Brent Wittmeier
@wittmeier.bsky.social
710 followers 710 following 400 posts
Former reporter, politico, university instructor, brewery drone and seminarian. Currently mostly adept at finding cheap records.
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wittmeier.bsky.social
They’re determined not to learn the lesson.
akurjata.ca
“We’re not in politics. We’re just some guys in Virginia making good whisky. But unfortunately, we’re the victims.”

Idk man, maybe you don’t get to “not be in politics” when one side is blowing up international relationships you depend on www.cnn.com/2025/10/13/b...
Canada’s boycott America movement is hurting innocent bystanders | CNN Business
Virginia Distillery CEO Gareth Moore was bullish on his company’s American single malt whisky sales north of the border when 2025 kicked off.
www.cnn.com
wittmeier.bsky.social
Alberta used to have the best services in Canada. On health and education, arguably the two main roles for a provincial government, the UCP is failing Albertans.
pfparks.bsky.social
RURAL ED CLOSURES - REAL AB Case #2

- Pt in their 40s, witnessed cardiac arrest
- EMS responds and begins resuscitation
- Only mins from nearest Hospital, but the ED is CLOSED
- Adjacent Hospital ED Closed too
- EMS crew NOT aware of ED closures
1/7
wittmeier.bsky.social
Carney’s really living up to the banker stereotype. Talking about the seriousness of climate for years, then doubling down on fossil fuels when he has the power to do something about it.
ketanjoshi.co
We have truly not yet figured out how to cope with a person or institution that is "aware" of climate change, "accepts the science", but then decides to continue actively worsening it anyway

We don't even have a word or a phrase for this!

theconversation.com/mark-carneys...
Mark Carney’s climate inaction is at odds with his awareness of climate change’s existential threat
Climate action no longer seems to be a priority for Prime Minister Mark Carney, despite his previous activism. This is bad news for Canadians and the climate.
theconversation.com
Reposted by Brent Wittmeier
pbump.com
The most fundamental political debate of our time: You are integrated into and have responsibility for our complex, imperfect society vs. Nuh-uh.
wittmeier.bsky.social
The OpEd I really want to see from Tombe is what he thinks about immigration.
trevortombe.bsky.social
The real danger lies not in the growing size of today’s deficit, but in failing to plan prudently for what comes next.

My latest for @TheHubCanada on federal finances: thehub.ca/2025/10/01/... #cdnecon #cdnpoli
Trevor Tombe: The budget warning that Canada cannot ignore
thehub.ca
Reposted by Brent Wittmeier
pfparks.bsky.social
It strikes me that 2 of the most important reasons we even have a Prov Govt is to competently manage Public HC and Public Education...
But it seems like this govt neither cares for nor values these services or the people who work in them.
thebreakdownab.bsky.social
Wow #yyc!

(Pics by Kelly Hofer FB)

#abpoli #ableg #cdnpoli #abed
wittmeier.bsky.social
I’m never a “sign the petition“ guy.
But in this case, sign the &$@#ing petition.
martychan.bsky.social
You have three weeks to sign the Forever Canadian petition which is a message to Danielle Smith that Albertans don't want to separate. Volunteers are set up in many communities across the province. Use your voice (or in this case, pen) if you believe in unity! #Alberta
wittmeier.bsky.social
So if this election gets called, it’s all up to Calgary:
1) Roll the dice on an extortionist plan to potentially team up with a fascist regime, or 2) fight for the Alberta we love before Danielle Smith dismantles it.
No brainer, but as we know, Calgary can’t even make up its mind on fluoride!
wittmeier.bsky.social
Nice Peace Prize you got there, it’d be a shame if something happened to it.
peark.es
Absolutely insane push notification lol
Bloomberg Today
23m ago
Donald Trump said it will be "a big insult" if he doesn't win the Nobel Peace Prize. Some fear the outcome if he's overlooked.
wittmeier.bsky.social
Govern to the classes, pander to the masses.
And if that doesn’t work, blame Ottawa.
ctheriault.bsky.social
Danielle Smith won't raise the minimum wage - the lowest in Canada- fearing it will further hurt youth employment in Alberta

But economist Jim Stanford notes other provinces have better employment rates and higher minimum wage, saying her argument doesn't wash

podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/s...
Smith defends keeping Alberta’s minimum wage the lowest in Canada
Podcast Episode · The Courtney Theriault Show · 2025-10-01 · 10m
podcasts.apple.com
Reposted by Brent Wittmeier
kenwhite.bsky.social
Every few months now I re-read this "Who Goes Nazi?" piece from 1941 and am blown away by how it captures the people we are dealing with 80 years later.

harpers.org/archive/1941...
Who Goes Nazi?, by Dorothy Thompson
harpers.org
Reposted by Brent Wittmeier
rexlibris.bsky.social
In a hundred years historians will write hilarious examinations of governments that, in the name of job creation, spent trillions in subsidies and tax breaks for oil companies which recorded trillions in profits while cutting the jobs the governments told people they were helping create.
cathmckenna.bsky.social
The thing about oilsands companies is that over the past decade they have focused on cutting as many jobs as possible in the name of efficiency while paying as little as possible for the pollution they cause.
nationalnewswatch.com
Canadian energy minister disappointed by Imperial Oil's planned layoffs nationalnewswatch.com/2025/09/30/c...
wittmeier.bsky.social
At this point I wouldn’t be surprised if Danielle Smith pulled off a mask, scooby doo style, revealing Sam Mraiche.
carrietait.bsky.social
SCOOP: Two senior Alberta Health Services procurement officials were also briefly directors in a numbered company linked to MHCare, a supplier that has been awarded $$$ in business, The Globe and Mail has found

By @tomcardoso.bsky.social, @hoserlibrarian.bsky.social and friend
Alberta health officials were also directors at a company linked to a supplier
Corporate filings reveal further links between Alberta Health Services procurement staff and private firms
www.theglobeandmail.com
wittmeier.bsky.social
If US doesn’t step foot in Canada, that’s a good deal.
peipolitical.bsky.social
U.S. Border Officer Tells Canadian Tourist Camping In The Left Lane To ‘Never Come Back Again.’ #cdnpoli
wittmeier.bsky.social
Whatever happened to the truth sandwich?
dlthings.bsky.social
# of paragraphs for news orgs to mention there's no discernable need to deploy troops to Portland, Oregon

The Guardian: 1st paragraph
BBC: 4th paragraph
AP: 5th paragraph
Time: 6th paragraph
Politico: 8th paragraph
NPR: 9th paragraph
CNN: 10th paragraph
NBC: 12th paragraph
Fox News: never mentions
Reposted by Brent Wittmeier
donmoyn.bsky.social
Seems bad for our society when you can’t make racist terrorists the villains
wittmeier.bsky.social
As always, CBC making a strong case for defunding to the Canadians who most believe in their mandate.
Reposted by Brent Wittmeier
pftompkins.bsky.social
“I don’t know what’s going on and nobody does” is such a telling thing to throw in there. I think everyone knows exactly what’s going on? Also why would your dad send you a hundred texts saying the same thing
phillewis.bsky.social
Here’s how Jimmy Fallon responded to Jimmy Kimmel being pulled off air:
Reposted by Brent Wittmeier
wittmeier.bsky.social
To see oil lobby queen Danielle Smith happy with Mark Carney means we are royally screwing up our future.
wittmeier.bsky.social
See also the policies of Trudeau and Notley (and currently espoused by Carney).

Progressive politicians promise win/win and compromise with industry (resulting in net climate loss).

Industry locks in infrastructure, then conservatives come in and repeal the climate gains.
kevinjkircher.com
I think it's underappreciated that most policy support for clean energy under Obama came in exchange for lifting longstanding bipartisan limits on oil and gas exports. This enabled surging oil and gas production, methane emissions from which outweighed CO2 emission reductions from clean energy.
Graph of oil and gas exports from 1990 to 2025. They're both low until the Obama years, then rise sharply and continue to rise under Trump and Biden.