A recent column in the Calgary Herald dismissing Danielle Smith's supporters as anti-vaxxers is as perplexing as it is a misdiagnosis..Fortunately, such aspersions wholly misinterpret the groundswell of support Smith is garnering. The growing momentum of her campaign is not due to some unenlightened fringe minority. Quite the contrary, she has tapped into something important that is coalescing diverse Albertans around one critically important central theme — fortis et liber (strong and free.).American writer, Tom Wolfe, observed society needs at times to relearn what was previously well-known..In a 1987 article, Wolfe said this could be seen in California in the late 1960s. The hippies, who rejected many of the societal norms of their day, had inadvertently rediscovered long-forgotten diseases. Doctors at San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury Free Clinic began to see cases of “the grunge,” “the scroff,” and “the rot” — diseases so archaic they had no Latin name..Why were diagnoses of “the twitch” and “the thrush” on the rise? Because the hippies rejected the laws of hygiene and were sharing the same cigarettes, toothbrushes, and mattresses. These literal filthy hippies were forced to relearn the laws of hygiene..While Wolfe made his point through a cautionary tale, the relearning happening today in Alberta is extremely encouraging. So, while I understand how some observers might confuse Smith’s support as a backlash against vaccine mandates because these are still so fresh in our minds, it has led to an inaccurate assessment. More accurately, Albertans are relearning our province’s motto: fortis et liber..Memories in political circles tend to be short, but most of us have not forgotten the last 28 months. During that time the province incarcerated pastors, assaulted kids playing outdoor hockey, restricted and arrested peaceful protestors, prohibited family gatherings in private homes, implemented a discriminatory vaccine passport system, violated medical privacy en masse, and devised a policy to terminate the employment of nurses and doctors during a pandemic. It turned neighbour against neighbour, divided workplaces and families, revealed the corporate media’s uncomfortable relationship with accurate news reporting, and created a climate of fear and intolerance..Never again. These violations of liberty produced a litany of personal tragedies, and to out-of-hand dismiss legitimate grievances as “anti-vaxx” is simultaneously ludicrous, unserious, and callous. These personal tragedies are why both our constitution and legal heritage purport to protect the right to liberty. Albertans want their liberty to be respected by their government..Fortis et liber is also expressed in Smith’s promise to put Alberta first by vigorously advancing the province’s interests and opposing the federal government when it infringes upon Alberta’s provincial rights. Quebec has asserted a special place within confederation, and Alberta wants similar respect. Even though the chattering class threw a tantrum when Smith promised to follow the Free Alberta Strategy, none has acknowledged that Smith is offering Albertans an opportunity to choose what they want. That is, whether it is Albertans who should determine their place in Canada, or Ottawa..Anti-vaxxers? Maybe. Like other Albertans, anti-vaxxers have rights, too, and they're allowed to vote their consciences. But more importantly, Albertans have found fresh hope for a freer and stronger Alberta. And this is something that Albertans have wanted for a long time.
