None of the big three political parties are off to a very auspicious campaign start.
The Stelmach Doctor deal had a harsh reality check of what is actually do-able versus what is electorally announce-able! The dancing and adjusting done between the Edmonton and Calgary announcements is embarrassing.
The Alberta Liberals have had to dump a candidate who is facing drug and bribery charges. That too is embarrassing.
The Dippers are on the Dave Rutherford radio program apologizing to the Chair of the “Our Fair Share” Royalty Review for a very public misrepresentation of some private email exchanges. More embarrassments.
It can’t be stage fright or novice actors forgetting their lines. It is just the stuff that happens in elections where time pressures, campaign exuberance and human error hype too often trumps considered wisdom and thoughtfulness.
No big deal on these issues…but Alberta has some enormous challenges and opportunities gong forwards. We need political leaders of all parties to be able to anticipate and avoid screw ups and to not miss opportunities. We also need political leaders who can clearly communicate what they care about and what they are personally very committed to. We need to see their demonstrated capabilities to assume the array and weight of the responsibilities of the office of Premier.
The Stelmach Doctor deal had a harsh reality check of what is actually do-able versus what is electorally announce-able! The dancing and adjusting done between the Edmonton and Calgary announcements is embarrassing.
The Alberta Liberals have had to dump a candidate who is facing drug and bribery charges. That too is embarrassing.
The Dippers are on the Dave Rutherford radio program apologizing to the Chair of the “Our Fair Share” Royalty Review for a very public misrepresentation of some private email exchanges. More embarrassments.
It can’t be stage fright or novice actors forgetting their lines. It is just the stuff that happens in elections where time pressures, campaign exuberance and human error hype too often trumps considered wisdom and thoughtfulness.
No big deal on these issues…but Alberta has some enormous challenges and opportunities gong forwards. We need political leaders of all parties to be able to anticipate and avoid screw ups and to not miss opportunities. We also need political leaders who can clearly communicate what they care about and what they are personally very committed to. We need to see their demonstrated capabilities to assume the array and weight of the responsibilities of the office of Premier.
Finally we need to give our politicians enough slack so they can learn, adapt and change – quickly and correctly as required. They need this permission to be flexible without being seen as indecisive, weak or “flip flopping.”
God I hate that term. It is such a stupid characterization that actually impedes open, accountable, necessary and effective change. It stifles good governance and good decision making too. If the next Premier leaves the job as the same person they where when they came to the office that means they are incompetent or they held Alberta back from realizing its full potential or both.
I can't find any information about a liberal candidate being brought up on drug and bribery changes. Are you sure that's accurate? I'd be surprised if Taft let someone like that slip through the review process.
ReplyDeleteI can't find anything about a Liberal candidate being brought up on drug and bribery charges. Are you sure it is accurate? I'd be surprised if Taft didn't vet his candidates more thoroughly than that.
ReplyDeleteI, too, hate 'flip-flopping'. One of my favourite quotes, in fact, is:
ReplyDelete"When the facts change, I change my opinion. What do you do, sir?"
-John Meynard Keynes
I would hate the term "flip-flopper" too if I supported Dion!!
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe that the PCs are actually making health care an issue in this campaign by arguing that they will increase doctors and nurses. Why didn't Hancock do his damn job and do this BEFORE the election? Does the health of Albertans only matter when there is an election? Hancock should be ashamed of this decision - maybe it was pushed upon him but he shoudl have pushed back.
ReplyDeleteGood post, Ken. I hate that term too.
ReplyDeleteWhere's the info on the liberal candidate? You can't throw something like that out there without a link to back it up...
ReplyDeleteRe Former Liberal Candidate - the reference note was in today's Edmonton Sun.
ReplyDeleteKieran Leblanc of the Libs was quoted as saying they already have a replacement candidate. Call the Alberta Liberals, I am sure they will tell you exactly what, where and who.
Fair enough - thanks Ken.
ReplyDeleteKen:
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think of the government's decision not to implement changes to the Conflicts of Interest Act until after the election? Here was a chance for the Premier to make a real break from the past and change the way government works in Alberta, but he failed to act decisively.
Jim
From the Globe and Mail Alberta Election web site today (Feb. 8, 2008)
ReplyDeleteWhere's Ed?
Tory leader Ed Stelmach will be "campaigning in his constituency" this weekend, but those are all the details his media team are releasing about his whereabouts.
Since the campaign started, reporters have been emailed a detailed break-down of Mr. Stelmach's daily appearances.
Mike Norris, a campaign spokesperson, told Alberta Votes that the former farmer from Andrew, Alta. (pop. 550) has no formal events planned and will be meeting with his constituents.
I am assuming Ken, the lobbyist, is happy that there are no changes.
ReplyDeleteAnon @ 10:51..actually I am pretty pissed at this turn of events.
ReplyDeleteFull disclosure - I did a bunch of work to successfully get the not-for-profit sector exempted from the legislation...as in Quebec.
However, I can't believe my government, representing my Party, passed a regulation, on the eve of an election, to exempt the current crop of retirees from the new law. They knew what the hell they were doing and the impact on them when they passed the legislation.
Shoddy! Very Shoddy.
If they did not want the new rules to apply to the current crop of retiring MLAs they should have made that explicit in the debate and in the legislation. Open and transparent government demands this.
I also can't believe it will take until 2009 to get the rest of the Regs in place for the Lobbyist Act either. This was Ed's Bill 1 and Alberta is already late getting into legislating in this area. It is not rocket surgery to write up effective regulations and get on with it.
Why the delay???