OK gentle readers...it is Friday - a lovely day and just before Edmonton hosting the Grey Cup this weekend. Grab a sandwich and eat lunch at your desk and read Raj Sherman's opening speech in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta on the New Alberta Health Act.
There is a whisper campaign going on over Raj's emotional well-being. This is pure Nixonian, Dubya Bush and even Stephen Harper style of dirty politics. Read this speech and even others and judge for your self about the ability, commitment and capability of Dr. Raj Sherman to make a difference. He is now a single voice of reason, care and compassion. He is speaking for all of us who are disappointed and despairing over abusive politics and poor governance in our province.
Here is a link but go to page 1481 to start. Make sure you have the facts as outlined by Dr. Sherman and then be sure to talk about the facts to your family, friends, neighbours and fellow workers.
BTW vote on my blog poll on who you think is to blame for Alberta's crisis in health care? Rude Ronnie Liepert is seen and the major reason followed by Ed Stelmach so far. Dr. Duckett is not the culprit even though he was the wrong guy for the job...but you can blame Liepert for that lack of judgement
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Good Governance or Bad Politics? Which is This Alberta?
We have to accept that democracy is a messy business but politics is worse. The cynic says democracy is the worst system of governance except for all the others. Is that because it is adversarial and based on debate and disagreement instead of conversation, compromise and accommodation?. You can differ and disagree and that is a good thing so long as you are not just being disagreeable.
That is where politics comes in. Politics has turned into a marketing game that is more about being disagreeable just to win a game than it is about finding the best way to serve the needs of people and advance a greater good.
In a democracy politicians and policy makers have to consider everyone and then make a decision for the greater good based on evidence, analysis, intent, accommodation, fairness, integrity, honesty, transparency, accountability, stewardship, fiscal responsibility and the greater good. Just to name a few. This is the stuff of good governance.
The metaphorical job of such a person (a.k.a. politician) means you have to keep your feet on the ground, your eye on the ball, your shoulder to the wheel, your head on straight then do it with your back against the wall and without a net to catch you if you fall or fail. There is no training program or operators manual for the job of governance. The talents it takes to get the job are entirely different than the skills necessary to do the job.
Politics on the other hand is all about the game of pursuing political power. It is about seeking, getting and sustaining power over peoples lives. Spin, packaging, tactics, mean-spirited misleading messaging, intimidation, bullying and manipulation to win at all costs is politics at its worst. The worst is becoming the norm.
Good governance is always good politics. The reverse is almost never the case, with rare exceptions. This reality turns off good citizens from participating in power politics as it is practised in too many situations these days. It is not always the fault of the politicians. We the people let it happen, the media loves the "news" story of conflicts - real or artificial, and the red-meat back room political power brokers think it is just sport. Citizens turn off and democracy suffers.
Here is a link to one blogger's point of view on an event that may be governance or politics but his accusations do not suggest anything good is going on here, in terms of governance or politics. I give you this link not to criticize the Wildrose Alliance Party per se. This stuff goes on all the time in all the old-style political parties. However when you claim to be better than the next guy you can't let this kind of public accusation of an internal misuse or abuse of process and power go on without challenge. That is the responsibility for the leadership of any political party.
Sometimes the facts are right and the interpretation is wrong. Sometimes the interpretation is right but all the facts are not there. You get my drift. It's complicated. The larger point is if there are going to be a better political alternative they must at least meet the minimal ethical test of aligning with the values of the majority of Albertans. If their own members don't think that alignment is the case, why would anyone else presume they are a viable alternative? That is the job of political leadership. The serious accusations by this blogger/member must be dealt with openly and according to the ethical values of Albertan if we are to trust and respect this party as a viable political alternative.
George Lakoff says all politics is about morality. Nobody goes into politics to do bad things. Hitler and Mussolini both were elected in democratic processes - and did bad things. That was the fault of the German and Italian electorate at the time. They needed to use there collective wisdom to stop these tyrants. Instead they were ruled by collective ignorance. The rest of the story is a sad and sordid history for mankind to regret, remember and never repeat.
I am not saying that is what is going on here but I am saying citizens of Alberta better be vigilant and suspicious about the qualities, characters and capacities of who we elect. We have to apply this test of suitability to govern regardless of political affiliation. The consequences of making a mistake will affect the well-being of everyone. It happens and it is our fault as citizens if when we let it happen because. It happens when we think politics is not our business. Politics and governance is the core business of citizenship. Deal with it Alberta and deal with it by using you values and ethics to test the alternatives.
That is where politics comes in. Politics has turned into a marketing game that is more about being disagreeable just to win a game than it is about finding the best way to serve the needs of people and advance a greater good.
In a democracy politicians and policy makers have to consider everyone and then make a decision for the greater good based on evidence, analysis, intent, accommodation, fairness, integrity, honesty, transparency, accountability, stewardship, fiscal responsibility and the greater good. Just to name a few. This is the stuff of good governance.
The metaphorical job of such a person (a.k.a. politician) means you have to keep your feet on the ground, your eye on the ball, your shoulder to the wheel, your head on straight then do it with your back against the wall and without a net to catch you if you fall or fail. There is no training program or operators manual for the job of governance. The talents it takes to get the job are entirely different than the skills necessary to do the job.
Politics on the other hand is all about the game of pursuing political power. It is about seeking, getting and sustaining power over peoples lives. Spin, packaging, tactics, mean-spirited misleading messaging, intimidation, bullying and manipulation to win at all costs is politics at its worst. The worst is becoming the norm.
Good governance is always good politics. The reverse is almost never the case, with rare exceptions. This reality turns off good citizens from participating in power politics as it is practised in too many situations these days. It is not always the fault of the politicians. We the people let it happen, the media loves the "news" story of conflicts - real or artificial, and the red-meat back room political power brokers think it is just sport. Citizens turn off and democracy suffers.
Here is a link to one blogger's point of view on an event that may be governance or politics but his accusations do not suggest anything good is going on here, in terms of governance or politics. I give you this link not to criticize the Wildrose Alliance Party per se. This stuff goes on all the time in all the old-style political parties. However when you claim to be better than the next guy you can't let this kind of public accusation of an internal misuse or abuse of process and power go on without challenge. That is the responsibility for the leadership of any political party.
Sometimes the facts are right and the interpretation is wrong. Sometimes the interpretation is right but all the facts are not there. You get my drift. It's complicated. The larger point is if there are going to be a better political alternative they must at least meet the minimal ethical test of aligning with the values of the majority of Albertans. If their own members don't think that alignment is the case, why would anyone else presume they are a viable alternative? That is the job of political leadership. The serious accusations by this blogger/member must be dealt with openly and according to the ethical values of Albertan if we are to trust and respect this party as a viable political alternative.
George Lakoff says all politics is about morality. Nobody goes into politics to do bad things. Hitler and Mussolini both were elected in democratic processes - and did bad things. That was the fault of the German and Italian electorate at the time. They needed to use there collective wisdom to stop these tyrants. Instead they were ruled by collective ignorance. The rest of the story is a sad and sordid history for mankind to regret, remember and never repeat.
I am not saying that is what is going on here but I am saying citizens of Alberta better be vigilant and suspicious about the qualities, characters and capacities of who we elect. We have to apply this test of suitability to govern regardless of political affiliation. The consequences of making a mistake will affect the well-being of everyone. It happens and it is our fault as citizens if when we let it happen because. It happens when we think politics is not our business. Politics and governance is the core business of citizenship. Deal with it Alberta and deal with it by using you values and ethics to test the alternatives.
CBC Forum on Future of Oil Sands Worth a Listen
Here is an hour long recording of a public forum sponsored by the CBC on the future of the oil sands. It is worth a listen for all Albertans as OWNERS of the oil sands. http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Radio/Radio_One/Local_Shows/Alberta/1558579352/ID=1664916767
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Hey Alberta! Had Enough of Steve Harper Yet?
In the last Federal election I was interviewed by Mark Kelley for a piece on CBC's The National about Alberta politics. One of my points was a key strategy for Harper was there were two groups of Canadians he could ignore - and did ignore. There are those who would never vote for his authoritarian totalitarian type of governing and those who vote Conservative no matter what. Albertans have fallen into the latter category with minor but notable exceptions like Liberal and Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan and NDP Environment expert Linda Duncan.
With the most recent and obvious indifference and disdain for Alberta, and Edmonton in particular, the Harper Conmen have rejected the Expo 2017 bid and for no reasons of substance. The political machinations of the power hungry Stephen Harper are a constant calculation for personal political advantage and never a thought is given to doing the right thing for the right reason. The only time you you will see Prime Minister Harper and the words Integrity, Honestly, Transparency and Accountability in the same sentence is to note he lacks all of these characteristics.
The fabricated reason for rejecting the Edmonton 2017 Expo bid is the high cost of security. The Harper Conmen ran up the security costs of the G20 into a police-state bacchanal of excessive "security" and phony arrests of citizens engaged in legitimate peaceful protest. If you are going to intimidate people with police force - well that takes money - lots of borrowed money. Harper was happy to oblige that propensity to provide a false sense of "protection" to show off just how mush he is in CONTROL.
The sad irony is that self induced excess and abuse of security is now touted as the reason the Edmonton Expo bid can't be "afforded" right now...even though the event in 7 years away. Alberta, and Edmonton in particular, is being punished for it electoral loyalty to the Harper Conmen. The politics aside, and they stink, it is time to restore democracy to Alberta federal politics. We need to not only send a message to the presumptive arrogance of the Harper Conmen that the jig is up over taking Alberta voter support for granted.
We have research results that shows Albertans are not at all impressed with our MPs when it comes to protecting Alberta's interest in Ottawa. This reflection of Edmonton's aspiration to use Expo 2017 as a central event to celebrate 150 years of Confederation is just another indication of the indifference inherent in the Harper Conmen as they take our votes for granted. These guys are no longer about ensuring that the West is In...the battle cry that got them elected. When it comes to assuring us how the West is In, the "in" they provide is an attitude that is indifferent, insouciant and inept when it comes to promoting Alberta's best interests.
Has Alberta had enough of Harper yet? Other than Harper himself, the Social Conservative Jason Kenny and the soon to be departed Jim Prentice - can you name three more of your faceless and feckless Alberta based Conmen MPs? They are an unimpressive and a nondescript lot. Hardly the kind of characters that can articulate and express the new aspirations and the new narrative that is forming about the next Alberta. Alberta deserves better and we can do better with a change in whom we grant our consent to govern us.
With the most recent and obvious indifference and disdain for Alberta, and Edmonton in particular, the Harper Conmen have rejected the Expo 2017 bid and for no reasons of substance. The political machinations of the power hungry Stephen Harper are a constant calculation for personal political advantage and never a thought is given to doing the right thing for the right reason. The only time you you will see Prime Minister Harper and the words Integrity, Honestly, Transparency and Accountability in the same sentence is to note he lacks all of these characteristics.
The fabricated reason for rejecting the Edmonton 2017 Expo bid is the high cost of security. The Harper Conmen ran up the security costs of the G20 into a police-state bacchanal of excessive "security" and phony arrests of citizens engaged in legitimate peaceful protest. If you are going to intimidate people with police force - well that takes money - lots of borrowed money. Harper was happy to oblige that propensity to provide a false sense of "protection" to show off just how mush he is in CONTROL.
The sad irony is that self induced excess and abuse of security is now touted as the reason the Edmonton Expo bid can't be "afforded" right now...even though the event in 7 years away. Alberta, and Edmonton in particular, is being punished for it electoral loyalty to the Harper Conmen. The politics aside, and they stink, it is time to restore democracy to Alberta federal politics. We need to not only send a message to the presumptive arrogance of the Harper Conmen that the jig is up over taking Alberta voter support for granted.
We have research results that shows Albertans are not at all impressed with our MPs when it comes to protecting Alberta's interest in Ottawa. This reflection of Edmonton's aspiration to use Expo 2017 as a central event to celebrate 150 years of Confederation is just another indication of the indifference inherent in the Harper Conmen as they take our votes for granted. These guys are no longer about ensuring that the West is In...the battle cry that got them elected. When it comes to assuring us how the West is In, the "in" they provide is an attitude that is indifferent, insouciant and inept when it comes to promoting Alberta's best interests.
Has Alberta had enough of Harper yet? Other than Harper himself, the Social Conservative Jason Kenny and the soon to be departed Jim Prentice - can you name three more of your faceless and feckless Alberta based Conmen MPs? They are an unimpressive and a nondescript lot. Hardly the kind of characters that can articulate and express the new aspirations and the new narrative that is forming about the next Alberta. Alberta deserves better and we can do better with a change in whom we grant our consent to govern us.
Friday, November 19, 2010
AMA President's Letter Supports Raj Sherman
One of the dilemmas facing Raj Sherman is the different oaths he has taken. One as a Doctor and the other as a Member of the Alberta Legislature. Then there is the culture of political party discipline where Caucus and Cabinet Members are sworn to secrecy about their deliberations.
For Raj all of these duties as a doctor, parliamentarian, caucus and cabinet member must have started to contradict each other. There are certain values we can trade off. We do values trade-off all the time and it is never easy. The behaviours we choose indicate our character. The way we make those choices indicate our integrity as people.
This week Raj Sherman showed great character and integrity by defaulting to his professional oath as a doctor over the political "duty" as a political partisan. He also fulfilled his duty as a public servant in elected office to speak honestly, openly and transparently about what he saw not happening in the Stelmach government handling of the health care concerns of Albertans. He called out his government's accountability because he saw it lacking on serving the public interest in its duty to citizens on providing health care.
Raj is obviously taking this lack of integrity, limited honesty and indifference to accountability and transparency by his own government very personally. You can see that by the tone and content of the email he sent to his medical colleagues and then forwarded to his political colleagues. Here is a link to the unedited text of his message. You can judge for yourself the level of Raj's frustration from this email.
For this he was no doubt scolded, intimidated and quite possibly threatened with censure or even expulsion from the PC government caucus. What in fact seems to have happened is he got a meeting with the Premier and a airing of concerns with fellow caucus members. He also has enormous support from his professional colleagues as this AMA President's Letter from Dr.PJ White outlines. Check out the November 19th link.
Raj is getting support from other health care professionals, thought leaders and ordinary citizens in Alberta. This is because he is standing up to the abusive and speaking against the outmoded command and control top-down political culture that prevails in this province.
Where we are at today is the Premier has asked Raj to stay on and help fix the health care problems. It is not about money it is about political attitudes in the PC ranks and the governing culture of the executive branch (Cabinet). There seems to be a belief amongst those who have power to make the political decisions that all health care professionals lack integrity. The anti-intellectual attitude stems back to early Klein days that believes professionals and experts lack "common sense" and are only after what is in there own best interests, not the public interest. No doubt there are some individuals who are inclined that way but it is not the norm.
This week Raj Sherman faced a choice. He made the right choice. He could go professional and wear his doctor hat or go political and wear his party hat. What he did was a creative third way. He did both. He publicly spoke out as a doctor on the crisis in health care and put the blame squarely at the feet of the government in which he serves as a member and did a mea culpa in that regard.
In that simple and responsible act he opened up the cracks in the PC caucus solidarity and let in some sunlight. The typical response is to kick out the trouble maker in some kind of a Lord of the Flies frenzy. I am sure that was the hope of many in the PC Caucus. But the Premier intervened and asked for Raj's help instead of bringing him up on the carpet. As a result Raj lives to fight another day as a PC politician and to use his knowledge and now considerable influence on pressing for the fundamental changes we have known we need in the health care system for years and years.
I have two other observations on this last week of Raj Sherman. He has done what any opposition member and even government backbencher must be free to do. That is to keep the government , the Premier and Cabinet to be exact, honest, open, transparent, accountable and able to demonstrate personal and collective integrity in how they govern the province. That is the theory of our parliamentary Westminster system of governance but it has been lost as the public interest get trumped by personal political aspirations and abuse of power.
My other observation is that Raj Sherman now has all the trump cards in this game of getting better governance of health care. As the only doctor at the cabinet table he has been asked to help "fix" the mess. If his suggestions are ignored for political reasons or some other abusive of power he can quit the PC Party. And he should. He is not likely to get fired now for bringing up problems - and continuing to do so in public. He has to keep the Premier's feet to the fire. He should not be so naive to believe that the most recent high level political promises are truly authentic in their intent. Actions speak louder than words. Raj knows that by his personal example. Lets hope his colleagues in caucus and cabinet are ready to take action...and they start with the total dismantling of the Super Board and the management that runs it.
UPDATE NOV 19: LOTS OF GREAT NEWS AND COMMENTS ON THE COURAGE OF RAJ SHERMAN: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/enough+Sherman/3858261/story.htmlhttp://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/Graham+Thomson+Hero+horror+party/3860402/story.html; http://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/vows+fight+crisis/3853926/story.html
For Raj all of these duties as a doctor, parliamentarian, caucus and cabinet member must have started to contradict each other. There are certain values we can trade off. We do values trade-off all the time and it is never easy. The behaviours we choose indicate our character. The way we make those choices indicate our integrity as people.
This week Raj Sherman showed great character and integrity by defaulting to his professional oath as a doctor over the political "duty" as a political partisan. He also fulfilled his duty as a public servant in elected office to speak honestly, openly and transparently about what he saw not happening in the Stelmach government handling of the health care concerns of Albertans. He called out his government's accountability because he saw it lacking on serving the public interest in its duty to citizens on providing health care.
Raj is obviously taking this lack of integrity, limited honesty and indifference to accountability and transparency by his own government very personally. You can see that by the tone and content of the email he sent to his medical colleagues and then forwarded to his political colleagues. Here is a link to the unedited text of his message. You can judge for yourself the level of Raj's frustration from this email.
For this he was no doubt scolded, intimidated and quite possibly threatened with censure or even expulsion from the PC government caucus. What in fact seems to have happened is he got a meeting with the Premier and a airing of concerns with fellow caucus members. He also has enormous support from his professional colleagues as this AMA President's Letter from Dr.PJ White outlines. Check out the November 19th link.
Raj is getting support from other health care professionals, thought leaders and ordinary citizens in Alberta. This is because he is standing up to the abusive and speaking against the outmoded command and control top-down political culture that prevails in this province.
Where we are at today is the Premier has asked Raj to stay on and help fix the health care problems. It is not about money it is about political attitudes in the PC ranks and the governing culture of the executive branch (Cabinet). There seems to be a belief amongst those who have power to make the political decisions that all health care professionals lack integrity. The anti-intellectual attitude stems back to early Klein days that believes professionals and experts lack "common sense" and are only after what is in there own best interests, not the public interest. No doubt there are some individuals who are inclined that way but it is not the norm.
This week Raj Sherman faced a choice. He made the right choice. He could go professional and wear his doctor hat or go political and wear his party hat. What he did was a creative third way. He did both. He publicly spoke out as a doctor on the crisis in health care and put the blame squarely at the feet of the government in which he serves as a member and did a mea culpa in that regard.
In that simple and responsible act he opened up the cracks in the PC caucus solidarity and let in some sunlight. The typical response is to kick out the trouble maker in some kind of a Lord of the Flies frenzy. I am sure that was the hope of many in the PC Caucus. But the Premier intervened and asked for Raj's help instead of bringing him up on the carpet. As a result Raj lives to fight another day as a PC politician and to use his knowledge and now considerable influence on pressing for the fundamental changes we have known we need in the health care system for years and years.
I have two other observations on this last week of Raj Sherman. He has done what any opposition member and even government backbencher must be free to do. That is to keep the government , the Premier and Cabinet to be exact, honest, open, transparent, accountable and able to demonstrate personal and collective integrity in how they govern the province. That is the theory of our parliamentary Westminster system of governance but it has been lost as the public interest get trumped by personal political aspirations and abuse of power.
My other observation is that Raj Sherman now has all the trump cards in this game of getting better governance of health care. As the only doctor at the cabinet table he has been asked to help "fix" the mess. If his suggestions are ignored for political reasons or some other abusive of power he can quit the PC Party. And he should. He is not likely to get fired now for bringing up problems - and continuing to do so in public. He has to keep the Premier's feet to the fire. He should not be so naive to believe that the most recent high level political promises are truly authentic in their intent. Actions speak louder than words. Raj knows that by his personal example. Lets hope his colleagues in caucus and cabinet are ready to take action...and they start with the total dismantling of the Super Board and the management that runs it.
UPDATE NOV 19: LOTS OF GREAT NEWS AND COMMENTS ON THE COURAGE OF RAJ SHERMAN: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/enough+Sherman/3858261/story.htmlhttp://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/Graham+Thomson+Hero+horror+party/3860402/story.html; http://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/vows+fight+crisis/3853926/story.html
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