You know, the more I think about @derek_brower's comments on #RealTalk this morning, the more I am sad & angry, feeling that so many are being abandoned by our provincial "parents" in all of this.

The writing is on the wall. Has been for decades. O&G can't live forever. 1/

You all know I'm living with a cancer, doctors tell me is slowly spreading through my body. I cannot live forever. Would it be responsible for me, as a parent, to just abdicate any responsibility or planning for my child's future just because I can't/won't face my own death? 2/

"You should write your will," doctors tell me.

"I SHALL NOT, I WILL NOT, FOR I AM FINE. You cannot tell me I'm dying, that's malarky. I won't believe you."

"Ma'am..."

"I refuse! I'm not dying!"

This is what our provincial government sounds like right now. #AbPoli 3/

"Look, the scans don't lie- your tumours are growing. You should probably plan for your son- who will he live with? Who will care for his emotional, financial, physical needs? Will he get any of your money? How will that look?"

"I HAVE EARPLUGS IN, I WILL NOT LISTEN"
#AbPoli
4/

How horrific, cold, cruel, callous would I as a mother be, when- even though I've been presented SO MUCH EVIDENCE, I refuse to acknowledge fact, and simply live in ignorance by choice? Simply do nothing to prepare? How hurt would my child be to discover I hadn't prepared? 5/

Of course- people living with cancer always have a glimmer of HOPE and OPTIMISM, that perhaps there will be a spontaneous remission, a new drug, a cure. This is hope I ALWAYS hang on to. But I'm not stupid. I have PREPARED. This is the CARING way to deal with hard news. PLAN. 6/

Alberta. Friends. I have love and empathy for you working in the O&G field. You are my family, my community, my friends. But it's terminal. There's not a long-term future here, it's killing our earth. We need to plan. To prepare. Otherwise we're abandoning our children. 7/

Thanks, @ryanjespersen for this courageous & difficult conversation. People don't like bad news. But as someone who has been dealt a hand of "bad news," I understand the best way to move forward is with REALITY, HOPE, & INGENUITY in our minds & hearts.

Alberta CAN survive.
-fin