Terrible Depths comments on new developments in Alberta:

Remember when that bogus coalition tried to smack down Beverley McLachlan for her alleged role in getting Henry Morgentaler his Order of Canada? Well, it looks like the religious right is back playing that game again. The subject du jour is the Albertan “parental rights” legislation, which I’ve covered before, as have many others, and which would – the premier and at least one minister have argued – let religious parents take teachers before the Human Rights Commission for discussing evolution or sexual orientation in the classroom.

Yesterday there was a new development when a self-described “coalition of five family organizations” issued a press release through CNW, declaring their support for the legislation, which is still being debated. According to the press relesae, “family is the fundamental unit of society and parents have the right to choose the kind of education that shall be given their children.” I wonder whether that includes the parents of this girl in Winnipeg.

Anyway, like in the McLachlan incident, there is some funny footwork going on here. (Also some fuckery over at Equipping Christians’ blog, by the way, where Tim Bloedow says the coalition is “mostly Albertan conservative organizations,” when in fact they’re national organizations and a provincial chapter.)

For one thing, as in the McLachlan affair precisely in fact, REAL Women is actually listed twice: once as REAL Women of Canada, and again as REAL Women of Canada Alberta Chapter. Now unless those two organizations have oddly divergent policy positions, which I find unlikely, there are actually only four organizations here.

As for the others, well, United Families of Canada is listed, and I’m not even sure they exist anymore. Their website doesn’t seem to, anyways. The phone number listed for “Jill Cahoon, President,” is actually registered to David Cahoon, who is presumably her husband, which presumably means that the organization is fallen on hard times and this is a home telephone number.

That’s not conclusive, mind you – REAL Women of Alberta President Corry Morcos’s number is registered to Fawzy Morcos, again presumably her husband. Ditto with the number of Michele Dow of United Mothers and Fathers, though in that case, at least, it seems that she actually owns her own phone.

REAL Women and the Catholic League, of course, have their own phone numbers. And offices. Which is good for them. And United Mothers has a website, at any rate. As for the others, if I were them, I’d be grateful right now about the fact, as you so frequently and paranoidly assert, that the mainstream media “ignores” you. After all, you wouldn’t want reporters deluging your house with phone calls this evening, would you?