Setting up a placard photo of Premier Rachel Notley on an Alberta golf course so golfers could take a shot at the provincial leader during a recent tournament was all meant in fun, according to the man responsible.
Ernest Bothi, president of the Brooks Big Country Oilmen's Association, reportedly said he put the sign up at the Brooks Golf Club as a light-hearted protest against NDP policies.
“I'm the president of the organization,” Bothi said. “I take full responsibility for it. And I did it because I see a lot of frustrated people out there.
“It's called freedom of speech. We're still living in Canada and as far as I know, it hasn't become a communist nation, not as of yet.
“The picture was just a headshot. It wasn't anything of a lewd nature.”
Bothi is quite right to say that Canada is not a communist nation; it never has been and isn't now. In fact, Canada is a democratic county, with federal and provincial leaders, including Premier Notley, fairly and openly elected by free citizens.
Yet while poking fun at duly-elected politicians is an acceptable demonstration of free speech, encouraging people to target a likeness of the premier in any way goes well beyond the pale.
Coming only days after British MP Jo Cox was murdered in the street outside her constituency office, this attack on Alberta's first-ever female premier, even as a joke, showed a profound lack of common sense.
Not surprisingly the reaction to Bothi's “joke” has been vigorous, including from some of the premier's most ardent opponents.
For example, Derek Fildebrandt, Wildrose MLA, called the prank inappropriate and disrespectful.
"All of my colleagues in the Alberta legislature deserve respect, including Premier Notley,” Fildebrandt reportedly.
Since coming to office a year ago, Premier Notley has received several troubling threats to her safety and her life.
While this latest incident should not be construed as such a threat, it does constitute a wholly inappropriate attack on the leader of this province.
There are many Albertans frustrated with the current economic downturn – but asking golfers to shoot golf balls at an effigy of the premier went way too far.
Hopefully any future protests against the Notley government will remain within the bounds of good sense and common decency.
- Singleton is the Mountain View Gazette editor
