We all remember, the classic scene from Martin Scorsese's masterpiece, Goodfellas..Jose Pesci and Ray Liotta, rest his soul..They are chatting in a restaurant, but Pesci's Tommy DeVito, challenges Liotta's Henry Hill, over something he may have said, that was insulting..Henry says, he's funny, meaning nothing by it..DeVito let's loose in response, with this scary diatribe .... GoodfellasGoodfellas ."Let me understand this cause, ya know maybe it's me, I'm a little f--ked up maybe, but I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you? I make you laugh, I'm here to f--kin' amuse you? What do you mean funny, funny how? How am I funny?".Keep in mind, this is a guy who kills for fun. His hot-head reputation, infamous..It ends in a big joke with everyone laughing, but it remains one of the best mob movie scenes ever, and, apparently a lot of it was ad-libbed by the actors..Well, it happened again this week..I made the mistake, of showing Burt The Red Deer Cat, the article in the Western Standard, which had the headline: Kenney attacks Smith's proposed Alberta Sovereignty Act.. BurtBurt .In that piece, our beloved premier said in his weekly interview, “The proposal is for Alberta basically to ignore and violate the Constitution in a way that is unprecedented in Canadian history. To not enforce the laws of the land, including federal laws, which include the Criminal Code, is nuts.”.That, in fact, Danielle Smith's proposed Alberta Sovereignty Act is making the province a "laughing stock" in the rest of Canada..Kenney said the act is “flagrantly unlawful” bill which would almost certainly "not receive the lieutenant government’s approval" or "survive a court challenge..Now, before we go there, let me say, I warned Burt, to watch his language. I could see the fur on his back was up, big-time..Don't be saying bad stuff about Kenney, because I kinda like the guy, I said. I like the fact he has the balls to go on a weekly radio show, and face the music..That takes courage..But you see ... Burt grew up, on the mean streets of Red Deer, before we rescued him. Nobody gave him any handouts, and he had to fend for himself..He has no brief, for bleeding hearts, and not much more for grand-standing politicians who have golden parachutes awaiting them — those Ottawa pensions can buy a lot of Fancy Feast tins and cat toys..He is what he is, and he says what he says..And this time, he was ready to take on the premier. Full on. No holds barred..Burt's first response to this was, "Go home, Federal Boy, go home ... we don't need you, or want you.".I thought that was a bit much. Of course, Kenney is a federalist, but I didn't necessarily see that as a negative..Not so much, for Burt. He went on the attack (after licking his feet and lounging on his First Nations blanket, which he really loves)..He continued: "Hey Federal Boy, are they gonna be laughing when we go our own way and we cut off transfer payments?"."Am I still funny? Am I a clown? Do I make you laugh? ... Federal Boy?"."You make English signs illegal in Quebec, and, you want our money?" Burt spat.."You want us to subsidize your lifestyle ... your cozy and quaint, unrealistic Quebecois lifestyle?"."After all the money we have sent you," says Burt, "in transfer payments, you have the gall, the absolute gall, to demonize us, and refuse the passage of a pipeline, that would strengthen Canada's economy, and, help mend fences across the nation?".Burt referred to a quote from Rex Murphy in the National Post (I didn't know, he read the Post), where he said:."Quebec is a solidly protected singular independent-in-all-but-name entity. It is as close to being a sovereign nation as one can be while still wearing provincial brocade."."We are in a two-tier Confederation. Perhaps even a three-tier one.".Burt didn't like being treated like a third, or fourth tier resident of Alberta, when he was forced to fend for himself in Red Deer..Living out of garbage bins is not fun..Like every Albertan worth his salt, he fought for his own existence..And well, this Mackerel Tabbie doesn't think Albertans should either. Nor should they be a second- or third-tier partner in our Confederation..Burt pulls no punches. Or should I say, claws.."Laughing stock, eh? ... are you going to laugh, when the federal coffers don't have Alberta oil & gas money, flowing into your secret treasure chests, so you can blow money on stuff that will get you re-elected in Ontario and Quebec?"."When we establish our own police force and refuse to enforce federal laws if they are detrimental to our province and its future?"."When we basically tell you, to f--k off and take a hike."."Still laughing pal? Still laughing?".Burt, I said, these are strong words. And, political wallflowers like Kenney & Trudeau, might be offended..Their little feelings might be hurt. Their nice new tailored suits, might be ruffled..Justin Trudeau especially. The man is never wrong, and, will send his CSIS/RCMP goons after you, I said.."Bring them on," says Burt, who explained, with our backs to the wall, why would we not experiment with methods to attain more autonomy for Alberta..To not do so, would be delinquent, says Burt..If there is a clown in this story, it is definitely not UCP candidate Smith, says Burt..We all know Kenney is a lame duck premier, his time done, his record to stand on its own, but why demonize someone like Danielle, who is trying to do the right thing for Albertans?.Albertans who are fed up with Ottawa and their colossal, despicable hijinks. Talk about a clown show..What a petty and un-Albertan thing to do, says Burt, not to mention a lack of class. But that's our Jason, isn't it, says Burt..In closing, Burt offered this quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, to be directed at Premier Kenney..“Surely, in the light of history, it is more intelligent to hope rather than to fear, to try rather than not to try. For one thing we know beyond all doubt: Nothing has ever been achieved by the person who says, ‘It can’t be done.’”
