Jim Prentice just announced he is quitting the Harper Cabinet effective immediately and his role as MP by year end.
I know Jim Prentice is one of the most talented, capable and progressive members of the Harper front bench. I have know Jim for years from when he was a young lawyer. We were on opposite sides of the Oldman River Dam project) We also were members of the now defunct federal Progressive Conservative Party (defunct thx to the lack of personal integrity, honesty and accountability of Peter McKay). I supported Jim's bid as leader of the federal PC Party at one time.
I am not surprised that he is quitting the Harper government but I'm betting Harper is. The autocratic leadership style of Prime Minister Harper inside his party, the CPC caucus and his Cabinet as well as the federal public service is not the kind of servant-leader politician Jim Prentice would want to serve for very long.
Politics is in Jim's blood but my betting is he got tired of having to bite his tongue all the time as a Harper Cabinet Minister. It must be difficult for a man of integrity like Prentice to deal with the hypocrisy that is so central to Stephen Harper's totalitarian approach to governance. Add the mean-spirited approach to politics and the lack of respect and intimidation management of the PM and the PMO with the bureaucracy - enough is enough. Prentice's time to do the right thing for himself had come. Ironically his departure could cause enough of stir up the sheeple in the Harper Cabinet and Caucus. That would be good for Canada.
So thank you Jim Prentice and family too for the years of dedicated public service. Thank you too for your timing and the swiftness of your departure. I know you will officially reject any such allegations and observations regarding the circumstances of your departure, especially of the kind I reference here. But the reality is the public is not stupid. We can read the writing on the wall. We know what is going on and politically correct pro forma denials of the well-founded perceptions will not render them wrong in the public mind.
I hope this is the beginning of the end of the fear and intimidation Harper lords over all in his reach and realm. Canada needs a new leader and a new government. We need servant-leaders who know and respect the proper role of government, namely to protect and empower citizens. We need them to know their place too, namely to have the best interests of the country as paramount. It is time to end the tyranny of the authoritarian belligerent bully we now have as our national "leader."
It is close to election time Canada. Dust off your citizenship and inform yourself on the issues. Then run for public office or encourage quality candidates that align with your values and your vision for our country. It is time for a change.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Clearly Prentice's departure signals that we need a much more truly conservative Prime Minister. One that will eliminate the deficit and cut our taxes immediately. Harper has failed with both.
ReplyDeletePrentice drank the global warming kool aid.
ReplyDeleteGood riddance.
Jim Prentice, a principled leader. He demonstrated that in undertaking difficult portfolios and moving them forward without the rancour and spite of many of the other Harper pitbulls.
ReplyDeletePerhaps a person of Jim Prentice's honorable standing would make a great premier. The Alberta Party needs leaders like Jim
A year ago, I took one hour for each of the eight weeks leading up to the Copenhagen Climate Conference to stand on the sidewalk in front of the office of my MP Jim Prentice with two signs:
ReplyDelete"Jim Prentice does not speak for me, either as my MP or as Environment Minister" and
"Stop pointing fingers and LEAD on climate change"
I've begun to wonder, however, if Mr. Prentice would rather have taken a different stance on climate change than he did, but for the dictates of his boss.
In recent weeks I wrote two thank you letters to Jim Prentice; for the updating of regulations on coal plants, for the appointment of a expert panel to compare water quality downstream of the oilsands with the assertions of the Alberta Government and with those of Dr. David Schindler and his team, and finally for turning down the proposal for a toxic mine at Fish Lake in BC.
I've got to say Jim left on a high note, and he gained some respect from me before his departure.