There is a major concern over access to health care in Alberta. The quality of the care once you are in the system seems to be very good but we need both.
The solutions offered by the culture war on the right in Alberta are difficult to follow but some changes proposed are a more "market-based" and "competition" approach to the publicly funded health care system. They don't like to call it privatization because they know that would be rejected in the next election. So they couch the language but you have to wonder if that is just hiding the privatization approach. It is hard to know what is really proposed and what is really going on with such language. There will be a debate in the PC, Liberal and Alberta Party leadership campaigns around all this I am sure.
Comforting political reassurances from the far right that privatization is not on their political agenda do not align with past pronouncements of those who are proposing this "competitive" approach to health care reform. Even Ted Morton of the hard right Calgary School is now claiming to be a "moderate" in the Progressive Conservative Party. This re-packaging of the hard line right wing past of some in the PCs and the Wildrose Alliance is just too hard to swallow and sure does not pass the sniff test based on past performance and policy positions. Have these leopards really changed their spots?
IS HEALTH CARE TOO EXPENSIVE NOW?
Other fiscal conservatives bemoan that the cost of health care is eating up a growing percentage of the provincial budget and that is "not sustainable." Is that percent of total government budget a good test of what we are committing to health care in Alberta? We are a growing economy and I understand we spend a smaller portion of our GDP on health care now that we did in 1968 when it first came in - and we get a lot more services now that we did back then. Isn't that a better measure of the cost of health care as a portion of the Alberta economy and not just of the government budget?
We have some political parties totally bent of reducing the role of government by starving necessary public services like health, seniors, children services and education. Ironically they see no problem is increasing subsidies and reducing rents to sunset energy sectors at the same time. This excessive subsidy to business puts the burden of personal income tax and strangles the capacity of the government to do the job the citizens expect of it. If you reduce the denominator of total government spending you increase the percentage attributed to health care but that isn't a public policy disaster as a result...it is just arithmetic based on a governing philosophy.
Look at it in another way. Our rush to the bottom in tax rates and revenues with our ridiculously low royalty regimes and then we use a significant portion of non-renewable resource revenues to pay for current government operations means this generation is not paying its way and robbing from the birthright of future generations. Again this is intentional with the goal to drive down tax revenues and reduce the capacity for the public sector service providers to do their jobs. Are there political forces in Alberta that want to be elected to that they can assure that the public system to provide necessary social services like education, health, and seniors services will fail?
ARE WE SETTING UP THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM TO FAIL?
Setting up the community based service providers, health care professionals and public sector services to fail by starving them of resources means we will then be told that the only saviour of the system will be market-based private sector providers. There will be soothing words that competition will keep the private providers honest and costs low but all too often we see reduced services, higher costs and feigned competitiveness.
There is a strong role for the private sector in many parts of our society but it must serve the needs of the society not the other way around. Solving the health care concerns in Alberta is very important but it is embedded in a much more foundational issue and that is what is the role of government in our society. Citizens also have to come to grips with what is our personal responsibility for our life style choices and the implications for the quality and cost of heath care too.
All these elements have to part of the discussion and design of a health care system that gives us access, quality and value for tax dollars. To reduce it to a private versus public health care debate is an over simplification of a complex social, cultural and political challenge. For every complex problem there is a simple answer that is usually wrong. Albertans should not be fooled by soothing over simplifications as we struggle to design a quality and sustainable health care system for now and the future.
Monday, February 07, 2011
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Alberta Party Becomes a Political Punching Bag
There is a new and nasty reaction to the rise of the Alberta Party from sources in the traditional political parties. The rumour mills, media quotes and online chatter is full of anger and angst aimed at the Alberta Party as some upstart new kid on the block that needs to be put in its place. It is as if our new found validation as a viable political option in the eyes of the media and others was our fault and not theirs.
The Alberta Party is now a target by some saddened practitioners of the politics-as-usual We in the Alberta Party are being punched way above our weight these days. But beating on us will not change the reality that Alberta citizens have rejected the old-style Alberta political culture. The tired and untrue political spin cycles just remind citizens why they avoid politics and see voting a pointless. It shows why we don't get our best and brightest people participating in public service and politics. They rightly conclude "Who needs this grief?"
Speaking of grieving, the soul searching of the NDP and Liberals and progressive in PC party has begun in earnest, especially with the recent resignations of Stelmach and Swann. The core partisans in these parties are grieving. They were in the denial stage of "this can't be happening" as they saw the infighting result in the loss of two good men as party leaders - within a week. That makes the continuation of the denial stage pretty pointless. There are some who are well into the anger stage now of "why me...this is not fair." If you look at the comment thread on this Daveberta post you can see the anger stage playing out in real time.
If the grieving continues we will see some examples of the bargaining stage emerge in the progressive wing of the PC Party. That will start to happen when they see who actually steps up to run for the PC leadership from the progressive side. There will be desperate bargains struck about who gets the nod as the preferred progressive candidate. There will be concerns of will he or she be strong enough to beat Ted Morton. If the preferred progressive is not strong enough to win expect more progressives to drift into the Alberta Party. Expect a wave of progressives to to the Alberta Party from the PCs if there is a purge of their ranks as a result of a Morton leadership victory.
On the Liberal side we have seen many rank and file members already make the value trade-off decision and have joined the Alberta Party. Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman's recent media comments about considering running for the leadership of either the Liberals or the Alberta Party is an example of a bargaining stage of grief. This ambivalence is totally understandable and this kind of decision making process is not easy. It is much more than just keeping political options open. It about being authentically open to new ways of thinking about politics. It is about trading past loyalties for the potential for new hope when everything is uncertain.
Some partisans will just go into the depression stage now or after the PC and Liberal leaderships have been decided. They will likely respond by withdrawing from political life and politics all together concluding "what is the point any more." Other partisans, displeased with the leadership decision of their party, will emerge out of all this looking for new hope and a new home. They will go through the final Acceptance stage of grieving. They will come to realize that Alberta has changed and they must change too. Perhaps the Alberta Party will be their new hope and their new home - but only time will tell.
I went through this kind of political soul searching and grieving in my own decision making process to leave the PCs. I realized, through my involvement with Reboot Alberta, that Alberta had fundamentally changed from what I had assumed was the political truth of the times. We found through research that Albertans were losing their sense of pride in the province but their personal commitment to making Alberta better was still extraordinarily strong. The research results we so strong that it was obvious that something was about to change dramatically in Alberta politics. Who knew how, where, what and when that change would happen - but it is happening now.
The research uncovered the fundamental values Albertans wanted to see from political parties before they would grant their consent to be governed. Those values are integrity, honesty, accountability, transparency, fiscal and personal responsibility and environmental stewardship. Albertans also felt these values were seriously lacking in the current political culture. My sense from the Reboot Alberta experience and research was that something new and different was needed in the Alberta political landscape. The politics as usual approach could not respond to the longing and yearning for a more caring, compassionate and responsible political culture.
The Alberta Party idea emerged from the first Reboot Alberta gathering. In time I came to see and accept that the Alberta Party was the best chance to do politics differently in our province. I have become active and have not been disappointed nor have I second guessed my decision. In fact I have been delighted with my new political home. I trust other moderates and progressives will eventually find their way to the Alberta Party using their own paths and processes. Check out the Alberta party website, stay tuned to its progress and see if it aligns with your values and aspirations for a better Alberta.. When you decide you want to become part of the co-creation of the next Alberta you should come join us.
The Alberta Party is now a target by some saddened practitioners of the politics-as-usual We in the Alberta Party are being punched way above our weight these days. But beating on us will not change the reality that Alberta citizens have rejected the old-style Alberta political culture. The tired and untrue political spin cycles just remind citizens why they avoid politics and see voting a pointless. It shows why we don't get our best and brightest people participating in public service and politics. They rightly conclude "Who needs this grief?"
Speaking of grieving, the soul searching of the NDP and Liberals and progressive in PC party has begun in earnest, especially with the recent resignations of Stelmach and Swann. The core partisans in these parties are grieving. They were in the denial stage of "this can't be happening" as they saw the infighting result in the loss of two good men as party leaders - within a week. That makes the continuation of the denial stage pretty pointless. There are some who are well into the anger stage now of "why me...this is not fair." If you look at the comment thread on this Daveberta post you can see the anger stage playing out in real time.
If the grieving continues we will see some examples of the bargaining stage emerge in the progressive wing of the PC Party. That will start to happen when they see who actually steps up to run for the PC leadership from the progressive side. There will be desperate bargains struck about who gets the nod as the preferred progressive candidate. There will be concerns of will he or she be strong enough to beat Ted Morton. If the preferred progressive is not strong enough to win expect more progressives to drift into the Alberta Party. Expect a wave of progressives to to the Alberta Party from the PCs if there is a purge of their ranks as a result of a Morton leadership victory.
On the Liberal side we have seen many rank and file members already make the value trade-off decision and have joined the Alberta Party. Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman's recent media comments about considering running for the leadership of either the Liberals or the Alberta Party is an example of a bargaining stage of grief. This ambivalence is totally understandable and this kind of decision making process is not easy. It is much more than just keeping political options open. It about being authentically open to new ways of thinking about politics. It is about trading past loyalties for the potential for new hope when everything is uncertain.
Some partisans will just go into the depression stage now or after the PC and Liberal leaderships have been decided. They will likely respond by withdrawing from political life and politics all together concluding "what is the point any more." Other partisans, displeased with the leadership decision of their party, will emerge out of all this looking for new hope and a new home. They will go through the final Acceptance stage of grieving. They will come to realize that Alberta has changed and they must change too. Perhaps the Alberta Party will be their new hope and their new home - but only time will tell.
I went through this kind of political soul searching and grieving in my own decision making process to leave the PCs. I realized, through my involvement with Reboot Alberta, that Alberta had fundamentally changed from what I had assumed was the political truth of the times. We found through research that Albertans were losing their sense of pride in the province but their personal commitment to making Alberta better was still extraordinarily strong. The research results we so strong that it was obvious that something was about to change dramatically in Alberta politics. Who knew how, where, what and when that change would happen - but it is happening now.
The research uncovered the fundamental values Albertans wanted to see from political parties before they would grant their consent to be governed. Those values are integrity, honesty, accountability, transparency, fiscal and personal responsibility and environmental stewardship. Albertans also felt these values were seriously lacking in the current political culture. My sense from the Reboot Alberta experience and research was that something new and different was needed in the Alberta political landscape. The politics as usual approach could not respond to the longing and yearning for a more caring, compassionate and responsible political culture.
The Alberta Party idea emerged from the first Reboot Alberta gathering. In time I came to see and accept that the Alberta Party was the best chance to do politics differently in our province. I have become active and have not been disappointed nor have I second guessed my decision. In fact I have been delighted with my new political home. I trust other moderates and progressives will eventually find their way to the Alberta Party using their own paths and processes. Check out the Alberta party website, stay tuned to its progress and see if it aligns with your values and aspirations for a better Alberta.. When you decide you want to become part of the co-creation of the next Alberta you should come join us.
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Rockyview School District Opens up to Social Media
I am doing some work with the Rockyview School district just outside of Calgary on citizen engagement. This focus on reaching out to communities to engage in a conversation about the role, responsibilities and relationship of public education to the larger community is laudable...and very exciting.
The leadership of Superintendent Greg Bass and the support of the Trustees, administration and teachers is quite energizing to someone like me. Conversations are game changers. Not every conversation is a game changer but I am pretty sure every game changing event started with a conversation.
Here is a link to blog started by a teacher who is embracing the spirit, intent and the new territory of social media. I encourage anyone interested or just curious how social media can be used for students, stakeholders, community and citizens engagement to follow the journey that the educators in Rockyview has started. The twitter hash tag for this emerging on-line community is #rvsed to get in touch and keep in touch with what is going on. Also search Twitter hash tags #abed #inspiringed #abfuture
There is lots more happening in the area of social media as a means to communicate the place and purpose of pubic education too. There are a growing number of Trustees who have taken up the cause of being in touch with constituents and communities using social media. Check out some of them here, here and here. There are many more.
There are broader, deeper and more meaningful relationships about the future of public education in Alberta happening all over the province but, like any major change, there are early adopters and early adapters. Soon what seems unique will be quotidian. Some of that face to face conversation will be happening in #yeg (that's Edmonton for newbies to Twitter) March 17 at a public lecture as part of the Learning Our Way to the Next Alberta work we do with the ATA. Join in the conversation with Michael Adams and Jean Twenge and meet other Albertans with a passion for public education. Learn more here- and to order tickets on line
When citizens of all kinds and concerns start to appreciate the quality and contribution of our Alberta public education system with information and connections they made online then we have a game changer. That game changer is part of the new creative economy the Internet and digital media is spawning. Alberta is perfectly poised to be the Petri dish to grow this new inter-related, networked and interdependent social, political, human and even spiritual culture. With the SuperNet we have the best fibre-optic connectivity infrastructure on the planet to foster a community based creative culture. We just have to unleash our imagination on how to use its potential.
It is all part of the whole about Alberta moving past the competitive race to the bottom and shifting to larger goals, greater dreams that are the emerging focus on the Alberta Aspirations. One of those new Alberta Aspiration is in the realm of public education. The Alberta system is already the best in the world, along with Finland. Now we should aspire to use our BEST IN THE WORLD world public education system with a renewed imagination and enthusiasm. We need to expand our consciousness to leverage our public education as an exportable asset and aspire for it to be the BEST FOR THE WORLD.
The educational leadership of school districts like Rockyview, the Canadian Rockies and the Edmonton Public are the scouts on the new digital frontier. They are making new paths, with new excitement but based on traditional values that has empowered people to make Alberta's public education system amongst the best anywhere. Now with high speed high quality and quantity connectivity, we can make it the best everywhere.
The leadership of Superintendent Greg Bass and the support of the Trustees, administration and teachers is quite energizing to someone like me. Conversations are game changers. Not every conversation is a game changer but I am pretty sure every game changing event started with a conversation.
Here is a link to blog started by a teacher who is embracing the spirit, intent and the new territory of social media. I encourage anyone interested or just curious how social media can be used for students, stakeholders, community and citizens engagement to follow the journey that the educators in Rockyview has started. The twitter hash tag for this emerging on-line community is #rvsed to get in touch and keep in touch with what is going on. Also search Twitter hash tags #abed #inspiringed #abfuture
There is lots more happening in the area of social media as a means to communicate the place and purpose of pubic education too. There are a growing number of Trustees who have taken up the cause of being in touch with constituents and communities using social media. Check out some of them here, here and here. There are many more.
There are broader, deeper and more meaningful relationships about the future of public education in Alberta happening all over the province but, like any major change, there are early adopters and early adapters. Soon what seems unique will be quotidian. Some of that face to face conversation will be happening in #yeg (that's Edmonton for newbies to Twitter) March 17 at a public lecture as part of the Learning Our Way to the Next Alberta work we do with the ATA. Join in the conversation with Michael Adams and Jean Twenge and meet other Albertans with a passion for public education. Learn more here- and to order tickets on line
When citizens of all kinds and concerns start to appreciate the quality and contribution of our Alberta public education system with information and connections they made online then we have a game changer. That game changer is part of the new creative economy the Internet and digital media is spawning. Alberta is perfectly poised to be the Petri dish to grow this new inter-related, networked and interdependent social, political, human and even spiritual culture. With the SuperNet we have the best fibre-optic connectivity infrastructure on the planet to foster a community based creative culture. We just have to unleash our imagination on how to use its potential.
It is all part of the whole about Alberta moving past the competitive race to the bottom and shifting to larger goals, greater dreams that are the emerging focus on the Alberta Aspirations. One of those new Alberta Aspiration is in the realm of public education. The Alberta system is already the best in the world, along with Finland. Now we should aspire to use our BEST IN THE WORLD world public education system with a renewed imagination and enthusiasm. We need to expand our consciousness to leverage our public education as an exportable asset and aspire for it to be the BEST FOR THE WORLD.
The educational leadership of school districts like Rockyview, the Canadian Rockies and the Edmonton Public are the scouts on the new digital frontier. They are making new paths, with new excitement but based on traditional values that has empowered people to make Alberta's public education system amongst the best anywhere. Now with high speed high quality and quantity connectivity, we can make it the best everywhere.
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
Raj Sherman Calls for "Leaders" Debate on Health Care.
Dr Sherman wants an on-line debate on health care amongst the leaders of the various political parties. I have suggested on Twitter that what we need is a real deliberative conversation about health care nor so much an old style political debate. Too much of what passes for political debate and even balanced reporting these days is one side arguing with the other side. The sound bites are not solutions.
Just as Don Iveson ran for Edmonton City Council and Naheed Nenshi ran for Mayor of Calgary "by campaigning in full sentences," when it comes to a complicated matter like health care we need an adult conversation in full paragraphs. I worry that a old-style debate will be little more than sound and furry signifying nothing.
There is another problem with a old fashioned Don Cherry style rock 'em sock 'em leaders debate right now. There is a shortage party leaders to participate. There are three political parties in search of a new leader right now. We only have Danielle Smith of the Wildrose Alliance and Brian Mason of the NDP left as leaders and only one of them have a seat in the Legislature. We don't know who all will show up as candidates in the other three parties and that is hardly the circumstances to have any kind of political debate.
The Alberta Party has issued as statement suggesting and alternative, a more deliberative approach for a discussion on health care concerns. I think it is worth considering because it offers more substance than a typical political debate format. Perhaps that conversation will happen in the various leadership campaigns. It would be nice if it did.
In the meantime Danielle Smith as accepted Raj's challenge to have a leader's debate on health care. I think a Smith-Sherman debate would be very interesting. Raj is now his own man and can speak his mind, not a party line. He is showing personal leadership in his Friends of Medicare facilitated town hall tour around Alberta. He is a very knowledgeable, professional and evidence based kind of guy who has captured the public's imagination. Danielle is a strong communicator with a certain vision that says more market-based competition is a key factor in solving the health care crisis. Both are excellent communicators and with different perspectives on the problems and the solutions. That is the basis for the debate Raj is asking for.
So lets see the Sherman-Smith debate on the future of Health Care in Alberta. Lets make sure Brian Mason of the NDP is part of the punch up too. Let's do it live on the Internet and see if we get some light and clarity instead of heat and histrionics over health care. If nothing else we should get a clearer sense of if the Wildrose Alliance has really abandoned what Raj calls the Americanization of Alberta Health care. Raj could be a catalyst to test the trust Albertans ought to give to the Alliance and the NDP on health care reform.
Set it up Raj - I'll watch.
Just as Don Iveson ran for Edmonton City Council and Naheed Nenshi ran for Mayor of Calgary "by campaigning in full sentences," when it comes to a complicated matter like health care we need an adult conversation in full paragraphs. I worry that a old-style debate will be little more than sound and furry signifying nothing.
There is another problem with a old fashioned Don Cherry style rock 'em sock 'em leaders debate right now. There is a shortage party leaders to participate. There are three political parties in search of a new leader right now. We only have Danielle Smith of the Wildrose Alliance and Brian Mason of the NDP left as leaders and only one of them have a seat in the Legislature. We don't know who all will show up as candidates in the other three parties and that is hardly the circumstances to have any kind of political debate.
The Alberta Party has issued as statement suggesting and alternative, a more deliberative approach for a discussion on health care concerns. I think it is worth considering because it offers more substance than a typical political debate format. Perhaps that conversation will happen in the various leadership campaigns. It would be nice if it did.
In the meantime Danielle Smith as accepted Raj's challenge to have a leader's debate on health care. I think a Smith-Sherman debate would be very interesting. Raj is now his own man and can speak his mind, not a party line. He is showing personal leadership in his Friends of Medicare facilitated town hall tour around Alberta. He is a very knowledgeable, professional and evidence based kind of guy who has captured the public's imagination. Danielle is a strong communicator with a certain vision that says more market-based competition is a key factor in solving the health care crisis. Both are excellent communicators and with different perspectives on the problems and the solutions. That is the basis for the debate Raj is asking for.
So lets see the Sherman-Smith debate on the future of Health Care in Alberta. Lets make sure Brian Mason of the NDP is part of the punch up too. Let's do it live on the Internet and see if we get some light and clarity instead of heat and histrionics over health care. If nothing else we should get a clearer sense of if the Wildrose Alliance has really abandoned what Raj calls the Americanization of Alberta Health care. Raj could be a catalyst to test the trust Albertans ought to give to the Alliance and the NDP on health care reform.
Set it up Raj - I'll watch.
Alberta Politicians Feeling the Pressure
The recent resignation of Premier Ed Stelmach as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta and reports of the pending resignation of David Swann as leader of the Alberta Liberal Party simply underscore the volatility and unrest in Alberta. Go to any of the public meetings being held on certain Bills on land and property rights issues happening over Alberta and see the anger.
I am saddened by both resignations and the internal/external political circumstances surrounding them. I have great respect for the integrity of Ed Stelmach and David Swann as people. I bought an Alberta Liberal Party membership card to support David Swann's bid for leadership. I have been in touch with David Swann on many occasions in the last 2 years and my respect and admiration for him has only grown.
I supported Dave Hancock in the 2006 PC leadership race. The evening the first vote ballots were about to be announced in Calgary Dave Hancock and I both joined the Stelmach campaign before the first vote was even announced. The integration of the Hancock and Stelmach campaigns for the second ballot was seamless and Dave was able to deliver most of his votes to Ed, contributing greatly to his victory.
The political and communications skills of these gentlemen have been questioned, internally and externally, Their resignations are a direct consequence of that questioning. There is no questioning of their character or their commitment to servant-leadership. The circumstances of there resignations are also, in part, a result of the organizational and communications skills of Danielle Smith. She has provided an alternative to those partisans who want to shift Alberta to more market based solutions for public policy and who see government as a problem not a solution to the challenges we face in Alberta. None of these gentlemen have captured the imagination of the public to provide a moderate progressive alternative. That is partially why the Alberta Party is seen suddenly seen as an alternative worth watching.
These leadership resignations are merely a function of the political realities settling in. Albertans are not happy enough with any of the political options they are currently offered. I have known this since last May from research we have done. Albertans are displeased with all the leadership alternatives conventional political parties have offered. When 51% of us do not believe our government is listening to us and 51% feel we have no influence on government, that says our politicians are out of touch, not just the PCs.
When asked in the same survey "Who do you trust the most to responsibly manage Alberta's growth" the responses were damning for all and disastrous for some. The Stelmach PCs only had 23% support. The Smith lead Wildrose Alliance was trusted to responsibly manage Alberta's growth by 19%. The Alberta Liberals under David Swann garnered 9% while Brian Mason and the NDP were trust in this context by only 4% of Albertans. The kicker that should have all conventional political parties worried is that 45% said they trusted NONE OF THE ABOVE to responsibly manage Alberta's growth. This discontent is what will plague and frustrate the conventional political parties and their leadership candidates in particular .
What this all says to me is the democratic system is broke when 60% can't be bothered to even vote. It is in need of repair not just maintenance when 45% say they don't trust any of the party leaders in play right now. What is behind all this is a sense of alienation of the public from politics because the political culture is more about gamesmanship than leadership.
What we have here is not just a failure to communicate. There is lots of messaging going on. What we have here is a failure to lead...from all political parties...and from citizens too. We citizens have a leadership role in changing the political culture of our times too. Most us us have abdicated that responsibility. In the new networked world of the Internet the "strong" leader framed as the charismatic disciplinarian autocrat is out of date. Leadership in a modern networked community based world is all about relationships and service, not personality based power and control.
The ritual sacrifice of Ed Stelmach and David Swann is a remnant of the old political culture. While I am saddened for them personally and am energized by these resignations because they provide a chance to focus and reflect on just how broken our political system is and how deep is the democratic deficit in Alberta. They beg the question about what will we do about these problems.
If you want to explore more on the crisis of political leadership in Alberta read this blog post by my good friend Dave King. "What does it mean "to lead?" What is leadership." If you want to explore the implications of there high profile political resignations on the political culture of Alberta then read Dave's blog post called "The Big Shift."
Nothing is safe or sacred, even 40 years of continuous rule by one political party, once the population decides there must be a change. Albertans have been poised for a change since the 2004 election when the PCs ran on the promise that Ralph Klein would leave shortly afterwards. When Klein mused about hanging on the rank and file PC membership sent him packing. That was the early warning signs that politics as usual was not on any more in Alberta.
The events of the past week have been bubbling from all the way back to 2004. By all accounts the next election will be a game changer. There is a political struggle that is about to emerge in Alberta. It is going to be about defining and delivering the new narrative for the next Alberta. That is the subject of an other blog or blogs. Albertans are waking up to the possibility that this sense of change could go really badly or quite magnificently....and the choice is all of ours - not just for some small group of nameless people who pull or aspire to pull the levers of power these days.
I am saddened by both resignations and the internal/external political circumstances surrounding them. I have great respect for the integrity of Ed Stelmach and David Swann as people. I bought an Alberta Liberal Party membership card to support David Swann's bid for leadership. I have been in touch with David Swann on many occasions in the last 2 years and my respect and admiration for him has only grown.
I supported Dave Hancock in the 2006 PC leadership race. The evening the first vote ballots were about to be announced in Calgary Dave Hancock and I both joined the Stelmach campaign before the first vote was even announced. The integration of the Hancock and Stelmach campaigns for the second ballot was seamless and Dave was able to deliver most of his votes to Ed, contributing greatly to his victory.
The political and communications skills of these gentlemen have been questioned, internally and externally, Their resignations are a direct consequence of that questioning. There is no questioning of their character or their commitment to servant-leadership. The circumstances of there resignations are also, in part, a result of the organizational and communications skills of Danielle Smith. She has provided an alternative to those partisans who want to shift Alberta to more market based solutions for public policy and who see government as a problem not a solution to the challenges we face in Alberta. None of these gentlemen have captured the imagination of the public to provide a moderate progressive alternative. That is partially why the Alberta Party is seen suddenly seen as an alternative worth watching.
These leadership resignations are merely a function of the political realities settling in. Albertans are not happy enough with any of the political options they are currently offered. I have known this since last May from research we have done. Albertans are displeased with all the leadership alternatives conventional political parties have offered. When 51% of us do not believe our government is listening to us and 51% feel we have no influence on government, that says our politicians are out of touch, not just the PCs.
When asked in the same survey "Who do you trust the most to responsibly manage Alberta's growth" the responses were damning for all and disastrous for some. The Stelmach PCs only had 23% support. The Smith lead Wildrose Alliance was trusted to responsibly manage Alberta's growth by 19%. The Alberta Liberals under David Swann garnered 9% while Brian Mason and the NDP were trust in this context by only 4% of Albertans. The kicker that should have all conventional political parties worried is that 45% said they trusted NONE OF THE ABOVE to responsibly manage Alberta's growth. This discontent is what will plague and frustrate the conventional political parties and their leadership candidates in particular .
What this all says to me is the democratic system is broke when 60% can't be bothered to even vote. It is in need of repair not just maintenance when 45% say they don't trust any of the party leaders in play right now. What is behind all this is a sense of alienation of the public from politics because the political culture is more about gamesmanship than leadership.
What we have here is not just a failure to communicate. There is lots of messaging going on. What we have here is a failure to lead...from all political parties...and from citizens too. We citizens have a leadership role in changing the political culture of our times too. Most us us have abdicated that responsibility. In the new networked world of the Internet the "strong" leader framed as the charismatic disciplinarian autocrat is out of date. Leadership in a modern networked community based world is all about relationships and service, not personality based power and control.
The ritual sacrifice of Ed Stelmach and David Swann is a remnant of the old political culture. While I am saddened for them personally and am energized by these resignations because they provide a chance to focus and reflect on just how broken our political system is and how deep is the democratic deficit in Alberta. They beg the question about what will we do about these problems.
If you want to explore more on the crisis of political leadership in Alberta read this blog post by my good friend Dave King. "What does it mean "to lead?" What is leadership." If you want to explore the implications of there high profile political resignations on the political culture of Alberta then read Dave's blog post called "The Big Shift."
Nothing is safe or sacred, even 40 years of continuous rule by one political party, once the population decides there must be a change. Albertans have been poised for a change since the 2004 election when the PCs ran on the promise that Ralph Klein would leave shortly afterwards. When Klein mused about hanging on the rank and file PC membership sent him packing. That was the early warning signs that politics as usual was not on any more in Alberta.
The events of the past week have been bubbling from all the way back to 2004. By all accounts the next election will be a game changer. There is a political struggle that is about to emerge in Alberta. It is going to be about defining and delivering the new narrative for the next Alberta. That is the subject of an other blog or blogs. Albertans are waking up to the possibility that this sense of change could go really badly or quite magnificently....and the choice is all of ours - not just for some small group of nameless people who pull or aspire to pull the levers of power these days.
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