Harold Pliszka
LightNews LightNews
banner
hpliszka.bsky.social
Harold Pliszka
@hpliszka.bsky.social
170 followers 160 following 1.4K posts
Counselling social worker, leadership consultant, builder. Founder of Reverve Counselling, & Iron Lava Consulting. HYTES co-founder & 1st ED of SWAA. | https://hpliszka.com | http://reverve.life | https://ironlava.com | http://hytes.org
Posts Replies Media Videos
hpliszka.bsky.social
"There’s no question [Alberta] Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen will make Alberta’s highways deadlier with his plan to raise speed limits in several locations," writes David J. Climenhaga.

thetyee.ca/Opinion/2025...
The UCP Plan to Make Alberta’s Highways More Dangerous | The Tyee
The government’s plan to raise speed limits was tried in BC. Fatalities doubled.
thetyee.ca
November 22, 2025 at 6:27 PM
hpliszka.bsky.social
UCP's plan for two-tier healthcare: "to allow doctors to set up a private stream for speedy quality health care for those who can afford it while letting the docs pad their private profits by billing the public system for slow and inferior treatment for the rest of us."
thetyee.ca/Opinion/2025...
Danielle Smith’s Secret Plan to Destroy Public Health Care | The Tyee
A leaked document reveals the UCP is bringing in two-tier care.
thetyee.ca
November 22, 2025 at 6:21 PM
hpliszka.bsky.social
"Mr. Fairchild’s own tragic [construction industry] journey through injury, pain and addiction exemplifies the dangerous outcome when a workplace culture that encourages physical stoicism meets the onslaught of readily available toxic fentanyl."
www.theglobeandmail.com/business/art...
How opioid deaths are hollowing out the construction industry
Workers in the skilled trades make up a large share of overdoses fatalities, at a time when their labour is needed more than ever
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 22, 2025 at 5:55 PM
hpliszka.bsky.social
"The 122-point declaration urged more global action on issues that specifically affect poor countries, like climate-related disasters and sovereign debt levels, and was promoted by the host country as a victory for the first G20 summit to be held in Africa."
www.thestar.com/news/world/a...
Leaders adopt a declaration at the start of South Africa’s G20 summit despite US opposition
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — World leaders from the Group of 20 rich and developing economies broke with tradition and adopted a declaration at the start of their summit in South Africa
www.thestar.com
November 22, 2025 at 5:45 PM
hpliszka.bsky.social
“I need to see the actions, I need to see the funding, and I need to see the changes in our classrooms," exclaimed Jason Schilling of Alberta Teachers’ Association.
“We are done with recycled press conference talking points.”
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
Alberta teachers union welcomes classroom complexity proposals, demands funding
EDMONTON - The head of the Alberta Teachers' Association says a report on classroom aggression and complexity largely vindicates its longstanding calls for more support and money to fix the
www.thestar.com
November 22, 2025 at 5:32 PM
hpliszka.bsky.social
Canmore Coun. Jeff Mah said people are looking to council to “accelerate [affordable] housing as quickly as possible and the [vacancy tax] is a key part of that procedure.”
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Canmore council votes to move ahead with vacancy tax | CBC News
The provincial government has signalled its intent to hit the brakes on Canmore’s vacancy tax, but the mountain town will still move ahead with it — for now.
www.cbc.ca
November 22, 2025 at 4:32 PM
hpliszka.bsky.social
"He [Nolan Dyck] has consistently followed the UCP party line instead of representing our community's concerns," Klein wrote. "Our community needs an MLA who listens and engages respectfully with their constituents."
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Recall petition approved for third Alberta legislature member | CBC News
Alberta's chief electoral officer has approved a third recall petition application against a United Conservative Party legislature member. This was targets Grande Prairie MLA Nolan Dyck.
www.cbc.ca
November 22, 2025 at 4:11 PM
hpliszka.bsky.social
Alberta's Conservative government really just should have been listening & responding to teachers' concerns and recommendations all along. Instead, they continue to underfund public schools after forcing striking teachers back to work with notwithstanding clause.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Alberta teachers, principals burning out from responding to crises with little support: report | CBC News
A group tasked with addressing complexity in classrooms in Alberta has released a report with recommendations that include developing a new inclusive education policy framework and expanding early int...
www.cbc.ca
November 22, 2025 at 4:09 PM
hpliszka.bsky.social
“There is good research, and it's been around for a while, that has shown that when you increase adult supervision in under-supervised places in schools and schoolyards, you have a meaningful effect on bullying rates,” University of Ottawa’s David Smith.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Kids are missing more school. Experts say mental health is a factor | CBC News
A CBC investigation finds that school time lost due to reported illness is up in all districts that provided data — more than tripling in some places compared to five years ago. While the data doesn’t...
www.cbc.ca
November 22, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Reposted by Harold Pliszka
ronfilipkowski.bsky.social
Rewarding a dictator-aggressor always leads to another war. One that is usually even worse.
November 21, 2025 at 6:15 PM
hpliszka.bsky.social
0Nenshi added, "No parent in this province wants the premier or her four health ministers, and now Shane Getson, sitting in the diagnostic room with them."
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Alberta MLA urged to apologize for comparing transgender surgery to livestock castration | CBC News
An Alberta legislature member was called on by the Opposition to apologize Thursday after saying the province has a duty to step in to deal with "bad parents" while also comparing transgender surgery ...
www.cbc.ca
November 21, 2025 at 6:46 PM
hpliszka.bsky.social
"Without world leaders jockeying for Trump’s time and attention, Paris said, there's a bigger opening for Carney to meet one-on-one on the edges of the G20 with countries like Indonesia, France, the European Union, Germany, the U.K., India, South Korea and Mexico."
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
Trump's G20 boycott could make room for Canada to advance other trade talks | CBC News
Prime Minister Mark Carney is headed to the G20 in South Africa where there could be more space to try and advance trade talks with other countries because U.S. President Donald Trump isn't attending.
www.cbc.ca
November 21, 2025 at 2:16 PM
hpliszka.bsky.social
In another Alberta government overreach, UCP bringing legislation to allow regulated professionals to spread bigotry and misinformation outside of working hours without consequence.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Alberta aims to curtail regulatory bodies from sanctioning workers for after-hours activities | CBC News
Many Alberta workers could no longer be investigated by their licensing bodies for what they say outside of work hours, should the legislature pass a new bill.
www.cbc.ca
November 21, 2025 at 2:13 PM
hpliszka.bsky.social
“To just ram through policies that really seem to violate human rights is a terrifying precedent that our government is establishing here in Alberta," said Victoria Bucholtz.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
On Transgender Day of Remembrance, Calgarians turn grief into protest over Bill 9 | CBC News
What’s normally a night of grief and remembrance took on a new tone in Calgary on Thursday night, as hundreds of Calgarians rallied against the province’s use of the notwithstanding clause on laws aff...
www.cbc.ca
November 21, 2025 at 2:03 PM
hpliszka.bsky.social
"MacKay and others say the root causes of the problem are complex, and include staff shortages, a lack of family doctors and “boarded patients” — that is, people ... admitted in a different part of a hospital but are stuck in the emergency department..."
www.cbc.ca/news/marketp...
Canadians are leaving emergency departments before seeing a doctor — and coming back worse | CBC Shows
About half a million people left emergency departments across Canada before being seen by a doctor last year, according to data analysis by CBC’s Marketplace.
www.cbc.ca
November 21, 2025 at 2:01 PM
hpliszka.bsky.social
UCP must know this & therefore are spreading disinformation when they disingenuously say they 'care' about trans folks. UCP MLAs are making young people go through the puberty unaligned with their identity by banning puberty blockers that are meant to leave the big decisions until adulthood.
hpliszka.bsky.social Harold Pliszka @hpliszka.bsky.social · 2d
* Canadians under 18 do not receive gender affirming surgery

"One of the nice things about blockers is that they can give you some time to continue to explore, rather than having to go through the puberty changes that would happen otherwise," Dr. Tania Culham.

www.cbc.ca/news/health/...
What transgender youth in Canada and their caregivers want you to know about gender-affirming care | CBC News
Robyn Hodgson says she's watched struggling young people heal, grow and ultimately thrive because of gender-affirming health care.
www.cbc.ca
November 20, 2025 at 11:28 PM
hpliszka.bsky.social
* Canadians under 18 do not receive gender affirming surgery

"One of the nice things about blockers is that they can give you some time to continue to explore, rather than having to go through the puberty changes that would happen otherwise," Dr. Tania Culham.

www.cbc.ca/news/health/...
What transgender youth in Canada and their caregivers want you to know about gender-affirming care | CBC News
Robyn Hodgson says she's watched struggling young people heal, grow and ultimately thrive because of gender-affirming health care.
www.cbc.ca
November 20, 2025 at 11:12 PM
hpliszka.bsky.social
"LGBTQ+ advocates say the law is an intolerable infringement on the rights of patients, and doctors say it’s a dangerous political intervention in what should be clinical decision-making."

www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
Alberta legislature member compares transgender surgery to livestock castration
EDMONTON - An Alberta legislature member says the province has a duty to step in to deal with “bad parents,” and he compares transgender surgery to the castration of livestock.
www.thestar.com
November 20, 2025 at 10:34 PM
hpliszka.bsky.social
"Does the [Alberta UCP] premier understand that the repeated use of the notwithstanding clause literally means she opposes the freedoms of all Albertans?" asked Opposition NDP house leader Christina Gray.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Danielle Smith pushes back at criticism for using Charter override on Alberta’s transgender laws | CBC News
Premier Danielle Smith pushed back Wednesday on accusations that her government is trampling on Charter rights through repeated use of the notwithstanding clause, saying it's all about protecting chil...
www.cbc.ca
November 20, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Reposted by Harold Pliszka
thebreakdownab.bsky.social
During the same week that the UCP is expanding privatization, the auditor general finds that government interference cost taxpayers over $100 million.

How can anyone deny it’s the government that’s the problem?

#abpoli #ableg #cdnpoli

edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...
Alberta wasted more than $100M in lab privatization effort: Auditor general report
dynalifey
edmontonjournal.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:18 PM
hpliszka.bsky.social
With Alberta's Conservative government stripping rights away from teachers, trans folks, and likely soon also AUPE nursing care workers, I keep thinking of the phrase, "anger is a gift".
www.revervecounselling.ca/blog/anger-i...
Anger is a Gift. — Reverve Counselling
Anger can be a powerful motivator. It can fuel advocacy, activism, personal growth, and meaningful change. But it can also be misused—becoming controlling, explosive, or harmful to yourself and others...
www.revervecounselling.ca
November 20, 2025 at 2:31 AM
hpliszka.bsky.social
“Less than one per cent of Albertans aged 15 or over are trans or non-binary. To override their rights knowing that they are too few to hold the government accountable at the ballot box would be fundamentally anti-democratic.”
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
ANALYSIS | Alberta's notwithstanding clause triple play on trans youth rights | CBC News
The Alberta premier's second, third and fourth uses of the constitution's nuclear option come after she repeatedly said trans policy bills struck balance on rights. Then it became clear the courts mig...
www.cbc.ca
November 20, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Reposted by Harold Pliszka
thebreakdownab.bsky.social
“The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) strongly condemns the Alberta government’s introduction of legislation invoking the notwithstanding clause to shield three laws that directly threaten the rights of trans and gender-diverse people in the province.”

ccla.org/press-releas...
CCLA Condemns Alberta’s Use of the Notwithstanding Clause to Undermine Rights of Trans and Gender Diverse Youth - CCLA
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) strongly condemns the Alberta government’s introduction of legislation invoking the notwithstanding clause to shield three laws that directly threaten t...
ccla.org
November 19, 2025 at 7:49 PM
hpliszka.bsky.social
"When procurement and governance and accountability breaks down, it's always Albertans who pay the price," said Auditor General Doug Wylie
November 20, 2025 at 12:19 AM
hpliszka.bsky.social
"The proposed speed limit change comes at a time when Alberta already has among the highest insurance premiums in the country."
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Alberta already has sky-high car insurance rates. Will 120 km/h speed limits send premiums higher? | CBC News
Vehicle insurance companies are going to keep a close watch on whether the Alberta government keeps driving forward with a proposal to increase some highway speed limits to 120km/h.
www.cbc.ca
November 19, 2025 at 7:06 PM