Blog

With temperatures soaring and officials issuing health warnings, I headed to Edmonton’s inner city to hand out ice-cold water. Thanks to our constituency office staffer Josh Hui for the video.

Canada is our home and I’m proud to call myself Canadian. 

We’re consistently listed as one of the best countries in the world to live in.

Canadians are renowned for our friendliness. 

We have a history of defending world peace and fighting for justice. Whether in the First World War, Second World War or the Cold War, Canada stood on guard for thee.

There is much to celebrate this Canada Day.

As we celebrate let’s also remember where we have failed to live up to the principles we hold dear.

Residential schools, stand out as the worst failing in Canadian history. What occurred in those schools was wrong.

We need to continue to work with Indigenous Canadians to reconcile and foster a relationship of co-operation and partnership within Canada.   

Canada isn’t a perfect country — no country is perfect.

Let’s continue working together in strengthening Canada — for all Canadians — not tearing it down.

Remembering Edmonton Police Service Const. Ezio Faraone

I was honoured to attend a memorial to mark the anniversary of the tragic death in the line of duty of Edmonton Police Service Const. Ezio Faraone.

Ezio was 33 years old when he was killed June 25, 1990, responding to an armed robbery. Both of the men involved in his murder were sent to prison.

Let’s remember Ezio and all police officers who died in the line of duty.

The recent desecration of Winston Churchill’s statue in Edmonton’s Sir Winston Churchill Square with blood-red paint is alarming and disgusting. 

Churchill was the British leader in charge when Britain and its allies, including Canada, defeated the fascist Nazis. 

He was a war veteran himself, a Nobel-prize-winning writer, noted historian, prolific painter and social reformer who championed workers’ social security and prison reform. 

I’d guess the person(s) who performed this illegal act of vandalism chose to ignore all of that to focus on some of Churchill’s imperfect actions during imperfect and different times — gauging his legacy by 2021 moralistic/woke standards. 

But we must remember history, celebrate the good and learn from the bad. We must not take a lesson from Marxists and other leftists who want to re-write history or wipe it out. 

We must never tolerate or excuse destruction of public property. We must always condemn that unequivocally and punish those responsible. Destruction of public property isn’t petty. It’s a Criminal Code violation.

Watch my video below:

Win a lunch with your MP

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

I’ll be hosting a 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. 

I’ll be drawing the winner in late July.  

If you’re reading this, you’re likely already a subscriber. But please share this contest and link with a friend or family member. They can subscribe at: kerrydiotte.com/newsletter-subscription/

The Liberals are failing to provide answers on our border 

Justin Trudeau has constantly been wrong about the border.

Early on, when the pandemic first started, we Conservatives called for the government to shut down flights from COVID hotspots, but we were called intolerant and even racist for suggesting that.

Thankfully, common sense eventually prevailed. 

Yet, even as deadly new variants developed in certain countries, the Liberals delayed the implementation of reasonable precautions.

Now as things begin to improve, the Liberals don’t have a plan to reopen the land border with the United States.

The border is essential. The United States is our largest trading partner and the border closure directly affects many of my constituents. 

Yet, despite the significant drop in COVID-19 cases and mass vaccinations now finally here in Canada, our land border remains closed.

It’s actually harder right now to drive to Montana than it’s to fly to Europe. 

Even worse, the Liberals have failed to be transparent about the process.

This lack of transparency hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Canadian businesses are increasingly frustrated as they’re unable to plan for the future. 

Our American partners are also frustrated. Democratic Congressmen Brian Higgins went so far as to say, “there’s no other way to say it: another month’s delay is b***s***.”

It’s essential that the government immediately lays out a clear and transparent plan for the safe reopening of the border.

Canadians need that certainty! 

How Bill C-10 interferes with your rights to freedom of expression

Watch my friend and colleague Pierre Poilievre MP speak out against the Liberals’ Bill C-10.  

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: [email protected]

I visited Sir Winston Churchill Square after Churchill’s statue was defaced. Our history must be celebrated and learned from. This cancel culture must stop.

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: [email protected]

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.