Got a call last night from Alberta Liberal Leader David Swann giving me a heads up on his effort to reach out to progressive thinking Albertans to do politics differently. As part of Reboot Alberta I am all in favour of that and pleased to see David making the gesture.
This is part of a larger discussion he and I had a week or so ago about getting a larger gathering of progressives together in the new year to really get serious about how we want to be governed,with whom and what are the core values we want expressed and applied by our politicians and in how we are to be governed in the future. It has to be much more that vote for me and lets get rich quick!
To linear people that sound like a lot of navel gazing I know. But the reality is we are so badly governed in Canada and Alberta these days that something has to change and dramatically. I am of the opinion that major transformations do not happen incrementally from the status quo. Something altogether new replaces the status quo. A superficial example is with the advent of cell phones just try and find a payphone. They have become virtually extinct.
What is the transformational replacement for the inert, inept, and inadequate model of politics and government these days? I don't think for a minute that the reversal of decades of positive social development that the Wildrose Alliance Party wants to accomplish with its social conservative "us versus them" approach to politics is the way to go. None of the existing political "alternatives" are resonating. There are 45% of Albertans in a recent poll said they had no confidence in any existing Alberta party or leader to adequately manage Alberta's growth.
As Monty Python said, "...and now for something completely different" is where most Albertans at at. The Alberta progressives are overwhelmingly committed to making a positive contribution to the province's future and feel their personal efforts make a difference. How do we focus that commitment, energy and spirit into actual political and democratic change? That is the question before us and I am delighted that people like David Swann are prepared to pose it dramatically and purposefully.
I will await with great interest what he and others like the fledging Alberta Party are ready to do. There are progressive thinking people who are showing up and stepping up to the plate. Time to take a swing and even more timely to make a pitch. (sic)
Stay tuned Alberta. This could get interesting.
We do need a transformation - and if it takes a new party by all means. Anything to take us towards an integrative approach to politics that values cooperation, conservation, partnership and quality of life. While I am an NDP supporter I have respected the politics of Joe Clarke, David Orchard and have voted Liberal when I thought it necesary to voice my concern against rabid reform/conservatives. In essence if it's progressive politics I can see opportunity. We need to end this lost political era and begin anew in Alberta.
ReplyDeleteThx for the comment and adding to the conversation Michael
ReplyDeleteThank you David Swann. I have always respected David Swann's commitment to an ethical and reasoned approach to public discourse. This is very much the approach that Alberta, and the rest of Canada, needs to address the critical issues facing us. We can no longer rely on the old stereotypes of political parties but we need to go in bold new directions that cross party lines. It takes a person such as David to set aside the ego driven politics we have had and look to the greater good.
ReplyDeleteI hope that Mason, Ericson, and other leaders of the progressive movement can put aside their own personal interests and join in the dialogue for change.
If Dr. Swann were to refuse to promote the Co-operation resolution adopted at the recent convention, would the membership cry "dictatorship" and denounce him as not democratically being the members voice?
ReplyDeleteMr. Mason has twice been told in defeated convention resolutions the NDP members are not interested in "co-operative" election stategies promoted by the DRPs. If mr. Mason were to violate this democratically determined decision, who would support his decision besides the DRPs who endorse this dictatorship response?
David and Brian will no doubt meet again on this - and soon I expect. Reboot Alberta is going to get involved in a trans-partisan way with a gathering of progressives in October to discuss the potential for progressive political pressures to be brought to bear on the parties in the province. More on that later
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