The Globe and Mail Columnist Jeffery Simpson last Saturday commented on “The Bozo Years” being over for Alberta and asked “What Now?” That is the ballot question in the hearts and minds of Albertans who are going to chose the new Progressive Conservative leader and Alberta’s pro tem Premier. It is on the minds of all of us, at the back of mind for some and at the top of mind for others. That is the central question - "What Now?"
There is an old axiom that says if you are coasting but still moving forward you have to be going down hill. That has been the recent reality for the Progressive Conservative Party and the “animating” (sic) characteristic of the Klein government for the past too many years. The basking in the glory of defeating the debt and deficit dragon has worn thin. It is now showing serious negative consequences because we have a government that believed debt and deficit was a finish line instead of a starting line.
Change and choice and taking chances are the stuff of elections and leadership campaigns. I sense Albertans are not only “up for” some different approaches in all three of these elements – they are demanding them. After 35 plus years of Progressive Conservative government is Alberta poised for one of it classic tectonic political shifts?
It has been said of Democrats that they make plans and then they go do something else while Republicans follow the plans of their grandfathers. I think that description has some resonance when applied respectively to the Progressive and the Conservative elements within the PC Party of Alberta too.
Part of the “Send ‘Em a Message” Survey on Policy Channel has been a rating of the Klein government’s performance in the 15 key policy areas we are researching. The survey is web based so it is not scientific but the participants self-select and volunteer so they have some “investment” in the answers they give. The group so far is 55% male/45% female. 58% are not PC Party members and 42% are. However 65% said they were “somewhat, very or extremely likely” to vote on the leadership. They are activist and engaged folks with things on their minds.
The performance rankings they gave the current government on the four most important issues on their minds are:
Environment: 17% Good and 83% Bad
Timely Access to Quality Health Care: 27% Good and 63%
Quality Education K-12: 49% Good and 51% Bad
Managing Growth: 13% Good and 87% Bad.
The only issue the government got positive ranking in was Lowering Taxes with 64% Good ranking. Lowering Taxes was also ranked as the least important issue facing Alberta so no serious benefit can be expected there for the next Premier. To say there is room for the current government to improve belittles the obvious.
What now? That is the ballot question, not just who is next?
Yes Alberta is moving forward. The growth in GDP and investment activity tells us that. But we have been coasting too. The PC Party memberships unceremonious ending of the Klein leadership last April 1 was the proof of that. The above survey performance ranking of the PC government also tells Progressive Conservative MLAs and party members that Albertans feel we are going down hill as well.
If this sense of government coasting down hill continues under the new leader - Albertans will definitely be doing some house cleaning - perhaps as soon as the next election.
Take 5 minutes and do the survey. It forces you to make some tough choices but it will help to get your voice heard.
Ken, I'm not sure if you read this yet, but it's from Janet Hancock's blog. People in my camp have been feeling this same type of pressure.
ReplyDeleteAs a school principal I know bullying. I know what it looks like. I can
smell it and sense it. I work daily with my staff to fight it. It is under
the surface, it is repeated over time and most really effective bullying is
verbal. Sometimes no matter how hard you try to pretend it is not happening,
to walk away, or just ignore it, it is hard to separate the bottom of your
shoes from the muck. Since this campaign began, I have had a steady stream
of Jim Dinning supporters approach me and try to wear me down. The thinking
is that if I quit, maybe David will too. Of course, they also target our
volunteers and work on them. Whatever the public place, forum, it doesn't
seem to matter. Usually the bullying starts with an overture of friendship.
Something like, "Dave is a really great person and I have a lot of respect
for Dave." At this point, it is usually followed up with some line like "Too
bad, Jim has the race sown up and Dave won't win." At the AUMA forum, the
individual told me that if Dave immediately stepped down and supported Jim,
he was in touch with someone in Edmonton who would personally see to it that
Dave got a great Cabinet position. Well, Dave has had some really great
Cabinet positions and been Government House Leader, and on Agenda and
Priorities and Treasury Board. I will continue this in the next entry.
This week two things happened that only show me how much muck there really
is out there. The first a few days ago began with the usual approach, "Dave
is a really strong voice in government. Too bad he won't be premier." Then,
it was followed with, "We have done some of our own polling and Dave will
come in last." Anyone who has ever been involved in politics knows that you
just can't poll this kind of a race - there are too many unknowns. And of
course, the undecided section of the population continues to be very large
in this race. However, the line continues with, "Since Dave will be at the
very bottom of all candidates running, his career in politics will be over.
He will never recover." And then the offer - "if Dave steps down now and
comes over to Jim, we will see that he has a powerful cabinet position."
What made the approach this time really interesting was the line, "But of
course, this is a time sensitive offer. Dave would have to come over to Jim
right away." I can not begin to tell you how much this kind of talk disturbs
me on a moral and ethical level. Dave is a person of integrity. His
reputation is about long service and the will to make a difference. We have
the most wonderful people on our campaign team and it is a large one. We
have people from every walk of life who want to get involved because they
believe in Dave and what he stands for. Dave is not about power and he never
has been. In this race, he talks daily with pride about how through his
policies he has put teachers first and foremost. He talks about influencing
the speaking agenda and the agenda for the next government to look at those
in society who are disadvantaged, to care about our seniors, to work hard to
help those who are the working poor, or those who will become poor given
Alberta' great booming growth if we do not do something about housing
availability and affordability. And I could go on and on. Every day I am
proud of my husband and our team. I was not surprised then to hear yesterday
that the latest negative messaging from some in the Dinning camp was that we
had stepped out of the race. Balderdash! That is not who we are or what we
are about! We are about a caring government and about doing what is right
for people. Why would Dave ever step out? There is so much more to talk
about - and so much more to do! too bad there is so much muck.