Blog

By KERRY DIOTTE
Member of Parliament

There was some very big and sad news this week that barely made headlines in this era of the diminishing quality of mainstream journalism.

After 142 years, the non-profit volunteer organization Northlands announced it’s folding.

The closure of Northlands leaves a hole in the heart of Edmonton — literally and figuratively.

The beginning of the end of the operation began when the City of Edmonton struck a deal to build a downtown arena for the Edmonton Oilers and owner Daryl Katz that saw the team move out of Northlands’ Coliseum after playing the last game there in spring 2016.

For decades, the community organization thrived, putting on major events at the Coliseum including concerts and Oilers hockey. 

Powered by thousands of volunteers and staff over the years, Northlands also produced Edmonton’s K-Days parade, the K-Days exhibition, Farm Fair International, Canadian Finals Rodeo and other sports and cultural events at its massive 200-acre north-side campus.

It also ran the very successful Northlands Park racetrack and the Edmonton Expo Centre.

(Read the full column at the link below)

 

 

 

I’ve written to Trudeau demanding he doesn’t censor online speech

Several hundred constituents have taken the time to sign my petition calling on the government to abandon Bill C-10, the Liberals’ “censorship bill.” 

Bill C-10 poses a real risk to the rights of Canadians. 

Canada is a free society and in a free society people need to have the freedom to access the internet without government censorship. 

This Liberal bill is nothing short of an assault on free expression.

As a long-time journalist and free speech advocate, the idea of Trudeau’s political appointees having a say on what Canadians can say online is outrageous.

That’s why I created a petition for Canadians to show their opposition to online censorship.

As promised I’ve written a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister Steven Guilbeault.

A big thanks for everyone who took the time to sign the petition.  

 

Liberals use ‘secret law making’ to rush through Bill C-10 

By ANJA KARADEGLIJA
National Post

The House of Commons heritage committee has been accused of “secret law-making” as it rushes to pass the controversial C-10 broadcasting bill.

The bill, which critics say impacts free speech, was subject to additional amendments at the committee on Thursday and Friday — but those changes to the legislation won’t be released to the public until at least next week.

“I find it shocking and deeply troubling that the committee is proceeding with clause-by-clause by voting on amendments that have not been made public, are not subject to debate, and there are no experts available to answer questions,” said University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist. Geist, a vocal critic of the bill, said that process amounts to secret law-making.

(Read the full column at the link below)

 

 

 

Win a lunch with your Member of Parliament 

Talking with you and hearing your feedback is the most important part of my job as your Member of Parliament.

I’ll be hosting one lucky subscriber of my e-newsletter this summer for lunch. 

We’ll have a chance to talk directly about the issues that matter most to  you.  

To be considered all you have to do is subscribe to my e-newsletter and be a constituent of Edmonton Griesbach. 

I’ll be drawing the winner later this summer.  

If you know anyone who may be interested they can subscribe at: kerrydiotte.com/newsletter-subscription/

The Liberals need to stop wasting your money 

Justin Trudeau and his Liberals are spending your tax money at an alarming rate.

I detailed some of the low-lights when I spoke in the virtual House of Commons about the Liberals’ proposed budget known as Bill C-30 (the budget implementation bill).

Check out my speech above. 

 

Tell me your most memorable K-Days story

You know that Edmonton’s historic non-profit volunteer organization Northlands is folding after 142 years in service. It produced several major annual events, the biggest one being the K-Days Exhibition. 

Scores of Edmontonians have participated in the annual party known as 
K-Days each year. I’d love to hear about your favourite, funniest, fondest or craziest K-Days story.

Send them to me and I might highlight your story in an upcoming e-newsletter. 

You can reach me at: kerry.diotte@parl.gc.ca

 

Several hundred constituents have taken the time to sign my petition calling on the government to abandon Bill C-10, the Liberals’ “censorship bill.” 

Bill C-10 poses a real risk to the rights of Canadians. 

Canada is a free society and in a free society people need to have the freedom to access the internet without government censorship. 

This Liberal bill is nothing short of an assault on free expression.

As a long-time journalist and free speech advocate, the idea of Trudeau’s political appointees having a say on what Canadians can say online is outrageous.

That’s why I created a petition for Canadians to show their opposition to online censorship.

As promised I’ve written a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister Steven Guilbeault.

A big thanks for everyone who took the time to sign the petition.  

 

Talking with you and hearing your feedback is the most important part of my job as your Member of Parliament.

I’ll be hosting one lucky subscriber of my e-newsletter this summer for lunch. 

We’ll have a chance to talk directly about the issues that matter most to  you.  

To be considered all you have to do is subscribe to my e-newsletter and be a constituent of Edmonton Griesbach. 

I’ll be drawing the winner later this summer.  

If you know anyone who may be interested they can subscribe at: kerrydiotte.com/newsletter-subscription/

By KERRY DIOTTE

Member of Parliament

There was some very big and sad news this week that barely made headlines in this era of the diminishing quality of mainstream journalism.

 

After 142 years, the non-profit volunteer organization Northlands announced it’s folding.

 

The closure of Northlands leaves a hole in the heart of Edmonton — literally and figuratively.

 

The beginning of the end of the operation began when the City of Edmonton struck a deal to build a downtown arena for the Edmonton Oilers and owner Daryl Katz that saw the team move out of Northlands’ Coliseum after playing the last game there in spring 2016.

 

For decades, the community organization thrived, putting on major events at the Coliseum including concerts and Oilers hockey. 

 

Powered by thousands of volunteers and staff over the years, Northlands also produced Edmonton’s K-Days parade, the K-Days exhibition, Farm Fair International, Canadian Finals Rodeo and other sports and cultural events at its massive 200-acre north-side campus.

 

It also ran the very successful Northlands Park racetrack and the Edmonton Expo Centre.

 

Now its two marquee events, K-Days and Farmfair International will be handed over to the City of Edmonton to run through its arms-length tourism and events corporation, Explore Edmonton.

 

I was a member of the board of Northlands from 2010 to 2013 while I was a city councillor in Edmonton, so I’ve got a special place in my heart for the organization that operated in my federal riding of Edmonton Griesbach.

 

We had a solid bunch of people on the board from all sorts of fields — business, arts, legal, politics and more. I don’t think I’ve met a better collection of folks who cared more for this city.

 

More importantly I got to meet many of the dedicated volunteers of the organization. The term “salt of the earth” comes to mind. These folks were some of the best, kindest and most community-minded Edmontonians I’ve ever encountered.

 

In my view, the end of Northlands came because it was starved of revenue sources in the wake of events that unfolded with the Katz/Oilers agreements with the City of Edmonton. In a nutshell, the deals city council agreed to didn’t allow for Northlands to compete with the new arena by hosting sports or events. 

 

I was one of only two city councillors who consistently voted against the terms of the downtown arena deal. It’s not that I didn’t like the idea of a new arena being built. It’s because it wasn’t a good financial deal for city taxpayers or for Northlands, a solid, non-profit society that’s older than both Edmonton or the Province of Alberta.

 

I won’t re-litigate the Oilers/City of Edmonton deal. There’s not enough space in this column for that.

 

If you want the inside scoop, read Power Play, a book about the controversial deal co-authored by my former council colleague Linda Sloan McCulloch. You’ll lean my in-depth feelings. I’m quoted in that book plenty: www.uap.ualberta.ca/titles/960-9781772124934-power-play

 

I know there are those who long-accused Northlands of being “an old-boys club.” I think that image might have been well-earned at one time. But it didn’t operate that way when I was there. 

 

Its memorable CEO then was the talented Richard Andersen, a real pro who’d previously been executive VP of the San Diego Padres and GM of its stadium, PETCO Park.

 

Andersen was one of the best executives and promoters I’ve ever seen — and I’ve seen a few.

 

Check out his appearance on the TV show Undercover Boss. It will tell you a lot about the man and the Northlands philosophy. It’s truly worth a heart-warming watch: