Satya Das & Ezra Levant Square Off Over Oil Sands at LitFest.

The Edmonton Litfest is all about non-fiction literature and promises to be great event this year.  One of the highlights for Albertans will be a presentation of differing views about the Alberta oil sands by Satya Das the author of Green Oil-Clean Energy for the 21st Century and Ezra Levant the author of Ethical Oil.

Satya Das

Ezra Levant

Full disclosure I am the publisher of Green Oil and Satya is a long time friend and my business partner. I have purchased but not yet read Ezra's book...but I will soon. I have read a considerable amount of media on the Levant book and was at a dinner meeting with Danielle Smith, the leader of the right-wing Wildrose Alliance Party last Monday and she repeated the premise of Ethical Oil in her presentation.  That being while we in Alberta may be dirty oil providers from the oil sands, compared to the alternative suppliers we are, on the whole, a much better ethical option for American fossil fuel needs.

I whole heartedly agree with Ezra's premise and have in fact posted a blog giving some free advice to Premier Stelmach in his recent meeting with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  I suggest the American political interference in the middle east, the dishonest premise to start the Iraq for example is about US taking "blood oil" relative to our "dirty oil."

Where I think Ezra and Das (and I) would part company is while the premise is Ethical Oil is well founded it is insufficient to fix the problem of our so-called "dirty oil."  I don't think the ethical arguments gets Albertans, as owners of the oil sands, off the hook...and we know it.  We need to develop our oil sands with a higher ethical bar than we are the best of a bad lot.  We know from our conjoint research done in conjunction with the Oil Sands Research and Information Network at the University of Alberta that environmental stewardship is the driving ethical values Albertans what to see guide and drive our oil sands development.

Creating prosperity without an integration of habitat protection, set standards for land, water and air quality, reclamation assurances to support on-going biodiversity and a focus on fixing the carbon footprint of development we are not really ethical oil.  We expect more or ourselves than just being socially better and more secular than Saudi Arabia.

So come to Litfest on October 19 at the Stanley Milner Library Theatre to hear and participate in the Das-Levant discussions on the future development of the oil sands.  The full Litfest program and ticket info is available at Tix on the Square:

Advance Passes and Individual Event Admission Tickets on sale now from Tix on the Square,online or by phone 780.420.1757 or Toll Free 1.877.888.1757.  (Address - 9930 102 Avenue). 

As a publisher let me suggest you buy the books and read them before hand.  You can get them in better book stores in Edmonton.  Green Oil is also available as a download from www.greenoilbook.com.

If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org

Practicality of Life as a Vulnerable Post Secondary Student

I ran into  Rebooter Carol Neuman yesterday.  She is the soul behind the Student Councils' Executive group who represent all non-university post-secondary students in Alberta.  She was quickly telling me about the serious hardships many students in Norquest and Bow Valley Colleges were facing due to a computer screw up at Alberta Employment and Immigration that has delayed support cheques getting out from government to marginalized and vulnerable people who are trying to upgrade their education.

The government funds they rely on to survive as students have been delayed due to some computer SNAFU.  It also seems to me that the system, both technological and human,  is too insensitive to the critical consequences of such screw ups on these students.  I was told many had to drop out of school because they could not continue because of the delay receiving in the life changing funding they are relying on.

This is an emergency for these people and I hope the powers that be understand this and don't just see it as some kind of technical computer glitch.  This has serious human consequences.  I understand that the Alberta government messed up on the processing of funding for these people.  This is obviously a life changing experience for many - but not in the way it is supposed to be changing their lives.

Personal debt levels are very high these days for everyday Albertans.  Debt concerns are to the point there is a general anxiety amongst many middle class Albertans over how sustainable their futures are.  I am told that many middle class people are just two pay cheques away from poverty.  Scary. Aspirations to better their standards of living are diminishing as they feel they are running harder and longer just to stay in the same place...life on the treadmill.  Youth are even in worse shape.

Take that level of concern and add marginalization, poverty and vulnerability to the emotional mix and you get a toxic brew for folks trying to better themselves through education and upgrading.  When they get the courage and conviction to take on more education in order to become self-reliant and resilient  they sure don't need the kick in head of a funding fiasco.

I am told the bucks problem stops at Minister Thomas Lukaszuk's desk.  I know Thomas and believe he is all about doing the right thing.  This right thing is urgent as well as important.  I hope Minister Lukaszuk if fully and forcefully engaged in resolving this problem given the emergency it is for so many vulnerable Albertans who are just trying to better themselves.

If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org

Ken Robinson is Coming to Alberta

Sir Ken Robinson is a gift to consciousness about culture, education and creativity.  He has humour and humanity as a gift to his audience.  You need to watch this and watch for when he comes to Alberta and be there.

He is one of the most influential minds of our times...and times are a changin'



If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org

Why Have School Board Trustees

Kim Bater is the Chair of the Canadian Rockies School District and an innovator and leader in innovative public education governance in Alberta.   The Inspiring Hearts and Minds project of this Board is a breath of fresh air.  It is ahead of its time and will prove to be a model for other school boards to consider and adapt as they move towards a more modern, effective accountable and transparent governance structures.

Kim is running for re-election and has posted a helpful blog on why we need school board trustees.  I recommend you read it.

New generative governance is an concept envisioned by the Inspiring Action on Education process instigated and developed by Dave Hancock Alberta's Minister of Education.  This re-visioning process for public education in Alberta also sees more public engagement and awareness of the role of citizens in setting the goals and means to achieve them in an even more vibrant, inclusive, effective and responsible public education system in Alberta.

Alberta is recognized as the second best public education system in the world, just behind Finland.  Alberta and Finland are working together at the teacher levels and increasingly at political and administrative levels.  Kim Bater is part of this collaborative effort with Finland and the OECD and has taken the Inspiring Hearts and Minds to Europe to show what is being done in his district at the school board level.

COME TO REBOOT ALBERTA 3.0 "TAKING ACTION FOR A PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL CULTURE IN ALBERTA" If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org

Local Elections Are On in Alberta - How Will You Vote?

Local election nominations are now closed and the municipal and school board elections will happen on Monday October 18 all over Alberta. I smell democracy in the air.  I can't say yet if we have more candidates running this time than usual and fewer acclamations -  but I sure hope so.

I want to congratulate and thank all those Albertans who have taken the time to run for local municipal and school board office all over the province.  Our democracy only works if we have citizens who are prepared to contribute their time and talents to serve the greater good - for the benefit of the rest of us.

There is a lot of legitimate disillusion with politics in Alberta and elsewhere these days.  Giving up on politics has the net result of diminishing democracy and that is too dangerous to consider.  Our government and governors  are only as good as the quality of commitment of citizens who stand for office and the engagement of citizens how get informed on the issues and actively engaged in figuring which candidates best align with their values.

While the current elections are local I strongly believe the values Albertans have are consistent with those they look for in provincial and federal elections.  We have the research that shows the values lens that Albertans want their politicians to use when making policy and political decisions that impacts individuals lives.  I recommend Albertans view the characters and content of the candidates campaigns using the same primary values we found from the Reboot Alberta random sampling of Albertans.

1. Accountability
2. Integrity
3. Honesty 
4. Fiscal Responsibility
5. Personal Responsibility
6. Transparency

If a candidate's character and personal qualities do not impress you on these values then find another candidate.  Tell you friends and family you impressions about candidates on there value measures and encourage them to vote their values too.  There are no parties in local elections so you do not have to worry about partisanship.  This election is personal as well as political but about your community and the education of the kids in it.  Everyone needs to be engaged in all aspects of both elections.

Best of luck to all the candidates and as for citizens...best you get back into the political culture of your community, province and country.  To abdicate this duty means you will be governed by the decisions and even the whims of others.  In a democracy you always get the government you deserve - especially if you failed, refused or neglected to vote.

If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta come to Reboot Alberta 3.0 November 5-6 in Edmonton at the Delta South hotel.  Register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org