tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post3591166016936644776..comments2023-09-22T06:22:50.820-06:00Comments on Ken Chapman: Progressive Reflections on the Alberta Electionskenchapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11384045981190810115noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-58433312587948086892010-10-26T20:05:46.433-06:002010-10-26T20:05:46.433-06:00Ken,
Extrapolating from municipal to provincial po...Ken,<br />Extrapolating from municipal to provincial politics is very iffy proposition. Calgary's had relatively progressive mayors and councillors for years, but elect horribly right-wing provincial and federal politicians. It's very questionable whether Mandel deserves the label (which he probably wouldn't want), and Edmonton has definitely had more progressive mayors in the past. In the case of Nenshi, we have to remember that he only got a plurality - absent Higgins getting in the race, we may be talking about Mayor McIver. Nenshi also seemed to get some traction with his schtick about audits and accountability. He seemed to ride McIver's wave better than McIver did, and it wasn't a very "progressive" wave, at least not on any meaningful definition of the term. So there are important contingent factors unique to the race which make any attempt to trace this to broader, deeper "progressive" movements (especially ones that link to other orders of government/politics) very suspect. This isn't to say that he didn't run a very good campaign and that he's not genuinely got some "progressive" ideas. I'm sure he does. I also think his energy and innovative, fresh style probably helped boost participation, which is itself important, but there's still very little evidence of a big progressive shift underway. Survey evidence that the Reform/CPC/Harris/WRA values don't necessarily align with Canadians' or Albertans' real values or preferences has been around for a long, long time. There's not necessarily anything fundamentally new there. <br /><br />So I agree that we need a viable political party or parties aligned with or speaking to those values. But we have two parties that for the most part (with some exceptions at the margins) attempt to position themselves in that space. It's the PCs and the Liberals. They both compete for the centre, and no re-booted alternative is going to offer anything fundamentally different in terms of overall policy position or orientation than what is already being offered. Even the movers and shakers of the fledgling Alberta Party admit they have to take out the ALP. So maybe some new Alberta Party will try to split the difference between recent incarnations of PCs and Libs, and become a determinedly Centrist party, instead of Centre-Right vs. Centre Left. But when you look at party competition and ideological/cultural shifts over the long term, it's not at all clear that a new "Centrist" alternative would do much for progressive values in Alberta. Now it could be that the ALP just isn't viable. They appear to be largely incompetent, based on recent campaigns and performance. They may not be able to connect, or they may have a brand problem, but their fundamental problem isn't "aligning" with Albertans values or policy preferences. political positioning one. <br /><br />Adams' work is OK, but if "progressive" is to have any real, practical meaning (other than some sort of diffuse rejection of...something not progressive), it has at least something to do with the traditional L-R spectrum. In practical policy terms "progressive" policy in the U.S. does looks a lot like "progressive" policy in Canada, despite lots of really important other differences, some of which Adams gets at least mostly right. In Alberta progressive seems to be used for a bunch supposedly non- or post-partisan ideas around democratic engagement or something. But if so, there's not enough to hold any sort of movement together over the long term. It's basically Apple Pie or Hockey - everyone likes it. <br /><br />Anyhow, keep up the good work. Efforts to engage people in making Alberta better is good work - even if I'm not entirely convinced of the case being made.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-30584966145198825542010-10-21T12:09:59.420-06:002010-10-21T12:09:59.420-06:00Great comment Anon at 11:42. I admit to a dash of...Great comment Anon at 11:42. I admit to a dash of progressive boosterism in all this due to my volunteer work in Reboot Alberta. And I extrapolate from the municipal election to the potential for provincial impacts. I do have some serious science in the form of recent random surveys of Albertans that I can use to support my arguments. Come to Reboot3.0 and hear all about it.<br /><br />The research we have done and I just sat through an 90 minute presentation this morning by Michael Adams of Environics on updated value trends in Canada with lots of Alberta based data. It all shows the Harper/Harris and Fraser Institute inspired governing philosophy of Danielle Smith of the Wildrose is not aligned with the core Canadian and Alberta values.<br /><br />So what we need is a viable political alternative that is aligned. We do not see that being offered to us yet.<br /><br />Thx for the comment <br /><br />I don't think progressive means the same value set in Canada as in the US and we are the dominant group by numbers in Canada. Michael Adams great book Fire and Ice outlines lots of the differences.<br /><br />As for the Harvard education - it is not a guarantee of a "spectacular" mind but it is still a valuable credential.kenchapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11384045981190810115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-66835001305972045552010-10-21T11:42:55.382-06:002010-10-21T11:42:55.382-06:00Bill O'Reilly, Fox News blowhard, did some pid...Bill O'Reilly, Fox News blowhard, did some piddly graduate work at the Harvard School of Government too. Lots of people roll through Harvard who aren't particularly spectacular, and the education on offer there isn't measurably better than that on offer a lot of other places. From what I can tell, Nenshi's a bright guy, but let's get over the "Harvard" issue. <br /><br />Virtually everyone these days is progressive, putting aside Glenn Beck and the U.S. Tea Party idiots. The term has lost almost all meaning. It's absurd to have Beck try to capture the evils of "progressivism" on his chalkboard, but it's not all that more helpful to attempt to capture its virtues in a progressive blog. This idea that it provides some sort of basis for a coherent political/policy programme (or party) probably needs some examination. There's something to it - don't get me wrong. It just doesn't get us very far. The devil is in the policy details, and some vital differences exist within that amorphous idea that can't be re-booted away. <br /><br />While I suspect that I would disagree with Mr. Galt (above) on a lot of political issues, he had detected some pretty deep flaws in Mr. Chapman's analysis of the significance of the municipal elections. When you scratch the surface, and control for your variables (as they teach you to do at Harvard I think) there's very little real evidence here of any abiding cultural or ideological or political shift. That's not to say that things aren't changing or can't change, perhaps even in the direction(s) Chapman indicates. But it is to say that Chapman's analysis is probably more about boosterism, or perhaps just the old fashioned problem of seeing things in a way that supports your pre-existing view of things, than any real evidence.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-1763216949361039892010-10-20T21:04:36.650-06:002010-10-20T21:04:36.650-06:00You've defined it well, Ken. Current political...You've defined it well, Ken. Current political parties are not filling the growing desire by the public for a new form of engagement. Nenshi studied at Harvard's JFK School of Government. Having studied there myself, I know he is equipped with the right tools to handle policy formulation for the complex problems facing Calgary. <br />Hopefully the Alberta Party or Reboot Alberta will be able to give the boot to the old political guard in this province and refresh the Alberta political scene. I don`t see the PC`s, WAP`s, Lib`s, or NDP`s filling that growing need.Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-89272559618245682672010-10-20T20:15:27.113-06:002010-10-20T20:15:27.113-06:00Many libertarians also press for Bill 44.Many libertarians also press for Bill 44.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-62930105152357549362010-10-20T13:39:55.419-06:002010-10-20T13:39:55.419-06:00Mr. Chapman,
I think you are incorrect in your as...Mr. Chapman,<br /><br />I think you are incorrect in your assessment of the impact of these elections.<br /><br />In Calgary Mr. Nenshi replaced Dave Bronconnier a progressive who once ran for the federal Liberal party against Rob Anders. Calgary replaced one progressive with another. Additionally, Ric Nciver and Barb Higgins split the right wing vote which gave Mr. Nenshi the opportunity to run up the middle.<br /><br />In Edmonton Mr. Mandel should be ashamed that there wasn't a plebiscite on closing the airport. With all of the signatures that were collected by Envision Edmonton there should have been a plebiscite supported by City Council. Regarding the Dorward campaign it is quite remarkable that he received 58,000 votes when running a campaign for just a few months. Perhaps you haven't run an election campaign but to get 58,000 in a matter of weeks is outstanding. Mayor Mandel should be very concerned in the next election if someone sets out a one to two year campaign plan.<br /><br />I am confused by your comment about Red Deer. The sitting mayor is a progressive who one by but a small margin over a woman who ran a virtually invisible campaign. Had there been a true conservative candidate with a solid campaign plan that candidate would have won.<br /><br />Overall everything is pretty much the status quo so I am not sure where you see this progressive liberal surge coming from.JD Galtnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-28310244484481787402010-10-20T12:25:51.102-06:002010-10-20T12:25:51.102-06:00I think you missed the boat. People tend to vote ...I think you missed the boat. People tend to vote for self interest or because they like someone not for deep thought political reasons. In Edmonton the issue is property value. In doing home flier delivery I counted 187 recently built and lived in homes with lock boxes and sherrif notices but no real estate signs indicating the homes were on the market but not public. Probably to reduce the panic in any give neighborhood. People bought the homes at the peak of the market and were now gone because of the job situation. The result is that in spite of the issue of high property tax and city hall quietly suggesting that the tax could double in the next 5 years, the vote went to the tax and spend group. In short the city has to create jobs to get the house prices back up or they are in serious financial trouble should they be transferred or lose their jobs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-67144023022895092792010-10-20T09:59:17.458-06:002010-10-20T09:59:17.458-06:00Excellent article. It feels very good to be able t...Excellent article. It feels very good to be able to have an impact, finally. The media in Canada, and Alberta is part of the problem without a doubt - they try to control the message according to what their affiliations are, which is usually Conservative. <br /><br />Everyone keeping in touch re Calgary via #yycvote on Twitter, I think that will go on for a long time, it's the Calgary voters touchstone. <br /><br />Thanks for this analysis.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-36469572718005538352010-10-20T09:40:29.278-06:002010-10-20T09:40:29.278-06:00Sure - The social conservatives press for Bill 44 ...Sure - The social conservatives press for Bill 44 are from the WAP. The belief in the marketplace as a superior solution to for all public policy purposes. The sense that the individual rights are so dominant that one is a part from a larger society. The demand that growth be the major measure of well-being and faith over science is a way to make public policy decisions. Government is the problem and taxes are a constraint on individual freedoms instead of government being a collaborative sense of citizenship and taxes are part of providing for a caring and compassionate society, personal and social security and designing responsible progress. Lots more but you get my drift.<br /><br />A new party has been formed the Alberta Party. go to www.albertaparty.ca for more info.<br /><br />Go to www.rebootalberta.org and click on What's a Progressive to answer your third point.kenchapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11384045981190810115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-73357966877101539902010-10-20T09:29:14.946-06:002010-10-20T09:29:14.946-06:00Ken, I hope you are right about progressive forces...Ken, I hope you are right about progressive forces starting to be evident outside the two big cities as well. Otherwise, there is little hope until we can force redistribution of the electoral boundaries to more accurately represent the population (i.e. reduce the over-representation of rural ridings). <br /><br />Certainly a very exciting set of election results though, as you say. Especially in Calgary!!Tema Frankhttp://kidscareunited.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-84225343722726684812010-10-20T08:34:37.641-06:002010-10-20T08:34:37.641-06:00Interesting read Ken. Can you give an example of ...Interesting read Ken. Can you give an example of why you consider the Wildrose as "extremely right wing"? I've read their policies and I just don't make that same connection. They seem to offer more avenues for citizen input than any other party ever has.<br /><br />Are you suggesting yet another completely new political party be formed under the auspices of Reeboot Alberta...with a full policy platform...in time for the next election?<br /><br />Can you broaden your definition of a "Progressive citizen"?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-15718842125396546532010-10-20T08:01:25.621-06:002010-10-20T08:01:25.621-06:00I have two comments, perhaps questions.
1. I...I have two comments, perhaps questions. <br /><br />1. I'm not familiar with the debt-load of other Alberta municipalities including Edmonton and Calgary. However the debt-load of my municipality is concerning, arguably unsustainable. Many of the "progressive" platforms require significant spending, maybe that's okay. How can these platforms and plans be achieved in a fiscally responsible manner? I follow the writings and thoughts Meredith Whitney whose recent report predicts financial crisis for state governments. The financial crisis is linked to debt-load of governments. <br />2. In my community, there is a growing immigrant population. In my opinion this is positive. They are an important and valuable part of our community’s social network. Because the immigrants are not Canadian citizens they cannot vote. How can their interests and values be represented in a municipal election?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-16970971414084756182010-10-20T07:02:26.290-06:002010-10-20T07:02:26.290-06:00Progressive = left wing, socialistProgressive = left wing, socialistAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com