As readers know, I am a keen proponent of Dave Hancock for the next leader of the PC party. This Blog is full of postings as to the reasons why. In summary my support is about character, competence, commitment and caring. Look up any of those words in the dictionary and you should find a picture of Dave Hancock every time.
That is what we Albertans' should think about as we vote this weekend. We need to find a new kind of learder and Premier, not just someone else to full the office. That new kind of leader is Dave Hancock. So take the plunge, join the PC Party and show up on Saturday and vote for Dave Hancock. Then you know you will be making a real difference about the future of Alberta.
I am also a keen progressive when it comes to politics. I like the conservative aspect of the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta too. I especially like the idea of conservation as a concept that needs to be embedded and more obvious stated as part of the “Conservative” element of modern politics and the PC Party of Alberta.
Conservation in my mind is a broad principle that embraces the environment, a long term view of economic prosperity, natural resource based stewardship and people centred concerns like social cohesion and inclusion.
The progressive part of what I see in Alberta’s future has to foster our cultural creative people. People have heard of Richard Florida’s book on the subject. The foundational book about cultural creatives is “The Cultural Creatives” by Paul Ray and Sherry Ruth Anderson in 2000.
You will hear more about this from me post leadership but as a break and segue take a minute and do the "Are You a Cultural Creative" Questionnaire. It says a lot about and to Progressives as well.
Cultural Creative and Progressives have to get organized and focused just like Social Conservatives have done. This questionnaire is a start to those ends.
Please let me know your thoughts on this idea of the Cultural Creative and Progressives getting organized politically as well.
Ah, what an argument. Hancock CARES. The other candidates DON'T CARE - they are mean-spirited. Hence, vote Hancock.
ReplyDeleteSimply awesome. We'll see if it works on Sat.
What is with some people? Do they think everyone lives in a zero-sum Hobbesian world? Is everything in life just solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short? If there is something good about someone does that automatically mean there must be something bad about someone else as a result? Spare me!
ReplyDeleteI have not said anything remotely like what you have concluded - in fact nothing even remotely close to what your comments even imply.
In the future I hope you will make a more useful contribution to a dialogue about Alberta and the PC Party.
Is Hancock a so-called Cultural Creative because he wants to put $60 million into the arts program?
ReplyDeleteI think not. Any fool can do that.
Then why aren't the 'other fools' doing it?
ReplyDeleteSean
Hey Anonymous regarding Cultural Creatives - did you do the quiz and if so - tell us - are you one or not? I think I can guess but am open to being astonished.
ReplyDeleteThis is about 21st century infrastructure investment in a knowledge based economy. It always generates impressive ROI. Ever heard of Google or YouTube?
So it is not the amount it is is what you get for it and the reasons we do it in the first place.
This is about the common good.
Your comments are not getting any better...or brighter. Are you going to resort to telling me something truly ignominious next posting like "my mother wears army boots?"
Sean, because there are much more important things that $60 million can be send on, namely housing for the homelessness. There are numerous social programs that could be funded. If individuals want to attend fine art events, they should pay for them from their own pocket.
ReplyDeleteHancock, for being so left leaning, so actually think of the less fortunate - those that fall through the cracks of the society rather than some elitist fine arts program.
Haha, no Ken, won't be doing that.
Anonymous...who ever you are...Go to any of the disability groups sites who have evaluated candidates based on the needs and concerns of these people. Morton and Oberg do not even respond to the request for postions. These people do not register on those candidates radar screens.
ReplyDeleteDinning, Hancock and McPherson register with these people. And that is a good thing.
Based on paying full fair for fine arts events..OK...so lets forget about public funding subsidies for the stadiums and arenas used for million dollar athletes to "perform in." Don't even get me started on the recent $45 million in subsidies for horse racing.
The folks sitting between the blue lines and on the 55 yard lines are amongst the largest subsidized social groups in our society.
The ticket prices never cover the facility costs, and not all of the operational cost either. And I am OK with that...to a point!
Where are you on that?
Dave has some excellent ideas for ensuring that all Albertans have the opportunity to live in dignity - that includes taking care of our less fortunate and our working poor. If you follow the below link, you’ll be able to read some of Dave’s many insightful and compassionate ideas for Alberta’s future.
ReplyDeletewww.davehancock.ca
As Ken said, we don't live in a zero-sum world where can ONLY have EITHER social programs OR cultural programs. In fact, I think drawing a stark dichotomy between the two is an awfully structuralist and shortsighted approach. Culture and society are inexorably linked, and affordable housing, relief for the poor, the arts, and cultural festivals all go hand-in-hand. For example, look at how the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival re-invigorated Edmonton's Old Strathcona area, or how the new Arts on the Avenue Festival may have a similar positive effect on the Alberta Avenue area in north-central Edmonton.
Music, theatre, visual arts, cultural diversity, recreation and sport all positively contribute to our economy and society. The construction of cultural venues provides jobs for people. Cultural venues need to be staffed thereby also providing jobs for people, not to mention that strong cultural programs provide artists, actors, musicians and athletes the opportunity to work, and economically and culturally contribute to society by doing something they love. Indeed, culture in all its forms – elite or popular, whether it is a football game or the opera or amateur sculpture, is supposed to inspire us. It should make us dream big and want to do better and more for our fellow citizens, our society and ourselves. To me, that is the power of art and culture.
Sean