Dear Premier Notley: Thank-You

Dear Premier Notley,

I did not vote for your party.  I hoped our provincial government would look different than it does, but this is the way it is.  Since the provincial election earlier this year, you've been rather busy.  At first it seemed like everyone was just holding their breath, waiting for the results of the federal election.  Now that that's been settled, our provincial government has gotten down to work.  

I have a wee confession to make: I don't pay a lot of attention to what goes on in the world.  Oh, I hear about the big stuff eventually, but I don't actively search out news sources.  Because of that, Bill 6 almost slipped passed my attention.  Almost.

A couple of weeks ago I was scrolling through Facebook during a break from homework and came across an article about Bill 6.  The sight that published the article was clearly anti-NDP and the writer was practically frothing at the mouth in outrage.  Being a conscientious researcher, I started checking out other sources to see if the outrage was warranted.  I checked mainstream media sources, government documents, and I read opinions from other farmers, like myself, who had made their views public.  Slowly, but surely, I began to put the picture together.  It was not a pleasant picture.

As I learned more, I began making my views public, too.  I did my best, however, to always try to see both sides of the issue.  I guess I learned that from writing so many papers in my previous post-secondary experience.  I never want to be one of those people who has only one view on complex, multi-faceted issues.  Blind outrage is never an appropriate reaction to a threat.

With time, I saw farmers mobilizing and protesting across the province.  I must say Premier, you either picked a really bad time of the year to push this bill through, or you knew exactly what you were doing and actually wanted to do it at a time when farmers have little to do besides doing chores and getting up to date on political issues.  This is the part, Premier, where I say "thank-you."  Farming is a way of life that emphasizes community.  I grew up in that.  Even so, I have never seen farmers come together in such a huge display of solidarity as I have in the past few weeks.  I can't say I agree with all of them.  I daresay some haven't done as much research as I have and are acting on fear instead of logic.  Whatever the reason, though, we are coming and standing together to ask you to stop.  Just hit the pause button, step back, and listen to what we are saying.  That's all we want.  Remember, we care about safety, too.  Some of the things being presented in Bill 6 are a good idea.  We're just afraid that you have no clue how farming really works (which is true) and that you will kill an industry and a way of life by rushing (you know...that's how people get hurt on the farm; we rush and hurry and take shortcuts and that is how we get hurt).  We're asking you not to hurt us.

Premier Notley, you have brought farmers together like never before.  Congratulations.  If this bill goes through without the consultation the farmers are asking for, well, best of luck.  I hope your time in office goes better from here on out - better for you and better for the province.  But if not, you can at least say that you were thanked for one thing: you gave Alberta farmers a reason to look around and really see the huge community that we live in.  Thank-you.

Sincerely,

Valerie E.
Third-Generation Farmer