I want to direct your attention to a very well written op-ed piece in the Edmonton Journal, written by my friend Joe Obad, the Associate Director of Water Matters. It is a clear and comprehensive survey of why we need to retain the Alberta Land Stewardship Act (ALSA) but we must fix it too.
The Alliance Party has said they would repeal the ALSA if they formed government. There is an election coming up soon so that is not an idle threat. That repeal position is consistent with the fundamental libertarian-based beliefs of the Alliance. They promote that private rights are paramount along with a belief that government is the problem and the marketplace can solve most if not all public policy problems.
Private property is one of the great things about our society and a basis of our prosperity. There are times, however, when the greater good of community, has to take precedence. For example when infrastructure requires private property to be expropriated and used for community needs like roads, schools, hospitals and so forth. Now there is an other community interest legislated in the ALSA that recognises of a common community responsibility for stewardship of water, air, land and habitat protection.That is a good thing.
The balancing and choosing between competing values and interests is the essence of good governance. That is why we elect governments. There is a growing suspicion amongst land owners, in rural Alberta especially, that bad politics might be used to choose instead of good governance. It seems to many that politics are are play here. People are concerned that their lands can be taken by the government at the discretion (or whim?) of a Minister, without compensation or appeal to the courts. That is the wrong way to go and once such a suspicion is embedded, it is hard to prove otherwise. Cynicism dominates. There is a line of argument that says none of those fears are founded but they persist anyway.
There is a perceived lack of clarity in the legislation that needs to be fixed to assure people that politics are not at play here and will not be. There needs to be an explicit commitment to the protection of property rights of landowners. There needs to be a clear commitment to a fair and open expropriation process with a legislated guarantee of adequate compensation and the right to seek redress from the courts if need be.
People knows that politics tends to enable abuse and coercion and that can't come into play here or anywhere else in good governance. Interpretations of the implications of the ALSA vary and the intentions of the PC government are suspect. Frustration, fear and distrust dominate the public discussions and the feelings of those showing up at the community meetings who hear and outline of the downside of the ALSA.
The fact that there is so much suspicion, lack of trust and disrespect for the stated intentions of the government on this matter is very telling. It shines a spotlight on just how big the trust and respect gap is between the governed and the governors in Alberta these days. It is the belief of many Albertans that our democracy is broken when well intended policy decisions are met with such fear and resistance. It is also a terrific opportunity to play opposition politics and feed the fear and frustration for political gain. It is for others to decide if that is happening here but it is a legitimate question .
There is a lot that is very good and progressive about the ALSA. Clearly some things about the legislation that need to be fixed for clarity, reassurance of intent and with strong guarantees to protect the property rights of citizens. The value of environmental stewardship is near and dear to the hearts of most Albertans, including most private property owners. We can't lose those aspects of the legislation with a political promise of the Alliance to merely repeal the entire Act once elected. Repealing it is not a viable option. That goes too far in the other direction. Revisiting it and clarifying it is the best approach.
Joe Obed sets out the issues and events and the need for Albertans to have the ALSA. He also put the duty to get it right squarely on the Stelmach government. We can only hope that there will be an honest, open, accountable and transparent process that empowers people and that the province engages in an authentic conversation with Albertans so we can keep the best and fix the rest of the ALSA. We all need to be sure we get it right and that means we need fix it - not kill it.
Conversations matter. Not every conversation changes the world but every time the world actually changes it was usually started by a conversation. Lets park the debate model that looks for winners and losers. Lets dispel with the superficial meaningless public consultation processes. Lets have an adult conversation that is province wide that uses the best evidence, the best expertise and seeks a mutually acceptable solution based on the principles or peace, order and good government...not top down command and control power politics. Hopefully we will see some amendments to the ALSA in line with these aspirations in the forthcoming session of the Legislature. Time will tell.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
In Egypt the Revolution Was Tweeted! Is Alberta Next?
Very interesting article in the Sunday edition of the Toronto Star by Don Tapscott entitled "Here Comes the Wiki Revolution." I like Don Tapscott's writings and read his books. Still have to get to MacroWikinomics but the sub title alone "Rebooting Business and the World" grabs my attention as one of the instigators of Reboot Alberta.
Tapscott starts with a challenge to the Malcolm Gladwell assertion last October in The New Yorker magazine essay "Small Change:Why the Revolution Won't be Tweeted." Gladwell contended that social media only created "weak ties" between people and it took "strong ties" and close relationships to bring about real social change.
Tapscott says "If Twitter, Facebook and YouTube didn't exist, Hosni Mubarak would still be president of Egypt. The social media tools gave Mubarak's opponents unprecedented ability to share information and organize their activities, including massive protest which riveted the world's attention." This is the core new reality of the shift of power to the networks of engaged citizens from hierarchies of personal power brokers.
Last June a 28 year-old businessman Khaled Said was beaten to death by two police officers. Said has posted video of these police officers dealing in illegal drugs. Shortly after Said 's death a Facebook page was created called "We Are All Khaled Said" with pictures of his beaten body in the morgue. Within weeks the site had over 100,000 friends and that grew to over 500,000 and became a rallying point for Egyptians.
Tapscott notes that social media "...can take weak ties between people initiated on the web can become strong ties and forge close relationships that organize for social change. Egypt shutting down the Internet gave citizens no other choice but to take to the street to communicate. The paradox is dictators typically take control of the conventional gatekeeper media and can effectively control the message and stifle rebellion. When the access to the Internet and social media was removed by Mubarak, those in remote and decentralized connected nodes "were triggered into action" and took to the streets. It had just to opposite effect from what the dictator expected.
Social Media Implications for Governments
There are some very serious lessons here for modern democracies and free market enterprises. Stable democracies but with fundamental political deficits around accountability, honesty, transparency and openness, like Alberta and Canada, should take heed. The political leaders and political parties depend on the voluntary consent by citizens to those in power to govern us. When the citizen wake up looking for change they will show up to make that change happen. The voter volatility in Alberta is early signs of citizens waking up politically and not liking what they see offered by the current options.
When we vote, or not vote, we voluntarily give up some personal power and individual agency to politicians to form governments that we expect will act for the greater good. The engaged and informed but frustrated or angry citizen will not comply with the old and outdated vertical political power model. It is being replaced by a horizontal participatory public service model of governance where stable and mature democracies are involved. Social media is playing an enormous role in creating and sustaining that change to horizontal based shared governance with real citizen participation in the political culture.
Social Media Implications for Industry.
Industry that depends on a social license to operate in the marketplace is also in serious peril from the organizational capacity of social media. The growing public opposition to big Telcos and Cable operators over ridiculously high cost and low performance of Internet service and the manipulation of rates known as User Based Billing is going to bring them to heel. That is only one sector to feel the pressure. Any other regulated sector is vulnerable and those unregulated industries will not escape the power of the mouse.
The shifting of public opinion on oil sands in Alberta and around the world, is another prime area where the corporations developing this resource are now responding to demands for authentic corporate social responsibility beyond providing investment, jobs and public relations campaigns.
Governments and industry who are not accountable, open and transparent, that do not align overtly and effectively with the values of the culture they operate in and fail refuse or neglect to adapt have reason to be afraid - very afraid.
The Alberta Party and Social Media
The Alberta Party and its membership gets this shift from vertical power based democracy to horizontal participatory democracy. We know that social media is a powerful force to create and sustain this shift in power distribution and citizen participation in politics. We are mocked by those who's power comes from the status quo for saying we want to do politics differently. We are belittled by conventional-traditional political thinkers who make comments like "it looks like the Alberta Party is trying to Tweet its way to power." We are and we will because the capacity to do so is in the Internet here and the will of citizens for a better government will make it happen.
Those who think that accusing the Alberta Party of "Tweeting it's way to power" are partly true but they don't understand the difference this new technology is making. What is happening is not a set of weak tie relationships but new vibrant networks are forming of like-minded citizens who have decided to get involved in the spirit of Reboot.
They are citizens who are going to retake Control of our democracy and politics. Many are looking to create Alternatives like the Alberta Party and others are dedicated to changing others parties from within. Then there is the need to Delete the old attitudes that lead to cynicism and disengagement from politics and participating in preserving our democracy.
Rebooting Alberta
The Reboot Alberta effort was the sparked that got progressives in Alberta together where we realized we were not alone and others shared our values and perceptions. We also realized political complacency was not a citizenship option in Alberta any more. We had to get engaged in the political culture of the times to change the trajectory from the hard core right wing shift we saw happening with the rise of the Wildrose Alliance and its libertarian governing ideology.
The forlorn belief that there is no reason to believe that anything can or will change justified not getting involved. The amazing way citizens in Egypt and Tunisia used their collected energy enabled by social media to overcome fear and get rid of dictators has to be an inspiration. Citizens in Alberta are starting to challenge how their governments work and behave.
Albertans have a safe secure and stable society but without much resolve to achieve our true potential. We must move past the pure economic realm of the Alberta Advantage. We need to consider what are our Alberta Aspirations in this changing world. Those aspirations, must be a stretch that worthy of us and push our potential as people and a province. We have to be a more integrated in our thinking and always be concerned for the economy, the environment and our social cohesion in policy and politics.
One of my aspirations as an Albertan is in the spirit and intend of the new Alberta Party as we create a new progressive, inclusive political culture with integrity, accountability, transparency, fiscal responsibility and environmental stewardship as fundamental values. I see so much potential in this new citizen's movement that has morphed into the Alberta Party. I am inspired by the courage and commitment of individual Egyptians and Tunisians who have so much more to lose and so much to gain by getting engaged. I only hope Albertans will now commit to change by a personal resolution for a peaceful but profound political revolution in Alberta.
Tapscott starts with a challenge to the Malcolm Gladwell assertion last October in The New Yorker magazine essay "Small Change:Why the Revolution Won't be Tweeted." Gladwell contended that social media only created "weak ties" between people and it took "strong ties" and close relationships to bring about real social change.
Tapscott says "If Twitter, Facebook and YouTube didn't exist, Hosni Mubarak would still be president of Egypt. The social media tools gave Mubarak's opponents unprecedented ability to share information and organize their activities, including massive protest which riveted the world's attention." This is the core new reality of the shift of power to the networks of engaged citizens from hierarchies of personal power brokers.
Last June a 28 year-old businessman Khaled Said was beaten to death by two police officers. Said has posted video of these police officers dealing in illegal drugs. Shortly after Said 's death a Facebook page was created called "We Are All Khaled Said" with pictures of his beaten body in the morgue. Within weeks the site had over 100,000 friends and that grew to over 500,000 and became a rallying point for Egyptians.
Tapscott notes that social media "...can take weak ties between people initiated on the web can become strong ties and forge close relationships that organize for social change. Egypt shutting down the Internet gave citizens no other choice but to take to the street to communicate. The paradox is dictators typically take control of the conventional gatekeeper media and can effectively control the message and stifle rebellion. When the access to the Internet and social media was removed by Mubarak, those in remote and decentralized connected nodes "were triggered into action" and took to the streets. It had just to opposite effect from what the dictator expected.
Social Media Implications for Governments
There are some very serious lessons here for modern democracies and free market enterprises. Stable democracies but with fundamental political deficits around accountability, honesty, transparency and openness, like Alberta and Canada, should take heed. The political leaders and political parties depend on the voluntary consent by citizens to those in power to govern us. When the citizen wake up looking for change they will show up to make that change happen. The voter volatility in Alberta is early signs of citizens waking up politically and not liking what they see offered by the current options.
When we vote, or not vote, we voluntarily give up some personal power and individual agency to politicians to form governments that we expect will act for the greater good. The engaged and informed but frustrated or angry citizen will not comply with the old and outdated vertical political power model. It is being replaced by a horizontal participatory public service model of governance where stable and mature democracies are involved. Social media is playing an enormous role in creating and sustaining that change to horizontal based shared governance with real citizen participation in the political culture.
Social Media Implications for Industry.
Industry that depends on a social license to operate in the marketplace is also in serious peril from the organizational capacity of social media. The growing public opposition to big Telcos and Cable operators over ridiculously high cost and low performance of Internet service and the manipulation of rates known as User Based Billing is going to bring them to heel. That is only one sector to feel the pressure. Any other regulated sector is vulnerable and those unregulated industries will not escape the power of the mouse.
The shifting of public opinion on oil sands in Alberta and around the world, is another prime area where the corporations developing this resource are now responding to demands for authentic corporate social responsibility beyond providing investment, jobs and public relations campaigns.
Governments and industry who are not accountable, open and transparent, that do not align overtly and effectively with the values of the culture they operate in and fail refuse or neglect to adapt have reason to be afraid - very afraid.
The Alberta Party and Social Media
The Alberta Party and its membership gets this shift from vertical power based democracy to horizontal participatory democracy. We know that social media is a powerful force to create and sustain this shift in power distribution and citizen participation in politics. We are mocked by those who's power comes from the status quo for saying we want to do politics differently. We are belittled by conventional-traditional political thinkers who make comments like "it looks like the Alberta Party is trying to Tweet its way to power." We are and we will because the capacity to do so is in the Internet here and the will of citizens for a better government will make it happen.
Those who think that accusing the Alberta Party of "Tweeting it's way to power" are partly true but they don't understand the difference this new technology is making. What is happening is not a set of weak tie relationships but new vibrant networks are forming of like-minded citizens who have decided to get involved in the spirit of Reboot.
They are citizens who are going to retake Control of our democracy and politics. Many are looking to create Alternatives like the Alberta Party and others are dedicated to changing others parties from within. Then there is the need to Delete the old attitudes that lead to cynicism and disengagement from politics and participating in preserving our democracy.
Rebooting Alberta
The Reboot Alberta effort was the sparked that got progressives in Alberta together where we realized we were not alone and others shared our values and perceptions. We also realized political complacency was not a citizenship option in Alberta any more. We had to get engaged in the political culture of the times to change the trajectory from the hard core right wing shift we saw happening with the rise of the Wildrose Alliance and its libertarian governing ideology.
The forlorn belief that there is no reason to believe that anything can or will change justified not getting involved. The amazing way citizens in Egypt and Tunisia used their collected energy enabled by social media to overcome fear and get rid of dictators has to be an inspiration. Citizens in Alberta are starting to challenge how their governments work and behave.
Albertans have a safe secure and stable society but without much resolve to achieve our true potential. We must move past the pure economic realm of the Alberta Advantage. We need to consider what are our Alberta Aspirations in this changing world. Those aspirations, must be a stretch that worthy of us and push our potential as people and a province. We have to be a more integrated in our thinking and always be concerned for the economy, the environment and our social cohesion in policy and politics.
One of my aspirations as an Albertan is in the spirit and intend of the new Alberta Party as we create a new progressive, inclusive political culture with integrity, accountability, transparency, fiscal responsibility and environmental stewardship as fundamental values. I see so much potential in this new citizen's movement that has morphed into the Alberta Party. I am inspired by the courage and commitment of individual Egyptians and Tunisians who have so much more to lose and so much to gain by getting engaged. I only hope Albertans will now commit to change by a personal resolution for a peaceful but profound political revolution in Alberta.
Changing Educational Paradigms
Sir Ken Robinson was recently in Red Deer to a packed house interested in the future of public education. We will be able to provide some clips of the presentation ion the near future.
Here is an interesting video on Sir Ken Robinson on changing educational paradigms. This is interesting stuff for context on Learning Our Way to the Next Alberta. You should block off the evening of March 17 for a lecture by Michael Adams of Environics and author of a new book about the last half of life for Baby Boomers called "Stayin' Alive."
Dr. Jean Twenge will also be speaking on her new book "The Narcissist Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement." This is part of the Learning Our Way as Aspiring Albertans series pf lectures and workshops we at Cambridge Strategies do with the ATA.
You can learn more and order tickets by clicking here.
His comments on ADHD are relevant to a new book by Kathryn Burke call "An Accidental Advocate" we have helped publish. This book is a first person account of Kathryn's journey with her ADHD son and the struggle to get him the educational help he needs.
You can learn more about the book and order it here
Here is an interesting video on Sir Ken Robinson on changing educational paradigms. This is interesting stuff for context on Learning Our Way to the Next Alberta. You should block off the evening of March 17 for a lecture by Michael Adams of Environics and author of a new book about the last half of life for Baby Boomers called "Stayin' Alive."
Dr. Jean Twenge will also be speaking on her new book "The Narcissist Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement." This is part of the Learning Our Way as Aspiring Albertans series pf lectures and workshops we at Cambridge Strategies do with the ATA.
You can learn more and order tickets by clicking here.
His comments on ADHD are relevant to a new book by Kathryn Burke call "An Accidental Advocate" we have helped publish. This book is a first person account of Kathryn's journey with her ADHD son and the struggle to get him the educational help he needs.
You can learn more about the book and order it here
Thoughts on the Changing Political Landscape in Alberta
Brandon Beasley has written a very interesting opinion piece in the University of Calgary student newspaper The Gauntlet "Alberta Politics: Out With the Old."
His point is that the re-alignment of Alberta politics would see the Progressive Conservative Party split in two. The progressives would go to"the upstart centrist" Alberta Party and the conservatives would join the social and fiscal conservative Wildrose. The Alberta Liberals would fold into the centrist Alberta Party leaving the NDP on the left.
This would provide a full spectrum of choices for a revived democracy in Alberta. An interesting proposal for sure. I wonder what it would take to make it happen. For sure the PCs are likely to split to some further degree with either social conservatives leaving if a progressive wins and progressives leaving it Ted Morton wins. There is no leadership candidate who has announced yet that is compelling enough to bridge that chasm.
As for the Liberals, unless someone like Anne McLellan runs and wins the leadership there is little chance for change to the fortunes there. I don't see Anne wanting that "challenge" these days.
The NDP has it's core support and is comfortable in its role as the Jiminy Cricket kind of conscience of Alberta politics. They are there just to keep the others honest and on their toes...and they are good at it. In fact they are very good at it that nobody wants to see them in any other role.
Just some thoughts on possible options as time goes on and three political parties are hold leadership campaigns. Hard to imagine the same old - same old is going to be the expected outcome of such a thirst by citizens for a real change in Alberta politics.
His point is that the re-alignment of Alberta politics would see the Progressive Conservative Party split in two. The progressives would go to"the upstart centrist" Alberta Party and the conservatives would join the social and fiscal conservative Wildrose. The Alberta Liberals would fold into the centrist Alberta Party leaving the NDP on the left.
This would provide a full spectrum of choices for a revived democracy in Alberta. An interesting proposal for sure. I wonder what it would take to make it happen. For sure the PCs are likely to split to some further degree with either social conservatives leaving if a progressive wins and progressives leaving it Ted Morton wins. There is no leadership candidate who has announced yet that is compelling enough to bridge that chasm.
As for the Liberals, unless someone like Anne McLellan runs and wins the leadership there is little chance for change to the fortunes there. I don't see Anne wanting that "challenge" these days.
The NDP has it's core support and is comfortable in its role as the Jiminy Cricket kind of conscience of Alberta politics. They are there just to keep the others honest and on their toes...and they are good at it. In fact they are very good at it that nobody wants to see them in any other role.
Just some thoughts on possible options as time goes on and three political parties are hold leadership campaigns. Hard to imagine the same old - same old is going to be the expected outcome of such a thirst by citizens for a real change in Alberta politics.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Oil Sands Film Completely One-Sided
There is a need for a real conversation about the oil sands based on evidence and science. Propaganda by any side does not help and it is good to see some evidence based push back by industry. The slick ad campaigns by industry and the Alberta government are perceived as nothing more than the propaganda from the other side.
Albertans as owners of the oil sands are not amused by any of this posturing. Albertan's own the oil sands and we are becoming a target around the world. The agitprop approaches are not helpful. We want and deserve to have a sense of pride in this amazing opportunity. That opportunity is not just to get rich as possible as quickly as possible.
The real opportunity is to be the best stewards of our Alberta owned hydrocarbon resources on the planet. That means environmental stewardship, biodiversity stewardship, social impact stewardship, reclamation stewardship and to maximize the fiscal return from the exploitation of the resource for future generations of Albertans.
Creating jobs and attracting investment is just the ante into the oil sands game. There is so much more that needs to be done, can be done and to the credit of those oil sands corporations in the Oil Sands Leadership Initiative - is being done. More on that in later posts.
Albertans as owners of the oil sands are not amused by any of this posturing. Albertan's own the oil sands and we are becoming a target around the world. The agitprop approaches are not helpful. We want and deserve to have a sense of pride in this amazing opportunity. That opportunity is not just to get rich as possible as quickly as possible.
The real opportunity is to be the best stewards of our Alberta owned hydrocarbon resources on the planet. That means environmental stewardship, biodiversity stewardship, social impact stewardship, reclamation stewardship and to maximize the fiscal return from the exploitation of the resource for future generations of Albertans.
Creating jobs and attracting investment is just the ante into the oil sands game. There is so much more that needs to be done, can be done and to the credit of those oil sands corporations in the Oil Sands Leadership Initiative - is being done. More on that in later posts.
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