One of the most difficult issues to deal with in oil sands mining is what to do with the tailing ponds left over after the oil is extracted from the sands. There is an obligation on industry to reclaim these ponds that contain water, sand, oil and some heavy metals. It seems as though the water in these ponds neither evaporates nor dissipates and it may be that the sand molecules are so fine the water just keeps “attached.” If these toxic tailing ponds ever escape into the Athabasca River, the damage to all life forms in, on and along the waterway will be devastating.
Well the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board as started to step up on the issue of resolving the tailing pond issues. They has issued a draft directive demanding the clean-up on these waste reservoirs needs to start and the old voluntary approach for industry to respond to this obligation to reclaim these ponds to an equivalent land use to the original status is about to end.
The Discrete Choice Modeling survey Cambridge Strategies did last October/November of some 3400 Albertans showed that oil sand water usage and reclamation issues were the third and forth ranked critical value drivers for Albertans around responsible and sustainable oil sands development. The top ranked issues by far were preserving wildlife habitat and greenhouse gas capture.
New technologies have been tried to solve the waste water tailings pond problems with various degrees of success. The result of no easy solution to the tailing ponds has been a default to deferral and delay in addressing the problem. Looks like the days were reclamation delays are going to be tolerated are numbered, given the ERCB Draft Directive Backgrounder they issued today.
This directive, if acted upon, will be one of the most encouraging initiatives undertaken by the regulator in recent years. It will go a long way to dealing with the damaging international image of dirty oil from the Alberta oil sands too. Most of the reaction resulting in framing dirty oil sands has been around GHG and that is a legitimate concern. However, reclamation, water usage and wildlife habitat are very critical negative consequences of oil sands extraction too.
They are concerns that need to be added to the menu of dirty oil sands issues that need to be fix and not just manage with PR and advertising campaigns.
Today’s ERCB draft directive starts the shift in consciousness from tailing pond indifference to forcing a difference towards oil sands extraction that reduces fresh water usage, reduced stored waste water volumes and starts to get serious about tailing pond reclamation to return them to a useful landscape purpose once again.
Kudos to the ERCB for getting serious and for dealing aggressively with this potentially dangerous and devastating environmental catastrophe. It is long past due. Now we citizens have to monitor the final determination and implementation of this regulatory directive and ensure the ERCB doesn’t get knocked off the policy puck.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Taft Throws In the Towel.
So Kevin Taft makes it official and calls it quits as Alberta Liberal Leader after two elections and some five years of service. He will stay on as MLA for Edmonton Riverview and will still be making a political contribution to the public life of Alberta presumably for the next four years.
I wonder what will happen if an outsider wins the Alberta Liberal leadership. There may be some pressure on him to retire his seat then and force a by-election to give the new leaders a chance at a seat in the Legislature. Time will tell but Edmonton Riverview is by no means a safe Liberal seat. It will have to be won by a new leader should that be the case.
Kevin Taft was always a reluctant politician and even more reluctant as a party leader. But he was always ready, willing and able to learn both jobs and prepared to make the personal sacrifices and suffer all the other impositions of public political life. He was drawn into politics on a dare from Ralph Klein who once called him a “Communist” and suggested Taft run for office instead of criticizing from the sidelines. Taft responded to the taunt and took up the challenge, running successfully as the MLA for Edmonton Riverview.
He was thrust into the leadership role by and large because nobody else wanted the job after the former leader, Nancy McBeth lost an election and was replaced by Ken Nicol who was effectively an interim leader. Taft was an academic and learned party politics and political leadership on the job and mostly from a standing start. Regardless of his electoral success, one has to give him credit for being a quick study and staying the course.
Taft’s resignation will now give the Alberta Liberal Party a chance to reflect and reconsider its place and future in Alberta politics. I am hoping they take a page or two from the Progressive Conservative Party leadership process and improve on it around concerns about donation disclosures. But I encourage them to make their leadership process open to any Albertan who wants to buy an Alberta Liberal Party membership and have a say in the leader selection. After all we are talking about selecting someone who would be at least eligible to be Premier of our province. All Albertans should be interested in helping make that choice. It would be good for democracy and the Alberta Liberals too.
The Nervous Nellies in the Alberta Liberal brain trust will worry that PC’s might encourage their supporters to buy Liberal memberships just to select the weakest Liberal leadership candidate for reasons of pure political advantage. After all some believe that was what a number of Alberta Liberals did in the last PC leadership contest.
If that was ever actually happening, or even rumoured to be the case, I am pretty sure ordinary Albertans would engage actively in the Alberta Liberal leadership selection process to ensure that would not be the end result. Such a tactic would seriously devalue the level of trust and respect citizens would afford the PC Party I expect. Stelmach has 72 seats and all the power he needs to do anything he wants within the law, including making laws pretty quickly if he wishes.
The PCs do not need to undermine the Alberta Liberals by trying to hijack the leadership selection process. It would not be worth the risk to the PC party brand to engage in such shenanigans for such puerile political purposes. So I encourage the Alberta Liberals to open up their party and let ordinary Albertans in to participate in who might lead Alberta's Loyal Opposition.
With Taft’s resignation decision the party leadership transition in all of Alberta's significant political parties is complete. Ralph Klein, Raj Pannu and now Kevin Taft are all gone or going. The Alberta they knew is pretty much history too. Alberta has become a very different place since those leaders came on the political scene.
Albertans are ready to move on to the next stage of being an Albertan. I sense that the engaged Albertan wants real changes and real choices and clearly defined alternatives in its politics going forward. They want political leadership with personal character qualities they can trust and respect. We want political leadership that is competent and capable to actually envisage, design and deliver the next Alberta in a local, provincial, national, continental - and now in a global context.
I wonder if we Albertans will be engaged enough as citizens to make such demands of the Alberta Liberal Party during the leadership process. Or are we simply so cynical as citizens that we will just disengage and ignore this opportunity to have a say about how we are to be governed and by whom…even if it is only about our opposition party leadership.
My next post will be some thoughts on the likely suspects who have indicated interest in succeeding Taft. I will speculate a bit on others who may want to seek the Alberta Liberal leadership job and who might be checking out their support levels to see if they stand a chance of winning.
I wonder what will happen if an outsider wins the Alberta Liberal leadership. There may be some pressure on him to retire his seat then and force a by-election to give the new leaders a chance at a seat in the Legislature. Time will tell but Edmonton Riverview is by no means a safe Liberal seat. It will have to be won by a new leader should that be the case.
Kevin Taft was always a reluctant politician and even more reluctant as a party leader. But he was always ready, willing and able to learn both jobs and prepared to make the personal sacrifices and suffer all the other impositions of public political life. He was drawn into politics on a dare from Ralph Klein who once called him a “Communist” and suggested Taft run for office instead of criticizing from the sidelines. Taft responded to the taunt and took up the challenge, running successfully as the MLA for Edmonton Riverview.
He was thrust into the leadership role by and large because nobody else wanted the job after the former leader, Nancy McBeth lost an election and was replaced by Ken Nicol who was effectively an interim leader. Taft was an academic and learned party politics and political leadership on the job and mostly from a standing start. Regardless of his electoral success, one has to give him credit for being a quick study and staying the course.
Taft’s resignation will now give the Alberta Liberal Party a chance to reflect and reconsider its place and future in Alberta politics. I am hoping they take a page or two from the Progressive Conservative Party leadership process and improve on it around concerns about donation disclosures. But I encourage them to make their leadership process open to any Albertan who wants to buy an Alberta Liberal Party membership and have a say in the leader selection. After all we are talking about selecting someone who would be at least eligible to be Premier of our province. All Albertans should be interested in helping make that choice. It would be good for democracy and the Alberta Liberals too.
The Nervous Nellies in the Alberta Liberal brain trust will worry that PC’s might encourage their supporters to buy Liberal memberships just to select the weakest Liberal leadership candidate for reasons of pure political advantage. After all some believe that was what a number of Alberta Liberals did in the last PC leadership contest.
If that was ever actually happening, or even rumoured to be the case, I am pretty sure ordinary Albertans would engage actively in the Alberta Liberal leadership selection process to ensure that would not be the end result. Such a tactic would seriously devalue the level of trust and respect citizens would afford the PC Party I expect. Stelmach has 72 seats and all the power he needs to do anything he wants within the law, including making laws pretty quickly if he wishes.
The PCs do not need to undermine the Alberta Liberals by trying to hijack the leadership selection process. It would not be worth the risk to the PC party brand to engage in such shenanigans for such puerile political purposes. So I encourage the Alberta Liberals to open up their party and let ordinary Albertans in to participate in who might lead Alberta's Loyal Opposition.
With Taft’s resignation decision the party leadership transition in all of Alberta's significant political parties is complete. Ralph Klein, Raj Pannu and now Kevin Taft are all gone or going. The Alberta they knew is pretty much history too. Alberta has become a very different place since those leaders came on the political scene.
Albertans are ready to move on to the next stage of being an Albertan. I sense that the engaged Albertan wants real changes and real choices and clearly defined alternatives in its politics going forward. They want political leadership with personal character qualities they can trust and respect. We want political leadership that is competent and capable to actually envisage, design and deliver the next Alberta in a local, provincial, national, continental - and now in a global context.
I wonder if we Albertans will be engaged enough as citizens to make such demands of the Alberta Liberal Party during the leadership process. Or are we simply so cynical as citizens that we will just disengage and ignore this opportunity to have a say about how we are to be governed and by whom…even if it is only about our opposition party leadership.
My next post will be some thoughts on the likely suspects who have indicated interest in succeeding Taft. I will speculate a bit on others who may want to seek the Alberta Liberal leadership job and who might be checking out their support levels to see if they stand a chance of winning.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
I'm Betting Kevin Taft Intends to Stay On as Leader of the Alberta Liberals.
Reading Kevin Taft’s op-ed in the Edmonton Journal this Monday does not sound like a man about to leave his party’s leadership or political life for that matter.
My bet is Taft is planning on staying on as the Alberta Liberal leader and he will announce that intention on or before next Monday.
WHAT IS SO SMART ABOUT SAVE ALL THE SURPLUS IN THE HERITAGE FUND
Taft is definitely talking future forward in the op-ed and making suggestions about what to do with non-renewable resource revenue surpluses. He suggests we bank the entire $32B in estimated surpluses said to be coming the next 2 years. He says put it all right into the Heritage Savings and Trust Fund in perpetuity.
His rationale makes some short term sense. He says that while we need pubic infrastructure, we don’t need it all at once and we ought not build it in ways that cost a premium in our overheated economy and that adds to our increasing inflation. He says saving all the resource revenues is the best solution to the problem he identifies as our government not knowing how to spend these funds sensibly. Isn’t that a sad indictment of the capacity, consciousness and vision of our political class – from all parties?
WHAT ABOUT ALBERTA'S HUMAN AND NATURAL CAPITAL DEFICITS?
The problem with the total saving suggestion is that it ignores the other significant Alberta public infrastructure deficit, namely the huge and growing social infrastructure deficit. The wealth Alberta is generating is not being shared equitable with all Albertans. We are quick to note how much of our growth benefits the rest of Canada. We are myopic on the social damage the pace of growth and coagulation of cash at the top of our social food chain is having on the quality of life of ordinary Albertans.
We have our most vulnerable citizens being left on our streets like the hard to manage developmentally disabled people are being sent to hospitals because there is nobody able to meet their needs in safe and nurturing places. They are now clogging our hospitals because we don’t pay communiy based social service staff a livable wage as they try to meet the complex needs of developmentally disabled citizens. So many of the programs get cancelled and seriously at-risk people end up getting turned away and loose in our community with nowhere to go. We are recycling other less fortunate’s through our shelters, courts and correction system. We find many other vulnerable citizens like the elderly and addicted being subjected to more abuse and violence and that is making our communities unsafe and our citizens insecure.
We also need to invest more in the environmental deficit we have created with growth pressures caused by runaway oil sands development. We need to do something serious about picking up the pace reclamation and cleaning up contaminated abandoned convention oil and gas sites. We need R and D investment in new green technologies and techniques like carbon capture and sequestration and new oil sands extraction technologies making it a greener energy source.
I am all for saving a significant portion of non-renewable resource revenues and agree we can spread out our building of some public capital infrastructure projects. Alberta cannot continue to delay addressing the human, social and natural capital infrastructure deficits we have created and ignoring.
So much of our political thought these days focus on rising costs and inflation. That is part of the puzzle but not all of it because it focuses on the importance of controlling costs and ignores the enhancement of the value of what makes our lives worth living.
IT'S ABOUT MORE THAN THE ECONOMY
A strong adaptive economy is like water is to soup, necessary but not sufficient in itself. Part of the role of modern democracies is to facilitate the expression of our collective empathy over what we as a society are responsible for and what we really care about. That must include caring for people, protecting place and addressing our many predicaments as a society.
Socking some of our cash in the Heritage Fund is part of a long term inter-generational fairness solution. But to rely solely on non-renewable surpluses for savings as a fiscal policy is not a serious solution to any of the real and immediate and significant challenges we face in our society today. Using such savings as a means to merely reduce taxes is more about pandering politics than good public policy. It ends up stifling the capacity of our government to use the tax base and the growth of the economy as the means to meet our current, on-going and long term social and ecological obligations.
Saving is a virtue but not the only virtue for a society. Taxes may be just plain evil in the minds of many citizens, but we also know they are a necessary evil. Governments are supposed to find the balance for us and so far Mr. Taft's proposal for saving all our surpluses has not done that.
My bet is Taft is planning on staying on as the Alberta Liberal leader and he will announce that intention on or before next Monday.
WHAT IS SO SMART ABOUT SAVE ALL THE SURPLUS IN THE HERITAGE FUND
Taft is definitely talking future forward in the op-ed and making suggestions about what to do with non-renewable resource revenue surpluses. He suggests we bank the entire $32B in estimated surpluses said to be coming the next 2 years. He says put it all right into the Heritage Savings and Trust Fund in perpetuity.
His rationale makes some short term sense. He says that while we need pubic infrastructure, we don’t need it all at once and we ought not build it in ways that cost a premium in our overheated economy and that adds to our increasing inflation. He says saving all the resource revenues is the best solution to the problem he identifies as our government not knowing how to spend these funds sensibly. Isn’t that a sad indictment of the capacity, consciousness and vision of our political class – from all parties?
WHAT ABOUT ALBERTA'S HUMAN AND NATURAL CAPITAL DEFICITS?
The problem with the total saving suggestion is that it ignores the other significant Alberta public infrastructure deficit, namely the huge and growing social infrastructure deficit. The wealth Alberta is generating is not being shared equitable with all Albertans. We are quick to note how much of our growth benefits the rest of Canada. We are myopic on the social damage the pace of growth and coagulation of cash at the top of our social food chain is having on the quality of life of ordinary Albertans.
We have our most vulnerable citizens being left on our streets like the hard to manage developmentally disabled people are being sent to hospitals because there is nobody able to meet their needs in safe and nurturing places. They are now clogging our hospitals because we don’t pay communiy based social service staff a livable wage as they try to meet the complex needs of developmentally disabled citizens. So many of the programs get cancelled and seriously at-risk people end up getting turned away and loose in our community with nowhere to go. We are recycling other less fortunate’s through our shelters, courts and correction system. We find many other vulnerable citizens like the elderly and addicted being subjected to more abuse and violence and that is making our communities unsafe and our citizens insecure.
We also need to invest more in the environmental deficit we have created with growth pressures caused by runaway oil sands development. We need to do something serious about picking up the pace reclamation and cleaning up contaminated abandoned convention oil and gas sites. We need R and D investment in new green technologies and techniques like carbon capture and sequestration and new oil sands extraction technologies making it a greener energy source.
I am all for saving a significant portion of non-renewable resource revenues and agree we can spread out our building of some public capital infrastructure projects. Alberta cannot continue to delay addressing the human, social and natural capital infrastructure deficits we have created and ignoring.
So much of our political thought these days focus on rising costs and inflation. That is part of the puzzle but not all of it because it focuses on the importance of controlling costs and ignores the enhancement of the value of what makes our lives worth living.
IT'S ABOUT MORE THAN THE ECONOMY
A strong adaptive economy is like water is to soup, necessary but not sufficient in itself. Part of the role of modern democracies is to facilitate the expression of our collective empathy over what we as a society are responsible for and what we really care about. That must include caring for people, protecting place and addressing our many predicaments as a society.
Socking some of our cash in the Heritage Fund is part of a long term inter-generational fairness solution. But to rely solely on non-renewable surpluses for savings as a fiscal policy is not a serious solution to any of the real and immediate and significant challenges we face in our society today. Using such savings as a means to merely reduce taxes is more about pandering politics than good public policy. It ends up stifling the capacity of our government to use the tax base and the growth of the economy as the means to meet our current, on-going and long term social and ecological obligations.
Saving is a virtue but not the only virtue for a society. Taxes may be just plain evil in the minds of many citizens, but we also know they are a necessary evil. Governments are supposed to find the balance for us and so far Mr. Taft's proposal for saving all our surpluses has not done that.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Is Harper Trying to Intimidate the Judiciary?
I see the Harper “government” is continuing to be total consistent in its exercise of poor judgment and for its tendency for using tactics to trump statesmanship.
Now they have delved into the tax returns of our judiciary presumable as a negotiation technique to "settle" compensation negotiations for Judges.
The story the Harper Cons spin is all about putting the judiciary in their fiscal place and showing them that the Prime Minister is the Executive Branch he is the real Sheriff in town. The Judges better toe the line if they know what is god for them - or else.
This Putin-esque and Bush-league breach of privacy was done to bolster the arguments the Cons want to make that the Judges never had it so good and they don’t deserve a pay raise. The “reality” is the Cons wanted to prove was that the Judges are making more money on the Bench than they ever did in private practice. The story indicates that is true some cases and not for others, but so what! When was remuneration of a professional like a lawyer, the best test of their capacity to act independently, courageously and judiciously? In fact it may be evidence to the contrary.
The past private income of Judges when they were lawyers has nothing to do with their capacity and ability to do their job in the judiciary. The fact is the Harper Cons don’t understand this and if they do they don’t care about the privacy of citizens – even those in the judiciary who we depend on to protect us from the abuse of power by the state. Harper’s henchmen believe they are the only authority in government and they can breach the privacy of anyone they choose, including the judiciary.
The fact the Harper Cons believe they can access private tax records of individual citizens to aid their puerile political purposes and that they can do so with impunity only adds to the mounting evidence this bunch are not straight shooters.
I think it is only fair and I would like to see the tax records of the Harper highly paid and pampered Cabinet and Parliamentary Secretaries. Let’s see if they all took a pay cut in order to get into politics. The Cons are there to serve their own greater personal interests in public instead of being persons who are dedicated to serving the public interest.
The story the Harper Cons spin is all about putting the judiciary in their fiscal place and showing them that the Prime Minister is the Executive Branch he is the real Sheriff in town. The Judges better toe the line if they know what is god for them - or else.
This Putin-esque and Bush-league breach of privacy was done to bolster the arguments the Cons want to make that the Judges never had it so good and they don’t deserve a pay raise. The “reality” is the Cons wanted to prove was that the Judges are making more money on the Bench than they ever did in private practice. The story indicates that is true some cases and not for others, but so what! When was remuneration of a professional like a lawyer, the best test of their capacity to act independently, courageously and judiciously? In fact it may be evidence to the contrary.
The past private income of Judges when they were lawyers has nothing to do with their capacity and ability to do their job in the judiciary. The fact is the Harper Cons don’t understand this and if they do they don’t care about the privacy of citizens – even those in the judiciary who we depend on to protect us from the abuse of power by the state. Harper’s henchmen believe they are the only authority in government and they can breach the privacy of anyone they choose, including the judiciary.
The fact the Harper Cons believe they can access private tax records of individual citizens to aid their puerile political purposes and that they can do so with impunity only adds to the mounting evidence this bunch are not straight shooters.
I think it is only fair and I would like to see the tax records of the Harper highly paid and pampered Cabinet and Parliamentary Secretaries. Let’s see if they all took a pay cut in order to get into politics. The Cons are there to serve their own greater personal interests in public instead of being persons who are dedicated to serving the public interest.
George Carlin Checks Out and Will Be Missed.
George Carlin died yesterday. He was a brilliant political observer and social commentator about so many things. He had a peculiar and particular ability to point out the profoundly stupid aspects and attitudes of those beings they call human. He was America's immoral compass.
Carlin was philosophical, insightful, pointed, profane and so very funny. Consider this classic Carlinism as a "clean" example of his observations:
"Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that."
George Carlin
George Carlin
I am going to miss him.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Dion Shifts From Neutral to Green - Harper Still in Reverse.
Here it is – the Dion “Green Shift” initiative that was announced today. This website is going to be one that I will book mark and visit often.
I, along with many other Canadians who are beginning to look seriously at new ways to address the challenge of climate change, need to get engaged and stay on top if this new policy initiative.
This is a great start and I see I have lots of reading and reflecting to do. Let’s see just how far, fast and deep this cultural change can happen. It is time we started pulling for the planet – each and every one of us.
I, along with many other Canadians who are beginning to look seriously at new ways to address the challenge of climate change, need to get engaged and stay on top if this new policy initiative.
This is a great start and I see I have lots of reading and reflecting to do. Let’s see just how far, fast and deep this cultural change can happen. It is time we started pulling for the planet – each and every one of us.
Dion's Carbon Tax-Shift Policy Will Give Canadians a Positive Choice for the Future
I expect the John Baird Character assassinator and Harper's Pit-Bully Peter Van Loan to be in full screaming rant today as Dion releases his tax-shifting policy approach to carbon reduction.
Starting today, there is going to be a definite difference in the political and policy choices being offered to Canadians over this summer. The choice Harper offers is a contuation of his rearview mirror approach of trying to perfect yesterday. Harper will be pushing political buttons with misleading messaging based on outmoded mental models that are reckless and feckless. He and his ilk still believe that growth at any speed in any way is the way to the preferred future regardless of the social and environmental costs.
Canadians will get to compare Harper’s perpetuation of the post-industrial to the Dion who is offering us the chance to change our attitudes. Dion will be saying we need get serious about taking on the challenges of our planet and design our future prosperity with a goal of sustainability. Dion messages will be thought-provoking and engaging. Harper will continue to be misleading and giving us mind-numbing messages telling us it is ok to go back to sleep and that we don’t need to worry.
We have to get serious as a species about learning how to adapt to an integrated stewardship approach to growth and prosperity. We need to take this reality to heart and engage with a head on focus and a sense of urgency.
I have not seen the Dion tax-shift carbon policy yet but all indications are that it is serious and significant. This policy is not one of those senseless ballot- candy ploys like a Harper 2% GST "reduction." I hope engaged and thoughtful Canadians will take the time to learn, understand and reflect on the substance and implications of what is being proposed. That means we will also be able to cut through the crap the Cons will be throwing out there.
Thought-leading and engaged Canadians need to look at their policy options and political choices beyond the canned commentary of the usual suspects in the mainstream media machines. I expect they will only look at this choice of futures as a political horserace and avoid the pith and substance of the policy options because that takes time to digest and vigor to explain.
Starting today, there is going to be a definite difference in the political and policy choices being offered to Canadians over this summer. The choice Harper offers is a contuation of his rearview mirror approach of trying to perfect yesterday. Harper will be pushing political buttons with misleading messaging based on outmoded mental models that are reckless and feckless. He and his ilk still believe that growth at any speed in any way is the way to the preferred future regardless of the social and environmental costs.
Canadians will get to compare Harper’s perpetuation of the post-industrial to the Dion who is offering us the chance to change our attitudes. Dion will be saying we need get serious about taking on the challenges of our planet and design our future prosperity with a goal of sustainability. Dion messages will be thought-provoking and engaging. Harper will continue to be misleading and giving us mind-numbing messages telling us it is ok to go back to sleep and that we don’t need to worry.
We have to get serious as a species about learning how to adapt to an integrated stewardship approach to growth and prosperity. We need to take this reality to heart and engage with a head on focus and a sense of urgency.
I have not seen the Dion tax-shift carbon policy yet but all indications are that it is serious and significant. This policy is not one of those senseless ballot- candy ploys like a Harper 2% GST "reduction." I hope engaged and thoughtful Canadians will take the time to learn, understand and reflect on the substance and implications of what is being proposed. That means we will also be able to cut through the crap the Cons will be throwing out there.
Thought-leading and engaged Canadians need to look at their policy options and political choices beyond the canned commentary of the usual suspects in the mainstream media machines. I expect they will only look at this choice of futures as a political horserace and avoid the pith and substance of the policy options because that takes time to digest and vigor to explain.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Looks Like Harper's Negative Ad Campaign Is Backfiring?
Looks like the Harper Cons negative ads are backfiring. This is according to a recent poll quoted in a story in the Hill Times this week. I found this quote from the story most telling:
"According to the Innovative poll, of those who were aware of the ads, 60 per cent said they were left with a negative impression of them, and 20 per cent said they were left with a positive impression, while 18 per cent said neither. "
That is not good news for the Harper message-controlling brain-trust.
The MSM has given the Cons more free "earned media" than they have spent on the ads themselves by the looks of it. Kind of reminds me of the MSM carpet bombing "news coverage" that was done on the personal tragedy that is Brittany Spears a few weeks ago. The MSM then finally looked at themselves, came to their senses, and decided to show some semblance of responsible journalism, and left her alone.
For those Cons who will want to equate my Spears comment to Coulliard, ask yourself if Spears was involved in relationships that undermined national security and Cabinet confidentiality.
The Cons ads are not news. They are not factual. They are not even relevant because the Dion tax shifting policy is not yet finalized. The negative campaign-style ads are just a political tactic that is infotainment masquerading as a public policy issue. Come on MSM, don't get fooled again.
"According to the Innovative poll, of those who were aware of the ads, 60 per cent said they were left with a negative impression of them, and 20 per cent said they were left with a positive impression, while 18 per cent said neither. "
That is not good news for the Harper message-controlling brain-trust.
The MSM has given the Cons more free "earned media" than they have spent on the ads themselves by the looks of it. Kind of reminds me of the MSM carpet bombing "news coverage" that was done on the personal tragedy that is Brittany Spears a few weeks ago. The MSM then finally looked at themselves, came to their senses, and decided to show some semblance of responsible journalism, and left her alone.
For those Cons who will want to equate my Spears comment to Coulliard, ask yourself if Spears was involved in relationships that undermined national security and Cabinet confidentiality.
The Cons ads are not news. They are not factual. They are not even relevant because the Dion tax shifting policy is not yet finalized. The negative campaign-style ads are just a political tactic that is infotainment masquerading as a public policy issue. Come on MSM, don't get fooled again.
Is Harper Afraid of An Election?
Harper Cons are all about political tactics – again. The anti-Dion election style negative ad campaign is admittedly a channel-changing fast-track strategy to divert attention away from the Cons catastrophic performance as of late. Not surprising and no longer very disappointing because Canadians expectations of the Harper government are so low and declining.
A few months ago Harper took great glee in trying to goad Dion into an unnecessary and unwanted election. Dion wasn’t ready nor were Canadians in any mood for another election so soon. They elected Harper to give him a chance and his constant efforts to engineer his own defeat was not what we expected from our newbie Con government.
Harper is now loathed to have an election and in fact fears that he might have to face the Canadian electorate on his record. He has no vision for the country and no sense of the nation and no plan for what to do next - other than bully the opposition and the provinces. Hence the quickie and expensive channel changing ad campaign intended to divert attention from the facts about his wobbling and wandering government.
Politics is so variable. In a few short months Harper has moved from being a political bully who was always mocking for an election, to today where he is a politically a dead man, balking and dreading the possibility of an imminent election.
A few months ago Harper took great glee in trying to goad Dion into an unnecessary and unwanted election. Dion wasn’t ready nor were Canadians in any mood for another election so soon. They elected Harper to give him a chance and his constant efforts to engineer his own defeat was not what we expected from our newbie Con government.
Harper is now loathed to have an election and in fact fears that he might have to face the Canadian electorate on his record. He has no vision for the country and no sense of the nation and no plan for what to do next - other than bully the opposition and the provinces. Hence the quickie and expensive channel changing ad campaign intended to divert attention from the facts about his wobbling and wandering government.
Politics is so variable. In a few short months Harper has moved from being a political bully who was always mocking for an election, to today where he is a politically a dead man, balking and dreading the possibility of an imminent election.
Friday, June 13, 2008
The Hero's Behind the Residential School Apology
The Margaret Mead truism that we should never underestimate the ability of a small group of people to change the world, and accept the fact that change is always done that way. This reality is so evident as what caused the Government of Canada apology this past week. The identity and roles the small group of people who were behind this event has come to the fore with this Globe and Mail background story on Canada’s apology for the tragedy of residential schools.
The pressure for the apology comes from sources that are indeed a small group of people, including the former and current Conservative Ministers of Indian Affairs, Jim Prentice and Chuck Strahl along with Metis and Conservative Senator Gerry St. Germain added his considerable voice.
The efforts were trans-partisan as former Liberal MP Gary Merasty had added pressure with his House of Commons motion for an apology that was passed with Conservative support. Then there was the effective effort of the Leader of the NDP, Jack Layton and his personal influence in helping the Prime Minister work through the idea of an apology and its potential positive impact. Prime Minister Harper was persuaded and took a personal interest and is reported to have written most of the apology himself. Prime Minister Harper was also very generous in his praise of Jack Layton’s role in his preamble to the apology.
This is quality governance and good governing at its finest. It is reassuring to see that it can still trump politics. Thanks to all those who made June 11, 2008 a date that will go down in Canadian history. It is hopefully a turning point and a place-marker of where we once again began to be worthy our Canadian mythology of an inclusive, welcoming, caring and compassionate society.
The pressure for the apology comes from sources that are indeed a small group of people, including the former and current Conservative Ministers of Indian Affairs, Jim Prentice and Chuck Strahl along with Metis and Conservative Senator Gerry St. Germain added his considerable voice.
The efforts were trans-partisan as former Liberal MP Gary Merasty had added pressure with his House of Commons motion for an apology that was passed with Conservative support. Then there was the effective effort of the Leader of the NDP, Jack Layton and his personal influence in helping the Prime Minister work through the idea of an apology and its potential positive impact. Prime Minister Harper was persuaded and took a personal interest and is reported to have written most of the apology himself. Prime Minister Harper was also very generous in his praise of Jack Layton’s role in his preamble to the apology.
This is quality governance and good governing at its finest. It is reassuring to see that it can still trump politics. Thanks to all those who made June 11, 2008 a date that will go down in Canadian history. It is hopefully a turning point and a place-marker of where we once again began to be worthy our Canadian mythology of an inclusive, welcoming, caring and compassionate society.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Back to the Odds and Sods of Conservative Politics.
Bernier to Harper: "Look who I have as my 'official girlfriend' Stephen. What do you mean I can't keep her?"
Good to see that Prime Minister Harper finally called the public inquiry into the Schreiber/Mulroney Affair. Eight months since he promised...justice delayed is justice denied Mr. Prime Minister.
The proposed new Canadian Copyright Law genuflects to the American pressures and could make Canada akin to China when it comes to controlling the Internet. I am a big fan of Jim Prentice but can’t support him on this one.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
The Apology for Canada Is Meaningful and Well Done. Will It Be Well Received?
The Apology today was our political leaders, both the House of Commons partisan and the national aboriginal leadership, at their very finest. I want to specifically thank Prime Minister Stephen Harper for the authenticity and sincerity he personally conveyed in articulating the depth of our national shame and in detailing the sad and sorrowful reasons for which we need to apologize.
Canada was proud to be recognized as the best place in the world to live by the United Nations Human Development Index for about 6 straight years. We were quickly relegated to 6th place once the lives and plight of our aboriginal peoples were included in the UN evaluation. That re-evaluation underscores the consequences of our collective shame and for our failings of aboriginal peoples as exemplified by the Residential School tragedy.
Grand Chief Phil Fontaine said this day is "...a testimony to the achievment of the impossible." Mary Simon of the Inuit said that today this is the “dawning of a new day.” There is a need for us to find a new way to go forward and to commit ourselves to develop more mutual trust and respect. That is going to be so necessary before we can overcome that part of our shared history and the abject injury that has been wrought upon so many aboriginal people.
This day will be iconic in the history of this country. The struggle for truth and reconciliation starts today but we have an auspicious start. Well done and thank you to all those who made "the impossible" happen and all those political and aboriginal leaders who spoke today and made it so meaningful.
Canada was proud to be recognized as the best place in the world to live by the United Nations Human Development Index for about 6 straight years. We were quickly relegated to 6th place once the lives and plight of our aboriginal peoples were included in the UN evaluation. That re-evaluation underscores the consequences of our collective shame and for our failings of aboriginal peoples as exemplified by the Residential School tragedy.
Grand Chief Phil Fontaine said this day is "...a testimony to the achievment of the impossible." Mary Simon of the Inuit said that today this is the “dawning of a new day.” There is a need for us to find a new way to go forward and to commit ourselves to develop more mutual trust and respect. That is going to be so necessary before we can overcome that part of our shared history and the abject injury that has been wrought upon so many aboriginal people.
This day will be iconic in the history of this country. The struggle for truth and reconciliation starts today but we have an auspicious start. Well done and thank you to all those who made "the impossible" happen and all those political and aboriginal leaders who spoke today and made it so meaningful.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Harper's Greasy Little Spot Ads Backfire!
The Harper Cons “Greasy Little Spot” Ads are running into some slippery slopes of their own. Seems like the company that owns the advertising monitors on gas pumps that these anti-Dion diatribes were going to be imposed on innocent people do not want anything to do with the slick and oily political propaganda that is oozing from the Harper message machine.
What is more, there is some chatter on the blogosphere about boycotting any gas station running the ads. Big oil will not be amused if they get caught in the PR disaster that the paid and personal attacks by the Harper political machine could bring upon them.
More proof that the cheap political tactics of the Harper Cons are wearing thin for a growing number of Canadians. I want peace, order and good government Mr. Harper. So far you have given me is war, confusion and no governance…with a leadership style that is just conniving and bullying.
I don’t want an election now either. However, I would like a government I can trust and respect and that has the best interests of Canadian citizens at its core, not just a lust for personal political power. Is that too much to ask?
What is more, there is some chatter on the blogosphere about boycotting any gas station running the ads. Big oil will not be amused if they get caught in the PR disaster that the paid and personal attacks by the Harper political machine could bring upon them.
More proof that the cheap political tactics of the Harper Cons are wearing thin for a growing number of Canadians. I want peace, order and good government Mr. Harper. So far you have given me is war, confusion and no governance…with a leadership style that is just conniving and bullying.
I don’t want an election now either. However, I would like a government I can trust and respect and that has the best interests of Canadian citizens at its core, not just a lust for personal political power. Is that too much to ask?
Monday, June 09, 2008
Humanity Lobotomy - Second Draft
This video is about 10 minutes long and worth every minute of it if you value freedom of speech and the open nature of the Internet.
We in Alberta have a head start on all of this because we have the SuperNet. The Alberta SuperNet is one of the most empowering and enabling communications innovations on the planet. It is unique to our province and was paid for by you the Alberta taxpayer and citizen.
It is in or available to our hospitals, schools, municipal offices and libraries - all over Alberta.
It could now be available to you directly as a citizen too. Can you imagine the impact that will have on empowering and enabling Albertans in virtually all aspects of our lives?
I will tell you more about this innovation in future blog posts. In the mean time watch this video for some background and the American experience.
We have to make sure our SuperNet stays in our hands as owners and citizens through public ownership. It is vital infrastructure for us to thrive in a 21st century knowledge and conceptual based economy.
Harper Goes Neo-Republican With an Ad Campaign Based on Truthiness
The Harper Cons are at it again. They are spending advertising money to frame the issues around Dion’s emerging carbon reduction strategy as just a tax grab. The Dion initiative is more about shifting taxes to discourage green house gas emissions and to reduce personal income tax to offset the overall government income and overall tax neutrality.
The Harper Cons are running “several thousands of dollars” (according to Jason Kenny) of election style attack ads (again) but spending funds raised from supporters donated for actual election costs. This is the tried and true Cons legal but ethically wrong tactic of using paid campaign advertising and kind of “pretending” there is an election so they can spend donor dollars and not be subject to the election spending limits. Remember the Cons have decided to sue Elections Canada for ruling they breach the law with their famous “In-and-Out” and very own election spending adscam. Remember?
This political tactic is an approach that is so American Republican and Karl Rovian in its style and substance. The MSM love the newsiness and the truthiness of the misleading story and give the Harper Cons scads of “earned media” (sic) for the sham. The coverage they give to this cheap political ploy actually makes it worth the money for the Cons. They get much more coverage and I’ll bet at a higher dollar value than the ads they actually buy.
Now the Cons will have our gas pumps talking to us about tax trickery in government. How Orwellian can you get? Sad and scary isn’t it? This is why most Canadians feel they just can't trust Stephen Harper. More and more they are coming to the conclusion that he is just too cunning and conniving to be trusted and worthy to continue to serve as our Prime Minister.
The Harper Cons are trying to convince us Dion’s climate change strategy will only be an old time traditional Liberal tax and spend policy. The Liberal’s under Martin cut spending and reduced taxes in record amounts. Harper is off base with the facts in this ad campaign but is is consistent with his major political talent of ignoring the inconvenient truths that contradict and hurts his political positioning messaging control with his Reform/Alliance base.
Dion better get his climate change strategy up and out there before he misses another opportunity to define himself, instead of letting Harper’s henchmen have at him. Polls show that Canadians are ready for some straight talk and honest effort at tackling the climate change issues and will take some pain to achieve those ends.
Harper is trying to buy his way into the Canadian consciousness and is telling us Dion is all about “raising taxes and increasing government spending.” Neither one of these Harper Cons misrepresentations are anywhere close to being an accurate characterization of what Dion is proposing in a climate change response strategy. Talk about being “tricky.” The Harper Cons take the cake.
The Harper Cons are running “several thousands of dollars” (according to Jason Kenny) of election style attack ads (again) but spending funds raised from supporters donated for actual election costs. This is the tried and true Cons legal but ethically wrong tactic of using paid campaign advertising and kind of “pretending” there is an election so they can spend donor dollars and not be subject to the election spending limits. Remember the Cons have decided to sue Elections Canada for ruling they breach the law with their famous “In-and-Out” and very own election spending adscam. Remember?
This political tactic is an approach that is so American Republican and Karl Rovian in its style and substance. The MSM love the newsiness and the truthiness of the misleading story and give the Harper Cons scads of “earned media” (sic) for the sham. The coverage they give to this cheap political ploy actually makes it worth the money for the Cons. They get much more coverage and I’ll bet at a higher dollar value than the ads they actually buy.
Now the Cons will have our gas pumps talking to us about tax trickery in government. How Orwellian can you get? Sad and scary isn’t it? This is why most Canadians feel they just can't trust Stephen Harper. More and more they are coming to the conclusion that he is just too cunning and conniving to be trusted and worthy to continue to serve as our Prime Minister.
The Harper Cons are trying to convince us Dion’s climate change strategy will only be an old time traditional Liberal tax and spend policy. The Liberal’s under Martin cut spending and reduced taxes in record amounts. Harper is off base with the facts in this ad campaign but is is consistent with his major political talent of ignoring the inconvenient truths that contradict and hurts his political positioning messaging control with his Reform/Alliance base.
Dion better get his climate change strategy up and out there before he misses another opportunity to define himself, instead of letting Harper’s henchmen have at him. Polls show that Canadians are ready for some straight talk and honest effort at tackling the climate change issues and will take some pain to achieve those ends.
Harper is trying to buy his way into the Canadian consciousness and is telling us Dion is all about “raising taxes and increasing government spending.” Neither one of these Harper Cons misrepresentations are anywhere close to being an accurate characterization of what Dion is proposing in a climate change response strategy. Talk about being “tricky.” The Harper Cons take the cake.
Issues on MLA Pay Raises Get Confusing and Are Not Going Away.
My friend Les Brost is up to his Old Prairie Dog antics again. This time he also takes on the pay hikes to Alberta's provincial politicians. He sees the process problems with this decision much like I do. He sees the pay hikes a part of a "secret deal" apparently done before the election intended to help recruit better candidates - but it was all kept quiet during the election.
Interestingly there are follow up news stories of interviews rookie PC politicians who openly say they never had such conversations. The old MLA pay was known going in and of no concern to them as candidates. This is getting murkier and sticking to the Stelmach Premiership in the minds of many Albertans. the MSM will tire of it soon given the short attention span of the 24 hour MSM machine. However, it will lurk and linger in the minds of Albertans, and with Google, they will be able to refresh their memories and rekindle their anger any time they want to do a search on "Alberta MLA pay raises."
Check out what Les has to say on his opinion piece in the Calgary Herald today.
Interestingly there are follow up news stories of interviews rookie PC politicians who openly say they never had such conversations. The old MLA pay was known going in and of no concern to them as candidates. This is getting murkier and sticking to the Stelmach Premiership in the minds of many Albertans. the MSM will tire of it soon given the short attention span of the 24 hour MSM machine. However, it will lurk and linger in the minds of Albertans, and with Google, they will be able to refresh their memories and rekindle their anger any time they want to do a search on "Alberta MLA pay raises."
Check out what Les has to say on his opinion piece in the Calgary Herald today.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Don't Just Complain About Politician's Pay - Act Like a Citizen and Make Them Earn It!
OK Alberta, if we are paying our provincial politicians so handsomely, and we are, then it is time for the citizens to get engaged in their democracy and be sure we get our money’s worth form our politicians.
So whatever your issue, concern, fear, hope, aspiration, insight or just plain observations are about life in Alberta, you need to let your MLA know. In the process you might take the time to learn something about your MLA as well. Lots of info is on the Internet – just Google them. If they don’t show up much in Google, that should tell you something about how effective, engaged or capable they are as your political representative.
Learn lots about them and where they stand on issues on issues by going to Hansard and searching your issue or concern and the name of the MLA. You can find out lots about what your democratically elected representatives are interested in and what they are doing and saying in Hansard too. See if they have a website and visit it - regularly. Do a blog search in Google again and see if they are reaching out and commenting on issues and ideas that way. If there is not much happening on their websites, like regular updates, comments and content changes, I would be wondering if they are doing their jobs for you.
If they are not really engaged in getting in touch with you and not very involved in commenting or communicating on issues of the day and making little attempt to clarify policy and political efforts for you, are they worth the money you are paying them?
Here is a link for you to reach your MLA. Don’t just dash off a quick insulting email or nasty phone call to the constituency every time you get ticked about something. Citizenship is not just about venting. Show up at town hall and community events where your MLA is speaking or aTake the time to write a real letter, put a stamp on it and walk down to the mail box. The mental and physical exercise will do you good. It shows you are thoughtful and considered in your comments because you invested more time an effort. It has a larger impact on the politicians you are trying to communicate with too.
It is time for Albertans to start acting like citizens again. Passive aggressive cynicism is dangerous as our default position for citizenship. Exercise your right of free speech or risk losing it. Tell your MLA what you are thinking and concerned about. Be forthright, frequent, fair and civil in your comments and communications, but for your own sake get at it. Make you politician earn that hefty raise they just gave themselves. Let them know what is on your mind and why. Offer ideas and solutions, not just criticisms and ask for responses.
Get informed on what is going on politically in matters that interest you. The Internet can be your best friend for such information and it is easy to find with search engines. Reach out to your friends and families and help them to get and stay informed so they too will re-engage as citizens and make an effort to make a better Alberta for all of us.
The politicians are not likely to roll back the pay increase so bitching about is one response. My suggesting is more strategic. Make them earn their new pay cheques by insisting they know and show their stuff on the issues and concerns of Albertan like you. But you have to let them know what is on your mind and what specific concerns you have and what you think could be done better. It is time for Albertans to start to act like citizens again.
So whatever your issue, concern, fear, hope, aspiration, insight or just plain observations are about life in Alberta, you need to let your MLA know. In the process you might take the time to learn something about your MLA as well. Lots of info is on the Internet – just Google them. If they don’t show up much in Google, that should tell you something about how effective, engaged or capable they are as your political representative.
Learn lots about them and where they stand on issues on issues by going to Hansard and searching your issue or concern and the name of the MLA. You can find out lots about what your democratically elected representatives are interested in and what they are doing and saying in Hansard too. See if they have a website and visit it - regularly. Do a blog search in Google again and see if they are reaching out and commenting on issues and ideas that way. If there is not much happening on their websites, like regular updates, comments and content changes, I would be wondering if they are doing their jobs for you.
If they are not really engaged in getting in touch with you and not very involved in commenting or communicating on issues of the day and making little attempt to clarify policy and political efforts for you, are they worth the money you are paying them?
Here is a link for you to reach your MLA. Don’t just dash off a quick insulting email or nasty phone call to the constituency every time you get ticked about something. Citizenship is not just about venting. Show up at town hall and community events where your MLA is speaking or aTake the time to write a real letter, put a stamp on it and walk down to the mail box. The mental and physical exercise will do you good. It shows you are thoughtful and considered in your comments because you invested more time an effort. It has a larger impact on the politicians you are trying to communicate with too.
It is time for Albertans to start acting like citizens again. Passive aggressive cynicism is dangerous as our default position for citizenship. Exercise your right of free speech or risk losing it. Tell your MLA what you are thinking and concerned about. Be forthright, frequent, fair and civil in your comments and communications, but for your own sake get at it. Make you politician earn that hefty raise they just gave themselves. Let them know what is on your mind and why. Offer ideas and solutions, not just criticisms and ask for responses.
Get informed on what is going on politically in matters that interest you. The Internet can be your best friend for such information and it is easy to find with search engines. Reach out to your friends and families and help them to get and stay informed so they too will re-engage as citizens and make an effort to make a better Alberta for all of us.
The politicians are not likely to roll back the pay increase so bitching about is one response. My suggesting is more strategic. Make them earn their new pay cheques by insisting they know and show their stuff on the issues and concerns of Albertan like you. But you have to let them know what is on your mind and what specific concerns you have and what you think could be done better. It is time for Albertans to start to act like citizens again.
Friday, June 06, 2008
Are the Harper Cons Capable to Govern Canada?
I have oft accused the Harper Cons of bluster, bullying and brashness. The National Post column by John Turley-Ewart: “Failing the Bernier Test – Stephen Harper’s chance to shine is fading” is a very telling example of the reprehensible manner our government is dealing with the concerns of our country. The itemized recent exchanges in the House of Commons and the Harper Cons sneering approach to its responsibility for “governing” is underscored in this column. Read it and judge for yourself
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Claims of Doctored Harper - Cadman Tapes Undermines Canadian's Confidence in the Harper Cons
How much “confidence” can the Harper Cons handle? How much do they deserve? They have made a mockery of the idea of confidence votes claiming virtually every Commons vote to be a confidence vote. This was a vain attempt at trying to trigger a needless and pointless early election. The con the Harper Cons are perpetrating now is even more ridiculous.
Yesterday they put the Con back in confidence with the allegations of doctored tapes of Harper recorded comments on the Cadman Affair. Their dumb and dumber diatribe over such superficial allegations underscores the propensity of the PMO for message control and media manipulation. This latest episode of the decline and eventual demise of the Harper “government” has taken on a theater of the absurd quality.
The latest Con claims of “doctored audio tapes claiming alleged changes in the “meaning” of the Prime Minister’s comments about a million dollar insurance offer to Mr. Cadman for his vote is as worrisome as it is laughable. Such efforts of diversion of media attention are not new with this “government.”
The thick binder of “evidence” presented at the “news” conference was to confirm the tape contained “edits” seems to be more voluminous than luminous. Author Tom Zytaruk, who did the recording of the PM for the Cadman book he was writing, explained the “edits” in the Globe and Mail today. He says he stopped the tape “…momentarily when he thought Mr. Harper had finished speaking. When Mr Harper turned back Mr. Zytaruk resumed taping. He (Zytaruk) insisted that neither he nor Mr. Harper said anything during the interruption.” Over to you and to your audio experts Mr. Prime Minister. Rebut that please.
The story gets richer. The PM has sued the Liberals for libel but he has not taken action against the book publisher nor the author, who did the taping where the claims originated. The doctored tape claims appear strangely political don’t you think? Strangely political goes even further in this farce.
The con the Harpercrits are perpetrating goes further into the absurd. According to news report they have applied to the Ontario Superior Court to seek an injunction to stop the Liberals from using the tape…but they don’t want the matter dealt with until Sept 18. The sense of urgency to protect the PM’s reputation in these circumstances is underwhelming. Clearly there is no concern over the potential damage that these so-called “doctored tapes” might cause to the PM’s reputation and standing in the community as a result of the alleged libel can wait 3 or 4 months to be dealt with. Could it be the Cons are trying to use the courts for political purposes? Say it ain’t so Steve!
The news reports show the Cons evidence to back up such claims of “doctoring” is scant to say the most. The posturing and posing by the Harper political and Orwellian message machine is beyond suspicion. It is so far past being ludicrous.
This is not about remedying a damaged personal reputation or seeking justice for a wrong. It is the same old – same old Cons pursuing a purely political agenda. This is about them using their tried and true political tools of message control, bluster and bullying.
This will not help the Harper Cons gain the trust and respect of Canadians they need to get a majority – or even win the next election. The confidence of the people in the face of the con being perpetrated by the Conservative “government” is now an open and undecided question for the Canadian voters. This latest Harper Cons misadventure and political ridiculousness will move the needle of public opinion but not the way the Harper manipulation machine intended.
Yesterday they put the Con back in confidence with the allegations of doctored tapes of Harper recorded comments on the Cadman Affair. Their dumb and dumber diatribe over such superficial allegations underscores the propensity of the PMO for message control and media manipulation. This latest episode of the decline and eventual demise of the Harper “government” has taken on a theater of the absurd quality.
The latest Con claims of “doctored audio tapes claiming alleged changes in the “meaning” of the Prime Minister’s comments about a million dollar insurance offer to Mr. Cadman for his vote is as worrisome as it is laughable. Such efforts of diversion of media attention are not new with this “government.”
The thick binder of “evidence” presented at the “news” conference was to confirm the tape contained “edits” seems to be more voluminous than luminous. Author Tom Zytaruk, who did the recording of the PM for the Cadman book he was writing, explained the “edits” in the Globe and Mail today. He says he stopped the tape “…momentarily when he thought Mr. Harper had finished speaking. When Mr Harper turned back Mr. Zytaruk resumed taping. He (Zytaruk) insisted that neither he nor Mr. Harper said anything during the interruption.” Over to you and to your audio experts Mr. Prime Minister. Rebut that please.
The story gets richer. The PM has sued the Liberals for libel but he has not taken action against the book publisher nor the author, who did the taping where the claims originated. The doctored tape claims appear strangely political don’t you think? Strangely political goes even further in this farce.
The con the Harpercrits are perpetrating goes further into the absurd. According to news report they have applied to the Ontario Superior Court to seek an injunction to stop the Liberals from using the tape…but they don’t want the matter dealt with until Sept 18. The sense of urgency to protect the PM’s reputation in these circumstances is underwhelming. Clearly there is no concern over the potential damage that these so-called “doctored tapes” might cause to the PM’s reputation and standing in the community as a result of the alleged libel can wait 3 or 4 months to be dealt with. Could it be the Cons are trying to use the courts for political purposes? Say it ain’t so Steve!
The news reports show the Cons evidence to back up such claims of “doctoring” is scant to say the most. The posturing and posing by the Harper political and Orwellian message machine is beyond suspicion. It is so far past being ludicrous.
This is not about remedying a damaged personal reputation or seeking justice for a wrong. It is the same old – same old Cons pursuing a purely political agenda. This is about them using their tried and true political tools of message control, bluster and bullying.
This will not help the Harper Cons gain the trust and respect of Canadians they need to get a majority – or even win the next election. The confidence of the people in the face of the con being perpetrated by the Conservative “government” is now an open and undecided question for the Canadian voters. This latest Harper Cons misadventure and political ridiculousness will move the needle of public opinion but not the way the Harper manipulation machine intended.
Obama and Clinton Have Each Made An Impression - Neither Has Made History --- NOT YET!
The woman and the black man have both made an impression but neither one has made history…at least not yet.
For that to happen Obama has to win the Presidency. My money is on him. McCain is so 1975 and the disgruntled Hilary Democrats have nowhere else to go but to Obama– and the dare not stay home if they want to retake the prize - the White House.
There are a swack of 60’s feminists in my circle of friends that are mighty pissed at the Democratic Primary results. They are not American but the shared sisterhood in the States will not vote ever Republican nor for McCain...regardless of how angry and frustrated they feel. To not vote would belie their foundational belief in the democratic system and devalue their heartfelt desire for a female US President.
A female US President is inevitable because the odds favour it…the first female President is just not going to be Hillary. I say inevitable because of the number of women in the American voting pool is over 50%. All they have to do is get their act together, consolidate their political power and show up. They did for Hillary but it was not done well. the Clinton campaign was too presumptive and noblese oblige in tone. They old line campaign style was not able to deliver in the face of the phenomenon that was to be Obama.
The American voting pool for a black President is only about 10% and shrinking. So the Democratic nominee being black is ACTUALLY against all odds and that is the truly astounding thing. It is not quite a hundred years since women got the right to vote in America. For the first female candidate with as shot at the White House in 2008 is as impressive as it is saddening in its delay and disappointing result.
It has been about two centuries since the American stopped the slave trade. That factoid alone underscores the enormous impact of the Obama nomination and the significance it means for America and its place in the world. If Obama becomes President – and I hope he does, then America can once again aspire to become a beacon of hope and a place of promise, and an example of principled significance in the world. For the past 8 years of Bush-Cheney it has been anything but anything close to those aspirations.
Campaigns matter. The real campaign - McCain-Obama has been tepid and tentative so far...but that is about to change immediately. The next phase of selecting the "leader" of the free world is about to begin with a vengeance. Stay tuned. It is going to be significant. to you no matter where you live on the planet.
For that to happen Obama has to win the Presidency. My money is on him. McCain is so 1975 and the disgruntled Hilary Democrats have nowhere else to go but to Obama– and the dare not stay home if they want to retake the prize - the White House.
There are a swack of 60’s feminists in my circle of friends that are mighty pissed at the Democratic Primary results. They are not American but the shared sisterhood in the States will not vote ever Republican nor for McCain...regardless of how angry and frustrated they feel. To not vote would belie their foundational belief in the democratic system and devalue their heartfelt desire for a female US President.
A female US President is inevitable because the odds favour it…the first female President is just not going to be Hillary. I say inevitable because of the number of women in the American voting pool is over 50%. All they have to do is get their act together, consolidate their political power and show up. They did for Hillary but it was not done well. the Clinton campaign was too presumptive and noblese oblige in tone. They old line campaign style was not able to deliver in the face of the phenomenon that was to be Obama.
The American voting pool for a black President is only about 10% and shrinking. So the Democratic nominee being black is ACTUALLY against all odds and that is the truly astounding thing. It is not quite a hundred years since women got the right to vote in America. For the first female candidate with as shot at the White House in 2008 is as impressive as it is saddening in its delay and disappointing result.
It has been about two centuries since the American stopped the slave trade. That factoid alone underscores the enormous impact of the Obama nomination and the significance it means for America and its place in the world. If Obama becomes President – and I hope he does, then America can once again aspire to become a beacon of hope and a place of promise, and an example of principled significance in the world. For the past 8 years of Bush-Cheney it has been anything but anything close to those aspirations.
Campaigns matter. The real campaign - McCain-Obama has been tepid and tentative so far...but that is about to change immediately. The next phase of selecting the "leader" of the free world is about to begin with a vengeance. Stay tuned. It is going to be significant. to you no matter where you live on the planet.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Harper Cons Claim Libs "Doctored" Cadman Tapes
How B-grade Hollywood can you get. The Cons have continued to embarrass themselves over this sad and sordid matter.and not they are actually caricaturing themselves with such silly pronouncements.
I wonder who will the equivalent to the former Bush White House Press Secretary, Mr. Scott McClellan? Who in the Conservative brain trust will do the ultimate tell-all-tales and expose the back-room-truths about this group of non-governing Harper Con goofuses in what ought to a best selling Canadian book - meaning it might sell 5000 copies!
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Alberta Venture and the Ethics of Executive Pay.
The June issue of Alberta Venture magazine is out. The "The Right Call" business ethics column this month is on executive pay. The panel this week is me from Cambridge Strategies Inc., Janet Keeping from the Sheldon Chumir Foundation and Harold Milavsky of Quantico Capital Corporation. Fil Fraser moderates once again.
We can look at this in terms of pay for politicians now too with the hefty raises recently passed in the Alberta Legislature. Here is a link to my earlier blog post on that issue.
Give the column a read and let me know your thoughts.
We can look at this in terms of pay for politicians now too with the hefty raises recently passed in the Alberta Legislature. Here is a link to my earlier blog post on that issue.
Give the column a read and let me know your thoughts.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Is Harper on the Right Track or is He a Divisive Force in Canada?
The latest Ipsos Reid poll is at best a foreboding and foreshadowing for the future of Mr. Harper’s minority government. The wisdom of the public is reflected in that the Bernier affair has not changed the overall support rankings of the various political parties. It should not – at least not yet, until we know more about what went on with the security breach around the classified Cabinet documents.
The troubling trend for me in the new poll is the fracturing of the country on regional lines. Harper is a growing lightning rod for the fragmentation of the country based on perceptions of if the country is on the right track as a nation and the support to re-elect Harper's government.
His support for putting the country on the right track is regionalized from a high of 64% support in Alberta to a low of 48% in British Columbia. This is getting translated into growing questions about if the Harper government should be re-elected. There is a majority in Atlantic Canada (56%) and in Quebec (53%) who do not want the Harper government back. Only 48% of B.C. and 47% of Ontarians think Harper should be re-elected.
The lack of a forward thinking policy agenda from Harper’s “team” (sic) is now being talked about too as a growing concern. Tepid support for Harper being on the right track for the country and the growing sense he has no vision for the direction of the country and he is a divisive force will start to show his weaknesses as a leader.
We don’t need a manager as our Prime Minister. We need a leader we can trust and depend on. Harper has been positioned as a manager, a control freak and a master message manipulator, but that is not the stuff of a Prime Minister. Canadians are quickly coming to that realization and the new Ipsos Reid poll is showing this awareness which will be growing in the 17 months until the next election.
The troubling trend for me in the new poll is the fracturing of the country on regional lines. Harper is a growing lightning rod for the fragmentation of the country based on perceptions of if the country is on the right track as a nation and the support to re-elect Harper's government.
His support for putting the country on the right track is regionalized from a high of 64% support in Alberta to a low of 48% in British Columbia. This is getting translated into growing questions about if the Harper government should be re-elected. There is a majority in Atlantic Canada (56%) and in Quebec (53%) who do not want the Harper government back. Only 48% of B.C. and 47% of Ontarians think Harper should be re-elected.
The lack of a forward thinking policy agenda from Harper’s “team” (sic) is now being talked about too as a growing concern. Tepid support for Harper being on the right track for the country and the growing sense he has no vision for the direction of the country and he is a divisive force will start to show his weaknesses as a leader.
We don’t need a manager as our Prime Minister. We need a leader we can trust and depend on. Harper has been positioned as a manager, a control freak and a master message manipulator, but that is not the stuff of a Prime Minister. Canadians are quickly coming to that realization and the new Ipsos Reid poll is showing this awareness which will be growing in the 17 months until the next election.
Dion Demands the RCMP Engage in Bernier Bungling
I see Mr. Dion is in the Globe and Mail today calling for the RCMP to come in a clarify if the Bernier bungling of classified Cabinet information is serious or not.
We need this to happen and I called for the RCMP to come in on this matter in my May 26th posting.
The Globe and Mail did a strong set of stories on the implications of l'Affaire Bernier on the weekend. Good job of serious journalism that is worth the time to read. It makes the point that it is not good enough to dwell on the titillation of the scandal. We need to know just what the Coulliard connection to Hell's Angles means to the quality of the security of our government. Her past biker gang relationships and her role in securing a contract to transport criminals in Quebec is cause for concern too.
The possibility that there was a Hell's Angel's contract out on Ms. Coulliard's life means we need to worry about her well being now too. The shift in attention has to be to the larger issues of security and public safety as well as the need to worry about the safety of certain citizens as well.
So far too many people who are i the know not talking for reasons of "national Security." The information vacuum is leaving the rumour mill to take over and fill in the blanks with bluster and conspiracies. This is all very silly at one end of the story but deadly serious at the other end.
Call in the RCMP Mr. Prime Minister and stop the silliness and use your power and office to get to the bottom of this serious situation.
We need this to happen and I called for the RCMP to come in on this matter in my May 26th posting.
The Globe and Mail did a strong set of stories on the implications of l'Affaire Bernier on the weekend. Good job of serious journalism that is worth the time to read. It makes the point that it is not good enough to dwell on the titillation of the scandal. We need to know just what the Coulliard connection to Hell's Angles means to the quality of the security of our government. Her past biker gang relationships and her role in securing a contract to transport criminals in Quebec is cause for concern too.
The possibility that there was a Hell's Angel's contract out on Ms. Coulliard's life means we need to worry about her well being now too. The shift in attention has to be to the larger issues of security and public safety as well as the need to worry about the safety of certain citizens as well.
So far too many people who are i the know not talking for reasons of "national Security." The information vacuum is leaving the rumour mill to take over and fill in the blanks with bluster and conspiracies. This is all very silly at one end of the story but deadly serious at the other end.
Call in the RCMP Mr. Prime Minister and stop the silliness and use your power and office to get to the bottom of this serious situation.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Pay Politicians Well - and Pay the "Little People" Better!
I don’t begrudge the Alberta Premier, Cabinet Ministers and other elected representatives getting “healthy” raises. Let’s face it if you pay peanuts you get monkeys. I don't want to be governed by monkeys - regardless of party affiliation.
Now will they do the same for the lowest paid people in our work force? I am talking about the working poor who work in the social service sectors. What about paying a livable wage and benefits to those folks who take care of our developmentally disabled citizens, our at-risk and troubled children and our frail and fragile senior citizens who work in the not-for-profit community based service provider agencies.
Mr. Premier, during the election you never mentioned wage hikes for elected people. However you did promise to narrow the wage gap between these people and the equivalent work done by Alberta's civil servants. True more money has been put towards staff retention efforts but it is ad hoc and one-time band-aids. A more systemic and long-term commitment to closing this gap is required if people are going to stay in the social services sector.
So far with your government's union settlements and signing bonuses and increased staff benefits, the gap is wider than ever - even with the ad hoc one-time payments. What is worse, some PDD Boards have been very slow to get into the hands of agencies and employees. So much for crisis control and urgency.
I believe our elected representatives should be paid well, very well in fact. After all they are potentially more important to our well being and long term quality of life than hockey players who can make millions of dollars a year and they have about the same shelf life as a politician.
Now Alberta has pony up and honour, respect and compensate the “little people” who do the difficult and often dirty work we need done to care for the most vulnerable in our society. Quit the delay and the deflection of the issues Premier Stelmach. Pay the working poor in community based agencies a wage that can support a family. You do it for unionized employees why not the rest of the people who work in the sector in non-profit community based agencies?
Maybe that is the message the Progressive Conservative government is sending these folks. Perhaps your government is saying they should “join a union” and pick a fight if they want to be treated fairly and with respect. I hope that is not the message you intend to be sending these working poor. What else can they do to get the attention, respect of government. Remember the responsibility to take care of the vulnerable Albertans serviced by these workers is ultimately the government's.
These people need a significant raise, just like you and your colleagues just got sir. They need enough money and benefits to live in our expensive Alberta. Is it too much for such workers to expect to be financially secure enough to to actually enjoy the so-called " Alberta advantage?"
Congratulations on your raise Mr. Premier. It was the right thing to do. Now take that same philosophy one step further and show the same concern for the working poor who are doing some of the most important and most thankless (next to a politician) jobs in our society.
Now will they do the same for the lowest paid people in our work force? I am talking about the working poor who work in the social service sectors. What about paying a livable wage and benefits to those folks who take care of our developmentally disabled citizens, our at-risk and troubled children and our frail and fragile senior citizens who work in the not-for-profit community based service provider agencies.
Mr. Premier, during the election you never mentioned wage hikes for elected people. However you did promise to narrow the wage gap between these people and the equivalent work done by Alberta's civil servants. True more money has been put towards staff retention efforts but it is ad hoc and one-time band-aids. A more systemic and long-term commitment to closing this gap is required if people are going to stay in the social services sector.
So far with your government's union settlements and signing bonuses and increased staff benefits, the gap is wider than ever - even with the ad hoc one-time payments. What is worse, some PDD Boards have been very slow to get into the hands of agencies and employees. So much for crisis control and urgency.
I believe our elected representatives should be paid well, very well in fact. After all they are potentially more important to our well being and long term quality of life than hockey players who can make millions of dollars a year and they have about the same shelf life as a politician.
Now Alberta has pony up and honour, respect and compensate the “little people” who do the difficult and often dirty work we need done to care for the most vulnerable in our society. Quit the delay and the deflection of the issues Premier Stelmach. Pay the working poor in community based agencies a wage that can support a family. You do it for unionized employees why not the rest of the people who work in the sector in non-profit community based agencies?
Maybe that is the message the Progressive Conservative government is sending these folks. Perhaps your government is saying they should “join a union” and pick a fight if they want to be treated fairly and with respect. I hope that is not the message you intend to be sending these working poor. What else can they do to get the attention, respect of government. Remember the responsibility to take care of the vulnerable Albertans serviced by these workers is ultimately the government's.
These people need a significant raise, just like you and your colleagues just got sir. They need enough money and benefits to live in our expensive Alberta. Is it too much for such workers to expect to be financially secure enough to to actually enjoy the so-called " Alberta advantage?"
Congratulations on your raise Mr. Premier. It was the right thing to do. Now take that same philosophy one step further and show the same concern for the working poor who are doing some of the most important and most thankless (next to a politician) jobs in our society.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Fast Life in Alberta is Creating Serious Social Costs
Here is a disturbing sign of the times in Alberta. The annual Blueberry Festival in Fort McMurray is cancelled this year. Why? It is a community driven event but with the time starved reality of life in Alberta, the city could not find the volunteers to produce the event.
Looks like Fort McMurray had to pick up the production of the Canada Day events because of lack of volunteer capacity as well.
This is not unique to Fort McMurray. In Edmonton some 15 festivals banded together this year to run a volunteer recruiting event. The life-work balance in Alberta is way out of whack. Some will take pride that Albertans work the hardest and longest in Canada. Not me. The Alberta pace of growth and the stresses it is causing on individuals, families and now communities is not part of the success story of the economy. I think the economy should be there to serve the neds society and make it better for everyone, not the other way around and only serve the few at the top of the socio-economic food chain.
The use of GDP to measure our success is not only useless it is dangerous. We need a more comprehensive and balanced approach to measure success and progress in ourselves, our communities, if not society and the world The movement toward Genuine Progress Indicators (GPI) is a much more appropriate tool than GDP to see how well we are doing as a society.
What makes life worthwhile in terms of well-being, be it financially, professionally, personally, environmentally and in our social and civic lives all need to be considered now in how we our measure progress.
I strongly recommend people read Mark Anielski’s book “The Economics of Happiness” for some better understanding of this GPI concept. That is if you can find the time to read a book these days.
Looks like Fort McMurray had to pick up the production of the Canada Day events because of lack of volunteer capacity as well.
This is not unique to Fort McMurray. In Edmonton some 15 festivals banded together this year to run a volunteer recruiting event. The life-work balance in Alberta is way out of whack. Some will take pride that Albertans work the hardest and longest in Canada. Not me. The Alberta pace of growth and the stresses it is causing on individuals, families and now communities is not part of the success story of the economy. I think the economy should be there to serve the neds society and make it better for everyone, not the other way around and only serve the few at the top of the socio-economic food chain.
The use of GDP to measure our success is not only useless it is dangerous. We need a more comprehensive and balanced approach to measure success and progress in ourselves, our communities, if not society and the world The movement toward Genuine Progress Indicators (GPI) is a much more appropriate tool than GDP to see how well we are doing as a society.
What makes life worthwhile in terms of well-being, be it financially, professionally, personally, environmentally and in our social and civic lives all need to be considered now in how we our measure progress.
I strongly recommend people read Mark Anielski’s book “The Economics of Happiness” for some better understanding of this GPI concept. That is if you can find the time to read a book these days.
Mulroney Recalled to Commons Ethics Committee
The House of Commons Ethic Committee is also tired of waiting for Stephen (Godot) Harper to live up to his promise of last November for an inquiry into the Mulroney-Schreiber Affair.
They have voted 6-5 to recall Mulroney for June 12th. The issue is not going away and Harper's delays and excuses about calling the inquiry are shewing away at his integrity and accountability.
The former PM refused to appear at an early recall because the inquiry was supposed to be around the corner. It is not happening – at least not so far and not very fast. So the MPs on the Ethics Committee are tired of waiting and want to know if there was more to the Mulroney-Schreiber relationship.
The Siemens bribery trial in Germany, one of Schreiber’s alleged clients/funders will bring a new twist to an already sorry, sand and sordid story. The Ethics Committee vote to recall Mulroney was 6-5 and I imagine the Cons were against the recall. They are good at using their little book of committee tactics and political tricks to try to protect Harper more than Mulroney. Harper is reported widely to have consulted his mentor Mr. Mulroney on the Cons strategy to win over the hearts and minds of Quebecers. Mulroney is consedered to be the source of the Harper positioning by implying support for the soft nationalist strategy in Quebec.
First Mulroney and now Bernier – both Quebec based political embarrassments for the Harper Cons. It gets better, or worse, depending on your POV. Consider Harper’s obvious support for the falling star, the ADQ Mario Dumont and concurrently snubbing Quebec Prime Minister Jean Charest, a man whose star is on the rise now. Harper should be looking to Charest for advice and mentoring on how to successfully lead a minority government and get stuff done.
That snub of Charest was just another of the classic political cow pies the brain trust in the PMO has deftly stepped into. Now they just can’t seem shake the political consequences off its shoe in the province of Quebec.
They have voted 6-5 to recall Mulroney for June 12th. The issue is not going away and Harper's delays and excuses about calling the inquiry are shewing away at his integrity and accountability.
The former PM refused to appear at an early recall because the inquiry was supposed to be around the corner. It is not happening – at least not so far and not very fast. So the MPs on the Ethics Committee are tired of waiting and want to know if there was more to the Mulroney-Schreiber relationship.
The Siemens bribery trial in Germany, one of Schreiber’s alleged clients/funders will bring a new twist to an already sorry, sand and sordid story. The Ethics Committee vote to recall Mulroney was 6-5 and I imagine the Cons were against the recall. They are good at using their little book of committee tactics and political tricks to try to protect Harper more than Mulroney. Harper is reported widely to have consulted his mentor Mr. Mulroney on the Cons strategy to win over the hearts and minds of Quebecers. Mulroney is consedered to be the source of the Harper positioning by implying support for the soft nationalist strategy in Quebec.
First Mulroney and now Bernier – both Quebec based political embarrassments for the Harper Cons. It gets better, or worse, depending on your POV. Consider Harper’s obvious support for the falling star, the ADQ Mario Dumont and concurrently snubbing Quebec Prime Minister Jean Charest, a man whose star is on the rise now. Harper should be looking to Charest for advice and mentoring on how to successfully lead a minority government and get stuff done.
That snub of Charest was just another of the classic political cow pies the brain trust in the PMO has deftly stepped into. Now they just can’t seem shake the political consequences off its shoe in the province of Quebec.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Harper's Old-School Politics of Command and Control Could be His Demise.
Lawrence Martin of the Globe and Mail is my favourite national political columnists. His analysis today about Stephen Harper leadership style and character and comments of Mr. Harper’s former mentor, Preston Manning are worth reading and pondering.
The man is all about tight command and control by the PMO. He applies it to everyone in the Harper government. The default talking point of every Conservative in Ottawa is to reference the sponsorship scandal. That is an old storyline that Canadians have moved beyond. However it is trotted out every time as the answer to any criticism directed at the Cons political, governance and statesmanship gaffe and shortcoming.
This centralized micromanaging and macro messaging control is Harper himself is bound to run its limits and try the patience of the voter. The sponsorship scandal as the Harper Cons answer to all issues is past frustrating, was never funny and now shows just how futile the Harper Cons are at real governing.
I love this African proverb and often think of it when I reflect on Mr. Harper as our pro tem PM. "If want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others." I like to add, if you want to do both you better transform the culture and find consensus. Tranfixing on dictating from the top will not go fast or far.
The Harper minority government has run its course. Unfortunately the Dion alternative is not seen as viable either. It is time for a different political approach and a different kind of person in politics. Given the nature of the job and the little upside for citizens to actually run for office, we may have ot wait a long time for that kind of change to occur.
The man is all about tight command and control by the PMO. He applies it to everyone in the Harper government. The default talking point of every Conservative in Ottawa is to reference the sponsorship scandal. That is an old storyline that Canadians have moved beyond. However it is trotted out every time as the answer to any criticism directed at the Cons political, governance and statesmanship gaffe and shortcoming.
This centralized micromanaging and macro messaging control is Harper himself is bound to run its limits and try the patience of the voter. The sponsorship scandal as the Harper Cons answer to all issues is past frustrating, was never funny and now shows just how futile the Harper Cons are at real governing.
I love this African proverb and often think of it when I reflect on Mr. Harper as our pro tem PM. "If want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others." I like to add, if you want to do both you better transform the culture and find consensus. Tranfixing on dictating from the top will not go fast or far.
The Harper minority government has run its course. Unfortunately the Dion alternative is not seen as viable either. It is time for a different political approach and a different kind of person in politics. Given the nature of the job and the little upside for citizens to actually run for office, we may have ot wait a long time for that kind of change to occur.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Power and Influence
My friend (but no relation) Jason Chapman did this video as part of a project we worked on together with Vince and Dale as part of our Leadership Edmonton experience.
We are a generation apart but of one heart. I am so glad to see there are protest songs and the power of images and music still available to influence authority - and is still alive in some souls.
Thanks Jason. I hope readers of this Blog absorb and reflect on your work.
Gomery Not Amused - Harper Delays Mulroney-Schreiber Inquiry
I see retired Judge Gomery, the man who headed the investigation into the sponsorship scandal, is musing about Mr. Harper's commitment to convening the promised inquiry into the Mulroney-Schreiber affair.
Harper promised the inquiry last November and has found excuses to delay taking action. The time for excuses is past according to Gomery.
Gomery was also not amused that the Prime Minister delegated the determination of the scope of such an inquiry to a private citizen when it is the central role of good government to determine such things. Paul Martin had the strength of character to call a broadly based sponsorship inquiry. Many will suggest the inquiry results cost Martin his political career, for sure his place as Prime Minister.
Harper's firing of Bernier this week was justified and the right thing to do. It also helped Harper solve the problem that was about Bernier's proven incompetence. But he was Harper's most popular Quebec minister and the Cons need Quebec to win the next election. Bernier's prervious blunders were minor compared to his five month long Cabinet security breach.
That one instance aside, there is no indication Mr. Harper is made of the same stuff and Mr. Martin when it comes to his mentor Mulroney and the cloak and dagger dealing of Mr. Schreiber.
Harper's insouciance on this ethical issue is further evidence that it is time for him and his government to go. That looks like it will not happen until the next fixed election date comes up in November 2009. Too bad!
Harper promised the inquiry last November and has found excuses to delay taking action. The time for excuses is past according to Gomery.
Gomery was also not amused that the Prime Minister delegated the determination of the scope of such an inquiry to a private citizen when it is the central role of good government to determine such things. Paul Martin had the strength of character to call a broadly based sponsorship inquiry. Many will suggest the inquiry results cost Martin his political career, for sure his place as Prime Minister.
Harper's firing of Bernier this week was justified and the right thing to do. It also helped Harper solve the problem that was about Bernier's proven incompetence. But he was Harper's most popular Quebec minister and the Cons need Quebec to win the next election. Bernier's prervious blunders were minor compared to his five month long Cabinet security breach.
That one instance aside, there is no indication Mr. Harper is made of the same stuff and Mr. Martin when it comes to his mentor Mulroney and the cloak and dagger dealing of Mr. Schreiber.
Harper's insouciance on this ethical issue is further evidence that it is time for him and his government to go. That looks like it will not happen until the next fixed election date comes up in November 2009. Too bad!
Alberta Venture Column on Ethical Issues in Business
Check out the Alberta Venture magazine and the "Odd Man Out" column. It is a commentary piece with myself of Cambridge Strategies Inc, Fil Fraser, Dr. Tony Fields of the Alberta Cancer Board and Janet Keeping of the Sheldon Chumir Foundation for Ethics in Leadership.
This a regular column I participate in for Alberta Venture magazine focused on ethical issues in business.
I would be interested in reader feedback on the issue discussed.
This a regular column I participate in for Alberta Venture magazine focused on ethical issues in business.
I would be interested in reader feedback on the issue discussed.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Updating the Public Record.
More Comments on Free Speech Limitations:
The continuing saga of proposals for the Alberta provincial governments to impose limitations on free speech during elections has been reviewed in a Calgary Herald editorial today. I have previous postings on this unnecessary and dangerous policy proposal, here, and here and here.
The Looming Fed-Prov Showdown on Environment:
A year ago former Alberta Premier Lougheed mused that a looming constitutional crisis between the governments of Canada and Alberta over environment jurisdictions and standards gets a boost today from Jeffery Simpson in the Globe and Mail today. Lougheed is recently quoted as saying his earlier suggestion that this constitutional dust up will be 10 times more volatile than the National Energy Program was a bit extreme. Maybe not. Time will tell.
Siemans Slush Fund and Bribery Trial:
Newspaper reports note that Siemans has been investigated for bribery charges in a dozen countries and were fined the maximum of 1 million Euros for bribes in 77 cases between 2001 and 2004. Sieman's was part of recent the testimony in the Schreiber/Mulroney affair. PM Harper has promised an inquiry into those dealings but has yet to deliver. Time to get going on this Mr. Harper.
The continuing saga of proposals for the Alberta provincial governments to impose limitations on free speech during elections has been reviewed in a Calgary Herald editorial today. I have previous postings on this unnecessary and dangerous policy proposal, here, and here and here.
The Looming Fed-Prov Showdown on Environment:
A year ago former Alberta Premier Lougheed mused that a looming constitutional crisis between the governments of Canada and Alberta over environment jurisdictions and standards gets a boost today from Jeffery Simpson in the Globe and Mail today. Lougheed is recently quoted as saying his earlier suggestion that this constitutional dust up will be 10 times more volatile than the National Energy Program was a bit extreme. Maybe not. Time will tell.
Siemans Slush Fund and Bribery Trial:
Newspaper reports note that Siemans has been investigated for bribery charges in a dozen countries and were fined the maximum of 1 million Euros for bribes in 77 cases between 2001 and 2004. Sieman's was part of recent the testimony in the Schreiber/Mulroney affair. PM Harper has promised an inquiry into those dealings but has yet to deliver. Time to get going on this Mr. Harper.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Bernier Resigns - Call in the RCMP Mr. Harper!
Maxime Bernier, the most troubled and troubling Minister in the Harper Cabinet is gone. Apparently he left classified Cabinet documents in a public place.
Prime Minister Harper is saying that the Bernier resignation is not related to Mr. Bernier’s recent escapades with a former biker girlfriend.
Mr. Bernier allegedly left classified Cabinet documents in his former girlfriend's apartment. I am not a conspiracy theorist but these are the reason and circumstances for the resignation, it poses more serious security questions than it answers.
I suggested the Prime Minister needs to consider a Cabinet shuffle when Bernier was shown to lack judgement. Now with Mr. Bernier's admitted recklessness and negligence and breach of trust heads have to roll and Harper is on the bubble to explain this. Harper can't delegate or duck the issues.
Mr. Bernier resignation only opens the issues and multiplies them. It closes nothing. The RCMP have to be called in to investigate and to review the security clearance status of all your Cabinet members and Parliamentary Secretaries.
Time for a face saving Cabinet shuffle Mr. Harper. This time your Cabinet must be chosen based on competence not just your compunction command and control of the PMO .
Why Harper is Afraid of an Election
Harper has not gained any traction or sustained momentum in the polls since he became the pro tem Prime Minister of Canada so many long months ago.
He played with the Quebec sovereigntist’s “nationalists” sentiments a while back and got a dead cat bounce for a bit. He even got cozy with Mario Dumont of the right wing ADQ and intentionally snubbed the Quebec Prime Minister Jean Charest when he was suffering as the leader of a minority government. That has all changed recently. For Harper to realize his dream of a majority right wing government he needs Quebec or Ontario. Looks like Quebec as cooled to the ADQ and Mr. Harper’s friend Mario Dumont.
The blogger Paulitics gives a very comprehensive and interesting account of the shifting sentiments in Quebec. He is worth a read for sure if you are concerned about the future of a unified Canada. The Harper Cons friends, the ADQ, are in free fall. What will that to do Harper's prospects in Quebec in the next election?
The recent Quebec bye-elections are another reason why Harper has to be cooling if not quivering about facing the Canadian electorate any time soon. Quebec has figured him out, Ontario has as well and Atlantic Canada never did like him. The west is now more competitive – except for Alberta of course. But if Harper, the Albertan, keeps taking on personal advisors from the old Ontario Harris government and snubs the Alberta boys who made Ralph Klein and coached Mike Harris, you have to wonder how long they will stay “loyal” to Harper's cause.
He played with the Quebec sovereigntist’s “nationalists” sentiments a while back and got a dead cat bounce for a bit. He even got cozy with Mario Dumont of the right wing ADQ and intentionally snubbed the Quebec Prime Minister Jean Charest when he was suffering as the leader of a minority government. That has all changed recently. For Harper to realize his dream of a majority right wing government he needs Quebec or Ontario. Looks like Quebec as cooled to the ADQ and Mr. Harper’s friend Mario Dumont.
The blogger Paulitics gives a very comprehensive and interesting account of the shifting sentiments in Quebec. He is worth a read for sure if you are concerned about the future of a unified Canada. The Harper Cons friends, the ADQ, are in free fall. What will that to do Harper's prospects in Quebec in the next election?
The recent Quebec bye-elections are another reason why Harper has to be cooling if not quivering about facing the Canadian electorate any time soon. Quebec has figured him out, Ontario has as well and Atlantic Canada never did like him. The west is now more competitive – except for Alberta of course. But if Harper, the Albertan, keeps taking on personal advisors from the old Ontario Harris government and snubs the Alberta boys who made Ralph Klein and coached Mike Harris, you have to wonder how long they will stay “loyal” to Harper's cause.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Harper Caught in More Political Hypocrisy
Harper is such an old school politician. Say what you have to in order to get elected. Do what you have to in order to stay elected and don’t sweat any intellectual dishonesty and hypocrisy in between. In the old days before the Internet and the blogosphere, the public and the MSM would have forgotten such promises. Not any more because everything is searchable and can be monitored…by ordinary citizens.
This time the MSM has followed up and exposes the inconvenient truth about Stephen Harper's political style. Promising in 2004 to eliminate GST on gasoline over $.85 a litre but now it is hovering round $1.28 a litre Harper says there no need to fulfill the prior POLITICAL promise because it would make little difference on overall prices anyway. There was no need to make such a pointless and purposeless political promise in the first place Mr. Harper. Oh, I forgot for a moment, there as an election to win - at all costs, including making disingenuous promises.
The GST tax cut he did promise and make also has little impact on prices or the taxes Canadians pay. With gasoline prices up dramatically and inflation starting up, the 5% GST staying on – my guess is Canadians are paying the same dollar amount of GST at the end of the day anyway.
This time the MSM has followed up and exposes the inconvenient truth about Stephen Harper's political style. Promising in 2004 to eliminate GST on gasoline over $.85 a litre but now it is hovering round $1.28 a litre Harper says there no need to fulfill the prior POLITICAL promise because it would make little difference on overall prices anyway. There was no need to make such a pointless and purposeless political promise in the first place Mr. Harper. Oh, I forgot for a moment, there as an election to win - at all costs, including making disingenuous promises.
The GST tax cut he did promise and make also has little impact on prices or the taxes Canadians pay. With gasoline prices up dramatically and inflation starting up, the 5% GST staying on – my guess is Canadians are paying the same dollar amount of GST at the end of the day anyway.
Harper Wins the Most Secretive Award
Steve Harper wins the Canadian Association of Journalist secrecy award and it apparently the easiest decision the judges have ever made. Is anyone who follows politics in Canada surprised?
Open, accountable, transparent government be damned...this man is all about raw power. A Cabinet shuffle is in the offing...heads will roll. Intimidation dominates caucus and the principle of representative government will take another body blow from this Prime Minister. Expect he will move to further gather and centralize all the political power he can muster - in himself.
Wasn't it Plato who suggest the best way to govern was with a benevolent dictatorship? Harper is half way there but benevolence is not within his character qualities. What we see now is a "good" as Harper's statemanship can get.
Canadians belief in Harper has moved in 18 months. It has gone to lets give him a chance, to ok he is a message manager but not a governor, to why is he such a bully, to is that all there is, to I wonder what is going on with this guy, to oh oh - he is not very trustworthy to...ok enough is enough, what the hell is really going on here?.
Time to make a change Canada and give someone with a better sense of the country as a whole, who has proven intellectual integrity and with principles moral courage, like Stephane Dion, a chance to govern. However, lets wait for an election in late 2009 - for events to unfold for Dion and to unravel for Harper.
Open, accountable, transparent government be damned...this man is all about raw power. A Cabinet shuffle is in the offing...heads will roll. Intimidation dominates caucus and the principle of representative government will take another body blow from this Prime Minister. Expect he will move to further gather and centralize all the political power he can muster - in himself.
Wasn't it Plato who suggest the best way to govern was with a benevolent dictatorship? Harper is half way there but benevolence is not within his character qualities. What we see now is a "good" as Harper's statemanship can get.
Canadians belief in Harper has moved in 18 months. It has gone to lets give him a chance, to ok he is a message manager but not a governor, to why is he such a bully, to is that all there is, to I wonder what is going on with this guy, to oh oh - he is not very trustworthy to...ok enough is enough, what the hell is really going on here?.
Time to make a change Canada and give someone with a better sense of the country as a whole, who has proven intellectual integrity and with principles moral courage, like Stephane Dion, a chance to govern. However, lets wait for an election in late 2009 - for events to unfold for Dion and to unravel for Harper.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Keith Olbermann Special Comment: Clinton-Obama Assassination
Further to the previous post on Clinton's assassination comments about Bobby Kennedy - Keith Olbermann has obvously made up his mind about her position, the appropriateness and the motivation behind her comments.
He provides a litany of examples of the inherent violence of the American political culture. Says Clinton should know better and can't be forgiven for this comment.
Bobby Kennedy Jr. has already endorsed Hillary Clinton http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22024587/
...and is quoted in the New York Times helping her with damage control over the comments about his father.
Hillary Clinton Assassination Comment Kennedy Obama Shocking
Watch this video of the now famous recent Editorial Board comments of Hillary Clinton and judge for yourself what her motivation and meaning was.
What was behind her referencing the Bobby Kennedy assassination during the nomination process?
Was it an appropriate and worthy reason for her contining to campaign for the Democratic nominiation?
Was she stating that event as a merely historical fact? Or was it in reference to a possibility that she sees as justification for her continuing because tragedies happen? Or is it about something else entirely?
Is this comment being blown out of proportion or is it a measure of the desperation of Clinton's campaign?
STUDENTS: A CHALLENGE FOR YOU
I have been wondering where the heads and heart of youth today is at given everything that is going on.
As a product of the 60's - tame as I was - I can't believe there is so little protest going on in campuses these days...when the times are so similar-ish.
The fellow in this video gives me hope. He makes me think I have been looking for protest in all the wrong places.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Lots to Applaud in the Alberta Land Use Framework
The Alberta Land Use Framework is one of the most important and eagerly anticipated public policy initiatives in Alberta in a long time. OK maybe saying it has been eagerly anticipated is a stretch for most Albertans but it is true for those of us who live in the public policy and political world.
I was involved in the early stages of the process and even had a small hand in some of the process design and participated in some of the stakeholder consultations and workshops and did some briefings for senior officials on the outcomes of the discrete choice modeling values based research we did on forestry stewardship and oil sands development. That involvement adds to my sense of anticipation obviously. I have not had the time to read the document in detail but let me share some initial impressions.
IT IS ALL ABOUT MANAGING GROWTH:
This document is a thoughtful response to growth pressures in Alberta. Don’t be naïve. It will have an impact on the pace of growth and even the purpose and place of growth in some instances. It is going to be an effective “touching of the brakes.” Be careful how you interpret that comment. Touching the brakes tends to slow things down. You have to “hit the brakes” to stop things. This is not about hitting the brakes but it is definitely going to have the effect of touching them. This slowing down of the pace of growth will give us time to get growth right instead of rapid as has been the case so far.
A QUALITY EXAMPLE OF PUBLIC POLICY DEVELOPMENT:
This document has been a long time coming and for good reason. It is the result of a comprehensive and intensive series of explorations and consultations and activist citizen engagement. It is the product of an intelligent policy design process. The last time complex and intricate policy was developed in such a positive way was the Water for Life Strategy. That policy was left unfunded so it has not lived up to its promise – at least not yet but I am hopeful that will change as it integrates with the Land Use Framework policy.
TYING LAND USE TO WATER CAPACITY IS BRILLIANT:
The brilliant move in the Land Use Framework is tying land use to water use as the defining element in regional planning. If the water capacity can’t sustain a land use development – it should not happen. There limits to our ecological capacity for growth that are atmospheric (GHG) water and land use. There is a focus on cumulative impacts now and not each project being looked at on its own “merits.” The integration of land, air and water, with cumulative impacts, consideration of habitat, fragmentation, urban sprawl and a host of other growth pressure elements will all come into play now. This means there will not be a one-size-to-fit-all approach going forward. More design intelligence is obviously at work here in this document.
WE HAVE TO DO BETTER IN CONSERVATOIN AND STEWARDSHIP:
This auger well for us now avoiding turning the entire province in to the same mess we created in Fort McMurray caused by delays and the disasters due to the personal political agendas of incompetent and neglectful former key Ministers who are no longer around.
The other really reassuring strategy in the Land Use Framework is the commitment to develop a conservation and stewardship ethos on public and private lands. This issue, especially around preserving and protecting wildlife habitat has shown up as top of mind for Albertans in our research but had not registered in the political agendas of the province – until now.
Congratulations Dr. Morton for making these policy considerations central to our land use ethic going forward.
There is a lot more meat in this document and policy process that I will have to read and reflect on before I comment further. I see this as a great day for Alberta with the release of this draft. It impacts every one of us and ought to be as catalytic for public engagement as the Hunter Royalty Review Panel document was last fall. Now the real work begins!
There is a lot more meat in this document and policy process that I will have to read and reflect on before I comment further. I see this as a great day for Alberta with the release of this draft. It impacts every one of us and ought to be as catalytic for public engagement as the Hunter Royalty Review Panel document was last fall. Now the real work begins!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
More Provinces Are Pushing For Limits to Free Speech
The political trends towards gag laws in Canada are getting serious as more jurisdictions are getting into the action.
These are political efforts that are missing the point and trying to make their own “communications” job easier by monopolizing the messaging market. We need good governance and that relies on a diversity of opinions promulgated in a variety of ways to anyone who wants to participate in the deomcratic process.
If these old-school stlye of communications constraints survive and become government policy in Alberta, B.C. and Manitoba the Internet will become even more powerful as a source for political and policy information for people. That is not a bad thing. It will show these promoters of political limits on free speech just how wrong they are when the blogosphere and Web 2.0 takes them on and deals with them in the court of public opinion.
The challenge for modern political parties is not to put limits on the free speech of others but to do a better job of communicating their own policies and platforms to citizens in the first place. The opportnities for politicians to connect and communicate with citizens directly has never been easier or cheaper with the ubiquity and accessibility of the Internet.
Get in the new game guys and compete for attention and for credibility of voters in the open market of ideas instead of using your legislative power to rig the rules of the old game in your favour and stifling the free speech of others in the process.
Monday, May 19, 2008
BC Government Limits Free Speech - Shame!
Looks like the BC government has already legislated limitations on free speech at election time.
There are similar musings in Alberta to do something akin to this limitation on third party advertising at election time. Not good.
People are not stupid. They can make informed judgments. In the Internet age limiting third party advertising in elections is a silly and ineffective “solution” that abuses power and adds to political cynicism.
In a time when everyone is potentially a publisher, limits on traditional advertising for third parties is only going to extend and expand the other more effective media like You Tube, the Blogosphere and social networks. Limits like this will only make the "perceived problem" caused by third-party advertising worse. The networking power of the world wide web is enormously more powerful at informing and influencing public opinion and changing voter behaviours than a billboard or brochure will ever be.
Free speech is not free. It must be protected, promoted and used responsibly. That duty to ensure freedom of speech falls on governments and every freedom loving citizen. Premier Campbell's limitiation on freedom of speech in BC is wrong headed and this law needs to be repealed.
There are similar musings in Alberta to do something akin to this limitation on third party advertising at election time. Not good.
People are not stupid. They can make informed judgments. In the Internet age limiting third party advertising in elections is a silly and ineffective “solution” that abuses power and adds to political cynicism.
In a time when everyone is potentially a publisher, limits on traditional advertising for third parties is only going to extend and expand the other more effective media like You Tube, the Blogosphere and social networks. Limits like this will only make the "perceived problem" caused by third-party advertising worse. The networking power of the world wide web is enormously more powerful at informing and influencing public opinion and changing voter behaviours than a billboard or brochure will ever be.
Free speech is not free. It must be protected, promoted and used responsibly. That duty to ensure freedom of speech falls on governments and every freedom loving citizen. Premier Campbell's limitiation on freedom of speech in BC is wrong headed and this law needs to be repealed.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Will Bernier to Get the Boot in a Cabinet Shuffle?
The Hill Times is running a front page story this week speculating that Maxime Bernier will be shuffled and demoted due to his poor judgment concerning his biker girlfriend. I suggested in an earlier post that it was time for a Cabinet shuffle. Looks like Harper is considering it at least.
Sources tell me Bernier actually noted in certain documents calling his former biker girlfriend his “spouse” so she could travel internationally with him on the taxpayer’s dime. A classy guy – all the way.
Sources tell me Bernier actually noted in certain documents calling his former biker girlfriend his “spouse” so she could travel internationally with him on the taxpayer’s dime. A classy guy – all the way.
Stephen Harper - THE Small Man of Confederation.
Next ask yourself; couldn’t events and times be changed to enable the current Prime Minister to be there and avoid even appearance of a slight? Even delaying the House of Commons ceremony to accommodate the Prime Minister Harper’s schedule should be simple enough to arrange.
Let face it, the Prime Minister of Canada does not want to be there…for pure and simple personal and political reasons. Too bad Steve. Showing respect is part of the job description of the Prime Minister of Canada.
Canadians indicate in poll results that they are unsure if they like Stephen Harper as a person. Surely this rudeness and slight underscores a personal character flaw in Mr. Harper as a person. This incident is a minor issue in the more complex context of running the country, but it serves as example of the kind of man Stephen Harper is. It makes you think about just how worthy Stephen Harper is, as a person, to serve and represent us in this most powerful and important office in our country.
As for me, I think such incidences of political and personal pique ought to resolve any disquiet in the minds of Canadians about how Stephen Harper ought to be perceived. We have seen him perform as a bully and as a miscreant and as an obfuscator. And now we see just how small minded and petty he can be. Stephen Harper has proven himself not to be a leader and he did not have to spend millions of partisan advertising dollars to substantiate that fact for us.
The Harper Cons have gleefully accused Premier Dalton McGuinty of Ontario of being a “small man of Confederation.” Prime Minister Harper’s actions here, and there are others, make him look absolutely diminutive as a man. We ought view this event as an opportunity to question if Stephen Harper has the qualities of leadership and the qualities of character to serve the Confederation and Canadians well enough.
Canadians indicate in poll results that they are unsure if they like Stephen Harper as a person. Surely this rudeness and slight underscores a personal character flaw in Mr. Harper as a person. This incident is a minor issue in the more complex context of running the country, but it serves as example of the kind of man Stephen Harper is. It makes you think about just how worthy Stephen Harper is, as a person, to serve and represent us in this most powerful and important office in our country.
As for me, I think such incidences of political and personal pique ought to resolve any disquiet in the minds of Canadians about how Stephen Harper ought to be perceived. We have seen him perform as a bully and as a miscreant and as an obfuscator. And now we see just how small minded and petty he can be. Stephen Harper has proven himself not to be a leader and he did not have to spend millions of partisan advertising dollars to substantiate that fact for us.
The Harper Cons have gleefully accused Premier Dalton McGuinty of Ontario of being a “small man of Confederation.” Prime Minister Harper’s actions here, and there are others, make him look absolutely diminutive as a man. We ought view this event as an opportunity to question if Stephen Harper has the qualities of leadership and the qualities of character to serve the Confederation and Canadians well enough.
Elections Should Be About More Free Speech - Not Less!
If you have some time to reflect on your right of freedom of speech today – and who amongst doesn’t have that topic as top of mind on a long holiday weekend ;~)…read Mark Milke’s piece in the Calgary Herald today.
I agree with him and tried to say so in an earlier blog post. I think it is a mistake to limit third party advertising in election campaigns. Instead I think those who engage in such freedom of speech activities have a duty to be open, transparent and accountable for their actions.
The reforms I suggest are, first, don’t let such proselytizers hide behind screens like “Albertans for Change” when they are in fact the Building Trades Council and the Alberta Federation of Labour. The sponsors of the messages have to state clearly and precisely who they are.
Next we need to consider if they should be registered under the new Lobbying legislation if they undertake such activities in election times. This new law is coming to Alberta eventually. Why does it take so long to draft the regulations and proclaim this Act anyway Mr. Premier?
And lastly perhaps the sponsors should be required to file, in advance with Elections Alberta, a budget indicating what they intend to spend, where and when in such campaigns and this information should be public. I am not so sure on this last thought but the information would help Albertans judge if some special interest group was trying to buy our attention with advertising instead of persuading us based on the merits of their positions.
Political advertising is very effective in the States but not as embedded nor as effective in the Canadian political culture. Americans seem to think the more something is advertised the better it must be. Canadians think if you have to heavily advertise something, there must something inherently wrong with it. My belief is that paid political advertising has a place but it is not the way to win elections. Paid political advertising at the party level is essentially the price you have to pay for being boring or irrelevant. It gets attention but it is not very effective at influencing opinion and is will not ensure the voter behaviour ou want either.
Word of mouth is much more effective in gathering real political support that actually shows up and votes. That is still best done by old fashioned door knocking and face time with citizens. The next most effective way is Word of Mouse. That is an emerging technique using the connective power of the Internet and viral potential of social networking for electronic “door knocking.”
I agree with him and tried to say so in an earlier blog post. I think it is a mistake to limit third party advertising in election campaigns. Instead I think those who engage in such freedom of speech activities have a duty to be open, transparent and accountable for their actions.
The reforms I suggest are, first, don’t let such proselytizers hide behind screens like “Albertans for Change” when they are in fact the Building Trades Council and the Alberta Federation of Labour. The sponsors of the messages have to state clearly and precisely who they are.
Next we need to consider if they should be registered under the new Lobbying legislation if they undertake such activities in election times. This new law is coming to Alberta eventually. Why does it take so long to draft the regulations and proclaim this Act anyway Mr. Premier?
And lastly perhaps the sponsors should be required to file, in advance with Elections Alberta, a budget indicating what they intend to spend, where and when in such campaigns and this information should be public. I am not so sure on this last thought but the information would help Albertans judge if some special interest group was trying to buy our attention with advertising instead of persuading us based on the merits of their positions.
Political advertising is very effective in the States but not as embedded nor as effective in the Canadian political culture. Americans seem to think the more something is advertised the better it must be. Canadians think if you have to heavily advertise something, there must something inherently wrong with it. My belief is that paid political advertising has a place but it is not the way to win elections. Paid political advertising at the party level is essentially the price you have to pay for being boring or irrelevant. It gets attention but it is not very effective at influencing opinion and is will not ensure the voter behaviour ou want either.
Word of mouth is much more effective in gathering real political support that actually shows up and votes. That is still best done by old fashioned door knocking and face time with citizens. The next most effective way is Word of Mouse. That is an emerging technique using the connective power of the Internet and viral potential of social networking for electronic “door knocking.”
Friday, May 16, 2008
Alberta's Bold Move on Health Care Governance
The decisive move yesterday by the Stelmach government to preemptively eliminate the regional health authorities was a bold move. Others may see it as brash…not me!
I think this elimination of regional governance in health care has been coming for quite some time. It may be the health area is the proving ground for a new governance philosophy in Alberta. A taskforce looked at the governance of all agencies boards and commission a while ago and made some important and strong reform recommendations. The thrust of the findings was these groups together spend about half the provincial budget and the government better ensure they align with the GOA Business Plans and goals.
Apparently a rookie MLA asked Caucus who his constituents would call if they had a complaint about health services. Other MLAs answered in chorus “YOU!” Right on! That is exactly who citizens should be talking to if their government funded facilities and services are not meeting needs. It is government who has to resolve these issues and the provincial politicians have to have first hand information if they are going to understand and appreciate the situation.
The way I see it the beginning of the end of Health Authorities started with the fiasco around instrument sterilization in St. Joseph’s hospital in Vegreville, the Premier’s riding. Then Health Minister Dave Hancock “accepted the resignations” of the board of the authority and then he put his Deputy Minister in charge of running the hospital and the region on an interim basis. The problems were clean up, people were screened for possible infections and the entire region was reviewed from an operational perspective.
The chronic incapacity of the Calgary Health Authority to live within its budget and for them to perpetually press the government for bail out money worked under Klein but not anymore. Then the media stunt about money designed to embarrass the Premier over immediate demands for emergency cash was the last straw. I believe the fate of any continuation of the Klein era regional governance and management model in the health sector was sealed.
My observation is that some of these boards, not just in health, were formed in debt and deficit era to save money, take power from bureaucrats and to be more representative of local needs. They were political appointees but power devolved to the administration and the boards became buffers between the politicians and citizens. Not a sustainable democratic governance philosophy.
There are services government is obligated to provide to citizens. The Alberta government set up various regional authorities with appointed boards and then delegated its public interest obligation to them. Government’s obligation to provide services in areas like social services, children’s services, persons with developmental disabilities are other some examples of a delegated ( some say abdicated) governance philosophy.
It would not be surprising if some of these government responsibilities were re-centralized again. The provincial board in the persons with disabilities area was abolished a couple of years ago but the regional boards remained. There is a government level review now over service needs in the developmentally disable sector – not just nice to haves. Expect a report in June.
Insufficient public funding of community-based agencies in the developmentally disability sector has made it impossible for them to recruit and retain qualified staff. It would not surprise me if a recentralization into government happened in this sector too.
These regional boards may disappear overnight like the Health Authorities. The government may move to direct service delivery and contract with community based provider agencies – or even absorb them back into government over time too? There are arguments both ways but unless there is enough funding to compensate staff to provide services the governing philosophy is moot. The government will be inheriting much of the responsibility as service providers revise downwards the program offerings to pay staff at government rates to fit the budgets provided. Some others may close down altogether leaving the government to create needed services internally.
All we can do now is stay attuned to the happenings in the legislature.
I think this elimination of regional governance in health care has been coming for quite some time. It may be the health area is the proving ground for a new governance philosophy in Alberta. A taskforce looked at the governance of all agencies boards and commission a while ago and made some important and strong reform recommendations. The thrust of the findings was these groups together spend about half the provincial budget and the government better ensure they align with the GOA Business Plans and goals.
Apparently a rookie MLA asked Caucus who his constituents would call if they had a complaint about health services. Other MLAs answered in chorus “YOU!” Right on! That is exactly who citizens should be talking to if their government funded facilities and services are not meeting needs. It is government who has to resolve these issues and the provincial politicians have to have first hand information if they are going to understand and appreciate the situation.
The way I see it the beginning of the end of Health Authorities started with the fiasco around instrument sterilization in St. Joseph’s hospital in Vegreville, the Premier’s riding. Then Health Minister Dave Hancock “accepted the resignations” of the board of the authority and then he put his Deputy Minister in charge of running the hospital and the region on an interim basis. The problems were clean up, people were screened for possible infections and the entire region was reviewed from an operational perspective.
The chronic incapacity of the Calgary Health Authority to live within its budget and for them to perpetually press the government for bail out money worked under Klein but not anymore. Then the media stunt about money designed to embarrass the Premier over immediate demands for emergency cash was the last straw. I believe the fate of any continuation of the Klein era regional governance and management model in the health sector was sealed.
My observation is that some of these boards, not just in health, were formed in debt and deficit era to save money, take power from bureaucrats and to be more representative of local needs. They were political appointees but power devolved to the administration and the boards became buffers between the politicians and citizens. Not a sustainable democratic governance philosophy.
There are services government is obligated to provide to citizens. The Alberta government set up various regional authorities with appointed boards and then delegated its public interest obligation to them. Government’s obligation to provide services in areas like social services, children’s services, persons with developmental disabilities are other some examples of a delegated ( some say abdicated) governance philosophy.
It would not be surprising if some of these government responsibilities were re-centralized again. The provincial board in the persons with disabilities area was abolished a couple of years ago but the regional boards remained. There is a government level review now over service needs in the developmentally disable sector – not just nice to haves. Expect a report in June.
Insufficient public funding of community-based agencies in the developmentally disability sector has made it impossible for them to recruit and retain qualified staff. It would not surprise me if a recentralization into government happened in this sector too.
These regional boards may disappear overnight like the Health Authorities. The government may move to direct service delivery and contract with community based provider agencies – or even absorb them back into government over time too? There are arguments both ways but unless there is enough funding to compensate staff to provide services the governing philosophy is moot. The government will be inheriting much of the responsibility as service providers revise downwards the program offerings to pay staff at government rates to fit the budgets provided. Some others may close down altogether leaving the government to create needed services internally.
All we can do now is stay attuned to the happenings in the legislature.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Americans Realize Polar Bears are Threatened!
So the Americans find the Polar bear to be under stress and just listed them as a threatened species. Can Canada be far behind?The decision according to U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne is said to be based on science. The science is clear, he says. "Today's decision is based on three scientific findings," he said. "First, sea ice is vital to polar bear survival. Second, the polar bear's sea ice habitat has melted in recent decades. Third, computer models suggest sea ice is likely to recede in the future."
Does anyone still not believe that climate change is happening?
UPDATE: GO TO THE WWF WEBSITE FOR MORE INFO AND CONTEXT. http://wwf.ca/polarbears/home.html
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