UPDATE: Here is another link to the Saturday Globe and Mail on "Harper's Oil Sands Muse" that supports my concern in this blog post.
Here is a very important story out of the Hill Times about Minister of the Environment Peter Kent that is worth reading and reflection. It is about the simplistic opening comments by Peter Kent the newly minted Harper Minister of the environment. Mr. Kent is a seasoned and competent journalist but as a politician, not so much.
It appears that the primary briefing book for Mr. Kent in his first foray on to the Harper front benches was Ezra Levant's oil sands book "Ethical Oil." The Hill Times story says Mr. Kent was staking out his position on oil sands to align with the uber-conservative Mr. Levant before he even considered the larger picture of the challenges and opportunities inherent in the oil sands. Don't get me wrong, Ezra's book makes a good point but one that is insufficient to justify free market unfettered development of the oil sands. Being the best of a bad lot is not good enough. Geopolitical issues around oil production and marketing are significant to Albertans and Canadians. But that does not absolve Albertans as owners of the oil sands from our responsibility to be concerned for the environment, social, habitat and other consequences of oil sands development beyond getting rich quickly.
I am a big fan and supporter of oil sand development but recognizes we can and must exploit this resource more responsibly and in so many ways. I have no problem with the Minister of Environment quoting from books written on themes within his jurisdiction. Might I suggest (by way of shameless plug) that he also read Green Oil by my business partner Satya Das or Peter Silverstone's "The World's Greenest Oil" for a broader deeper understanding of the problems and positive possibilities of responsible and innovative oil sands development. Full disclosure, I published Green Oil. I admire the initiative of super-citizenship Dr. Peter Silverstone. He is a psychiatrist who takes time to be an active Albertan and is one person who realizes his personal responsibility as an owner of the oil sands. By writing his book, he has shown what engaged informed citizenship really is all about and what a difference one person can make.
So why would a guy with Mr. Kent's credentials, experience and journalistic ethic be caught taking an obvious pre-emptive political strike position in his new portfolio that is purely ideological and tactical? Why would he be caught commenting the way he has on the oil sands before having the advantage of a full briefing on the topic? why would he not give himself a chance to grasp the complexities and nuances of his portfolio, especially relating to oil sands?
Is this a cost of doing business that if you want to sit in the Harper Cabinet, you have to toe a line? Is this just the most recent example that a Cabinet Minister's Job #1 in the way Harper rules is about pursuing political positioning and running roughshod over any aspiration of good governance? Was that homage to Ezra's "Ethical Oil" the price Kent had to pay to be in Cabinet? Was this the initiation test of his allegiance to the Prime Minister and a condition of his appointment? Makes you wonder what other explanations there could be for such a misstep by a sophisticated experienced journalist must know a thing or two about abuse of power.
Good government is always good politics. Pure politics is hardly ever good government. I wonder if this kind of political push by the Prime Minister for propaganda over policy is the real reason the former Progressive Conservative Jim Prentice prematurely quit politics. We will never know but we ought not to be so naive that we don't consider that as a real possibility. Sad isn't it!
Mr Kent first utterances has to be a serious disappointment to the oil sand industry too. His political and governance missteps may impact his future in the next election but so what. Politicians are notorious for thinking short term and for personal political advantage. Industry, however, has billions of long-term dollars invested. They are at risk over volatile prices, world-wide recessions, environmental policy uncertainty and the rise of alternative energy sources. Uncertainty and risk management are facts of life for the oil sands industry, now and well into the future. They also realize the depth and breadth of their struggle to justify their social license to operate in this complex social, economic, ecological and political culture.
The oil sands industry, like politicians, are charged, tried and convicted in court of public opinion. Industry has more at risk as I see it. There is an allure of short-sighted expediency but they realize they have to take a more complex world view in what they do and how they do it. Industry must take a long-term perspective to justify the large up-front investments and taking on inherent duties like reclamation. That is a complex current responsibility but decades away from being delivered and that is even more uncertainty. The oil sands operating culture is more complex and controversial than superficial gamesmanship artificial chaos of power politics that we see as core characteristics of too many of our so-called political "leaders."
Being cozy, co-operative and collusive with the federal and provincial governments has worked for the industry up to now but it is an obviously mistaken and insufficient industry strategy going forward. My work with the industry tells me they get this. They are adapting appropriately, and cautiously, to appeal directly to the citizens as owners of the oil sands as they attempt to justify their social license to operate and exploit this valuable resource for the benefit of employees, shareholders, suppliers, citizens and future generations.
My betting is behind industry to do the right thing on their social license sooner than later. Unless we change governments or our government change their political culture I despair that they will ever do the right things for the right reasons in the right way at any time soon. Citizens have to insist that our industry tenants and our government property managers start doing a much better job of serving the greater good and not just serve their self-interests as they develop our oil sands property. Time for Albertans as owners to raise the expectations bar on themselves too. We have to get better informed, effectively active and unshakably insistent that the oil sands development is done right. After all it is all being done in the name of Albertans and Canadians.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Creativity, Sir Ken Robinson & Co-Creating the Next Alberta
Here is a link to pointed and informative video by Sir Ken Robinson on creativity in the STEM subjects-science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
http://sirkenrobinson.com/skr/askskr-question-8-creativity-is-not-just-for-the-arts
Sir Ken is in Red Deer on February 9th and I will be there with some guests who will no doubt report on their reactions to his lecture on his new book The Element. The event is sold out with 700 people coming from all over Alberta. You can see interest is great and a new organization called Creative Alberta is forming. .
There is another public lecture and conversation featuring Michael Adams author and pollster in Edmonton at the Sutton Place Hotel in the evening of March 17, 2011. His latest book is on the values and attitudes of Baby Boomers in this stage of their lives called Stayin' Alive: How Canadian Baby Boomers Will Work, Play, and Find Meaning In the Second Half of Their Adult Lives
We will also have Jean Twenge. Professor of Psychology from San Diego State University speaking at the same public lecture speaking on themes of her new book the "Narcissism Epidemic, Living in the Age of Entitlement."
All event of this is part of the Learning Our Way to the Next Alberta project I am involved with in partnership with the Alberta Teachers' Association. Check out more on this exciting initiative about the emerging roles, relationships and responsibilities of public education in Alberta at www.learningourway.ca
You can get tickets for the Michael Adam / Jean Twenge lecture on line very soon at WWW.LEARNINGOURWAY.CA Visit the site often to be part of the conversation about what Aspiring Albertans can do to co-create the Next Alberta.
Follow what is happening on Twitter at #creativealberta and #abfuture
http://sirkenrobinson.com/skr/askskr-question-8-creativity-is-not-just-for-the-arts
Sir Ken is in Red Deer on February 9th and I will be there with some guests who will no doubt report on their reactions to his lecture on his new book The Element. The event is sold out with 700 people coming from all over Alberta. You can see interest is great and a new organization called Creative Alberta is forming. .
There is another public lecture and conversation featuring Michael Adams author and pollster in Edmonton at the Sutton Place Hotel in the evening of March 17, 2011. His latest book is on the values and attitudes of Baby Boomers in this stage of their lives called Stayin' Alive: How Canadian Baby Boomers Will Work, Play, and Find Meaning In the Second Half of Their Adult Lives
We will also have Jean Twenge. Professor of Psychology from San Diego State University speaking at the same public lecture speaking on themes of her new book the "Narcissism Epidemic, Living in the Age of Entitlement."
All event of this is part of the Learning Our Way to the Next Alberta project I am involved with in partnership with the Alberta Teachers' Association. Check out more on this exciting initiative about the emerging roles, relationships and responsibilities of public education in Alberta at www.learningourway.ca
You can get tickets for the Michael Adam / Jean Twenge lecture on line very soon at WWW.LEARNINGOURWAY.CA Visit the site often to be part of the conversation about what Aspiring Albertans can do to co-create the Next Alberta.
Follow what is happening on Twitter at #creativealberta and #abfuture
Sunday, January 16, 2011
What Should Raj Sherman Do-AN UPDATE
When I did my analysis of the next steps for Dr Raj Sherman I discounted leaving politics to return to medicine as an option because Raj himself said he was going to run in the next election.
However I did not anticipate the imagination and creativity of Sharon McLean the publisher and owner of the recently discontinued free newspaper The Edmontonian. She has recruited Raj to talk about medicine and health care on line in an Internet television like site called Well and Wise OnLine.
Here is a link to the introductory video.http://www.wellandwiseonline.com/videos/dr-raj-sherman/ Have to say Raj is a natural in this role. He will no doubt be professional, informative and even a bit entertaining in this endeavour.
Full disclosure - I have written a few articles for Sharon's The Edmontonian from time to time but I have nothing to do with this new venture. I do wish her the best of luck though as she pursues this project.
However I did not anticipate the imagination and creativity of Sharon McLean the publisher and owner of the recently discontinued free newspaper The Edmontonian. She has recruited Raj to talk about medicine and health care on line in an Internet television like site called Well and Wise OnLine.
Here is a link to the introductory video.http://www.wellandwiseonline.com/videos/dr-raj-sherman/ Have to say Raj is a natural in this role. He will no doubt be professional, informative and even a bit entertaining in this endeavour.
Full disclosure - I have written a few articles for Sharon's The Edmontonian from time to time but I have nothing to do with this new venture. I do wish her the best of luck though as she pursues this project.
Anticipating a Minority Government in Alberta?
OK - this idea of an Alberta minority government is a very hypothetical possibility today. There is no imminent election in the province but the politics are more volatile than most people living here have ever seen.
All signs point to a change from the political status quo next election. Will we do the historical thing and go for a wholesale change of government? Or will we reaffirm the status quo like in the last provincial election that returned the PCs with an increased majority under Stelmach as a new leader. Were we that supportive, or looking for stability or just wanting to give him a chance to prove himself? Or will we be so divided and uncertain about our future by the time the next election comes around that we end up with a minority government.
The key question, of course, is which party would form the minority government? Some of the power shifts in a minority government situation to a smaller party, provided they have enough votes to keep the minority government in power, or not. In that case it is just as critical a question for citizens to consider as to who should have that balance of power to make or break the minority government.
If Albertans decide to elect a minority government next time, will it be a sign we want to change incrementally or perhaps we want to send the PCs a message of our discontent but not rejection. That is what Albertans in Calgary Glenmore did in the by-election by putting the PCs in third place in popular vote. That was in a constituency that had been held by the Deputy Premier. OUCH!
I wonder if Albertans interpret that by-election as indication that the warning shot across PC bow has already been delivered. If so the next election outcome could be much more open and uncertain than the conventional wisdom that tends to think tomorrow will be a reflection and a mere extension of yesterdays results.
The blog poll this week presumes a minority government but not who wins. It ask who do you want to be the conscience of any minority government should we end up with one. Will you answer differ depending on who you think will form the minority government? Or will you trust one party over all others to hold the balance of power to keep any potential minority government on their toes and honest? Is that balance of power party choice chosen because they are able to assure a wider range of opinions will be debated? Or is that balance of power party perceived as a government in waiting and able to pick the time and ballot question in the next election after this one?
This is not a random scientific poll just a conversation starter and an attention focus for readers. I hope your comments on this post will give some insight as to what party you would prefer form a minority and why as well as who you trust to have the balance of power and why. It is complex stuff and an informed answer requires that you think about where you want the province to go and how to return political stability as part of the means to get there.
Looking forward to your choice and you feedback in the comments.
All signs point to a change from the political status quo next election. Will we do the historical thing and go for a wholesale change of government? Or will we reaffirm the status quo like in the last provincial election that returned the PCs with an increased majority under Stelmach as a new leader. Were we that supportive, or looking for stability or just wanting to give him a chance to prove himself? Or will we be so divided and uncertain about our future by the time the next election comes around that we end up with a minority government.
The key question, of course, is which party would form the minority government? Some of the power shifts in a minority government situation to a smaller party, provided they have enough votes to keep the minority government in power, or not. In that case it is just as critical a question for citizens to consider as to who should have that balance of power to make or break the minority government.
If Albertans decide to elect a minority government next time, will it be a sign we want to change incrementally or perhaps we want to send the PCs a message of our discontent but not rejection. That is what Albertans in Calgary Glenmore did in the by-election by putting the PCs in third place in popular vote. That was in a constituency that had been held by the Deputy Premier. OUCH!
I wonder if Albertans interpret that by-election as indication that the warning shot across PC bow has already been delivered. If so the next election outcome could be much more open and uncertain than the conventional wisdom that tends to think tomorrow will be a reflection and a mere extension of yesterdays results.
The blog poll this week presumes a minority government but not who wins. It ask who do you want to be the conscience of any minority government should we end up with one. Will you answer differ depending on who you think will form the minority government? Or will you trust one party over all others to hold the balance of power to keep any potential minority government on their toes and honest? Is that balance of power party choice chosen because they are able to assure a wider range of opinions will be debated? Or is that balance of power party perceived as a government in waiting and able to pick the time and ballot question in the next election after this one?
This is not a random scientific poll just a conversation starter and an attention focus for readers. I hope your comments on this post will give some insight as to what party you would prefer form a minority and why as well as who you trust to have the balance of power and why. It is complex stuff and an informed answer requires that you think about where you want the province to go and how to return political stability as part of the means to get there.
Looking forward to your choice and you feedback in the comments.
Diana Laufenberg: How to learn? From mistakes | Video on TED.com
Diana Laufenberg: How to learn? From mistakes | Video on TED.com
Here is a video with great insight about public education when the school is no longer the place to get the information but the place to learn how to use the information.
All vital to Inspiring Action on Education and Learning Our Way to the Next Alberta
GOTTA LOVE TED.COM
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