Disinformation is when content -- correct and incorrect -- is presented to lead people to draw a particular, often incorrect or misleading political conclusion.

The Fair Deal Panel is an exercise in disinformation #abpoli #ableg 1/N https://twitter.com/maxfawcett/status/1273353793585901569
As a political scientist, the most painful parts of the report address the Canadian constitution.

The report could be easily read as if Alberta holding a referendum on s36 of Constitution Act 1982 could change how Canada does equalization 2/N
It can't. No one province can unilaterally amend the constitution. This would either need the 7/50 formula or unanimity. (I don't know offhand.) The point is that Alberta cannot change this on its own.

The report authors & the premier know this. Average folks probably don't 3/N
On international treaties -- only the federal government can sign them, but only provinces can implement them IN AREAS of provincial jurisdiction. This is not new; presenting it as if it is is problematic 4/N
If the Kenney government pursues these policies, it's worth asking why they're willing to do against Albertans' expressed wishes, strongly communicated 6/N
Back to equalization, it's clear that many Albertans are angry about it, but it's also clear that how equalization has been used is a clear example of disinformation.

The report claims that Albertans pay more than their fair share into the program. Is this true? 7/N
For me, the key is this: the federal government levies taxes at the same rate from coast to coast to coast. No one pays more to the federal government in Alberta simply by virtue of living here.

If Albertans *do* pay more, it's b/c there is/was more money here 8/N
Is that unfair? I don't think so, but I also think it would be more unfair for people with more money to pay less than do people with less money, so... 9/N
The key to equalization (and s36 of CA 1982) is that Canadians should be able to access comparable levels of services, regardless of where they live. The summary we teach is that provinces get topped up with *federal* money if they're taxing appropriately and still falling short
That "taxing appropriately" gets raised with respect to Alberta -- how can we claim that we've got a $14+ billion "advantage" b/c we won't tax like other provinces do, but then also claim we should get more federal $$? That's demanding special treatment
Beyond the disinformation on equalization and pushing for policies Albertans have clearly said they don't want, the main goal of the Fair Deal Panel appears to be pushing for polarized (partisan) politics.
Polarization sets "us" up against an "other" and demands that we beat "them" to achieve our political goals.

The Fair Deal Panel, and the Kenney Government in general, are really committed to pushing this narrative.
The thing is, Albertans are a diverse bunch. It's not un-Albertan to like or support this federal government, nor is it un-Albertan to have serious reservations with the policy direction and rhetoric of the current provincial government
This polarized narrative feeds on anger. It drives people to want to beat the other side just for the sake of beating them. Substantive concerns fall by the wayside. It's corrosive and we shouldn't want it in our politics
One final thought: anybody who can't be bothered to offer full-throated support to #BLM and international protests against police brutality, esp when those protests are the largest Alberta has seen recently in their streets has NO BUSINESS designing a new police force
All the more so when other policies that address public safety outside of policing are so routinely and viciously cut. NO BUSINESS AT ALL.
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