As a follow up on the ForestEthics taking on West Fraser Timber over the woodland caribou, I have come across a new blog that caught my eye. ForestWisdom gives long and detailed history of some Environmental Non-Government Organizations activities in the forestry policy area in Alberta. There is lots of history obviously. The question I have is more about the future of the forest as we face the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation.
I have just returned from Grande Cache today where I was meeting local community, regional and business leaders about how to sustain their communities after the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation ravages the pine forest in Alberta. My firm is working for the Grande Alberta Economic Region in helping the local forestry related communities in the region come to grips with the implications, for them and their towns, of the Beetle infestation. It is not pretty.
These are somber and sobering times for those communities and many of them are going to need to be particularly innovative and adaptive to deal with these new threats. I don’t think there are any climate change deniers amongst the people I have spoken to in these region communities. The MPB never reached so far north because our cold winters killed them off. But now with the much milder winters, the Beetles are thriving in new areas throughout northern BC and now well into Alberta.
The most recent data I have seen shows the MPB infected over 3 million trees last year and is now as far east as the Slave Lake area. It can’t be prevented and all human efforts right now are on mitigation by burning, harvesting and salvage activities. This activity is only buying time, and the anticipated bill for MPB mitigation this year, by Alberta alone, is budgeted at $55m up from a mere $5m spent last year.
All this mitigation activity underscores that we can’t beat it. It demands that we must find new ways to adapt to life with the MPB and all its implications. Not easy. Not simple…but very necessary. The economic, ecological and social well-being consequences for humans and the impacts on wildlife are enormous. The MPB may well spread throughout the entire boreal forest across the entire country before it is done.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Pembina Institute Poll Shows Albertans Reject Intensity Targets for GHGs
While one can argue over the sample size of only 500, the results are so conclusive that margin of error makes no difference in the final result of some key findings of the Pembina Institute recently sponsored poll.
One finding from the poll is being billed in the Blogs as Albertans rejecting John Blair’s green efforts on intensity standards for GHG emissions. The polls shows that 70 per cent of Albertans support absolute reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from the oil sands, compared to 20 per cent who support intensity-based targets. So much for the caricature of the ugly Albertan too often seen as the non-caring capitalists, especially in relation to Canada’s environment.
In fact my firm did some in depth values based research for the forestry industry in the fall of 2005 with over 3000 participants in Alberta. We found then that 84% of Albertan’s believed that environmental protection had to trump economic growth. More information on our work for the Alberta forest industry is at http://www.yourforest.org/, if you are interested.
Alberta’s Minister of the Environment, Rob Renner, says intensity standards for GHG emissions are only interim measures and legislated absolute emission targets are the goal. I wonder if the Federal Minister of the environment, John Baird is on the same page and I surly hope so.
As for nuclear energy as a heat source in Alberta, some rumblings of using geothermal are also out and about. I would think that solution presents more benefit economically, environmentally and even in terms of reliability and safety that nuclear.
I don’t know who is behind the nuclear option scenario and have no problem that it be investigated. The Albert PC party wants the Alberta government to look at nuclear as an option. I hope the Alberta government looks at geothermal as an option to natural gas and nuclear at the same time and with equal or greater enthusiasm.
One finding from the poll is being billed in the Blogs as Albertans rejecting John Blair’s green efforts on intensity standards for GHG emissions. The polls shows that 70 per cent of Albertans support absolute reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from the oil sands, compared to 20 per cent who support intensity-based targets. So much for the caricature of the ugly Albertan too often seen as the non-caring capitalists, especially in relation to Canada’s environment.
In fact my firm did some in depth values based research for the forestry industry in the fall of 2005 with over 3000 participants in Alberta. We found then that 84% of Albertan’s believed that environmental protection had to trump economic growth. More information on our work for the Alberta forest industry is at http://www.yourforest.org/, if you are interested.
Alberta’s Minister of the Environment, Rob Renner, says intensity standards for GHG emissions are only interim measures and legislated absolute emission targets are the goal. I wonder if the Federal Minister of the environment, John Baird is on the same page and I surly hope so.
As for nuclear energy as a heat source in Alberta, some rumblings of using geothermal are also out and about. I would think that solution presents more benefit economically, environmentally and even in terms of reliability and safety that nuclear.
I don’t know who is behind the nuclear option scenario and have no problem that it be investigated. The Albert PC party wants the Alberta government to look at nuclear as an option. I hope the Alberta government looks at geothermal as an option to natural gas and nuclear at the same time and with equal or greater enthusiasm.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Notes from the Alberta Progressive Conservative Convention
I saw lots of energy in the meeting rooms, hallways and hospitality suites at the Alberta PC AGM this weekend. At last April's AGM in Calgary, the party decided to tell Ralph Klein it was time for him to retire, and he did. It was an example of the membership taking back its power as a political party. It was a decision that shocked the status quo players and astonished most of the media...but it had to be done.
This convention there was still more changes happening, that may not be as dramatic as last year, but will be just a profound and potentially just as far reaching.
New Faces Elected to the Executive:
The party executive election results underscored the displeasure of the party delegates with the performance of the party executive and the continuing focus on change. They chose a new face for VP Calgary over old regime options and a much younger new face option for VP North over an older experienced party stalwart.
The defeat of Joe Lougheed for party president by a 90 vote margin of the 900 voting delegates will be seen by Calgary as another slap. It is not. This vote result was not and Edmonton over Calgary choice but the old guard power brokers in Calgary may have trouble believing that right now.
I think the selection of St Albert lawyer Marg Mrazek for president was the party opting for a proven organizer and a respected party activists. She is going to lead the PC Party through the next series of changes they clearly want. I know her and believe she will implement these changes very carefully, without any hesitation - and she will definitely not lead reluctantly. She will be independent from undue influence from the Premier's office too. This has been a serious problem in the past as far as I am concerned.
She will be steady and wise hand at the tiller as we shake things up and get set to sail into the next election under new leadership. Speaking of the new leadership, some 1500 delegates attended the AGM. That shows the transition to the new leadership is well in hand but there is lots of post leadership fence mending still to do. Ed Stelmach is clearly on top of that challenge but it is not a done deal yet.
More Change Coming:
There were other notable events at this weekend AGM with serious implications that offers insight into the hearts and minds of the PC Party of Alberta. Policy development and discussion is a big part of any successful political party and it was front and centre at the AGM.
Policy Process Proposal Rejected:
A centralizing and narrowing policy process option presented by the executive was rejected. The new executive will have to go back to the drawing board to figure out how to design an effective, inclusive, open and comprehensive policy development process. A unilateral party executive decision to double membership fees to $10 per year was rejected too.
Delegates Demand More Leadership Campaign Funding Disclosure:
Delegates were not impressed with the disclosure and accountability standards of the recent leadership around campaign funding disclosures. Delegates made it known they want serious and binding changes in place to assure transparency and accountability in such matters in the future. A legislated approach to apply to all political parties was the recommendation.
Democratic Reforms Well Received:
The new democratic reforms for all-party committees and the new processes and powers recently put in place were well received as positive and necessary democratic reforms. Internet streaming video of the entire legislature session and now even some committee proceedings will be streamed in video on the Internet to further enhance citizen’s access so they can see how they are being governed were innovations that were applauded.
Housing Crisis is Serious - Rent Controls are not the solution
Housing issues were top of mind. Rent controls were soundly rejected as an option but the shelter problem for Albertans was now seen to be a crisis and delegates wanted the government to come up with better solutions and fast.
Study Nuclear Energy Option for the Oil Sands
Then we have nuclear energy. A Calgary constituency put forth a resolution to look at the option for the oil sands exploitation. There was lots of controversy but in the end, it was pretty clear that the PC Party believes something has to be done and all options are worth studying.
There will be lots of spin and misinformation circulating over this nuclear power decision I expect. For the record, here is the wording of the nuclear power option resolution that what was passed:
Resolution to immediately set up a committee to study and come up with
recommendations for the construction of nuclear power plants for use in tar sands
development, including public consultations with experts from the private sector.
PC Party is Late in Adopting new Technologies:
Finally, it was pretty obvious that this political party has some technological literacy issues when we are told we only have e-mail address of about 20% of members. Part of that would be the result of instant party members who want only to participate in the leadership selection and not the life of the PC Party. Still, it is astounding that so few members have put their email addresses on record. On a positive technology note, the Premier's AGM speech was actually taped and uploaded on You Tube – it is a start and shows that some one is thinking ahead.
This convention there was still more changes happening, that may not be as dramatic as last year, but will be just a profound and potentially just as far reaching.
New Faces Elected to the Executive:
The party executive election results underscored the displeasure of the party delegates with the performance of the party executive and the continuing focus on change. They chose a new face for VP Calgary over old regime options and a much younger new face option for VP North over an older experienced party stalwart.
The defeat of Joe Lougheed for party president by a 90 vote margin of the 900 voting delegates will be seen by Calgary as another slap. It is not. This vote result was not and Edmonton over Calgary choice but the old guard power brokers in Calgary may have trouble believing that right now.
I think the selection of St Albert lawyer Marg Mrazek for president was the party opting for a proven organizer and a respected party activists. She is going to lead the PC Party through the next series of changes they clearly want. I know her and believe she will implement these changes very carefully, without any hesitation - and she will definitely not lead reluctantly. She will be independent from undue influence from the Premier's office too. This has been a serious problem in the past as far as I am concerned.
She will be steady and wise hand at the tiller as we shake things up and get set to sail into the next election under new leadership. Speaking of the new leadership, some 1500 delegates attended the AGM. That shows the transition to the new leadership is well in hand but there is lots of post leadership fence mending still to do. Ed Stelmach is clearly on top of that challenge but it is not a done deal yet.
More Change Coming:
There were other notable events at this weekend AGM with serious implications that offers insight into the hearts and minds of the PC Party of Alberta. Policy development and discussion is a big part of any successful political party and it was front and centre at the AGM.
Policy Process Proposal Rejected:
A centralizing and narrowing policy process option presented by the executive was rejected. The new executive will have to go back to the drawing board to figure out how to design an effective, inclusive, open and comprehensive policy development process. A unilateral party executive decision to double membership fees to $10 per year was rejected too.
Delegates Demand More Leadership Campaign Funding Disclosure:
Delegates were not impressed with the disclosure and accountability standards of the recent leadership around campaign funding disclosures. Delegates made it known they want serious and binding changes in place to assure transparency and accountability in such matters in the future. A legislated approach to apply to all political parties was the recommendation.
Democratic Reforms Well Received:
The new democratic reforms for all-party committees and the new processes and powers recently put in place were well received as positive and necessary democratic reforms. Internet streaming video of the entire legislature session and now even some committee proceedings will be streamed in video on the Internet to further enhance citizen’s access so they can see how they are being governed were innovations that were applauded.
Housing Crisis is Serious - Rent Controls are not the solution
Housing issues were top of mind. Rent controls were soundly rejected as an option but the shelter problem for Albertans was now seen to be a crisis and delegates wanted the government to come up with better solutions and fast.
Study Nuclear Energy Option for the Oil Sands
Then we have nuclear energy. A Calgary constituency put forth a resolution to look at the option for the oil sands exploitation. There was lots of controversy but in the end, it was pretty clear that the PC Party believes something has to be done and all options are worth studying.
There will be lots of spin and misinformation circulating over this nuclear power decision I expect. For the record, here is the wording of the nuclear power option resolution that what was passed:
Resolution to immediately set up a committee to study and come up with
recommendations for the construction of nuclear power plants for use in tar sands
development, including public consultations with experts from the private sector.
PC Party is Late in Adopting new Technologies:
Finally, it was pretty obvious that this political party has some technological literacy issues when we are told we only have e-mail address of about 20% of members. Part of that would be the result of instant party members who want only to participate in the leadership selection and not the life of the PC Party. Still, it is astounding that so few members have put their email addresses on record. On a positive technology note, the Premier's AGM speech was actually taped and uploaded on You Tube – it is a start and shows that some one is thinking ahead.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
The Importance of Involving Youth in Political Parties.
I just finished moderating a panel on how to engage youth in political parties at the Alberta Progressive Conservative Association AGM in Edmonton this afternoon. There was about 165 individuals in the room so the interest in the topic was encouraging.
The major themes I grasped coming out of the event that were generative enough to move forward were the need for mentoring, the adoption of technology, inclusiveness, and meaningful participation and building stronger and lasting relationships.
It became obvious that the most common way people get involved in the political process at the party level is because someone asked them and invited them. I expect this is true of all political parties. How utterly simple and obvious but yet we do not do it very well. People need to be asked to participate in civil society, including political parties, or so it seems. So we better start asking them.
The other interesting observation was the nature of youth involvement in a political party. It is about apprenticeship or it is about being fully active from day one, regardless of age and experience? The answers there seemed to be both but the determining factor ought to be the wishes of the individual and not some cultural party norm that ends up being a barrier to any real and meaningful participation.
Mentoring needs to work both ways too. Older more experienced party activitist can teach young people the ropes of how the political policy making processes works in our democracy. This needs to be taught at the grassroots level in practical term and be focused on political parties and also in government terms. We need people to become empowered and to see how they can make a difference using politics as a vehicle for change.
Equally as important is younger people teaching and mentoring more senior party members about the uses and advantages of technology, including building social relationship opportunities. The technophobia of so many older people has to be overcome. They have to be introduced to technology, taught how to use and become comfortable with applications like Facebook and even Blogs, so they come to see how it helps for political outreach, even on a personal basis.
The current state of wide spread indifference to down right cynicism over political parties and politics in general cannot be healthy for our democracy. We citizens have to take back the power of politics and put it into the hands of ordinary people who will hopefully choose to re-engage and who can see the value in doing so. It was a wonderful session to be involved with and I look forward to some actual follow up happening to get some of the suggestions we heard into practical action plans.
The major themes I grasped coming out of the event that were generative enough to move forward were the need for mentoring, the adoption of technology, inclusiveness, and meaningful participation and building stronger and lasting relationships.
It became obvious that the most common way people get involved in the political process at the party level is because someone asked them and invited them. I expect this is true of all political parties. How utterly simple and obvious but yet we do not do it very well. People need to be asked to participate in civil society, including political parties, or so it seems. So we better start asking them.
The other interesting observation was the nature of youth involvement in a political party. It is about apprenticeship or it is about being fully active from day one, regardless of age and experience? The answers there seemed to be both but the determining factor ought to be the wishes of the individual and not some cultural party norm that ends up being a barrier to any real and meaningful participation.
Mentoring needs to work both ways too. Older more experienced party activitist can teach young people the ropes of how the political policy making processes works in our democracy. This needs to be taught at the grassroots level in practical term and be focused on political parties and also in government terms. We need people to become empowered and to see how they can make a difference using politics as a vehicle for change.
Equally as important is younger people teaching and mentoring more senior party members about the uses and advantages of technology, including building social relationship opportunities. The technophobia of so many older people has to be overcome. They have to be introduced to technology, taught how to use and become comfortable with applications like Facebook and even Blogs, so they come to see how it helps for political outreach, even on a personal basis.
The current state of wide spread indifference to down right cynicism over political parties and politics in general cannot be healthy for our democracy. We citizens have to take back the power of politics and put it into the hands of ordinary people who will hopefully choose to re-engage and who can see the value in doing so. It was a wonderful session to be involved with and I look forward to some actual follow up happening to get some of the suggestions we heard into practical action plans.
Responsible Blogging
The other day I was asked “Son of Gaia,” a Libertarian Blogger, in a comment on this Blog this most interesting question, “By the way - this is not an accusation, just a question. Are you being paid by any person or organization to promote this tobacco control agenda, either as a single issue or as part of a larger "wellness" agenda?”
I responded that my firm, Cambridge Strategies Inc., was retained by the Campaign for a Smoke Free Alberta and was doing some communications work with them to support an effort for province wide legislated smoking ban. I referred him to some video interviews on our affiliated website Policy Channel that was part of the work.
This relationship to my Blog and my professional work has offended the “Son” and fellow Libertarian Werner Patel and they have accused me of “shilling” as a result. At first I was angry with the accusation and put it down to the “agony of defeat” that the opponents of tobacco control are feeling as they are finally losing this battle.
That may be true, but on reflection I think they have a point. In fact it is a much larger point than even tobacco control, important as that issue is to our society.
The blogosphere is a wide open unregulated free for all unlimited access medium that enables conversation and discourse to happen amongst a diversity of people on a wider and more equal basis than ever before.
That is a good thing but that freedom also demands some responsibilities be associated with it. The Blogosphere, as part of the Internet culture of today, is subject to abuses too and it can be a dangerous place for the naïve and the vulnerable.
There is little trust left for objectivity and accuracy in the MSM at least in the populations I deal with. As for the blogosphere, there is an inherent and healthy presumption of distrust because of the very nature of the medium. So if a Blogger wants to be taken seriously and be seen as above the screaming and screed of those Bloggers and Commentators who usually hide behind anonymity, they have to be more responsible.
So here is my short list suggestions for standards and responsibilities for serious Bloggers.
One must be authoritative. You have to give sources and reflect them and their content accurately. Rants are fun – sometimes – but they need context to be effective. Criticism is important but it has to be fair and anchored accurately to actual issues, significant events and provide a correct account of the perspectives of those being criticized.
One responsibility has to be genuineness. This is a very personal medium and Bloggers points of view are usually very obvious and their beliefs are strongly held. To be taken seriously readers will be looking for the evidence of consistent alignment of a Blogger’s actions, like posting content, tone and subject matter selection, with his or her stated values and principles.
The next responsibility for a serious Blogger is authenticity. One has to be worthy of belief and be trustworthy. Authenticity is the most important of these three responsibilities for a serious Blogger at the end of the day to my mind.
This is where Son of Gaia and Werner have a point about my postings on tobacco control, smoking and wellness. I should have made it clear that I was working on this issue and not just posting on it…for purposes of honouring a responsibility for authenticity.
In an earlier posting on Mountain Pine Beetle infestation I noted I was working for a group of communities west of Edmonton called the Grande Alberta Economic Region on how they might adapt to the consequences of the beetle infestation. I noted in a posting on Dion wanting the return of the Court Challenges Program that I had received funds from the program as a lawyer to help establish French language minority education rights in Alberta many years ago. I feel strongly about literacy and have done work in that area. I have as posted on its importance, particularly in terms of workplace safety, productivity, competitiveness and personal capacity and growth.
You can rest assured I will always be personally engaged in the issues I post on, but given the nature of the Blogosphere, one can assume that. In the future I will be more careful to let readers know if I am professionally involved in an issue or event that I on post in this Blog as well.
I responded that my firm, Cambridge Strategies Inc., was retained by the Campaign for a Smoke Free Alberta and was doing some communications work with them to support an effort for province wide legislated smoking ban. I referred him to some video interviews on our affiliated website Policy Channel that was part of the work.
This relationship to my Blog and my professional work has offended the “Son” and fellow Libertarian Werner Patel and they have accused me of “shilling” as a result. At first I was angry with the accusation and put it down to the “agony of defeat” that the opponents of tobacco control are feeling as they are finally losing this battle.
That may be true, but on reflection I think they have a point. In fact it is a much larger point than even tobacco control, important as that issue is to our society.
The blogosphere is a wide open unregulated free for all unlimited access medium that enables conversation and discourse to happen amongst a diversity of people on a wider and more equal basis than ever before.
That is a good thing but that freedom also demands some responsibilities be associated with it. The Blogosphere, as part of the Internet culture of today, is subject to abuses too and it can be a dangerous place for the naïve and the vulnerable.
There is little trust left for objectivity and accuracy in the MSM at least in the populations I deal with. As for the blogosphere, there is an inherent and healthy presumption of distrust because of the very nature of the medium. So if a Blogger wants to be taken seriously and be seen as above the screaming and screed of those Bloggers and Commentators who usually hide behind anonymity, they have to be more responsible.
So here is my short list suggestions for standards and responsibilities for serious Bloggers.
One must be authoritative. You have to give sources and reflect them and their content accurately. Rants are fun – sometimes – but they need context to be effective. Criticism is important but it has to be fair and anchored accurately to actual issues, significant events and provide a correct account of the perspectives of those being criticized.
One responsibility has to be genuineness. This is a very personal medium and Bloggers points of view are usually very obvious and their beliefs are strongly held. To be taken seriously readers will be looking for the evidence of consistent alignment of a Blogger’s actions, like posting content, tone and subject matter selection, with his or her stated values and principles.
The next responsibility for a serious Blogger is authenticity. One has to be worthy of belief and be trustworthy. Authenticity is the most important of these three responsibilities for a serious Blogger at the end of the day to my mind.
This is where Son of Gaia and Werner have a point about my postings on tobacco control, smoking and wellness. I should have made it clear that I was working on this issue and not just posting on it…for purposes of honouring a responsibility for authenticity.
In an earlier posting on Mountain Pine Beetle infestation I noted I was working for a group of communities west of Edmonton called the Grande Alberta Economic Region on how they might adapt to the consequences of the beetle infestation. I noted in a posting on Dion wanting the return of the Court Challenges Program that I had received funds from the program as a lawyer to help establish French language minority education rights in Alberta many years ago. I feel strongly about literacy and have done work in that area. I have as posted on its importance, particularly in terms of workplace safety, productivity, competitiveness and personal capacity and growth.
You can rest assured I will always be personally engaged in the issues I post on, but given the nature of the Blogosphere, one can assume that. In the future I will be more careful to let readers know if I am professionally involved in an issue or event that I on post in this Blog as well.
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