I wanted to write something in anticipation of the inevitable Left vs Right commentary that will be forthcoming on the Alberta Budget debates.
However, I have not really read the Budget...yet! Pretty hard to be authoritative under those circumstances.
Still the polarized arguments and tropes from the adversaries are very easy to anticipate as they get regurgitated.
The progressive centralists in the Alberta Party are still looking for some safer, saner and sustainable solutions. That is very much a "work in progress" and the work continues.
In the meantime here is some "comic relief" round the Left vs Right at it relates in the States. Except for the names and a few other changes...for Alberta the story's the same one. (apologies to Neil Diamond for ripping of his lyrics in I Am...I Said).
Now I will delve into the 2018 Budget and look for the gems of sound fiscal management and the germs of good ideas.
It would be good if you joined my in the search.
Showing posts with label Alberta Party. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alberta Party. Show all posts
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Friday, February 16, 2018
Looking at the Alberta Party Leadership
A New Day and a New Way? With the retirement of Greg Clark as leader, there are four phases to the leadership change process within Alberta Party. First was to find quality and committed candidates. Done! Membership sales was next phase that closed on February 12. Done! Now the candidates have to get out there votes and persuade others members to support them for the end of February voting. In progress!
The final phase will be for the new leader to get to work. That is true for the other candidates, the sitting MLAs and the Board to grow the Party, recruit candidates and raise some cash for the next election and get focused to contest a by-election in the meantime. Next Steps!
The Alberta Party members will be deliberating on who they will support for Leadership and why. Ideally they will be sharing their thoughts with friends and family and through their social and professional networks. Raising the profile of the Party is only worthwhile if it raises support and participation in the next election.
When looking at deciding who should be the new Alberta Party leader. I am looking at what should be the go-forward leadership qualities, focus and capabilities. for the benefit of the Party My lens is about what the Alberta Party needs now to be successful in these times of change, uncertainty, pressing stewardship obligations, social cohesion needs and economic challenges.
Welcome to Uncertainty and Volatility. The Alberta Party has had a number of false starts at gaining traction and momentum since I became involved in 2009 and manged the Glenn Taylor Leadership Campaign. What is past is definitely not a prelude for what is needed today. The past is not much of a factor in helping members to decide the criteria they must apply for selecting the next leader of the Alberta Party and promoting it's future.
This is a new day in Alberta's political culture, especially given the electoral rejection of the PC dynasty and the coagulation of Reform-based social conservatives into the Kenney lead UCP. The the dramatic rise of the NDP from a 2 seat No Party Status in 2009 (when the Alberta Party started) to a 54 seat majority government by 2015. Volatility is the new normal in Alberta's political culture and anything could happen.
So what can and should the Alberta Party expect to achieve based on the three leadership candidate options? Quite a bit I would suggest. If I have my druthers I would like a leader that had the combined strengths of each candidate all rolled into one. That, unfortunately, is not reality. My list of Alberta Party leadership needs is based on what it will take to become a viable political alternative, capable of forming government and worthy of earning the public's trust.
Here is what I see as the strengths of each candidate, as applied to the needs of the Alberta Party today, and in no order of priority:
Organization. We need a leader who can recruit quality, capable and committed candidates. Those candidates must be loyal to a set of inclusive and comprehensive progressive principles, and not beholden to a party leader. That means the leader must be capable of creating a strong local presence throughout the province that results in viable, active and effective constituency organizations. That requires a leaders with a province-wide network and the ability to be forthright with potential candidates about the realities of political life. Stephen Mandel has the best capacity to offer that in my opinion.
Articulate an Albertan Progressive Vision. The failure of left versus right hyper-partisan policy options is bemoaned but what is the alternative? The Alberta Party leader must be able to position the party clearly as the progressive centrists option with pragmatic policy offerings. That policy approach must be based on an aspirational pragmatism with an inclusive, integrated Triple-Bottom-Line governance approach that sees government as force for achieving a greater good.
The "vision thing" is best articulated with a common touch and a forthright candor about Alberta's challenges, limitations, weaknesses and threats. What must we do to realizing our potential as people, communities, businesses and as a province. On this criteria I see Rick Fraser sense of the province today and aspirations for the future as the best carrier of that flame for the Alberta Party.
Future Focus and Forthrightness. The province is changing in so many ways and at an unprecedented accelerated basis. We need to get serious about Alberta coming to grips with the realities of a post-fossil fuel future. We need fresh 21st century thinking and ideas to be able to adapt to the new technologies and adopt the many available productivity innovations to secure our continuing economic prosperity.
We need to be forthright about our ecological stewardship obligations and quick enough to find the clean-tech and other business opportunities within those challenges. We need inclusive secular public policy approaches that fosters social cohesion and enables more well-being, especially for vulnerable citizens. Leaving debts and environmental clean up and reclamation obligations to future generations because we refuse to be responsible in raising government revenues to pay our way today is not acceptable. I believe Kara Levis has the courage and intelligence and has best sense of differentiating the Alberta Party to have the hard conversations of pressing and pending realities.
Citizenship and Democratic Engagement. Many Albertans have become very disengaged from the political culture of the province. As a result we run the risk of forfeiting political power to active extremists. We can see the consequences of this in American politics under President Trump. Encouraging and enabling informed citizenship to engage on issues of importance to them and thereby increasing voter participation is key to a vibrant, effective and representative democracy must be a goal for every Alberta Party member, regardless of who is the leader.
Encouraging more effective progressive citizen political involvement, including social media literacy, must be part of an Alberta Party approach to out political culture. We must do more to ensure Albertans have the skills needed to thrive the new reality of disruptive technologies including their impact on our democratic institutions. Engaging the disengaged, especially women and youth, in Alberta's political culture is key to any on-going Alberta Party success.
In conclusion....... This is not an exhaustive list of reasons to support one candidate or another. It is an effort to get Alberta Party members, and Albertans, to think past the horse-race approach of who is winning or losing, so common in political leadership contests. We also don't need to get caught up in the superficial personality assessments all too often applied to leadership selection. This Alberta Party leadership campaign is more akin to the Bruce Mau challenge in his book Massive Change when he said: "Now that we can do anything, what will we do?"
I am not endorsing any candidate directly and this post should not be interpreted as an indirect endorsement of any candidate either. I am still undecided at this time. All I ask is that Alberta Party members vote on the basis of what is best for the Alberta Party so it can be the best for Alberta.
The final phase will be for the new leader to get to work. That is true for the other candidates, the sitting MLAs and the Board to grow the Party, recruit candidates and raise some cash for the next election and get focused to contest a by-election in the meantime. Next Steps!
The Alberta Party members will be deliberating on who they will support for Leadership and why. Ideally they will be sharing their thoughts with friends and family and through their social and professional networks. Raising the profile of the Party is only worthwhile if it raises support and participation in the next election.
When looking at deciding who should be the new Alberta Party leader. I am looking at what should be the go-forward leadership qualities, focus and capabilities. for the benefit of the Party My lens is about what the Alberta Party needs now to be successful in these times of change, uncertainty, pressing stewardship obligations, social cohesion needs and economic challenges.
Welcome to Uncertainty and Volatility. The Alberta Party has had a number of false starts at gaining traction and momentum since I became involved in 2009 and manged the Glenn Taylor Leadership Campaign. What is past is definitely not a prelude for what is needed today. The past is not much of a factor in helping members to decide the criteria they must apply for selecting the next leader of the Alberta Party and promoting it's future.
This is a new day in Alberta's political culture, especially given the electoral rejection of the PC dynasty and the coagulation of Reform-based social conservatives into the Kenney lead UCP. The the dramatic rise of the NDP from a 2 seat No Party Status in 2009 (when the Alberta Party started) to a 54 seat majority government by 2015. Volatility is the new normal in Alberta's political culture and anything could happen.
So what can and should the Alberta Party expect to achieve based on the three leadership candidate options? Quite a bit I would suggest. If I have my druthers I would like a leader that had the combined strengths of each candidate all rolled into one. That, unfortunately, is not reality. My list of Alberta Party leadership needs is based on what it will take to become a viable political alternative, capable of forming government and worthy of earning the public's trust.
Here is what I see as the strengths of each candidate, as applied to the needs of the Alberta Party today, and in no order of priority:
Organization. We need a leader who can recruit quality, capable and committed candidates. Those candidates must be loyal to a set of inclusive and comprehensive progressive principles, and not beholden to a party leader. That means the leader must be capable of creating a strong local presence throughout the province that results in viable, active and effective constituency organizations. That requires a leaders with a province-wide network and the ability to be forthright with potential candidates about the realities of political life. Stephen Mandel has the best capacity to offer that in my opinion.
Articulate an Albertan Progressive Vision. The failure of left versus right hyper-partisan policy options is bemoaned but what is the alternative? The Alberta Party leader must be able to position the party clearly as the progressive centrists option with pragmatic policy offerings. That policy approach must be based on an aspirational pragmatism with an inclusive, integrated Triple-Bottom-Line governance approach that sees government as force for achieving a greater good.
The "vision thing" is best articulated with a common touch and a forthright candor about Alberta's challenges, limitations, weaknesses and threats. What must we do to realizing our potential as people, communities, businesses and as a province. On this criteria I see Rick Fraser sense of the province today and aspirations for the future as the best carrier of that flame for the Alberta Party.
Future Focus and Forthrightness. The province is changing in so many ways and at an unprecedented accelerated basis. We need to get serious about Alberta coming to grips with the realities of a post-fossil fuel future. We need fresh 21st century thinking and ideas to be able to adapt to the new technologies and adopt the many available productivity innovations to secure our continuing economic prosperity.
We need to be forthright about our ecological stewardship obligations and quick enough to find the clean-tech and other business opportunities within those challenges. We need inclusive secular public policy approaches that fosters social cohesion and enables more well-being, especially for vulnerable citizens. Leaving debts and environmental clean up and reclamation obligations to future generations because we refuse to be responsible in raising government revenues to pay our way today is not acceptable. I believe Kara Levis has the courage and intelligence and has best sense of differentiating the Alberta Party to have the hard conversations of pressing and pending realities.
Citizenship and Democratic Engagement. Many Albertans have become very disengaged from the political culture of the province. As a result we run the risk of forfeiting political power to active extremists. We can see the consequences of this in American politics under President Trump. Encouraging and enabling informed citizenship to engage on issues of importance to them and thereby increasing voter participation is key to a vibrant, effective and representative democracy must be a goal for every Alberta Party member, regardless of who is the leader.
Encouraging more effective progressive citizen political involvement, including social media literacy, must be part of an Alberta Party approach to out political culture. We must do more to ensure Albertans have the skills needed to thrive the new reality of disruptive technologies including their impact on our democratic institutions. Engaging the disengaged, especially women and youth, in Alberta's political culture is key to any on-going Alberta Party success.
In conclusion....... This is not an exhaustive list of reasons to support one candidate or another. It is an effort to get Alberta Party members, and Albertans, to think past the horse-race approach of who is winning or losing, so common in political leadership contests. We also don't need to get caught up in the superficial personality assessments all too often applied to leadership selection. This Alberta Party leadership campaign is more akin to the Bruce Mau challenge in his book Massive Change when he said: "Now that we can do anything, what will we do?"
I am not endorsing any candidate directly and this post should not be interpreted as an indirect endorsement of any candidate either. I am still undecided at this time. All I ask is that Alberta Party members vote on the basis of what is best for the Alberta Party so it can be the best for Alberta.
Sunday, February 04, 2018
Is There New Political Compass Emerging in Alberta?
What is the New Political Compass?
The concept of a New Political Compass, one that moves beyond the linear spectrum of Left vs Right was introduced in 2008 by Dr. Paul Ray, the co-author of "The Cultural Creatives."
The research this post references is based on American data but I think it translates well into the Alberta political culture. We seem to be the part of Canada that is the most akin to and influenced by our relationships to the USA, especially in our oil and gas industry.
Dr. Ray's premise is that political culture in the States is no longer a horizontal binary model of left-right options. Rather we are experiencing a more complex east vs west and north vs south set of "compass" points to delineate our political culture evolution. This richer redefinition of what values people stand for frees us from the overly simplistic labeling of someone as either left or right,,,or even centrist, seen as some form of mushy middle compromise.
The old left vs right political culture model is too rigid as it over-simplifies our complex political culture and hampers the effective performance of our institutions from political parties to election reforms. Left vs Right sets up adversarial politics and offers citizens few practical options. It also seems to encourage and attract more extreme views, on either end of the spectrum. The extremes on the left and right use propaganda to crowd out the systems and design thinking necessary to deal with complex public policy issues and options.
Is There a New Political Compass in Alberta?
The majority of Albertans are in the "centre" of the Left vs Right spectrum and also believe the current political model fails to speak for them. The left and right party activists work hard to frame and label the other side as some extremist political from Communist/Socialist or Libertarian/Anarchist. We saw this in 2016 Primaries where the Republicans stirred up their base by challenging Hillary Clinton as an establishment elitists, and calling Bernie Sanders a "socialist" regardless that he identified himself as such.
In the Alberta political context this effort to label the other as extreme is alive and well. The UCP messages the NDP as collectivists and socialist, union-friendly and therefore a threat to growth and economic prosperity. The NDP pushes the impression that the UCP is economically Republican-lite as business conservatives, and Tea-Party type socially conservatives. The BCNDP government is the most obvious example of using propaganda to push extreme positions. Social conservatism in Alberta is mostly elderly and dying off due to simple demographics. The aggressive Eco-activist leftists are also losing influence seeing fewer people identifying with them and that trend is anticipated to continue.
The majority of Albertans identify as progressives but in the "mushy middle" sense of that concept. The "centre" has not been effectively defined in Alberta's political culture so it really doesn't communicate anything meaningful to those who want to see an integrated holistic political approach. They see their current options as between a plutocracy where big business makes the rules and exercises economic controls are used mostly for the benefit of the rich, or a collectivism that is seen as stifling innovation and hindering changes for more productivity and growth.
Is Alberta Ready for a Different Political Movement?
The old political model is a failure by any metric. Voter turn out is chronically low, confidence and participation in political parties is almost non-existent and trust in our democratic institutions, media, politicians and parties is low and declining. The content and compliant so-called Alberta centrist is politically alienated, disengaged and consequently ignorant about who to vote for...so they don't. As a result the election results are far from optimal in their opinions and that reinforces the alienation and disengagement.
The New Political Compass research by Paul Ray uncovered a new sense of citizenship, the so-called "New Progressive." They are not so much a bunch of mushy middling but more at "right-angles" to the socialist left or social conservative right and they are also very opposed to political control by big business. The American expression of this is the rise of the Independents who are not opting for the Democrats or Republicans, with some efforts to form a third political party Is the Alberta Party the potential provincial equivalent of the rise of Independents in America and the emergence of the "third party" evolution?
The New Progressives, according to the American research, are aligned with the values of the Cultural Creatives, more likely to volunteer, donate to charity, engaged in social justice movements and want to change the culture more than the rest of society. They are in the front of some big issues from climate change to women's concerns.
The American research shows the New Progressives are 36% of the population and estimated to be 45% of those likely to vote. Are those the new Alberta Party supporters? The "Longing for the Old Ways Cultural Conservatives, the Alberta Social Conservative UCP Rebel Media viewer types, are 19% of Americans and 22% of likely voters.
The "Stand Pat of the Left Modernists and New Deal Liberals" are 12% of Americans and 15% of likely voters. Is that equivalent of the traditional NDP supporter? There are 14% of American who identify as "Profits Over Planet and People, Business Conservatives and the Establishment Right" with 19% of the likely voters. That is the equivalent of the Calgary Belt-line big energy tower-dwellers, Canadian Federation of Independent Business members and Fraser Institute fans. Then there are 20% in the nexus of all this who feel alienated and ignored and not likely to engage or change.
Will the Alberta Party Be the Gathering Place for New Progressives?
The core question for the New Progressives, and especially in Alberta, is will they mobilize under a single banner like the Alberta Party, as a big political tent, like the Lougheed Progressive Conservatives did, and become a dominant political force? Alberta is into a time of transformation and we are seeing a change in many of our institutions, including political institutions. They are in dire need of repair or replacement but potentially driven by a desire for a re-enlightenment and a new progressive social contract.
We Albertans have lots of potential but not if we don't change from the status quo. The tired stale-dated unimaginative return to the Alberta Advantage of the United Conservative Party is the exact wrong way to go. We need to define a new Alberta Aspiration that looks beyond the superficial competitive framing of "Being the Best in the World" and stretch our New Progressive vision ino "Being the Best for the World."
That means we need to learn how to create, innovate, adapt and design our way forward as a movement dedicated to practical progressive political policies. Otherwise the writing is on the wall and Alberta is destined to decline and be a disappointment economically, ecologically, socially and politically.
Monday, November 13, 2017
The Closed Nature of the UCP Kenney Party
I've been doing some reading about values and mindsets and applying some of these learnings to political organizations and trends. In the previous post I spoke about Arrested, Closed and Open mindsets and related them to the Alberta NDP, UCP and Alberta Party respectively.
I want to delve a bit deeper into the characteristics of a Closed organization like the Kenney lead United Conservative Party. It is essentially a binary mindset. You are for them or against them. We saw that with the HarperCons when they framed the debate on a piece of get-tough-on-crime draft legislation of you are either "with the pornographers or against them."
As a Minister in Prime Minister Harper's Cabinet Mr. Kenney spawned his politically autocratic tendencies and honed his single-minded political focus. Winning isn't just the best thing, it's the only thing when in pursuit of political power.
There is no flexibility in the Closed organization mindset. They have difficulty accepting alternative ways of perceiving or different values. Closed organization, like the HarperCons and now the United Conservative Party, seem to be happiest with then can hunker down and try to make the world fit into what they believe to be the only truth...their truth.
Politically closed operations have tendencies to harbour zealots and extremists who not only reject alternative perspective, they can tend to demonize the "other." Those who disagree or oppose them are often labelled heretics, fools or idiots. You see this frequently in Twitter posts of, mostly anonymous, conservative trolls.
Complexity and nuance is rejected in favour of simplistic solutions and group-think leader-driven policy approaches. The default state of mind is "This is all there is." Fresh ideas and new methodologies are rare . They tend hold fast to what they see as "tried and true" so there is no need to change.
The lack of adaptability or capacity to accept new ideas or changing circumstances is seen as inappropriate because there is only the one way to be. Countervailing facts, events or circumstances are rejected by the inner circle and the rest follow along willingly accepting the "wisdom" of their leadership.
As a result we can see many UCP partisans as very tribal and absolutist in their thinking while also being differential with strong allegiance to internal authorities and leadership. Their world is full of threats so they find security in rituals, religion as they pursue power-seeking political goals. They value loyalty, traditions and like to celebrate their wins especially if they are at the expense of others.
This is not the kind of political culture that will enable Alberta to transition, to an adaptive, inclusive, integrated and progress as a province. But the UCP could become government easily if progressives choose to stay into their mindset of self-satisfied, comfortable, contented and disengaged from politics.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Join the $20 Alberta Political Revolution
THE "BURNING" QUESTION:
I run some non-scientific surveys on this blog from time to time. I don't call them polls. They are not. I call them burning questions. Stuff that citizens need to pay attention to and ought have an opinion about. The last burning question was anything but that. It was a fizzle.
The not so burning question asked blog readers their intentions to participate in voting for the various party leadership races that are happening in Alberta right now. The response was underwhelming at 49 participants. It was the lowest level of participation in any burning question I ever asked on this blog. I know most blog readers are lurkers not commenters and why would they be motivated to respond to a simplistic curiosity like the burning question. I can discount the low participation and shrug it off. But I think there is something vital at stake here. That is our democracy and our freedoms.
CAN WE STILL TAKE DEMOCRACY FOR GRANTED IN ALBERTA?
OK my ego is not so out of control that I think my blog is vital to democracy. It is not. But my right of free speech, freedom of expression, freedom of association, and all the rest of my citizenship rights are foundational to the fact that I can write this blog and express my opinions openly. There are consequences for speaking out against authority and power even if you have those attributes...just ask Raj Sherman.
There is lots of intimidation, threats, bullying and coercion that powerful forces will try and apply to silence or discredit you. I will be blogging on that in coming days. I will be starting with the reasons I feel we need a public inquiry on health care to uncover and expose any abuses of power in that area. I will expand the discussion into other areas of government and the power structure in Alberta that I have knowledge of or have been informed about.
ARE YOU SURE IT IS YOUR DEMOCRACY?
Back to the core concern. I have serious fears about low citizenship participation rates in Alberta's democracy. I think indifference, cynicism and skepticism is dangerous. The consequences of not speaking out, not getting informed and not fully participating as a citizen are more dangerous than any "damage" any petty-minded power-preserving political bully might be able to do to any of us for being responsible citizens.
In the spirit of responsible citizenship I strongly suggest every adult Albertan take full advantage of a unique political game changing opportunity that is alive right now. That is the change in leadership of three of our political parties in Alberta. If you want the political culture in Alberta to change making changes at the leadership levels seems to be a pretty good place to start. To change the kind of person we have to choose from to be the next Premier of Alberta seems to me to be an offer we ought not refuse.
TIME FOR A DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION IN ALBERTA?
So here is the "revolutionary" idea. For $20 bucks you can buy a membership in the Alberta Party, the Liberal Party and the Progressive Conservative Party. Then you have a direct say in the selection of the leader of all three of those political parties. You can decide which candidate you want to support and even have a serious influence and make a real difference in the future direction of Alberta. By supporting progressive thinking politicians in all the contest you can also set an example for others in your networks to step up and become a $20 Buck Revolutionary.
It is simple to get started. Here are the links to join on line: Alberta Party - Liberal Party - Progressive Conservative Party. Get involved Alberta. Be the change you want to see. Be a responsible citizen.
BTW the burning question response was not only low, it was not very supportive of the $20 Buck Revolution. But that can change if people really want change. Remember these results are merely conversation starters. They are not conclusive of beliefs or behaviours - even of my blog readers. Percentages of participants who said they will participate in the current political leadership campaigns were:
Not promising starting place for the $20 Buck Revolution - but hey - you have to start somewhere. Mayor Nenshi was at 1% support three months before election day. It could/should happen again. Join the $20 Buck Revolution and be the change you want to see.
I run some non-scientific surveys on this blog from time to time. I don't call them polls. They are not. I call them burning questions. Stuff that citizens need to pay attention to and ought have an opinion about. The last burning question was anything but that. It was a fizzle.
The not so burning question asked blog readers their intentions to participate in voting for the various party leadership races that are happening in Alberta right now. The response was underwhelming at 49 participants. It was the lowest level of participation in any burning question I ever asked on this blog. I know most blog readers are lurkers not commenters and why would they be motivated to respond to a simplistic curiosity like the burning question. I can discount the low participation and shrug it off. But I think there is something vital at stake here. That is our democracy and our freedoms.
CAN WE STILL TAKE DEMOCRACY FOR GRANTED IN ALBERTA?
OK my ego is not so out of control that I think my blog is vital to democracy. It is not. But my right of free speech, freedom of expression, freedom of association, and all the rest of my citizenship rights are foundational to the fact that I can write this blog and express my opinions openly. There are consequences for speaking out against authority and power even if you have those attributes...just ask Raj Sherman.
There is lots of intimidation, threats, bullying and coercion that powerful forces will try and apply to silence or discredit you. I will be blogging on that in coming days. I will be starting with the reasons I feel we need a public inquiry on health care to uncover and expose any abuses of power in that area. I will expand the discussion into other areas of government and the power structure in Alberta that I have knowledge of or have been informed about.
ARE YOU SURE IT IS YOUR DEMOCRACY?
Back to the core concern. I have serious fears about low citizenship participation rates in Alberta's democracy. I think indifference, cynicism and skepticism is dangerous. The consequences of not speaking out, not getting informed and not fully participating as a citizen are more dangerous than any "damage" any petty-minded power-preserving political bully might be able to do to any of us for being responsible citizens.
In the spirit of responsible citizenship I strongly suggest every adult Albertan take full advantage of a unique political game changing opportunity that is alive right now. That is the change in leadership of three of our political parties in Alberta. If you want the political culture in Alberta to change making changes at the leadership levels seems to be a pretty good place to start. To change the kind of person we have to choose from to be the next Premier of Alberta seems to me to be an offer we ought not refuse.
(photo credit: Shane Becker, veganstraightedge in Flickr)
TIME FOR A DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION IN ALBERTA?
So here is the "revolutionary" idea. For $20 bucks you can buy a membership in the Alberta Party, the Liberal Party and the Progressive Conservative Party. Then you have a direct say in the selection of the leader of all three of those political parties. You can decide which candidate you want to support and even have a serious influence and make a real difference in the future direction of Alberta. By supporting progressive thinking politicians in all the contest you can also set an example for others in your networks to step up and become a $20 Buck Revolutionary.
It is simple to get started. Here are the links to join on line: Alberta Party - Liberal Party - Progressive Conservative Party. Get involved Alberta. Be the change you want to see. Be a responsible citizen.
BTW the burning question response was not only low, it was not very supportive of the $20 Buck Revolution. But that can change if people really want change. Remember these results are merely conversation starters. They are not conclusive of beliefs or behaviours - even of my blog readers. Percentages of participants who said they will participate in the current political leadership campaigns were:
- Alberta Party 30%
- Liberal Party 18%
- PC Party 12%
- All of Above 6%
- None of Above 32%
Not promising starting place for the $20 Buck Revolution - but hey - you have to start somewhere. Mayor Nenshi was at 1% support three months before election day. It could/should happen again. Join the $20 Buck Revolution and be the change you want to see.
Monday, February 14, 2011
In Egypt the Revolution Was Tweeted! Is Alberta Next?
Very interesting article in the Sunday edition of the Toronto Star by Don Tapscott entitled "Here Comes the Wiki Revolution." I like Don Tapscott's writings and read his books. Still have to get to MacroWikinomics but the sub title alone "Rebooting Business and the World" grabs my attention as one of the instigators of Reboot Alberta.
Tapscott starts with a challenge to the Malcolm Gladwell assertion last October in The New Yorker magazine essay "Small Change:Why the Revolution Won't be Tweeted." Gladwell contended that social media only created "weak ties" between people and it took "strong ties" and close relationships to bring about real social change.
Tapscott says "If Twitter, Facebook and YouTube didn't exist, Hosni Mubarak would still be president of Egypt. The social media tools gave Mubarak's opponents unprecedented ability to share information and organize their activities, including massive protest which riveted the world's attention." This is the core new reality of the shift of power to the networks of engaged citizens from hierarchies of personal power brokers.
Last June a 28 year-old businessman Khaled Said was beaten to death by two police officers. Said has posted video of these police officers dealing in illegal drugs. Shortly after Said 's death a Facebook page was created called "We Are All Khaled Said" with pictures of his beaten body in the morgue. Within weeks the site had over 100,000 friends and that grew to over 500,000 and became a rallying point for Egyptians.
Tapscott notes that social media "...can take weak ties between people initiated on the web can become strong ties and forge close relationships that organize for social change. Egypt shutting down the Internet gave citizens no other choice but to take to the street to communicate. The paradox is dictators typically take control of the conventional gatekeeper media and can effectively control the message and stifle rebellion. When the access to the Internet and social media was removed by Mubarak, those in remote and decentralized connected nodes "were triggered into action" and took to the streets. It had just to opposite effect from what the dictator expected.
Social Media Implications for Governments
There are some very serious lessons here for modern democracies and free market enterprises. Stable democracies but with fundamental political deficits around accountability, honesty, transparency and openness, like Alberta and Canada, should take heed. The political leaders and political parties depend on the voluntary consent by citizens to those in power to govern us. When the citizen wake up looking for change they will show up to make that change happen. The voter volatility in Alberta is early signs of citizens waking up politically and not liking what they see offered by the current options.
When we vote, or not vote, we voluntarily give up some personal power and individual agency to politicians to form governments that we expect will act for the greater good. The engaged and informed but frustrated or angry citizen will not comply with the old and outdated vertical political power model. It is being replaced by a horizontal participatory public service model of governance where stable and mature democracies are involved. Social media is playing an enormous role in creating and sustaining that change to horizontal based shared governance with real citizen participation in the political culture.
Social Media Implications for Industry.
Industry that depends on a social license to operate in the marketplace is also in serious peril from the organizational capacity of social media. The growing public opposition to big Telcos and Cable operators over ridiculously high cost and low performance of Internet service and the manipulation of rates known as User Based Billing is going to bring them to heel. That is only one sector to feel the pressure. Any other regulated sector is vulnerable and those unregulated industries will not escape the power of the mouse.
The shifting of public opinion on oil sands in Alberta and around the world, is another prime area where the corporations developing this resource are now responding to demands for authentic corporate social responsibility beyond providing investment, jobs and public relations campaigns.
Governments and industry who are not accountable, open and transparent, that do not align overtly and effectively with the values of the culture they operate in and fail refuse or neglect to adapt have reason to be afraid - very afraid.
The Alberta Party and Social Media
The Alberta Party and its membership gets this shift from vertical power based democracy to horizontal participatory democracy. We know that social media is a powerful force to create and sustain this shift in power distribution and citizen participation in politics. We are mocked by those who's power comes from the status quo for saying we want to do politics differently. We are belittled by conventional-traditional political thinkers who make comments like "it looks like the Alberta Party is trying to Tweet its way to power." We are and we will because the capacity to do so is in the Internet here and the will of citizens for a better government will make it happen.
Those who think that accusing the Alberta Party of "Tweeting it's way to power" are partly true but they don't understand the difference this new technology is making. What is happening is not a set of weak tie relationships but new vibrant networks are forming of like-minded citizens who have decided to get involved in the spirit of Reboot.
They are citizens who are going to retake Control of our democracy and politics. Many are looking to create Alternatives like the Alberta Party and others are dedicated to changing others parties from within. Then there is the need to Delete the old attitudes that lead to cynicism and disengagement from politics and participating in preserving our democracy.
Rebooting Alberta
The Reboot Alberta effort was the sparked that got progressives in Alberta together where we realized we were not alone and others shared our values and perceptions. We also realized political complacency was not a citizenship option in Alberta any more. We had to get engaged in the political culture of the times to change the trajectory from the hard core right wing shift we saw happening with the rise of the Wildrose Alliance and its libertarian governing ideology.
The forlorn belief that there is no reason to believe that anything can or will change justified not getting involved. The amazing way citizens in Egypt and Tunisia used their collected energy enabled by social media to overcome fear and get rid of dictators has to be an inspiration. Citizens in Alberta are starting to challenge how their governments work and behave.
Albertans have a safe secure and stable society but without much resolve to achieve our true potential. We must move past the pure economic realm of the Alberta Advantage. We need to consider what are our Alberta Aspirations in this changing world. Those aspirations, must be a stretch that worthy of us and push our potential as people and a province. We have to be a more integrated in our thinking and always be concerned for the economy, the environment and our social cohesion in policy and politics.
One of my aspirations as an Albertan is in the spirit and intend of the new Alberta Party as we create a new progressive, inclusive political culture with integrity, accountability, transparency, fiscal responsibility and environmental stewardship as fundamental values. I see so much potential in this new citizen's movement that has morphed into the Alberta Party. I am inspired by the courage and commitment of individual Egyptians and Tunisians who have so much more to lose and so much to gain by getting engaged. I only hope Albertans will now commit to change by a personal resolution for a peaceful but profound political revolution in Alberta.
Tapscott starts with a challenge to the Malcolm Gladwell assertion last October in The New Yorker magazine essay "Small Change:Why the Revolution Won't be Tweeted." Gladwell contended that social media only created "weak ties" between people and it took "strong ties" and close relationships to bring about real social change.
Tapscott says "If Twitter, Facebook and YouTube didn't exist, Hosni Mubarak would still be president of Egypt. The social media tools gave Mubarak's opponents unprecedented ability to share information and organize their activities, including massive protest which riveted the world's attention." This is the core new reality of the shift of power to the networks of engaged citizens from hierarchies of personal power brokers.
Last June a 28 year-old businessman Khaled Said was beaten to death by two police officers. Said has posted video of these police officers dealing in illegal drugs. Shortly after Said 's death a Facebook page was created called "We Are All Khaled Said" with pictures of his beaten body in the morgue. Within weeks the site had over 100,000 friends and that grew to over 500,000 and became a rallying point for Egyptians.
Tapscott notes that social media "...can take weak ties between people initiated on the web can become strong ties and forge close relationships that organize for social change. Egypt shutting down the Internet gave citizens no other choice but to take to the street to communicate. The paradox is dictators typically take control of the conventional gatekeeper media and can effectively control the message and stifle rebellion. When the access to the Internet and social media was removed by Mubarak, those in remote and decentralized connected nodes "were triggered into action" and took to the streets. It had just to opposite effect from what the dictator expected.
Social Media Implications for Governments
There are some very serious lessons here for modern democracies and free market enterprises. Stable democracies but with fundamental political deficits around accountability, honesty, transparency and openness, like Alberta and Canada, should take heed. The political leaders and political parties depend on the voluntary consent by citizens to those in power to govern us. When the citizen wake up looking for change they will show up to make that change happen. The voter volatility in Alberta is early signs of citizens waking up politically and not liking what they see offered by the current options.
When we vote, or not vote, we voluntarily give up some personal power and individual agency to politicians to form governments that we expect will act for the greater good. The engaged and informed but frustrated or angry citizen will not comply with the old and outdated vertical political power model. It is being replaced by a horizontal participatory public service model of governance where stable and mature democracies are involved. Social media is playing an enormous role in creating and sustaining that change to horizontal based shared governance with real citizen participation in the political culture.
Social Media Implications for Industry.
Industry that depends on a social license to operate in the marketplace is also in serious peril from the organizational capacity of social media. The growing public opposition to big Telcos and Cable operators over ridiculously high cost and low performance of Internet service and the manipulation of rates known as User Based Billing is going to bring them to heel. That is only one sector to feel the pressure. Any other regulated sector is vulnerable and those unregulated industries will not escape the power of the mouse.
The shifting of public opinion on oil sands in Alberta and around the world, is another prime area where the corporations developing this resource are now responding to demands for authentic corporate social responsibility beyond providing investment, jobs and public relations campaigns.
Governments and industry who are not accountable, open and transparent, that do not align overtly and effectively with the values of the culture they operate in and fail refuse or neglect to adapt have reason to be afraid - very afraid.
The Alberta Party and Social Media
The Alberta Party and its membership gets this shift from vertical power based democracy to horizontal participatory democracy. We know that social media is a powerful force to create and sustain this shift in power distribution and citizen participation in politics. We are mocked by those who's power comes from the status quo for saying we want to do politics differently. We are belittled by conventional-traditional political thinkers who make comments like "it looks like the Alberta Party is trying to Tweet its way to power." We are and we will because the capacity to do so is in the Internet here and the will of citizens for a better government will make it happen.
Those who think that accusing the Alberta Party of "Tweeting it's way to power" are partly true but they don't understand the difference this new technology is making. What is happening is not a set of weak tie relationships but new vibrant networks are forming of like-minded citizens who have decided to get involved in the spirit of Reboot.
They are citizens who are going to retake Control of our democracy and politics. Many are looking to create Alternatives like the Alberta Party and others are dedicated to changing others parties from within. Then there is the need to Delete the old attitudes that lead to cynicism and disengagement from politics and participating in preserving our democracy.
Rebooting Alberta
The Reboot Alberta effort was the sparked that got progressives in Alberta together where we realized we were not alone and others shared our values and perceptions. We also realized political complacency was not a citizenship option in Alberta any more. We had to get engaged in the political culture of the times to change the trajectory from the hard core right wing shift we saw happening with the rise of the Wildrose Alliance and its libertarian governing ideology.
The forlorn belief that there is no reason to believe that anything can or will change justified not getting involved. The amazing way citizens in Egypt and Tunisia used their collected energy enabled by social media to overcome fear and get rid of dictators has to be an inspiration. Citizens in Alberta are starting to challenge how their governments work and behave.
Albertans have a safe secure and stable society but without much resolve to achieve our true potential. We must move past the pure economic realm of the Alberta Advantage. We need to consider what are our Alberta Aspirations in this changing world. Those aspirations, must be a stretch that worthy of us and push our potential as people and a province. We have to be a more integrated in our thinking and always be concerned for the economy, the environment and our social cohesion in policy and politics.
One of my aspirations as an Albertan is in the spirit and intend of the new Alberta Party as we create a new progressive, inclusive political culture with integrity, accountability, transparency, fiscal responsibility and environmental stewardship as fundamental values. I see so much potential in this new citizen's movement that has morphed into the Alberta Party. I am inspired by the courage and commitment of individual Egyptians and Tunisians who have so much more to lose and so much to gain by getting engaged. I only hope Albertans will now commit to change by a personal resolution for a peaceful but profound political revolution in Alberta.
Thoughts on the Changing Political Landscape in Alberta
Brandon Beasley has written a very interesting opinion piece in the University of Calgary student newspaper The Gauntlet "Alberta Politics: Out With the Old."
His point is that the re-alignment of Alberta politics would see the Progressive Conservative Party split in two. The progressives would go to"the upstart centrist" Alberta Party and the conservatives would join the social and fiscal conservative Wildrose. The Alberta Liberals would fold into the centrist Alberta Party leaving the NDP on the left.
This would provide a full spectrum of choices for a revived democracy in Alberta. An interesting proposal for sure. I wonder what it would take to make it happen. For sure the PCs are likely to split to some further degree with either social conservatives leaving if a progressive wins and progressives leaving it Ted Morton wins. There is no leadership candidate who has announced yet that is compelling enough to bridge that chasm.
As for the Liberals, unless someone like Anne McLellan runs and wins the leadership there is little chance for change to the fortunes there. I don't see Anne wanting that "challenge" these days.
The NDP has it's core support and is comfortable in its role as the Jiminy Cricket kind of conscience of Alberta politics. They are there just to keep the others honest and on their toes...and they are good at it. In fact they are very good at it that nobody wants to see them in any other role.
Just some thoughts on possible options as time goes on and three political parties are hold leadership campaigns. Hard to imagine the same old - same old is going to be the expected outcome of such a thirst by citizens for a real change in Alberta politics.
His point is that the re-alignment of Alberta politics would see the Progressive Conservative Party split in two. The progressives would go to"the upstart centrist" Alberta Party and the conservatives would join the social and fiscal conservative Wildrose. The Alberta Liberals would fold into the centrist Alberta Party leaving the NDP on the left.
This would provide a full spectrum of choices for a revived democracy in Alberta. An interesting proposal for sure. I wonder what it would take to make it happen. For sure the PCs are likely to split to some further degree with either social conservatives leaving if a progressive wins and progressives leaving it Ted Morton wins. There is no leadership candidate who has announced yet that is compelling enough to bridge that chasm.
As for the Liberals, unless someone like Anne McLellan runs and wins the leadership there is little chance for change to the fortunes there. I don't see Anne wanting that "challenge" these days.
The NDP has it's core support and is comfortable in its role as the Jiminy Cricket kind of conscience of Alberta politics. They are there just to keep the others honest and on their toes...and they are good at it. In fact they are very good at it that nobody wants to see them in any other role.
Just some thoughts on possible options as time goes on and three political parties are hold leadership campaigns. Hard to imagine the same old - same old is going to be the expected outcome of such a thirst by citizens for a real change in Alberta politics.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
An Alberta Party Update from Sue Huff
Sue Huff, Interim Leader of the Alberta Party speaks in Lethbridge at a special meeting of the Southern Alberta Council of Public Affairs on the development and growth of the the Alberta Party.
If you are Alberta Party curious, and who isn't these days, you can get a real sense of who we are and where we are on policy, people and progress of the Alberta Party. Listen to this audio file of Sue Huff's in a speech to over 100 folks who came out to learn more about the Alberta Party.
The Q and A is very interesting too.
If you want to know more about Alberta Party leadership candidate Glenn Taylor I encourage you to visit his website too.
If you are Alberta Party curious, and who isn't these days, you can get a real sense of who we are and where we are on policy, people and progress of the Alberta Party. Listen to this audio file of Sue Huff's in a speech to over 100 folks who came out to learn more about the Alberta Party.
The Q and A is very interesting too.
If you want to know more about Alberta Party leadership candidate Glenn Taylor I encourage you to visit his website too.
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Glenn Taylor Announces Alberta Party Leadership Bid
This morning at 10:30 am from the Art Gallery of Alberta, Glenn Taylor will announce that he is seeking the leadership of the Alberta Party.
We will stream it live at http://www.facebook.com/GlennTaylorAlberta?v=app_142371818162 and of course we will tape it for posting later in case you can't come down or view it live.
This is just the third Tuesday in a row where there has been a game changing announcement that impacts the future of Alberta. Two weeks ago Premier Stelmach said he was finished with Progressive Conservative politics. One week ago Dr. David Swann did the same when he stepped down from the Liberal Party leadership. Both of these leaders deserve our thanks for their service to Alberta.
Today, on this Tuesday, Glenn Taylor steps into provincial politics from an effective record of service at the municipal level. Glenn wants to get Albertans to re-engage in the political culture of our times. Unlike those past Tuesdays where leaders were stepping down, Glenn is stepping up today. He is offering his skills, experience and commitment to Alberta through the Alberta Party.
I wonder what is in store for next Tuesday?
We will stream it live at http://www.facebook.com/GlennTaylorAlberta?v=app_142371818162 and of course we will tape it for posting later in case you can't come down or view it live.
This is just the third Tuesday in a row where there has been a game changing announcement that impacts the future of Alberta. Two weeks ago Premier Stelmach said he was finished with Progressive Conservative politics. One week ago Dr. David Swann did the same when he stepped down from the Liberal Party leadership. Both of these leaders deserve our thanks for their service to Alberta.
Today, on this Tuesday, Glenn Taylor steps into provincial politics from an effective record of service at the municipal level. Glenn wants to get Albertans to re-engage in the political culture of our times. Unlike those past Tuesdays where leaders were stepping down, Glenn is stepping up today. He is offering his skills, experience and commitment to Alberta through the Alberta Party.
I wonder what is in store for next Tuesday?
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Alberta Party Becomes a Political Punching Bag
There is a new and nasty reaction to the rise of the Alberta Party from sources in the traditional political parties. The rumour mills, media quotes and online chatter is full of anger and angst aimed at the Alberta Party as some upstart new kid on the block that needs to be put in its place. It is as if our new found validation as a viable political option in the eyes of the media and others was our fault and not theirs.
The Alberta Party is now a target by some saddened practitioners of the politics-as-usual We in the Alberta Party are being punched way above our weight these days. But beating on us will not change the reality that Alberta citizens have rejected the old-style Alberta political culture. The tired and untrue political spin cycles just remind citizens why they avoid politics and see voting a pointless. It shows why we don't get our best and brightest people participating in public service and politics. They rightly conclude "Who needs this grief?"
Speaking of grieving, the soul searching of the NDP and Liberals and progressive in PC party has begun in earnest, especially with the recent resignations of Stelmach and Swann. The core partisans in these parties are grieving. They were in the denial stage of "this can't be happening" as they saw the infighting result in the loss of two good men as party leaders - within a week. That makes the continuation of the denial stage pretty pointless. There are some who are well into the anger stage now of "why me...this is not fair." If you look at the comment thread on this Daveberta post you can see the anger stage playing out in real time.
If the grieving continues we will see some examples of the bargaining stage emerge in the progressive wing of the PC Party. That will start to happen when they see who actually steps up to run for the PC leadership from the progressive side. There will be desperate bargains struck about who gets the nod as the preferred progressive candidate. There will be concerns of will he or she be strong enough to beat Ted Morton. If the preferred progressive is not strong enough to win expect more progressives to drift into the Alberta Party. Expect a wave of progressives to to the Alberta Party from the PCs if there is a purge of their ranks as a result of a Morton leadership victory.
On the Liberal side we have seen many rank and file members already make the value trade-off decision and have joined the Alberta Party. Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman's recent media comments about considering running for the leadership of either the Liberals or the Alberta Party is an example of a bargaining stage of grief. This ambivalence is totally understandable and this kind of decision making process is not easy. It is much more than just keeping political options open. It about being authentically open to new ways of thinking about politics. It is about trading past loyalties for the potential for new hope when everything is uncertain.
Some partisans will just go into the depression stage now or after the PC and Liberal leaderships have been decided. They will likely respond by withdrawing from political life and politics all together concluding "what is the point any more." Other partisans, displeased with the leadership decision of their party, will emerge out of all this looking for new hope and a new home. They will go through the final Acceptance stage of grieving. They will come to realize that Alberta has changed and they must change too. Perhaps the Alberta Party will be their new hope and their new home - but only time will tell.
I went through this kind of political soul searching and grieving in my own decision making process to leave the PCs. I realized, through my involvement with Reboot Alberta, that Alberta had fundamentally changed from what I had assumed was the political truth of the times. We found through research that Albertans were losing their sense of pride in the province but their personal commitment to making Alberta better was still extraordinarily strong. The research results we so strong that it was obvious that something was about to change dramatically in Alberta politics. Who knew how, where, what and when that change would happen - but it is happening now.
The research uncovered the fundamental values Albertans wanted to see from political parties before they would grant their consent to be governed. Those values are integrity, honesty, accountability, transparency, fiscal and personal responsibility and environmental stewardship. Albertans also felt these values were seriously lacking in the current political culture. My sense from the Reboot Alberta experience and research was that something new and different was needed in the Alberta political landscape. The politics as usual approach could not respond to the longing and yearning for a more caring, compassionate and responsible political culture.
The Alberta Party idea emerged from the first Reboot Alberta gathering. In time I came to see and accept that the Alberta Party was the best chance to do politics differently in our province. I have become active and have not been disappointed nor have I second guessed my decision. In fact I have been delighted with my new political home. I trust other moderates and progressives will eventually find their way to the Alberta Party using their own paths and processes. Check out the Alberta party website, stay tuned to its progress and see if it aligns with your values and aspirations for a better Alberta.. When you decide you want to become part of the co-creation of the next Alberta you should come join us.
The Alberta Party is now a target by some saddened practitioners of the politics-as-usual We in the Alberta Party are being punched way above our weight these days. But beating on us will not change the reality that Alberta citizens have rejected the old-style Alberta political culture. The tired and untrue political spin cycles just remind citizens why they avoid politics and see voting a pointless. It shows why we don't get our best and brightest people participating in public service and politics. They rightly conclude "Who needs this grief?"
Speaking of grieving, the soul searching of the NDP and Liberals and progressive in PC party has begun in earnest, especially with the recent resignations of Stelmach and Swann. The core partisans in these parties are grieving. They were in the denial stage of "this can't be happening" as they saw the infighting result in the loss of two good men as party leaders - within a week. That makes the continuation of the denial stage pretty pointless. There are some who are well into the anger stage now of "why me...this is not fair." If you look at the comment thread on this Daveberta post you can see the anger stage playing out in real time.
If the grieving continues we will see some examples of the bargaining stage emerge in the progressive wing of the PC Party. That will start to happen when they see who actually steps up to run for the PC leadership from the progressive side. There will be desperate bargains struck about who gets the nod as the preferred progressive candidate. There will be concerns of will he or she be strong enough to beat Ted Morton. If the preferred progressive is not strong enough to win expect more progressives to drift into the Alberta Party. Expect a wave of progressives to to the Alberta Party from the PCs if there is a purge of their ranks as a result of a Morton leadership victory.
On the Liberal side we have seen many rank and file members already make the value trade-off decision and have joined the Alberta Party. Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman's recent media comments about considering running for the leadership of either the Liberals or the Alberta Party is an example of a bargaining stage of grief. This ambivalence is totally understandable and this kind of decision making process is not easy. It is much more than just keeping political options open. It about being authentically open to new ways of thinking about politics. It is about trading past loyalties for the potential for new hope when everything is uncertain.
Some partisans will just go into the depression stage now or after the PC and Liberal leaderships have been decided. They will likely respond by withdrawing from political life and politics all together concluding "what is the point any more." Other partisans, displeased with the leadership decision of their party, will emerge out of all this looking for new hope and a new home. They will go through the final Acceptance stage of grieving. They will come to realize that Alberta has changed and they must change too. Perhaps the Alberta Party will be their new hope and their new home - but only time will tell.
I went through this kind of political soul searching and grieving in my own decision making process to leave the PCs. I realized, through my involvement with Reboot Alberta, that Alberta had fundamentally changed from what I had assumed was the political truth of the times. We found through research that Albertans were losing their sense of pride in the province but their personal commitment to making Alberta better was still extraordinarily strong. The research results we so strong that it was obvious that something was about to change dramatically in Alberta politics. Who knew how, where, what and when that change would happen - but it is happening now.
The research uncovered the fundamental values Albertans wanted to see from political parties before they would grant their consent to be governed. Those values are integrity, honesty, accountability, transparency, fiscal and personal responsibility and environmental stewardship. Albertans also felt these values were seriously lacking in the current political culture. My sense from the Reboot Alberta experience and research was that something new and different was needed in the Alberta political landscape. The politics as usual approach could not respond to the longing and yearning for a more caring, compassionate and responsible political culture.
The Alberta Party idea emerged from the first Reboot Alberta gathering. In time I came to see and accept that the Alberta Party was the best chance to do politics differently in our province. I have become active and have not been disappointed nor have I second guessed my decision. In fact I have been delighted with my new political home. I trust other moderates and progressives will eventually find their way to the Alberta Party using their own paths and processes. Check out the Alberta party website, stay tuned to its progress and see if it aligns with your values and aspirations for a better Alberta.. When you decide you want to become part of the co-creation of the next Alberta you should come join us.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
The Future of Alberta Politics is Collaboration Not Competition
Dave King has penned a thoughtful blog post on collaboration being a better governing model than the tired and distrusted competition model of politics we are stuck in these days. Dave applies us usual wisdom and wit to the world as he sees it.
In the outmoded adversarial model of politics and governing we short change our society because we seek competition for power trumping good governance. If a good idea emerges from the opposition, the old-style politics will reject it because they don't want to be seen as giving the opposition any credit. There are exceptions but they are rare.
In the outmoded adversarial model we use simplistic debates to find an answer to complex issues. To every complex problem there is a simple answer - that is wrong! Dialectic arguments are an insufficient decision model for a modern interdependent and integrated world. To "win" in a political debate like in a legal argument, you don't have to prove you are right - you merely have to prove the other side "wrong." The nurturing of good ideas to make them better never happens because some adversary says "yeah but" pointing out some flaw, real or fictitious, and the best of a good new idea is shelved for fear of uncertainty.
Uncertainty is the only certainty in the real world these days. The key question for citizens in selecting a government is to figure out who you can trust, respect and rely on to hold true to the best interests of the greater good. What is it about a candidate and a leader that makes them worthy of your vote and your consent to be governed? Who can show caring and compassion while empowering individuals to become the best they can be but in the service of that greater good is the talent for a 21st century collaborative politician. Who can do all this and enhance the environment and not just plunder it in the process.
We in the Alberta Party are striving to be collaborative first. We prefer a co-creative approach that is about design not just debate. There is a place for debate but based on curiosity and sharing of ideas, not jut defeating the opposition. The competition between good ideas must be about the ideas themselves. Ideas should be judged on their merits and not just rejected because of the sources. Give credit where credit is due is part of a new political culture we need to foster in our Alberta...and this, I believe, can all be achieved through the Alberta Party. Get Alberta Party curious and learn more. Join this citizen's movement that is based on thinking for a change. It is a place to start to be the change you want to see.
In the outmoded adversarial model of politics and governing we short change our society because we seek competition for power trumping good governance. If a good idea emerges from the opposition, the old-style politics will reject it because they don't want to be seen as giving the opposition any credit. There are exceptions but they are rare.
In the outmoded adversarial model we use simplistic debates to find an answer to complex issues. To every complex problem there is a simple answer - that is wrong! Dialectic arguments are an insufficient decision model for a modern interdependent and integrated world. To "win" in a political debate like in a legal argument, you don't have to prove you are right - you merely have to prove the other side "wrong." The nurturing of good ideas to make them better never happens because some adversary says "yeah but" pointing out some flaw, real or fictitious, and the best of a good new idea is shelved for fear of uncertainty.
Uncertainty is the only certainty in the real world these days. The key question for citizens in selecting a government is to figure out who you can trust, respect and rely on to hold true to the best interests of the greater good. What is it about a candidate and a leader that makes them worthy of your vote and your consent to be governed? Who can show caring and compassion while empowering individuals to become the best they can be but in the service of that greater good is the talent for a 21st century collaborative politician. Who can do all this and enhance the environment and not just plunder it in the process.
We in the Alberta Party are striving to be collaborative first. We prefer a co-creative approach that is about design not just debate. There is a place for debate but based on curiosity and sharing of ideas, not jut defeating the opposition. The competition between good ideas must be about the ideas themselves. Ideas should be judged on their merits and not just rejected because of the sources. Give credit where credit is due is part of a new political culture we need to foster in our Alberta...and this, I believe, can all be achieved through the Alberta Party. Get Alberta Party curious and learn more. Join this citizen's movement that is based on thinking for a change. It is a place to start to be the change you want to see.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Alberta is Changing - But for the Better?
There is a fascinating set of op-eds in today's Edmonton Journal that I recommend highly to every Albertan who wants a real change in the political culture and direction of this province.
BLACK DAYS FOR THE SWANN
Graham Thomson chronicles (and foreshadows?) the plight of David Swann and the Alberta Liberals. They have turned into spectators not participants as the political ground shifts beneath them...and everyone else. Given the ineptness of the Stelmach PCs and the unease of the real agenda of the Alliance, the Liberals should be soaring in the polls and the natural alternative for informed engaged and progressive thinking Albertans. It has not happened. Asking why this is the case is pointless now. What to do about the rise of the right and the self-righteous is the key question now.
We have to do something about the ugly side of politics if good guys like Ed Stelmach and David Swann are politically sand-bagged and personally crucified by dark forces of self interest and personal power aspirations. Democracy needs am makeover in this province.
PRESTON MANNING IS WISE BUT TOO NARROW
Next up is a very well reasoned essay by former Reform leader Preston Manning saying the PCs best reinvigorate with a new leader of it is "game over." Like so many on the enthocentric far right, they tend to drink too much of their own bathwater. Manning does that in spades. He only sees the Wildrose Alliance as a viable alternative. Given his history and the pack he runs with, that narrow view is understandable, but he is a much wiser observer of the political scene to be so myopic.
Take his commentary and replace Wildrose Alliance with Alberta Party each time. Except for the name and a few other changes the story is the same one. (apologies to Neil Diamond - I stole that line from his song "I Am I Said"). The emergence and growth of the Alberta Party shows a citizen's movement morphing into a political party with spirit, energy and an attitude that the status quo nor a return to the 50s is not the preferred future for Alberta. With our gifts, talents and skills Alberta should aspire beyond the "Alberta Advantage" attitude of being the best in the world. We need a new "Alberta Aspiration" to be the best for the world.
Preston Manning has a clear understanding of the situation in Alberta but his solution lens is too narrow. There are other political options emerging to the Wildrose Alliance...like the Alberta Party. There are other forums emerging beyond his Centre for Democracy for the Citizen's Assembly to occur...like a refocused Reboot Alberta to become a think-tank to offset the Libertarian harshness of the Fraser Institute and the Fundamentalist framing of the Manning Centre.
I have a lot of time for Preston Manning but like the rest of us, he is captive of his own history and experiences. Don't be fooled by the limited options he presents...there are others. But do reflect on his analysis and ideas...that is the value he provides to the future focus of the Next Alberta.
BLACK DAYS FOR THE SWANN
Graham Thomson chronicles (and foreshadows?) the plight of David Swann and the Alberta Liberals. They have turned into spectators not participants as the political ground shifts beneath them...and everyone else. Given the ineptness of the Stelmach PCs and the unease of the real agenda of the Alliance, the Liberals should be soaring in the polls and the natural alternative for informed engaged and progressive thinking Albertans. It has not happened. Asking why this is the case is pointless now. What to do about the rise of the right and the self-righteous is the key question now.
We have to do something about the ugly side of politics if good guys like Ed Stelmach and David Swann are politically sand-bagged and personally crucified by dark forces of self interest and personal power aspirations. Democracy needs am makeover in this province.
PRESTON MANNING IS WISE BUT TOO NARROW
Next up is a very well reasoned essay by former Reform leader Preston Manning saying the PCs best reinvigorate with a new leader of it is "game over." Like so many on the enthocentric far right, they tend to drink too much of their own bathwater. Manning does that in spades. He only sees the Wildrose Alliance as a viable alternative. Given his history and the pack he runs with, that narrow view is understandable, but he is a much wiser observer of the political scene to be so myopic.
Take his commentary and replace Wildrose Alliance with Alberta Party each time. Except for the name and a few other changes the story is the same one. (apologies to Neil Diamond - I stole that line from his song "I Am I Said"). The emergence and growth of the Alberta Party shows a citizen's movement morphing into a political party with spirit, energy and an attitude that the status quo nor a return to the 50s is not the preferred future for Alberta. With our gifts, talents and skills Alberta should aspire beyond the "Alberta Advantage" attitude of being the best in the world. We need a new "Alberta Aspiration" to be the best for the world.
Preston Manning has a clear understanding of the situation in Alberta but his solution lens is too narrow. There are other political options emerging to the Wildrose Alliance...like the Alberta Party. There are other forums emerging beyond his Centre for Democracy for the Citizen's Assembly to occur...like a refocused Reboot Alberta to become a think-tank to offset the Libertarian harshness of the Fraser Institute and the Fundamentalist framing of the Manning Centre.
I have a lot of time for Preston Manning but like the rest of us, he is captive of his own history and experiences. Don't be fooled by the limited options he presents...there are others. But do reflect on his analysis and ideas...that is the value he provides to the future focus of the Next Alberta.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Dave Taylor Joins the Alberta Party
So yesterday was a big day for the New Kid on the Block Alberta Party. It has its first MLA as Dave Taylor moves from disgruntled Liberal to disaffected Independent to the discovery of the Alberta Party.
There was lots of noise over this move in the social media and the traditional media. I was even taken to task as an Alberta Party member for a blog post I did on January 8, 2010 when two PC MLAs went directly from one party to the Alliance without any cooling off period as Independents to take the temperature of their constituents over such a move. Give it a read and tell me what you think is the right way for politicians to change their minds. What about when a political party kicks out an MLA like the PCs did with Raj Sherman and Guy Boutilier? Should the PCs first consulted with their constituencies to get permission?
There is no simple answer and saying it is just "politics" as usual is not very satisfactory either. The bottom line in al of this be careful and intentional about who you vote for. Politicians are given consent to govern us at the ballot box. We defer to their judgment to make value trade-offs and choices on our behalf all the time. We also empower them to make laws that will limit and dictate our behaviours. That is a lot of power.
The unanswered question is what guides and drives our ballot box choices and is there just one answer to that question? Is that answer simple or complex and does it change over time between elections? Of course all these variable are in play so to over simplify the relationship of the elected and the electors is a mugs game. Add the other complexity of is a politician beholden to the direction of the constituents or to their own conscience?
How is a politician to know the hearts and minds of constituents and are they fulling informed on the facts, implications as well as the feeling and emotions around any proposed policy decision? On the other hand how are constituents to know what is in the heart, mind and morality of the politician as they seek wisdom in order to make a values trade-off between competing interests. All political decision have a moral underpinning to them and that adds to the complexity of communications and comprehension.
Those of us not in Calgary Currie can rant and rave all we want but we are spectators in this contest. The players are Dave Taylor and the citizens of Calgary Currie. What they think about his decision to move out of the Liberal Party to Independent is as critical as their reaction to his move from Independent to Alberta Party. That is Dave Taylor making hard political choices and that always means a trade-off of values.
The right to make that choice is Dave Taylor's. The right to assess and pass judgment on that choice is the right of the citizens of Calgary Currie. If they want a by-election now to assess Taylor's choice, they can tell him so loudly, vociferously and in great numbers. If they want to wait until the general election coming sooner than later they will stay quiet and pass judgment on him then. In the mean time the rest of us can armchair quarterback all we want but it is just crowd noise. Unless Calgary Currie wants to take Dave Taylor to task for his decisions, who are we to judge?
As for the Alberta Party, the Dave Taylor move to join them is a big boost of public credibility and internal confidence. However, one swallow does not a summer make. There is a great deal more to do before the Alberta Party is election ready and credibly so. As for some great commentary on all this to-ing and fro-ing read Graham Thomson of the Edmonton Journal, Josh Wingrove of of the Globe and Mail, Kevin Libin of the National Post and one of my favourite bloggers - The Enlightened Savage.
The next step for the Alberta Party is finding a leader. A major move in that direction happened yesterday too. Glenn Taylor, the current and three time Mayor of Hinton took the first overt step towards running for the Alberta Party leadership. He put up the non-refundable deposit as a candidate as a show of good faith and his personal confidence in the Alberta Party. Now he awaits a final decision to run or not depending on the final rules for the leadership campaign from the Alberta Party Provincial Board, expected February 5th.
Full disclosure, I am working on Glenn's bid for Alberta Party leadership. So stay tuned for more on Glenn Taylor and feel free to contact me at ken@cambridgestrategies.com if you want to join the Alberta Party and the campaign team.
There was lots of noise over this move in the social media and the traditional media. I was even taken to task as an Alberta Party member for a blog post I did on January 8, 2010 when two PC MLAs went directly from one party to the Alliance without any cooling off period as Independents to take the temperature of their constituents over such a move. Give it a read and tell me what you think is the right way for politicians to change their minds. What about when a political party kicks out an MLA like the PCs did with Raj Sherman and Guy Boutilier? Should the PCs first consulted with their constituencies to get permission?
There is no simple answer and saying it is just "politics" as usual is not very satisfactory either. The bottom line in al of this be careful and intentional about who you vote for. Politicians are given consent to govern us at the ballot box. We defer to their judgment to make value trade-offs and choices on our behalf all the time. We also empower them to make laws that will limit and dictate our behaviours. That is a lot of power.
The unanswered question is what guides and drives our ballot box choices and is there just one answer to that question? Is that answer simple or complex and does it change over time between elections? Of course all these variable are in play so to over simplify the relationship of the elected and the electors is a mugs game. Add the other complexity of is a politician beholden to the direction of the constituents or to their own conscience?
How is a politician to know the hearts and minds of constituents and are they fulling informed on the facts, implications as well as the feeling and emotions around any proposed policy decision? On the other hand how are constituents to know what is in the heart, mind and morality of the politician as they seek wisdom in order to make a values trade-off between competing interests. All political decision have a moral underpinning to them and that adds to the complexity of communications and comprehension.
Those of us not in Calgary Currie can rant and rave all we want but we are spectators in this contest. The players are Dave Taylor and the citizens of Calgary Currie. What they think about his decision to move out of the Liberal Party to Independent is as critical as their reaction to his move from Independent to Alberta Party. That is Dave Taylor making hard political choices and that always means a trade-off of values.
The right to make that choice is Dave Taylor's. The right to assess and pass judgment on that choice is the right of the citizens of Calgary Currie. If they want a by-election now to assess Taylor's choice, they can tell him so loudly, vociferously and in great numbers. If they want to wait until the general election coming sooner than later they will stay quiet and pass judgment on him then. In the mean time the rest of us can armchair quarterback all we want but it is just crowd noise. Unless Calgary Currie wants to take Dave Taylor to task for his decisions, who are we to judge?
As for the Alberta Party, the Dave Taylor move to join them is a big boost of public credibility and internal confidence. However, one swallow does not a summer make. There is a great deal more to do before the Alberta Party is election ready and credibly so. As for some great commentary on all this to-ing and fro-ing read Graham Thomson of the Edmonton Journal, Josh Wingrove of of the Globe and Mail, Kevin Libin of the National Post and one of my favourite bloggers - The Enlightened Savage.
The next step for the Alberta Party is finding a leader. A major move in that direction happened yesterday too. Glenn Taylor, the current and three time Mayor of Hinton took the first overt step towards running for the Alberta Party leadership. He put up the non-refundable deposit as a candidate as a show of good faith and his personal confidence in the Alberta Party. Now he awaits a final decision to run or not depending on the final rules for the leadership campaign from the Alberta Party Provincial Board, expected February 5th.
Full disclosure, I am working on Glenn's bid for Alberta Party leadership. So stay tuned for more on Glenn Taylor and feel free to contact me at ken@cambridgestrategies.com if you want to join the Alberta Party and the campaign team.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Where's Raj Sherman? At an Alberta Party Event in Edmonton Whitemud!
I am more and more impressed with the way Dr. Raj Sherman is reaching out and spreading his message about the need to fix the current mess around health care and then fixing the system.
Tomorrow night he is attending the organizing meeting of the Edmonton Whitemud Constituency for the Alberta Party as a guest speaker on health care. He was invited by Don Schurman, a mutual friend and former head (retired) of the University Hospital to come to the Alberta Party meeting tomorrow night and speak on health care. Don is one of my fellow Instigators of Reboot Alberta, also a former PC and a newly engaged member of the Alberta Party.
Raj continues to connect with a wide range of people across the entire political spectrum, throughout the wide range of the health care system and now is heading into communities all over Alberta with his message, working in collaboration with the Friends of Medicare.
He shows up in the NDP - Wildrose Alliance spoof video collaboration for the Legislature Press Gallery Christmas party too. It is not all serious stuff.
We need more of this kind of non-ideological political conversation that focuses on the greater good in the public interest and not just silly scoring political points in snippy sound bites. By the same token political parties have to learn to drop the destructive command and control top down democracy debilitating approach to politics too. We need more integrity, accountability, honest, responsibility and transparency in our provincial politics.
Raj is getting very good at doing that everywhere and that is a good thing that is resonating with thinking Albertans. Now if we can clone that political attitude and change the political culture so we have more adult political conversations. We need policy conversation with a long term public servant perspective that reflects a values approach. Maybe then we will find Albertans prepared to return to a sense of citizenship that is active and informed. Only with this king of political participation can we preserve, protect and promote our democracy, express our rights and enjoy our freedoms.
Good government is not one that is so small and starved for resources, including a professional civil service, that it can't do its job in the service of citizens and taxpayers. Dr Sherman is showing a new way of thinking and of doing politics in Alberta. As an Alberta Party member I also want to see politics done differently. Dr. Raj Sherman is an inspiration. But we need others to inspire us in other public policy spheres. Raj has a laser-like focus on health care and while it is important it is not enough to change how politics are done in Alberta. He sets an example and is showing us a way to do politics differently. That has to be a good thing if only others in political office and influence or who aspire to political office and influence take a lesson from him.
Thanks Don Schurman and thanks Raj Sherman for helping us realize we can and must do politics differently. I am out of town tomorrow night otherwise I would be there. I hope to hear all about the Edmonton Whitemud Alberta Party constituency event and about Raj's contribution on how to fix the crisis in our cherished public health care system the when I get back.
Tomorrow night he is attending the organizing meeting of the Edmonton Whitemud Constituency for the Alberta Party as a guest speaker on health care. He was invited by Don Schurman, a mutual friend and former head (retired) of the University Hospital to come to the Alberta Party meeting tomorrow night and speak on health care. Don is one of my fellow Instigators of Reboot Alberta, also a former PC and a newly engaged member of the Alberta Party.
Raj continues to connect with a wide range of people across the entire political spectrum, throughout the wide range of the health care system and now is heading into communities all over Alberta with his message, working in collaboration with the Friends of Medicare.
He shows up in the NDP - Wildrose Alliance spoof video collaboration for the Legislature Press Gallery Christmas party too. It is not all serious stuff.
We need more of this kind of non-ideological political conversation that focuses on the greater good in the public interest and not just silly scoring political points in snippy sound bites. By the same token political parties have to learn to drop the destructive command and control top down democracy debilitating approach to politics too. We need more integrity, accountability, honest, responsibility and transparency in our provincial politics.
Raj is getting very good at doing that everywhere and that is a good thing that is resonating with thinking Albertans. Now if we can clone that political attitude and change the political culture so we have more adult political conversations. We need policy conversation with a long term public servant perspective that reflects a values approach. Maybe then we will find Albertans prepared to return to a sense of citizenship that is active and informed. Only with this king of political participation can we preserve, protect and promote our democracy, express our rights and enjoy our freedoms.
Good government is not one that is so small and starved for resources, including a professional civil service, that it can't do its job in the service of citizens and taxpayers. Dr Sherman is showing a new way of thinking and of doing politics in Alberta. As an Alberta Party member I also want to see politics done differently. Dr. Raj Sherman is an inspiration. But we need others to inspire us in other public policy spheres. Raj has a laser-like focus on health care and while it is important it is not enough to change how politics are done in Alberta. He sets an example and is showing us a way to do politics differently. That has to be a good thing if only others in political office and influence or who aspire to political office and influence take a lesson from him.
Thanks Don Schurman and thanks Raj Sherman for helping us realize we can and must do politics differently. I am out of town tomorrow night otherwise I would be there. I hope to hear all about the Edmonton Whitemud Alberta Party constituency event and about Raj's contribution on how to fix the crisis in our cherished public health care system the when I get back.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Are You Alberta Party Curious?
There is an interesting piece in the Sunday Reader section of the Edmonton Journal on the Alberta Party written by Sheila Pratt. It shows that the Alberta Party is drawing attention and capturing the imagination of progressive thinking Albertans. The article shows that there is a significant yearning for a different way of doing politics in our province.
The recent municipal elections have shown dramatic evidence of that thirst for change all over the province. Many incumbent candidates were rejected by the electorate in cities, towns. municipal districts and counties. Edmonton is the exception but we made that shift in consciousness two elections ago. We liked the direction and destination of our city and it continues to move forward with a progressive council and mayor. So all incumbents in Edmonton were all re-elected. The exception that proves the rule.
CHANGE IS WANTED BUT A CHANGE TO WHAT?
The problem about a change is what is the alternative to the traditional left versus right tedious model of politics as usual. That old-style thinking about ideological and manipulative politics is very distrusted by most Albertans. The majority of us respond apathetically by simply not voting. The consciousness is changing now and people realize if they don't participate politically as informed citizens, there are negative consequences. Disillusioned apathetic citizens can give away their political power to an alternative that is not reflective of their values and not aligned with their aspirations for Alberta. Apathy is not just boring - it is dangerous.
There are some Albertans with hardcore social conservative and libertarian values that believe the Wildrose Alliance is the change answer for our political culture. Their approach is to essentially eliminate government then privatize public policy on the presumption that the marketplace is the answer to all the social, environmental, economic and political problems we face, including health care. That is not consistent with the dominant values of most Albertans. But most of us don't vote so we could end up there by default...with nobody to blame but ourselves.
There are many who are nominally supportive of the Wildrose Alliance because they see it as a "place to park your vote and frown sternly at the PCs" as University of Lethbridge political scientist Peter McCormick says in the Journal article. But given another viable balanced, moderate and progressive political alternative like the Alberta Party, one has to question the real level of committed public support for the fundamentalist hardcore conservative politics of the Wildrose Alliance.
No doubt the Alberta Party has a long way to go and very little time to get ready for the next election - which is expected within a year. It is making progress, getting traction and picking up speed. I am told membership has doubled to over 900 in the 6 weeks since the end of October Policy Conference. More Albertans are buying memberships and engaging the start of constituency associations, looking a leadership campaigns and considering being a candidate....but still more is needed for the Alberta Party to be a contender in the next election.
It will have over 40 constituency associations formed by the end of January and the rest of the province will be organized right afterwards. The party leadership campaign begin in the new year. The leadership campaigns will bring mainstream media attention to the Alberta Party and that will attract the attention of everyday Albertans to this new fresh political movement. Albertans will become more Alberta Party curious as they hear about how we can do politics differently and move forward to a progressive future.
In the last Alberta election 60% of eligible voters could not be bothered to get informed about the candidates, the leaders, the party platforms or ever show up to vote. The Alberta Party will be fishing in that large pond of citizen disenchantment. It will offer a viable alternative to politics-as-usual and will attract soft and swing support from all the traditional political parties who are fed up with the old-style politics.
There are reasons for the Alberta Party to be cautiously optimistic about gaining greater voter support. The citizen disaffection for all of the current political offerings and the longing for change is obvious. There are some of us who were there in 1971 when Lougheed led the dramatic change from the tired, tedious and out of touch Social Credit government to a new modern, youthful forward thinking and energized kind of government.
There are signs that we are back to the future. There is the emergence of a revitalized voter who showed up in the recent local elections in larger numbers and with a message to politicians. This is another reason to believe things can change quickly and dramatically in the political culture of our Alberta. The rejection of so many conformist incumbent candidates is another encouraging sign of the coming of real political change. The election of so many younger, imaginative and progressive thinking candidates to local governments and school boards also adds to the sense of a sea change shift that is emerging in the political culture of the province.
ALBERTANS ARE MORE PROGRESSIVE THAN CONSERVATIVE
On top of all that is some interesting research results we have discerned from the work of Reboot Alberta on the degree of shared values of progressive thinking Albertans compared to a random sampling the everyday average Albertan. The results are enormously encouraging for the progressive and fresh thinking of the Alberta Party. We studied 22 value attributes of 644 self-selecting Alberta progressives within the Reboot Alberta citizens movement. We wanted to find out what were the most vital values for progressive Albertans and what they wanted to see guide and drive politics and policy decisions of their government.
We did the same study with a statistically valid random sample of 568 Albertans so it is accurate at the +/-4% level. We then compared the random results to the Reboot progressive citizens movement results. We wanted to get a sense of how many progressive thinking people there are in Alberta. We looked at the degree of alignment of the random results and compared them to the top quartile of the Roboot results. This top quartile alignment of the two surveys is an indication of an excellent fit of the Alberta population with the progressive values of Reboot Alberta Influentials. What we found is that 28% of Albertans are profoundly aligned with the Progressive values.
When we compared the random results to the top two quartiles of the Reboot survey we found that 63% of everyday Albertans shared the same set of values as Reboot Alberta Progressives. What is just as important is there was no difference between ages, genders or between rural and urban progressive thinking Albertan when you look at the random sample results. Rural and urban Albertans share the same values, maybe not the same priority about issues but we Albertans are fundamentally the same kind of people...regardless of where we live.
If this extrapolation of the alignment of random sample of regular Albertan and the Reboot community is accurate that means the red-neck social conservative image of Alberta so "popular" in the rest of Canada is a myth. It is a myth that needs to be debunked. It also means there is a large untapped group of progressive thinking Albertans looking and longing for a political home and a political party they can believe in. Could the Alberta Party be the answer to the quest for change for the 63% of us who want a real progressive government that reflects our values?
LOOK AT THE ALBERTA PARTY AS A PROGRESSIVE ALTERNATIVE
If you are Alberta Party curious, take a chance and go to the website, read the policy document and other items. If you are curious about what is a Progressive go to that link on the Reboot Alberta and read the commentaries. Then take a minute and look at the mix of young-old, male-female on the Alberta Party Board and ask yourself if this mix makes sense in how a new political party should look. Can you see that the Alberta Party is on to something and serious about doing politics differently? Is this new political movement something worthy of your support and involvement as a citizen? If you want real change we all know it is basically about taking personal responsibility. We have to be the change we want to see.
So overcome your reluctance about political participation. Take the leap and buy a membership in the Alberta Party. Become active in the forthcoming party leadership selection process. Share your engagement and enthusiasm with your family, friends, co-workers and your community. Encourage them to revitalize their sense of empowerment as a citizen. Ask them to consider joining the Alberta Party too. After all it is still a free country and province...for now but that could change if you choose to stay disinterested in the future of our Alberta.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
New Kids on the Political Block Event Shows a Yearning for Real Change in Alberta's Political Culture
Congratulations to Intervivos and Zohreh Saher in particular for creating the New Kids on the Political Block event yesterday. Thanks also to Walter Schwabe at fusedlogic for covering the event with live streaming. Special thanks also to Danielle Smith, Leader of the Wildrose Alliance Party and Chima Nkemdirim, the Chairman of the Alberta Party Big Listen project. Then we need to thank the in person and online audience for attending and sharing their thoughts and concerns about the future of Alberta.
You can watch the event by clicking here but be forewarned - this is the entire event, not an edited version, so get a beer and enjoy some political conversation that is respectful, informative and meaningful.
In my quest to help Albertans dust off their citizenship and re-engage in politics and political culture, I get encouraged by these citizen based efforts. The need to fix the democratic deficit in Alberta is becoming more of an issue for many progressive people, especially those who take the time and apply their talents to organize and participate in these kinds of events. It is all aligned with the continuing spirit of Reboot Alberta where people are retaking Control, creating Alternatives to the status quo and Deleting the useless and harmful parts of old-style command and control, authority driven, coercive and power based adversarial politics of the past.
We need a new progressive, respectful, effective, curious and capable political culture that thrives on diversity and difference. I see an Alberta renaissance, reformation, re-enlightenment and cultural revolution all happening at the same time. It is coming none too soon either if we are going to continue to progress, grow and thrive as a province.
You can watch the event by clicking here but be forewarned - this is the entire event, not an edited version, so get a beer and enjoy some political conversation that is respectful, informative and meaningful.
In my quest to help Albertans dust off their citizenship and re-engage in politics and political culture, I get encouraged by these citizen based efforts. The need to fix the democratic deficit in Alberta is becoming more of an issue for many progressive people, especially those who take the time and apply their talents to organize and participate in these kinds of events. It is all aligned with the continuing spirit of Reboot Alberta where people are retaking Control, creating Alternatives to the status quo and Deleting the useless and harmful parts of old-style command and control, authority driven, coercive and power based adversarial politics of the past.
We need a new progressive, respectful, effective, curious and capable political culture that thrives on diversity and difference. I see an Alberta renaissance, reformation, re-enlightenment and cultural revolution all happening at the same time. It is coming none too soon either if we are going to continue to progress, grow and thrive as a province.
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