STETTLER, AB
Conservative leader and new Battle River-Crowfoot MP Pierre Poilievre has been taking Plautdietsch lessons in the small Mennonite town of Stettler, Alberta this week. This after several constituents greeted him with, “kjenn jie noch Plautdietsch?” when he knocked on their doors.
“You’d think I was in La Crete or Taber or something,” said Poilievre. “Yet here I am in Stettler and I still have no clue what Mrs. Martens is saying.”
Poilievre says he’s started with the alphabet and has already learned several rhyming verses by local Holdeman school children.
“Hey, unlike Mark Carney, at least I’m working,” said Poilievre. “I’d like to see him try to rede with the good people of Stettler.”
The Leader of the Opposition plans to compete in the annual Parliamentary Plautdietsch Spelling Bee in Ottawa this fall. Competitors in this year’s event include perennial runner-up Ted Falk, as well as Jake Sawatzky, Chris Warkentin, Rosemarie Falk, Brad Redekopp, and Dave Epp. Last year’s champion Ernie Klassen gets an automatic bye into the finals.
(photo credit: Wikipageedittor099/Wikicommons/Modified)
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