Oil Sands Environmental Monitoring is a Priority for Albertans

We Albertans own the oil sands.  They are becoming increasingly concerned about how this vital resource is being developed in our name.  There is a very clear set of priorities to guide and drive the development of the oil sands from the values research Cambridge Strategies has done in conjunction with the U of A based Oil Sand Research and Information Network.  

Environmental monitoring of oil sands development is one of the top three most important value concerns of Albertans.  Reclamation and habitat protection are the others followed by greenhouse gas emissions and water usage.

It is encouraging to see the federal and Alberta government getting together to address this concern.  The disgraced provincial water monitoring approach of oil sands has been abandoned.  Now we see the federal government pushing ahead with the announcement of a $20million Lower Athabasca Water Quality Monitoring Program.

The Alberta government is now effectively engaged in this ecological monitoring responsibility now as well and in collaboration with the federal government and industry.   Environment Minister Rob Renner acknowledges that the environment is a shared constitutional responsibility with the federal government saying some monitoring will be fed lead and others will be a major Alberta responsibility.

This is very encouraging but we need this work to be evidence based done by independent expert scientists.  We must keep all politicians in all orders of government out of the processes and reporting.  We need open access to the data and peer reviewed reporting of findings as well as full disclosure of the implications of findings and recommendations that come out of the water monitoring.

We can't trust the politicians not to interfere with this work for political purposes.  We also can't trust industry to self monitor or to control the environmental monitoring agenda. This water monitoring has to be done collaboratively between governments and in conjunction with industry.  That seems to be the case now and I am most encouraged by how this is coming together between the two orders of government and the involvement of industry.

Travis Davies of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers speaking on behalf of the industry hits a few key points going forward saying: "We are happy to be judged by good science.  We think it's a very important piece of where we want to go, which is long-term, responsible development."  (emphasis added)  CAPP goes even  further to properly frame the water monitoring initiative saying "We're certainly willing to pay our share, provided that governments collaborate and that the final product is effective, efficient and avoids duplication." (emphasis added again).

I am not a big fan of those who think government should be run more like a business.  They are very different animals and government is more often more complex than most businesses.  That said, I add the emphasis in the CAPP quotes because they underscore some necessary lessons governments can learn from the oil sands business. I applaud the CAPP emphasis on science based, long-term approach to responsible development done with an collaborative, effective, efficient approach that avoids duplication by governments.  I also add a caution to avoid gaps in the monitoring approach too.  That was a major problem with the former discredited Alberta water monitoring work.

Albertans should be pleased with this new approach to ecological monitoring by governments and industry.  We overwhelming believe (89%) that the oil sands are important to our future prosperity.  We don't trust federal or provincial politicians to manage this resource responsibly.  We strongly believe (87%) that industry must be held responsible for any ecological damage it does from oil sands development.  About 2/3 of Albertans accept some degree of federal role in the oil sands.  So this collaborative inter-governmental ecological involvement in oil sands will not offend Albertans.  But some actions and attitudes by government approach to oil sands development will offend us.

The entire field of ecological monitoring of the oil sands has to be done independent of government and industry interference and with a long-term view not tied to any investment interests, political agendas or election cycles.  The duty to ensure responsible development of the oil sands is a shared function of the federal and provincial governments along with industry.  Albertans own this vital resource and we need to ensure it is exploited in a integrated responsible way. We need to see oil sands developed with an integrated economic, environmental, social, political and cultural perspective, not just jobs and investment.

We need to look at governments as our property managers and industry as our contractors to grow the wealth from this asset.  We need to make all of them accountable to the greater good of all Albertans, including future generations, not just shareholders, bankers and other economic stakeholders.  There is a lot of fixing that has to be done to return the confidence and pride of Albertans about oil sands development. The joint effort this water monitoring heralds is a strong and positive step in the right direction.

Is Alberta Ready to Change its Political Culture?

We are into a very fecund time politically in Alberta.  We have just finished province wide municipal elections. The results were surprising to many.  The most dramatic change was the come from nowhere (never mind being) Nenshi win of the Mayor's chair in Calgary.  This was a sea change election in Calgary where 53% of the population found a reason to believe in local democracy again and they showed up to vote.  That was a 20 point bump from last election.

In an informed and extensive Feature Article "A Wave of Change" in the just released April edition of AlbertaViews magazine www.albertaviews.ab.ca Larry Johnsrude tracks and chronicles the facts and possible provincial political implications of the municipal elections.  He notes the comments and calculations made by Alberta Party leadership candidate Glenn Taylor at Reboot Alberta 3.0 on changes in municipal election in Alberta.  

Glenn was Vice President Towns at the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association.  He has taken a leave of absence from that position to run for the leadership of the Alberta Party.  Serving through the AUMA gave Glenn some insight into what happened in the last local elections.  In a political game where incumbents have a distinct advantage, Glenn noted 47% of Alberta's Town Council had new people elected.  It happens 52% of the time ion villages and 41% in municipal districts.  

No incumbent was "safe." Even some of the tried and true incumbent municipal mayors won in squeaker campaigns. Grande Prairie elected Bill Givens, an Alberta Party and Reboot Alberta guy, instead of the incumbent mayor.  In Rimbey and Crossfield and other towns citizens threw out the entire council and mayor.  Ouch!  

WHAT ABOUT FED-PROV POLITICAL CHANGE?

What does this mean for provincial politics? It is not a rhetorical question after 40 years of PC rule. We have three political parties holding leadership campaigns. I, with many others, intend to buy memberships in the Alberta Party, the Alberta Liberal Party and the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta.  I will do this so I can vote for the most progressive candidate I can find in each contest. 


No one candidate for any provincial party leadership is safe and no foregone conclusions can be drawn about the prospects of any candidate in any party at the time of writing.  We add to the confusion a pending provincial election likely in Spring of 2012 but perhaps sooner or arguably, later.  That result also seems to be open for a sea change as citizens of Alberta find a reason to believe in democracy again.  I'm sensing a minority provincial government with a progressive group having the balance of power in the next Alberta legislature.

We seem destined to have a federal election this May too.  Will we see dramatic changes there?  The death of democracy in Alberta is at its worst federally.  Maybe we are ready to send a message to the Harper government that they can't presume a wave, never mid a sweep of Alberta seats.  We Albertans sure do get taken for granted by the Conservative Party of Canada.  

With Jim Prentice abruptly quitting the Harper Government (as he likes call it!), Albertans may be wondering if Harper is in any way authentically aligned with Albertan values.  The contempt his government has shown for Canada and the presumptive arrogance that he assumes he can ignore Alberta because we have no alternative might not result in the low election turnout he is counting on.  

The progressives in this province are the majority...63% according to our Reboot Alberta survey. If we show up and vote Liberal, NDP or Green we will split the vote and return Harper - perhaps to a majority.  Progressives are going to have to find the best candidate in a riding and vote for him or her regardless of party affiliation to beat Harper.  Dr. Phil Elder of the Democratic Reform Project makes some interesting observations along those lines.


Will it happen?  Linda Duncan won that way for the NDP last election!  Will there be others this time?  Perhaps, but only if we progressive show up and take back control of our democracy in Alberta.  Apathy is not an option for progressive Albertans.  Real change is possible.  The stars are lining up.  We just have to smarten up and show up.

Why Glenn Taylor Wants to Serve as the Alberta Party Leader

Most readers of this blog will know I am working with Glenn Taylor in his effort to win the privilege to be the leader of the Alberta Party.

Glenn is blogging and sharing his sense of why and why him as a preferred choice for leader of a new party and a rebirth of effective engaged and informed citizenship in Alberta.  More progressives in Alberta become aware they can't just sit back and rest assured that Alberta will be the kind of accepting, tolerant, prosperous and progressive place they presume it will be.  We are no longer assured that the political culture and direction of the power brokers will deliver on its vast potential socially, environmentally and economically other than in search of self interest..  That kind of politics-as-usual is no longer acceptable. But what are the alternatives?

We have to build on the strengths of the past but we can't look only to the past as the road to the future. The world is now globalized and changed fundamentally. Power has shifted to the passions of persons and not cynically centralized in the isolated edicts of institutions. We are getting better and better, worse and worse, faster and faster.  Old ways of top down structured regimented thinking driven by power elites who are not committed nor capable of designing a greater good model are not just obsolete - they are dangerous.

The Alberta Party is not about being on the left or the right of the political spectrum no more than it is about the left or the right brain.  It is about a whole new mindset, politically, economically, socially, culturally and environmentally.  It is about integrating the best of both ends of the governing philosophies and adding some new consciousness not dogma.  Is is about a new focused awareness, not political spin.  It is about attending to the real problems we face not the superficial horse race analysis of politics angst that fills the media these days.  It is about allowing for imagination and creativity to be the new normal and making meaningful change with people - not for them or to them. 

Servant leaders who are dedicated to the design, development and deployment of government and governing that is about the greater good is what we need.  This is not theory - it is a necessity.  Those who are still dedicated to change from within the existing political parties deserve our respect and encouragement.  I just don't think it will happen with so much entrenched self interest embedded in the conventional party structures. We need a fresh approach and a different mindset for Albertans and community leaders that is about making Alberta the best place for the world not just the superficial consumptive and competitive goal of the best in the world.

Join this exciting citizen's movement that has become the Alberta Party.  Visit Glenn Taylor's website www.glenntaylor.org to learn more about him and his approach to changing the political culture of Alberta.
It has lots of room for all kinds of progressive people from all kinds of backgrounds and from all over the province. If you want to support  and encourage Glenn's leadership email me kenc@glenntaylor.org and I can get you a membership.

Are You Feeling the Uncertainty Too?

I just got this link from a new Follower on Twitter (H/T to @JamesETowe)
http://www.businessinsider.com/satellite-tour-foreclosure-cities-2011-1

It shows the extent of homes in foreclosure in various cities in the USA from January this year.  This is our largest market.  In many ways our only market. Alberta is even more concentrated on America as an export market.

This is sobering stuff - for them and us.  Makes you wonder what the future holds.  Status quo is not an option, that much is for sure.  The Globe and Mail on Saturday ponders the possibility of a new recession.  

Then look at the "C-Suite Survey" in the Globe and Mail today.  This is the sentiment of the corporate executives in Canada - just before the Harper Budget coming out tomorrow.  Some 83% say they are concerned about the U.S. economy.  There are 73% who share fears about rising energy prices (oil is over $100 and holding) and personal debt levels (see the foreclosure numbers again).

The encouraging aspect of the outlook of the corporate executives is they get it.  What we need to do is invest in the future and education-training investments and research-development are the key to "...generate positive economic results."

The government borrowing money for stimulus spending is now a done deal. Those in Ontario want more government infrastructure spending while the western executives want deficits trimmed.  This difference in perspectives will impact the unity of the country overtime if we don't have a national sense of purpose to over-ride these differences.

Will the Budget tomorrow be a purposeful document about the needs of the nation or just be about perpetuating the power of the Harper Cons?  We are so short of visionary leadership, quality minds, and global perspectives with politicians with the strength of character to tell us the hard facts and the harsh truth of our situations these days. I don't expect much of that in the spin and propaganda around the Budget tomorrow.

We need an adult authentic conversation about Canada and our future realities.  We are luck to have abundant resources. Are we smart enough to steward them property?  So far not so good.  We need a change in the political culture of the country.  We need an election.

David Akin's On the Hill :: Former Tory MP says his party is anti-democratic

David Akin's On the Hill :: Former Tory MP says his party is anti-democratic

This is the kind of thing any political party member has to stand up against. And every citizen has to reject in the polls.

We centralize way too much power in the leadership of political parties. It is so bad in the Harper Cons that Prime Minister Harper is a danger do democracy. He is contemptuous of democracy - and must be removed from power by citizens. Read Lawrence Martin's great book Harperland for detailed reasons why we need to defeat this kind of political abuse of power.

In Alberta we can change this centralized power system. With three parties (Alberta Party, Liberal Party and PC Party) are looking for new leaders we can make a difference and change the political culture of Alberta by simply putting up $20 to buy a membership in all three parties and push for the kind of leader you want to have as a choice for Premier next election. I call it the $20 Buck Revolution.

Take the time to join all three Alberta parties and find the leadership candidate that reflects your values and is interested in the greater good. Do not support any party or person more interested in political power than public service.

I will give you my preferred choices of leadership candidates, in all three parties, that reflect the core political values of Albertans - integrity, honesty, accountability, transparency, fiscal responsibility and environmental stewardship.