Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Sunday, May 13.
Please head to southpeacenews.com. Use the contact form there. Send your mom a “Best Wishes and Happy Mother’s Day.” It’s free. Or, drop into the SPN office in downtown High Prairie, or phone to [780] 523-4484 for the same thing.

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Ahead of Mother’s Day is of course, May The Fourth Be With You Day.
Wow, 42 years since the first one! And it still holds up well!

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As you might have heard, David Suzuki is to get an honourary degree from the University of Alberta.
Exactly how or why these degrees are awarded to people isn’t a mystery. There is a draft statement on the university website. So, being a draft, maybe they aren’t using it to make this choice. The draft is a nice little statement. In part, it reads:
“The University has found the recipient to be worthy on the basis of achievement for the common good. In doing so, the university also makes a public statement about its own fundamental values.”
Among other things, one has to ask, how is it that a guy who spent decades arguing against waste and pollution can fly around the world speaking about conservation? Or own four houses? Or be happy with all the raw sewage dumped into the ocean by many of his home province’s cities and towns?
Suzuki might be a world-class public figure. He is also a world-class hypocrite. Is hypocrisy a fundamental value of the University of Alberta?
Moving on, Suzuki thumbs his nose at Alberta. A few months ago, speaking in Calgary, he said the oilsands projects should be shut down.
Most people aren’t perfect. Suzuki is no exception. But that is no reason to completely ignore his imperfections.
Sir John A. MacDonald, first prime minister of Canada, is these days vilified for his imperfections. So too are many, many historic Americans as statues to them are being torn down across that country.
It’s fair to ask, why then should Suzuki get a free ride? Giving him an award, right in the heart of oil country, is like saying it’s quite OK to keep at it. Go ahead Suzuki, stick a knife right in Alberta’s heart and soul.
Suzuki already has about 30 such awards. It really isn’t going to make any difference to him about this one. So, we say let him get his prizes and accolades someplace else. He isn’t going to miss this one at all and we don’t care. You don’t get a prize from a store all the while you are trying to put that same store out of business do you?

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Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said last week the Suzuki award is not one she would make. But, she says if it is the university’s choice, she will not interfere with them or what she says is their academic freedom.
This is pretty well like saying, “If you want to be stupid enough to jump off a bridge, you are an adult and are free to make your own decisions. Have at it.”
Except of course, what Notley is saying is much more polite.

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If Suzuki really wanted to make a statement, he could turn down the award. Wow!

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Anywhere from 10-15 people are awarded such degrees every year. It is indeed an honour. There are many names many people will not recognize, and many names just about every person should know.
Try this sampling: Allan Wachowich. Angela Cheng. Dianne Kipnes. Alexan Janvier. Ernest Manning. Norman Kwong. James Hole. Paul Martin. Jane Poitras.

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Starting a week from now is High Prairie’s Pitch-In Week.
Something new this year is the big dumpsters will not be set up on the Sports Palace parking lot. Instead, containers will be at the town shop in the northwest corner of High Prairie, north of Prairie River Junior High School. Seniors can have old fridges and such “white goods” picked up by calling the Town Office at [780] 523-3388.

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See those lemonade and juice stands popping up all over?

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Have a great week!