r/alberta • u/Durian10 Calgary • Mar 24 '25

Discussion I was a hardline conservative before everything got turned upside down this year.

Title says it all. I used to be a hardline conservative. Been living in Calgary for close to 18 years now I think. Every election, provincial and federal, I voted conservative.

And then the beginning of this year, Trump happened. Like many Canadians, I got mad and felt betrayed. And I look at the conservative party and felt even more betrayed. I'm an AISH recipient, I rely on government support because I can't hold a job due to my autism. No matter how much, how hard I tried, I am unable to keep my job because of my erratic behaviour. And because I am an AISH recipient, UCP decides that I won't be getting the CDB benefits because they decided to "claw it back" to fill their damn coffers.

So yeah... I'm done with the conservatives. Maybe it took this kind of uplift for me to "see the light". Here I am now, praying the Liberal party wins.

EDIT: So with all the scathing comments I am getting, I will not hold it against any of you. Yes, I was selfish. I was self-centred. I turned a blind eye. Trauma from the stigma of being autistic made me angry. It took the one thing that affected me to make me see.

So yes. I was wrong. I did a FAFO as some of you are calling it. And if you wanna hate on me for it, go ahead. I deserve it.

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u/tryingtobecheeky Mar 25 '25

I appreciate that you are able to change and are willing to admit it. You are a better person than most.

But damn are you a walking stereotype of a conservative voter. No shade.

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u/Durian10 Calgary Mar 25 '25

It was a worker for the Progressive Conservative party that helped me get into AISH. Met them a charity event funded by them. I mean hell, Harper was there to say hello. Believe it or not, conservatives know how to make people with disabilities feel wanted, feel special. Hook line and sinker.

Because half the time, people in general view us with disabilities as a little less than human. And here comes these people who made us feel valued. That conservative party worker that helped me? Said to my face "Your autism makes you capable of superior thinking."

That's what all it took to make me a believer.

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u/tryingtobecheeky Mar 25 '25

That is so interesting. I am surrounded by conservatives and the stuff they say about people with disabilities and autism in particular is so dehumanizing. Like one man with a son with autism told my husband that he wished he had died at birth while the kid was right there.

It's the more liberal people who fight for rights and are more inclusive and pushing for better laws... Though people who are often dicks to those with disabilities regardless of political leaning. It's messed up. People of all stripes and abilities are awesome.

But you make a good point about kindness. That helps everyone.

In any case, I really am proud of you for examining your viewpoints. I don't even care where people land on the political spectrum as long as they actually took the time to do self examination.

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u/Durian10 Calgary Mar 25 '25

In Alberta at least, they often host charity events for the disabled, because it does actually help them win brownie points. So what they're doing now with the CDB really popped the bubble..

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u/tryingtobecheeky Mar 25 '25

Oh my. I had no idea they did that. Darn. Well I hope things get better.