Genia Leskiw, the Progressive Conservative MLA for Bonnyville Cold Lake has written a very interesting piece on her website. It takes direct aim at the Wildrose Alliance Education Policy. You can form you own opinions about the Wildrose policy
I love the political spunk and personal exercise of free speech that Genia represents in this posting. MLAs need to speak out more often like this and on critical issues of the day. They also need to be able to change their minds based on new knowledge and better information from time to time without being accused of flip flopping.
Tip of the Hat to Daveberta for the link and good for you Genia. You make me proud to know you.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Monday, September 27, 2010
Envision Edmonton Going to Court Over Muni?
Media report says the Envision Edmonton group is off to court to try and get a ruling to force City Council to hold a plebiscite.
Waiting to see what the grounds for judicial review will be but those reported in the Edmonton Journal don't seem all that strong. Saying for instance suggestions that the Municipal Government Act requiring a petition to be filed within 60 days of the council vote under dispute is trumped by the Mayor's "open invitation to come up with visions for the airport" made the petition legit???? Coming up with a proposed vision is legit but to say a call for planning options for city lands take precedence over the laws of the province - that is a stretch.
The law also says the City Clerk does not have to provide scrutineers in the review of the validity of petition signatures. The City Clerk is an administrator not a political operative. There is a need for open disclosure and reasons for disallowing certain signatures by the City Clerk. That is being promised "once the rush to deal with the start of the civic election was completed." This court action should wait to see the reasons for rejections. It may make the entire litigation exercise functus.
I wonder what FOIP restrictions apply to those disallowed signatures? I hope that is not a barrier to Envision Edmonton or others from reviewing, rejecting or validating the disallowed signatures. Looking forward to seeing the analysis and evidence behind the City Clerk's decisions to reject certain signatures.
Going to court is an interesting tactic but it is not the solution long term. I applaud Envision Edmonton, its volunteers and financial backers - whoever they may be for this exercise in citizen engagement. That said, the likelihood of getting the requisite number of signatures on a petition in 60 days is pretty impossible in a large city like Edmonton that is embedded in a dynamic surrounding region where confusion as to eligibility is going to be a problem.
I wonder is we can't use the technology we have available via the Internet to allow for a notice to go out to eligible citizens and allow them to sign an electronic petition on line. To get face-to-face with that many people i that short a time makes the plebiscite protest a moot solution.
Edmonton is becoming active in open data and may be a leader amongst municipalities in Canada in that regard. Internet petitioning is not a walk in the park but it is doable and we should, as a smart city, start thinking about how to make that happen. Just about everyone has email these days and those that don't can sign up the old-fashioned way if they wish.
The Province will have to change the Municipal Government Act but that is possible once the mechanics of Internet petitioning to identify eligible citizens are worked out. Service Canada has a secure system for Internet access by individuals to their own records all worked out. It has been done before and can be done for this purpose - and others so why not do it. It will also advance a strengthened democracy and enable more effective informed citizen engagement - both of which are in serious need of support these days.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Waiting to see what the grounds for judicial review will be but those reported in the Edmonton Journal don't seem all that strong. Saying for instance suggestions that the Municipal Government Act requiring a petition to be filed within 60 days of the council vote under dispute is trumped by the Mayor's "open invitation to come up with visions for the airport" made the petition legit???? Coming up with a proposed vision is legit but to say a call for planning options for city lands take precedence over the laws of the province - that is a stretch.
The law also says the City Clerk does not have to provide scrutineers in the review of the validity of petition signatures. The City Clerk is an administrator not a political operative. There is a need for open disclosure and reasons for disallowing certain signatures by the City Clerk. That is being promised "once the rush to deal with the start of the civic election was completed." This court action should wait to see the reasons for rejections. It may make the entire litigation exercise functus.
I wonder what FOIP restrictions apply to those disallowed signatures? I hope that is not a barrier to Envision Edmonton or others from reviewing, rejecting or validating the disallowed signatures. Looking forward to seeing the analysis and evidence behind the City Clerk's decisions to reject certain signatures.
Going to court is an interesting tactic but it is not the solution long term. I applaud Envision Edmonton, its volunteers and financial backers - whoever they may be for this exercise in citizen engagement. That said, the likelihood of getting the requisite number of signatures on a petition in 60 days is pretty impossible in a large city like Edmonton that is embedded in a dynamic surrounding region where confusion as to eligibility is going to be a problem.
I wonder is we can't use the technology we have available via the Internet to allow for a notice to go out to eligible citizens and allow them to sign an electronic petition on line. To get face-to-face with that many people i that short a time makes the plebiscite protest a moot solution.
Edmonton is becoming active in open data and may be a leader amongst municipalities in Canada in that regard. Internet petitioning is not a walk in the park but it is doable and we should, as a smart city, start thinking about how to make that happen. Just about everyone has email these days and those that don't can sign up the old-fashioned way if they wish.
The Province will have to change the Municipal Government Act but that is possible once the mechanics of Internet petitioning to identify eligible citizens are worked out. Service Canada has a secure system for Internet access by individuals to their own records all worked out. It has been done before and can be done for this purpose - and others so why not do it. It will also advance a strengthened democracy and enable more effective informed citizen engagement - both of which are in serious need of support these days.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Every GOP Candidate in US Mid Terms = Climate Change Deniers!
Here is a link to a very disturbing story where mythology and faith are replacing objective science in determining policy and politics in the United States. The Tea Party is dumbing down the Republican Party with ignorance and fear promoted by fundamentalists in religion, economics and politics rule the day for them.
This quote from the story alone is most telling and terrifying. It is showing the decline of intelligent reasoned political deliberation and the pursuit of power through merchandising of fear and ignorance amongst GOP politicians.
"Remarkably, of the dozens of Republicans vying for the 37 Senate seats in the 2010 election, no one supports climate action, after climate advocate Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE) lost his primary to Christine O’Donnell. Even former climate advocates Sen. John McCain(R-AZ) and Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) now toe the science-doubting party line."
Progressive political thought can't remain quiet and assume all is well when this kind of ignorance pervades the political culture. I wonder how many members of the federal Harper Conservatives and their provincial counterparts in the Wildrose Alliance Party are climate change deniers. Quite a few is my bet.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
This quote from the story alone is most telling and terrifying. It is showing the decline of intelligent reasoned political deliberation and the pursuit of power through merchandising of fear and ignorance amongst GOP politicians.
"Remarkably, of the dozens of Republicans vying for the 37 Senate seats in the 2010 election, no one supports climate action, after climate advocate Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE) lost his primary to Christine O’Donnell. Even former climate advocates Sen. John McCain(R-AZ) and Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) now toe the science-doubting party line."
Progressive political thought can't remain quiet and assume all is well when this kind of ignorance pervades the political culture. I wonder how many members of the federal Harper Conservatives and their provincial counterparts in the Wildrose Alliance Party are climate change deniers. Quite a few is my bet.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Are Albertans, Like Americans, Becoming Fat Dumb and Lazy & Losing Our Advantage?
Thomas Friedman has a very interesting piece in the New York Times comparing the energy of authoritarian China and the torpor the democratic United States. Before we get into any anti-American Canadian sense of superiority, it is my observation that what Friedman says holds true for Canada and even good old Alberta.
Democracy is broken in Canada and in Alberta too. It is partly the fault of the system, the politicians and the media, but it is mostly the fault of indifferent and compliant citizens who have defaulted on their duty of citizenship.
Power is the purpose of the political machines we see running what passes for democracy today in our country too. The best evidence of the citizen culpability in the democratic deficit is the lack of voter participation. But the problem goes much deeper to the consequences of an uninformed and politically illiterate population that can be manipulated by language and fear.
Friedman describes this as a lack of ability for democracy in the USA (Canada and Alberta???) to >>>"generate the kind of focus, legitimacy and stick-to-it-iveness to do big things - democratically." He notes "we have done it before. But we're not doing it now because too many of our poll-driven, toxically partisan, cable-TV addicted, n=money corrupted political class are more interested in what keeps them in power than what would make America (Canada and Alberta???) powerful, more interested in defeating each other than saving the country." (Canada and Alberta???)
This is the political cultural backdrop that Reboot Alberta started to seek some sense of and solutions about. It is time for progressives to become activist again. The number of Reboot people running in the current local school board and municipal elections is a positive sign that this is starting to happen. Reboot 3.0 has to take that energy and start identifying issues that progressives feel need something done about them. That is at least informed citizen engagement, democratic reform, intergenerational equity and acting like owners of the oil sands to ensure they are developed in an integrated, open, honest, transparent, accountable way with an overarching concern for ecological stewardship.
If you are tired of being complacent, mislead and manipulated you will want to be part of the Reboot Alberta progressive citizen's movement. If you are not impressed with the serious shift to the right in the Alberta political spectrum by the two leaking parties, you will want to be part of the Reboot Alberta progressive citizen's movement. If you want to be proud to be an Albertan again as we look beyond being the best place in the world and aspire to be the best place for the world, you will want to be part of the Reboot Alberta progressive citizen's movement.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Democracy is broken in Canada and in Alberta too. It is partly the fault of the system, the politicians and the media, but it is mostly the fault of indifferent and compliant citizens who have defaulted on their duty of citizenship.
Power is the purpose of the political machines we see running what passes for democracy today in our country too. The best evidence of the citizen culpability in the democratic deficit is the lack of voter participation. But the problem goes much deeper to the consequences of an uninformed and politically illiterate population that can be manipulated by language and fear.
Friedman describes this as a lack of ability for democracy in the USA (Canada and Alberta???) to >>>"generate the kind of focus, legitimacy and stick-to-it-iveness to do big things - democratically." He notes "we have done it before. But we're not doing it now because too many of our poll-driven, toxically partisan, cable-TV addicted, n=money corrupted political class are more interested in what keeps them in power than what would make America (Canada and Alberta???) powerful, more interested in defeating each other than saving the country." (Canada and Alberta???)
This is the political cultural backdrop that Reboot Alberta started to seek some sense of and solutions about. It is time for progressives to become activist again. The number of Reboot people running in the current local school board and municipal elections is a positive sign that this is starting to happen. Reboot 3.0 has to take that energy and start identifying issues that progressives feel need something done about them. That is at least informed citizen engagement, democratic reform, intergenerational equity and acting like owners of the oil sands to ensure they are developed in an integrated, open, honest, transparent, accountable way with an overarching concern for ecological stewardship.
If you are tired of being complacent, mislead and manipulated you will want to be part of the Reboot Alberta progressive citizen's movement. If you are not impressed with the serious shift to the right in the Alberta political spectrum by the two leaking parties, you will want to be part of the Reboot Alberta progressive citizen's movement. If you want to be proud to be an Albertan again as we look beyond being the best place in the world and aspire to be the best place for the world, you will want to be part of the Reboot Alberta progressive citizen's movement.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Sunday, September 26, 2010
The "Slow Hunch" Process to Innovation
Here is a quick (4 min) engaging video by Steven Johnson that provides a summary of some thoughts on how creativity and innovation happens in an incubated format. Hunches need to bump into each other to become new ideas or innovation breakthroughs. The increased connectivity of the Internet - networked world provides unprecedented opportunity to combine and borrow ideas from each other.
Progressives have lots of hunches but do not have a disciplined space to take chances and share our hunches and ideas so the synergy does not happen as much as it could. This is an inspiration for me as to what RebootAlberta could become-that place for hunches and ideas to bump into each other.
Progressive live in their heads and need a place where their creative progressive thought engage with others in face-to-face and connected spaces to share hunches. I am thinking long term to convert Reboot Alberta into a space and place for Alberta progressives to come and share, learn, create and engage in defining and designing the Alberta Aspiration - something much more vibrant than the low tax mindset of the Alberta Advantage.
BTW Johnson has a wonderful closing comment that resonates with me "Chance favours the connected mind." That is a mantra worth living in this day and age.
Thanks to Mark Holmgren for the link
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Progressives have lots of hunches but do not have a disciplined space to take chances and share our hunches and ideas so the synergy does not happen as much as it could. This is an inspiration for me as to what RebootAlberta could become-that place for hunches and ideas to bump into each other.
Progressive live in their heads and need a place where their creative progressive thought engage with others in face-to-face and connected spaces to share hunches. I am thinking long term to convert Reboot Alberta into a space and place for Alberta progressives to come and share, learn, create and engage in defining and designing the Alberta Aspiration - something much more vibrant than the low tax mindset of the Alberta Advantage.
BTW Johnson has a wonderful closing comment that resonates with me "Chance favours the connected mind." That is a mantra worth living in this day and age.
Thanks to Mark Holmgren for the link
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)