Beyond Dancin' With Those Who "Brung Ya!"

I think this Stelmach Cabinet is both non-conformist and counterintuitive. It is neither rebellious nor vengeful as some might first think. It is very clearly based on Ed Stelmach being serious about achieving his campaign goals. He is aligning with those who share his values and his principles. While it is also very much about dancing with those who “brung ya!” it is also profoundly much more than that. It is real change!

Ed is on a mission, and has been ever since he entered the leadership contest. He has clearly stated his mission, particularly for those who were prepared to listen during the campaign. He knows what he wants to accomplish and he has gathered like-minded people around him throughout this leadership campaign to serve those ends.

This new smaller Cabinet, governance restructuring and recent set of Cabinet appointments is an Ed Stelmach set of practical choices to help him get the leadership job done that he has set out for himself…plain and simple.

There are some practical political compromise appointments here and there, but in a tight race that has to be expected and respected.

How will this group work together? Can this group deliver? Will there be unity and allegiance and alignment to Ed’s ends? Who can tell! But I can tell you one thing; it is going to be very different and very interesting.

As Winston Churchill said:

“How little can we foresee the consequences either of wise or unwise action, of virtue or of malice. Without this measureless and perpetual uncertainty, the drama of human life would be destroyed.”

If you can’t hold paradox and uncertainty comfortably in the palm of your hand and not seek to resolve them instantly, you better start to learn that skill. Paradox and uncertainty is going to the foundational reality for the new Alberta. I am curious to see how this new set of decision makers, directions setters and destination designers do in the “drama of human life” that is our new Alberta.

As for me, I am fascinated and full of anticipation. I can’t wait to see how the new Alberta narrative under the Stelmach leadership will emerge and evolve. My sense it will be somewhere between W.O. Mitchell and Tom Robbins.

Hancock is IN!

Dave Hancock confirmed that he is in the Stelmach Cabinet tonight at a wrap up party for his leadership campaign volunteers and workers. He stopped short of saying what ministry he would be appointed to on Friday morning.

Dave thanked and praised his supporters for taking the time and for applying their skills and talents to help his campaign. He commended those who came with him in support of Ed Stelmach and kept up their campaign efforts for Ed in the last week.

Dave said the quick and effective transfer of volunteers, information and data systems from the Hancock to the Stelmach campaign helped make a real difference in the final outcome as the Stelmach/Hancock team really delivered Edmonton.

Those of us who followed Dave to work with Ed and his people in the last week were all pleased and proud to be part of that success. I feel a great satisfaction in being able to say “Premier Ed Stelmach.”

A New Day in Alberta

What a great day for Alberta. I was there at the Legislature with hundreds of other citizens watching the Swearing-In of the 13th Premier of Alberta, Edward Michael Stelmach. The crowd was large, the sun was shining, the air was crisp and the land may have been frozen but the hearts were warm.

Ralph was there to graciously hand over the governance of the province. The Lt. Gov was relaxed and regal. Ed was convivial and contained. The pomp and circumstance was obvious but the human side of these men was readily evident as the quips came often and easily from all sources.

In true Edmonton fashion the singing of “O Canada” was lead by Paul Loureau with the audience joining in with gusto and pride akin to last years Oiler playoff run. The crowd was generous with their applause and we felt a sense of being up close and personally connected with the historic moment that was unfolding before us.

Ed, in true servant-leader style, was obviously honoured and humbled but he is also very clearly in charge already. His comments were brief but very clear as to where he wants to take the new Alberta. He has already hit the ground running with yesterday’s release of his agenda and key action items along with the new government structure of 18 Ministries. I liked it all.

The lock down on who is going to be in his Cabinet has been tight and total. Lots of speculation and punditry going on about who is in...but only Ed knows for sure.

It will be Ed Stelmach who will finally decide who he wants and needs to deliver his agenda, action plan and new government structure for Alberta. My sense is tomorrow when we see Premier Ed Stelmach's Cabinet appointments we will enjoy another great day for Alberta.

Congratulation Premier Stelmach. Thanks to Ralph Klein for 14 years of leadership, service and sacrifice.

More Good News for Dion

More good news for Stephane Dion and his recent leadership victory! The recent EKOS Research Poll for LaPresse and the Toronto Star is reconfirming his early traction as the new Liberal leader and as Her Majesty’s Official Opposition.

Dion’s Liberals have 40.1% support, a 10 point bump compared to the 30.2% they had in the January 2006 election. The Cons are at 33.5% compared to 36.3 % they had at the last election. The NDP are down over 7 points to 10.2% and the Greens are up over 3 points to 7.6% today.

The post convention Liberal bump is to be expected given the media coverage these events generate. Will it last? Time will tell. The Cons better start hoping it is just a short attention span bump and not a change of mind and heart shift to the Liberals by Canadians.

The Cons can rest assured in Alberta where they dominate with 59.5% support. The Greens are strong in Quebec all of a sudden with 12.1%, putting them ahead of the NDP and only 6 points behind the Cons. We still have the Alberta Green support with a counterintuitive 7.2% almost a full point ahead of BC. Go figure!

Some of the details are interesting given the approaching election and the pre-Christmas political entry into the “Red Zone” of election preparedness. Last January when Harper formed government 49% said Canada was heading in the right direction with 26% saying the opposite and 25% saying they did not know. Today Harper is seen as on the right track by a consistent 48%. The dramatic change is today only 10% don’t have an opinion and a full 43% think the Government of Canada is headed in the wrong direction. Momentum is pushing up against the Harper Cons.

As for Driving Issues in an election, comparing the pre-January 2006 election period to now we still see the social issues dominate for health and education but it dropped 10 points to 23%. The #2 issue for Canada is still fiscal issues like the economy and debt and taxes now at 18% but that is down 3 points in the year.

The dramatic emerging trend change in the year is on the environment which is #3 priority, but jumping up 9 points to 15% in the past year. The really scary statistic for campaign planners is the startling changes in the vague “Other” issues category now at 18% up from 4% a year ago. Change is in the air.

The Gomery corruption issue is past. Canadians have moved on. Issues of ethics and accountability in a year fell from 15% to 3% saying it was the most important issue to them in deciding who to vote for. This does not take the Liberals out of the penalty box but the outlook for Dion is promising.

The opinions of who “gets it” in certain key policy areas is where the Conservatives have to worry. They dominate on the fiscal side which is the #2 issue with 48% of Canadians trusting them to offer the best solutions. The decision on Income Trusts I think really helped the Conservatives here. The Liberals trailing way back at 23% support on the fiscal agenda. Guess what the Conservatives will start to reinforce and try to make the ballot box question in the forthcoming election.

The #1 and #4 issues being social policy and foreign policy/Afghanistan, the Liberals dominate with 27% and 38% trusting them respectively. I guess “Steve” and “Dubya” being “an item” does not matter anymore to Canadians.

The #3 issue is the environment and it likely has momentum to grow in importance. Only 9% do not have an opinion on which Party they will support to solve environmental issues. Here the Greens win with 35%, followed by the Liberals at 31% and the Conservatives are at a mere 4% support as the guys who “get” the environmental concerns. The NDP have only 13% support and seem to have lost this issue to the Greens and the Liberals.

Based on perceptions Harper is still “The Man” beating Dion by 4 or 5 points on questions of making the best Prime Minister, best vision of the future of Canada, and best understanding of Canadians. What has to chill the blood of the Harper Cons is he has been the Prime Minister for almost a year and Dion is this close to him after only a week on the job as Leader of the Opposition. OUCH! Change is in the air.

Premier Stelmach Makes His "Moves"

So the speculation and rumours over the Stelmach Cabinet size and its make up is entering fever pitch. The reality that Alberta under Premier Ed Stelmach is about to write a new and different chapter for our future should not be lost.

The new Stelmach government structure has just been released. With 18 Ministries and Four Standing Policy Committees we see can anticipate more discipline and control as well as improved planning as Premier Stelmach moves towards achieving his “New Alberta Agenda.”

The New Alberta Agenda is designed to “govern with integrity, manage growth pressures, improve the quality of life, build a stronger Alberta and provide safe secure communities.” Action item Premier Stelmach has highlighted include increased access to post-secondary education, implementation of a comprehensive workforce strategy, deal with funding needs of municipalities, make progress on the rural development strategy and complete the lad-use framework.

As a first initiative “out of the starting gate” Ed announced his intention to create a housing task force to increase the availability of affordable housing. That is a problem just about everywhere and I expect that Fort McMurray will be particularly pleased to hear this. Good move!

I am looking forward to a reinvigorated and revitalized role for progressive and conservative governance in Alberta under this new leadership.

The next key and critical part of the puzzle will be finding out who will be the people that will make up the new Stelmach Cabinet. That will become known on Friday. The personalities, skills, experiences and characters of those folks will be the most important part of “writing” the new Alberta chapter.

I believe it was Joseph Schumpeter who said: "…the deciding of issues by the electorate is secondary to the election of the men who are to do the deciding." Just another way of saying “be careful who you elect.” In terms of Premier Stelmach, it must be emphasized and adapted to “Be careful who you SELECT.”