election to, you know, send a message.

Um, it doesn't work, folks.

One that is getting some more attention is, quote, Do you support the government of Alberta introducing a law mandating that only Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and individuals with an Alberta-approved immigration status will be eligible for provincially funded programs such as health care, education, and other social services? Unquote.

An independent senator, Paula Simons in Alberta, called that illegal.

That particular question, quote, cruel and petty, rabble-rousing, unquote.

How do you describe that question?

And she was taking issue with the characterization.

I think it was following my I don't remember exactly, but I think it was following my conversation with Senator Paula Simons.

She calls the nine questions outside of the separation question.

The other nine, she calls them the noxious nine questions.

Because 25 years ago may be long enough for history to become memory, but today and every day, especially on September 11th every year, we promise to never forget.

Senator Paula Simons will join us to share her memories.

We'll be hearing from Real Talkers.

I'll share mine.

We were all gathered around the TV in the newsroom watching that second tower get hit." Everybody's got their story, and I'm sure that that includes, uh, a proud senator out of Alberta.

Uh, she is a longtime newspaper columnist, a nationally recognized newspaper columnist, uh, and a guest that always brings it when she appears here on the show.

It's a pleasure to welcome back to the show Senator Paula Simons.

Uh, Senator, it's a, it's a somber anniversary.

[upbeat music] All right, coming up on the next episode of the show, looking forward to it, and i-it's hard to believe, uh, I will say, we're gonna be sitting down with a Canadian senator that I know many of you have appreciated for a long time through her national newspaper award-winning career as a columnist, and of course, now serving Canadians in the Red Chamber.

Paula Simons is gonna join us one-on-one.

We'll talk about that Canada-US trade war, the Alberta referendum, and much more.

And of course, again, can you wrap your mind around this? Twenty-five years since 9/11.