Female empowerment and (not so) fake news

Each week, we give you a roundup of the Alberta politics outrage, the posturing and the downright weird unfolding on social media.

(NOT) FAKE NEWS

When an email from abortion opponents Right Now surfaced on social media this week, United Conservative Party board members were quick to dismiss it as a fake.

The email encouraged Right Now members to apply for a UCP summer internship, to learn “essential skills” to advance “pro-life legislation provincially in Alberta by working as future staffers for future pro-life members of the Legislative Assembly.” But it also called the UCP the United Conservative Party of Canada. Oops.

“If you’re going to make things up, at least get our party’s name right,” tweeted UCP communications chair Sonia Kont.

Party chair Ed Ammar also chimed in, accusing opponents of “spreading false info” about the caucus, party and policies.

Kont and Ammar both deleted their tweets after the Journal spoke with Right Now and confirmed the email was real.

WOMEN’S MARCH

Kont also attracted the online ire of Women’s March supporters this week.

“Unpopular opinion: these ideological marches like the one in Washington does not empower women. Last time I checked, we all had the same rights in society,” she tweeted.

To that, Alberta Status of Women Minister Stephanie McLean responded: “Empowered women empower women.”

Kont’s final thoughts? As a young Kurdish woman, she was being “silenced” for her political views.