I really LOVE social media. I get to meet so many interesting people - virtually and IRL. I run across them by happenstance, introductions or even recommendations from Twitter and Facebook. Dr. Judy J. Johnson is just such a discovery coming to me as a recommendation while confirming a new Friend request via Facebook.
We have a number of mutual Friends and I visited her page and clicked on the link she provided. That lead me to a piece on her new book: What's So Wrong With Being Absolutely Right: The Dangerous Nature of Dogmatic Belief
Go to the link and read the Q&A section but think about the kind of right-wing reactionary commentary we see from the Harper government, the Fox News commentators and the Tea Party movement. It will clarify and chill but it will also help you understand just what is going on at a deeper level in the minds of these dogmatic political sources and operatives.
I will be making an effort next time I am in Calgary to meet her, encourage her to be part of the Reboot Alberta progressive citizens movement and invite her to Reboot3.0.
The democratic deficit, like in Canada and Alberta, will not be fixed by inertia or ennui. It will only be fixed by a re-energized progressive voice from activists citizens speaking up, showing up and demanding a change in political culture. Progressives want a governing philosophy that aligns with the moderate and inclusive values of diversity, fairness, equity accountability, honesty, transparency and most of all - integrity.
We have veered so very far off that course in our federal government especially. We are in danger of doing the same kind of damage to our society in Alberta without a significant course correction away from the reactionary and retrograde retreat from the culture wars we see happening on the right side of the political spectrum between the aggressive Wildrose Alliance and the tired and timid Progressive Conservatives.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Owning a Canadian | Words You Dont Know
Owning a Canadian | Words You Dont Know
I enjoyed this website because I love words and exposing ignorance. It's Friday night. Not a segment in such a day to take entirely seriously. We have the rest of the week for that.
Have a good weekend everyone.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Hancock Shows the Path Forward for Public Education in Alberta
I highly recommend that every Albertan read this blog post by Dave Hancock, Alberta's Minister of Public Education. It presents a great compilation of what he and his department is doing to rethink, revise and retool our public education system in anticipation of the needs of the next Alberta. This is all being done under the banner of Inspiring Education.
Dave puts a challenge to all the new and returning School Board Trustees to pick up their game and assume their responsibility to ensure Alberta continues to have one of the leading public education systems on the planet. Ensuring a quality, relevant and effective Public Education is a place were every citizen can and should become engaged - even if you don't has kids in school. A quality public education system is one of the best legacies one generation can leave for the next. We sure could use some serious examples of positive legacies that we are leaving for the next generation in Alberta these days.
We have such an amazing public education system now. It has its flaws and failures like any human endeavour but that is a challenge not a detraction. The Inspiring Education process has given Albertans some insight and a serious sense of how we can make it even better.
Public education is (and ought to be) a source of pride for all Albertans. Hancock knows and believes this. His blog post shows that pride and that sense of challenge. Definitely worth a read and reflection.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org/rsvp
Dave puts a challenge to all the new and returning School Board Trustees to pick up their game and assume their responsibility to ensure Alberta continues to have one of the leading public education systems on the planet. Ensuring a quality, relevant and effective Public Education is a place were every citizen can and should become engaged - even if you don't has kids in school. A quality public education system is one of the best legacies one generation can leave for the next. We sure could use some serious examples of positive legacies that we are leaving for the next generation in Alberta these days.
We have such an amazing public education system now. It has its flaws and failures like any human endeavour but that is a challenge not a detraction. The Inspiring Education process has given Albertans some insight and a serious sense of how we can make it even better.
Public education is (and ought to be) a source of pride for all Albertans. Hancock knows and believes this. His blog post shows that pride and that sense of challenge. Definitely worth a read and reflection.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org/rsvp
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Progressive Reflections on the Alberta Elections
The local elections in Alberta last night were significant, maybe even momentous. The single-minded media focus on the culture wars between the right wing parties for political power shifted last night. This happened in many municipal mayoralty contests around Alberta but nowhere more dramatically than Edmonton and Calgary. As someone who has been focused on getting the progressive voice of Alberta back into the political culture, I have to say last night was gratifying and encouraging.
Elections all over urban Alberta last night sent a strong message to the other orders of government that this province has a new progressive narrative that is forward thinking, intelligent, vibrant and very very energized. The significant increase voter turnout in the big cities shows that people want change and it is not good enough to merely offer a choice between very right-wing Progressive Conservative Party agenda and extremely right wing Wildrose Alliance Party agenda.
There was the emergence of a progressive political agenda in evidence in these municipal elections. It came to life in many parts of urban Alberta last night. I know that progressive political agenda came to life in the Mayoralty contests in Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Grande Prairie, Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Hinton and County of Strathcona.
The Mayor and entire town council of Rimbey were sent packing. It was discovered through FOIP that they were using taxpayer funds to go to conservative related fundraising dinners and incurring other inappropriate expenses. They were all replaced by some progressive thinking Albertans who want values in their local government and value for their tax dollars. I am sure there are other examples but I have not had time to research them yet.
The contests had different contexts but the consequences are the same. The old hierarchical, command and control, top down, power broker model of politics in Alberta is no longer acceptable in much of urban Alberta. I’m betting that rejection of the outmoded model of politics will translate into Alberta provincial politics both urban and rural. It is sure not a preferred governing model for the not-for-profit, NGO and the rest of the voluntary sector in the province.
Nowhere was this more evident that in the Edmonton and Calgary mayoralty campaigns. Progressive candidates for Mayor trounced the status quo and conventionally hide-bound conservative candidates in both cities. Progressives found new ways to enhance the typical election campaigning by networking and creating communities of ideas and issues through social media.
Progressives found a new, young, articulate, cosmopolitan candidate in Calgary and stuck with a revered forward thinking imaginative candidate in Edmonton. The revitalized progressive citizen realized these two men they could believe in and trust. These two candidates came to their campaigns with forward thinking, creative ideas for a modern vibrant and sustainable city. They outline their ideas in platforms that resonated with the aspirations that progressives want for their cities. They were pushing towards designing and delivering a better tomorrow while the opposition candidates wanted to hit the pause button to stop progress, or in some cases, go to rewind and take us back 50 years in our thinking. Nenshi and Mandel both showed grace and dignity in the face of some very nasty but unfounded personal smears and slanders in some vicious but anonymous campaign attacks.
Calgary progressives showed up in droves (50%+ turnout) to send a message to the presumptive (and past?) power brokers that they really don’t own or run that town any more. Nenshi’s enormous and dramatic win as an outside progressive underdog undid and devoured the Harper Cons election machine that ran the McIver campaign. Then it defeated and devastated the old Klein cum Dinning election machine that recruited and promoted Higgins. Those “front-runner” campaigns never saw this comeuppance coming. Watching the coverage I could tell both conservative based campaigns were obviously shocked on election night by the severity, size and soundness of their rejection by the revival of progressive Calgary voters.
In Edmonton the full court press by Envision Edmonton was intended to undermine Mayor Mandel. It didn’t just fizzle – it imploded and then burst into flames. The Envision Edmonton effort in citizen participation unraveled in scandal. The admitted fraudulent dirty-trick political activities by a key Envision Edmonton volunteer sealed the demise. The man who managed the Envision Edmonton petition drive fraudulently posed as a Seattle newspaper reporter and deceitfully created a controversy that destroyed the credibility and respect for an otherwise laudable effort at citizen engagement.
He falsely accused Mayor Mandel of personal and political corruption in the potential redevelopment of the municipal airport lands. Instead of undermining Mandel he energized progressives to actively support the Mandel campaign. When they showed up on Election Day they made a big difference in the size of the Mandel win and the size of the wreckage that was wrought on the Dorward campaign. Sadly, I think the deceit and dishonesty of the Envision Edmonton impostor was a cause for voter concern about the integrity, ethics, honesty, accountability and transparency of the entire Envision Edmonton airport effort. Envision Edmonton made matters worse by refusing to distance and denounce this perpetrator for his dirty tricks and fraudulent actions. He also unfairly implicated the Dorward campaign under similar suspicions because Dorward was the Envision Edmonton endorsed candidate for Mayor.
Dorward said, in a post-election CBC radio interview, that he does not think that the Envision Edmonton meltdown or the fraudulent blogger hurt his campaign. Perhaps he is right. We will never know for sure but I think it did. Consider for a moment that Envision Edmonton pushed the fact that the 90,000+ signatures on their petition needed to be heeded by Edmonton City Council. Well, only 58,000 voted for Mr. Dorward. Where did the rest go or did they really care about the airport issue in the first place? Did Dorward pick up many new votes as a result of the scandalous anonymous and inaccurate attacks on Mandel? Many people sign a petition with no intention of being really engaged on the issue. Do these low voter numbers for Dorward compared to the number of petition signatures show that, or was it a more serious rejection of his campaign? Don’t know but it does matter, especially if you want a working democracy based on integrity, honesty, trust, transparency and accountability.
So what does this all mean for changes I see coming towards a more progressive political culture in Alberta? Some things are clearer than others. For sure dirty trick and fraudulent politics will not be tolerated. It will cause a significant portion of voters, and progressive citizens in particular, to take offence and rise up to oppose such tactics. There is a need for a more refined level of media literacy especially in the new and digital media world. There is a growing group of Albertans who know that it is just not enough to denounce these activities…you have to show up, expose them and defeat those who engage and acquiesce in the perpetration of such incorrigible activities. Progressives did that in Edmonton and Calgary, on-line and at the ballot box.
There is also a new value set that is emerging in Alberta. Many progressives will want a hand in writing that new narrative and want to help design and deliver the next Alberta That new narrative is not going to be about continuing a simple-minded conservative ideology bent on perpetually lower taxes as a way to chase/attract foreign investment then coupled with royalty give-aways. It is going to be about the current generation paying its way and leaving asocial, environmental and economic legacy to the future we can be proud of.
The new narratives are in the hearts and minds of progressive thinking citizens who see themselves coming back to democracy and electing servant leaders not political power brokers. They see the economy working for the society not the other way around. They see the economy and society embedded in the environment and that we must work in harmony with the ecosystems of the plant instead of just trying to engineer our way around Mother Nature.
The winning progressive candidates for Mayor in Edmonton, Calgary and other cities campaigned to create communities that are vibrant, diverse, dynamic, inclusive, conscious, meaningful and imaginative. They wanted to ensure public policies and local politics integrate economic, environmental and social concerns based on shared political and other cultural values. These progressive candidates see a positive role for government that creates a shared means to protect property, provide effective institutions and quality infrastructure to support and sustain citizens and their families. They seek to make municipalities that are responsible, safe, caring and compassionate societies where individuals can realize their personal potential and in turn contribute in ways that advance their lot in life and also add value to the greater good.
Progressives are not prepared to stand back and allow the contemptuous policy approach of many fiscal conservatives who see the marketplace as the only public policy option. Too many fiscal conservatives are not trying to get value for taxpayer dollars in ways that advance our society. They mostly want to cut taxes to levels that will starve vital public services like education and health care. Without sufficient taxpayer provided resources these sectors simply can’t do their jobs. By pushing a tax policy designed to under fund public services they ensure these public services will fail to perform.
The next step is for the libertarian or ultra-conservative dogma to kick in and demand that the private sector comes to the “rescue.” Historically that has been a failed and expensive strategy because the taxpayer inevitably has to bail out the private operator. Remember the recent bankruptcy of the private surgical clinic in Calgary we spent millions to sustain as a case in point? That is not an isolated case and we must not allow it to become the norm.
The next step is for the libertarian or ultra-conservative dogma to kick in and demand that the private sector comes to the “rescue.” Historically that has been a failed and expensive strategy because the taxpayer inevitably has to bail out the private operator. Remember the recent bankruptcy of the private surgical clinic in Calgary we spent millions to sustain as a case in point? That is not an isolated case and we must not allow it to become the norm.
As part of the Reboot Alberta progressive citizen’s movement I have to marvel how fast and far this idea of a progressive Alberta political culture has come in one short year. The proof is in the increased voter turnout and the progressive election results in Edmonton, Calgary and many other Alberta communities. Progressives are coming to life again all over Alberta. I am encouraged by this and know it is not too late for Albertans to take back the political agenda of the province - and it is about time. The stage is set. The times are a-changin’ and the progressive Alberta voter has to come back to democracy and seems focused on taking back control of the political culture and agenda of our province. I saw that return to citizenship start to happen on October 18 in local elections all over Alberta.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org/rsvp
Monday, October 18, 2010
Edmonton Journal Exit Poll
Here is a link to the Edmonton Journal Exit Poll. This is an interesting exercise in political participation. I wonder how closely the on line participants will reflect the final results. Vote first and then come to the Exit Poll and tell us your story.
If you are not sure where to vote use this like to Elections Edmonton for the polling station in your neighbourhood. They are open until 8 pm so you have time but be sure to take the time.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
If you are not sure where to vote use this like to Elections Edmonton for the polling station in your neighbourhood. They are open until 8 pm so you have time but be sure to take the time.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Edmonton Candidates for Mayor Encourage Young Voters
Thx Rick Lee of Sonic Radio 102.9 for this video on encouraging younger people getting out to vote. Thanks also to all the Edmonton Mayoralty Candidates for participating. AND THANK YOU to all those citizens who have taken the time to get informed on the issues that concern them in this election and who will show up at the polls today to make a difference in the way they see the future of our city.
I have voted in Ward 6 and my choices were Mandel for Mayor, Batty for Councillor and Spencer for Public School Trustee. Now go make your own choices. YOU will be glad you did.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Edmonton Sun Endorses Mandel
OK - the political ground in Alberta is really shifting. The Edmonton Sun has endorsed Stephen Mandel for Mayor. Mandel is the most progressive, proven and capable candidate on the ballot this time. He deserves another term for all the reasons the Sun points out and more. Mandel is the clear, credible, competent and conscientious choice to lead Edmonton for the next three years. For the Sun to recognize this is counter-intuitive given their past positions dramatically opposed to progressive values.
BTW the Calgary Sun has done the same thing. They endorsed Nenshi, the other openly progressive candidate for mayor in Calgary. The political culture of Alberta is not all right wing and reactionary - not any more.
There is a serious disappointment and clear effort at diminishing our democracy in this Edmonton municipal election. The Mandel opposition has come from the well funded Envision Edmonton group who are mostly a one issue group around the closing of the municipal airport. It has been loud and oft-time loutish with orchestrated heckling and booing of Mandel at forums. I have no problem with activist and aggressive citizen engagement. I have encouraged it in this blog for years. What we also need is informed and respectful citizen engagement where we can disagree without being disagreeable. That has not always been the hallmarks of Envision Edmonton. This is not a condemnation of all the responsible, respectful and dedicated volunteers who have done an admirable job of motivating thousands of citizens to their cause.
The Envision Edmonton efforts have failed to gain momentum and has now in a much deserved decline. They has lost the respect and forfeited the trust of Edmontonians looking for integrity, honesty, accountability and transparency in politics. The admittedly unfounded and dirty trick smear campaign against Mandel by Nathan Black, the Envision Edmonton petition manger was a dramatic indication that at least this leader of Envision Edmonton was prepared to resort to Nixonian levels of political dirty tricks. Passion is not a free pass to promote and participate in political corruption.
The fact that Envision Edmonton has stood by Mr. Black shows that they don't understand nor ascribe to the political values of integrity, honesty, accountability and transparency that Edmontonians demand of our political culture. They, like Mr. Black, are now suffering from self inflicted and fatal wounds. This citizen's movement has fallen from grace and now should not be trusted by any reasonable voter in Edmonton.
I support the closure of the municipal airport. I have seen no substantial evidence or proof of Envision Edmonton claims of city council acting undemocratically on the closure issues. They has produced a petition that is too little, too late and contrary to law but pursue the matter in the courts anyway. I also categorically reject the tactics employed by Mr. Black and Envision Edmonton by association since they have stood by him in the face of his admitted breaches of integrity, honestly, accountability and transparency in politics.
I encourage the citizens of Edmonton to send a clear message that we are tired of old-style politics based on personal power or propaganda where self-interested ends justify any means. Reject those candidates who are endorsed by Envision Edmonton on October 18. Send a clear message that we do not want and will not tolerate a Tea Party approach to politics in Edmonton.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
BTW the Calgary Sun has done the same thing. They endorsed Nenshi, the other openly progressive candidate for mayor in Calgary. The political culture of Alberta is not all right wing and reactionary - not any more.
There is a serious disappointment and clear effort at diminishing our democracy in this Edmonton municipal election. The Mandel opposition has come from the well funded Envision Edmonton group who are mostly a one issue group around the closing of the municipal airport. It has been loud and oft-time loutish with orchestrated heckling and booing of Mandel at forums. I have no problem with activist and aggressive citizen engagement. I have encouraged it in this blog for years. What we also need is informed and respectful citizen engagement where we can disagree without being disagreeable. That has not always been the hallmarks of Envision Edmonton. This is not a condemnation of all the responsible, respectful and dedicated volunteers who have done an admirable job of motivating thousands of citizens to their cause.
The Envision Edmonton efforts have failed to gain momentum and has now in a much deserved decline. They has lost the respect and forfeited the trust of Edmontonians looking for integrity, honesty, accountability and transparency in politics. The admittedly unfounded and dirty trick smear campaign against Mandel by Nathan Black, the Envision Edmonton petition manger was a dramatic indication that at least this leader of Envision Edmonton was prepared to resort to Nixonian levels of political dirty tricks. Passion is not a free pass to promote and participate in political corruption.
The fact that Envision Edmonton has stood by Mr. Black shows that they don't understand nor ascribe to the political values of integrity, honesty, accountability and transparency that Edmontonians demand of our political culture. They, like Mr. Black, are now suffering from self inflicted and fatal wounds. This citizen's movement has fallen from grace and now should not be trusted by any reasonable voter in Edmonton.
I support the closure of the municipal airport. I have seen no substantial evidence or proof of Envision Edmonton claims of city council acting undemocratically on the closure issues. They has produced a petition that is too little, too late and contrary to law but pursue the matter in the courts anyway. I also categorically reject the tactics employed by Mr. Black and Envision Edmonton by association since they have stood by him in the face of his admitted breaches of integrity, honestly, accountability and transparency in politics.
I encourage the citizens of Edmonton to send a clear message that we are tired of old-style politics based on personal power or propaganda where self-interested ends justify any means. Reject those candidates who are endorsed by Envision Edmonton on October 18. Send a clear message that we do not want and will not tolerate a Tea Party approach to politics in Edmonton.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
ARTES Releases Edmonton Public School Candidates Report Card
ARTES is another progressive citizens movement in the spirit of Reboot Alberta but focused on the Edmonton Public School Board elections. They have published a "report card" on various candidates that may help you get some focus on what questions you need to ask yourself as you pick a candidate on October 18.
They have published their methodology to arrive at these ratings and comments on candidates too. The criteria they used to assess candidates are interesting too:
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
They have published their methodology to arrive at these ratings and comments on candidates too. The criteria they used to assess candidates are interesting too:
- Ability (competence, experience, professionalism)
- Independence (courage, open to new ideas, does not rubber-stamp, questions assumptions)
- Accountability (honest, trustworthy, transparent, understands board governance)
- Responsiveness (communication, listens to and represents public, supports disadvantaged groups)
- Vision (leadership, co-operation, passion)
I like this list of qualities used to assess candidates. It aligns well with the values we found in a Reboot Alberta survey of Albertan's values in politics and policy making, namely integrity, honesty, accountability, transparency, fiscal and personal responsibility. Ver much aligned with the values criteria used by ARTES in their report card.
With the Edmonton municipal elections getting most of the media attention it is easy to overlook the critically important concurrent election of school boards. There is a significant increase in the number of candidates running for school boards all over the province and fewer acclaimed candidates. This is good news for progressive politics and a healthy democracy in Alberta.
Do not forget to mark you ballots for your local school board elections all over Alberta on Monday. This is a critical voting opportunity too.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Alberta Gets to Vote on Monday - Will Progressives Show Up?
There are elections for municipal politicians and school board trustees all over Alberta on October 18. These elected officials are the closest to the community but ironically result in the lowest voter turnout.
There are some indications that this is changing in Calgary and Edmonton at least. I have not had the time to review other places to get a sense of voter turnout intentions. I can only hope the sense of the import of the opportunity to participate in our democracy is hitting home with Albertans.
One of my passions is citizenship and citizen engagement. This blog is often focused on those concerns. I hope for more than citizens turning up to vote but actually knowing what the want from government and making an effort to see which of the candidates comes closest to their values and concerns. That takes a bit of time but with the Internet this research is very easy to do.
I am not going to tell you how to vote but I do want to encourage you to vote. I especially want to encourage the progressive thinking Albertans to vote. The people with this value set have become very disillusioned with politics and have withdrawn from democracy as a result. That is no way to change the system.
Elections are about choices, change and charting courses. So let me make some observations about the Mayoralty races in Edmonton and Calgary in that context.
EDMONTON:
Edmonton is a two-horse race between Mandel and Dorward. Both fine candidates but with very different world and local views about issues and the direction for the city.
There is an undercurrent of this contest being a proxy race for the next provincial election in Edmonton. I think there is some truth to that. Dorward is an unsuccessful PC candidate from the last political election but is now the favourite of the Wildrose faction in the culture war in right wing politics in Alberta. Mandel is less defined as a partisan politician but he is being framed as the PC Party choice. I actually think he is better understood and the anybody but WAP choice.
How this will undercurrent of provincial party influence plays out on the choice for Mayor of Edmonton will send a message about the potential strength of the WAP in Edmonton. Right now the WAP is very weak in Edmonton but a win or even a strong showing by Dorward will be seen as a serious shift in momentum for the Wildrose in Edmonton.
It is entirely possible for Mr. Dorward to win this election for Mayor on Monday but only if progressive voters continue to stay home on election day. If progressive stay indifferent to consequences of elections or presume a Mandel victory so they don't need to bother - don't be surprised by a Droward win.
CALGARY:
This is an even more interesting race for Mayor. There is the same provincial implications undercurrents. McIver the early leader is the Wildrose choice. Then we have Barb Higgins, the recently retired TV news anchor cum candidate who thinks she is the right person to run a multi-billion dollar civic budget. She is the PC darling with the backing of the Dinning PC leadership brain trust.
Then we have Naheed Nenshi, the upstart outsider progressive candidate with a more modern and motivated campaign approach based on issues and policy. Nenshi was at first a group of third tier progressive candidates including Wayne Stewart and Bob Hawkesworth but he broke from that pack. Nenshi is now tied with the original front runners all around 30% support according to a very recent Leger poll. Hawkesworth has withdrawn and is supporting Higgins. Stewart has also withdrawn and is supporting Nenshi. Just to make it more interesting.
Here is a chance for progressive voters in Calgary to vote for a young, intelligent, articulate and capable political alternative. They can show up and support the momentum of Nenshi and send a message to the establishment that runs Calgary that their presumption of the perpetual traditional right-wing conservative political culture is not a given in the future of that great city.
Full disclosure - I know Nenshi the best of all the candidates. He is involved in Reboot Alberta too and was one of the people who helped merge the Renew Alberta group with the Alberta Party as a progressive centrists political alternative for our province. I worked with Ric McIvor a few year ago on men's issues in bullying and domestic violence and his knowledge and understanding of the complexity of the issues impressed me. I have never met Barb Higgins but know a lot of the people running her campaign.
CONCLUSION:
There is a very important subtext to the Mayoralty races in Edmonton and Calgary with potential implications for the future of provincial politics in Alberta. If McIvor and Dorward win the Wildrose will become even wilder and emboldened. If Higgins wins the Calgary establishment will rise up and once again want the run the province from behind closed doors like they did when Ralph Klein was Premier. If Mandel and Nenshi win we can see signs of a shifting in the political culture in the province and the old one-party system is an artifact of the past. It will show that there is a yearnings for a more progressive, inclusive, accountable government that is open, based on integrity and stewardship - not just getting and keeping personal political power
The choices made by Edmonton and Calgary represent two-thirds of the Alberta population. That alone has serious implications for politics in the rest of the province. None of my readers will be surprised by my choices. I am voting for Mandel and would vote for Nenshi - if I lived in Calgary.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
There are some indications that this is changing in Calgary and Edmonton at least. I have not had the time to review other places to get a sense of voter turnout intentions. I can only hope the sense of the import of the opportunity to participate in our democracy is hitting home with Albertans.
One of my passions is citizenship and citizen engagement. This blog is often focused on those concerns. I hope for more than citizens turning up to vote but actually knowing what the want from government and making an effort to see which of the candidates comes closest to their values and concerns. That takes a bit of time but with the Internet this research is very easy to do.
I am not going to tell you how to vote but I do want to encourage you to vote. I especially want to encourage the progressive thinking Albertans to vote. The people with this value set have become very disillusioned with politics and have withdrawn from democracy as a result. That is no way to change the system.
Elections are about choices, change and charting courses. So let me make some observations about the Mayoralty races in Edmonton and Calgary in that context.
EDMONTON:
Edmonton is a two-horse race between Mandel and Dorward. Both fine candidates but with very different world and local views about issues and the direction for the city.
There is an undercurrent of this contest being a proxy race for the next provincial election in Edmonton. I think there is some truth to that. Dorward is an unsuccessful PC candidate from the last political election but is now the favourite of the Wildrose faction in the culture war in right wing politics in Alberta. Mandel is less defined as a partisan politician but he is being framed as the PC Party choice. I actually think he is better understood and the anybody but WAP choice.
How this will undercurrent of provincial party influence plays out on the choice for Mayor of Edmonton will send a message about the potential strength of the WAP in Edmonton. Right now the WAP is very weak in Edmonton but a win or even a strong showing by Dorward will be seen as a serious shift in momentum for the Wildrose in Edmonton.
It is entirely possible for Mr. Dorward to win this election for Mayor on Monday but only if progressive voters continue to stay home on election day. If progressive stay indifferent to consequences of elections or presume a Mandel victory so they don't need to bother - don't be surprised by a Droward win.
CALGARY:
This is an even more interesting race for Mayor. There is the same provincial implications undercurrents. McIver the early leader is the Wildrose choice. Then we have Barb Higgins, the recently retired TV news anchor cum candidate who thinks she is the right person to run a multi-billion dollar civic budget. She is the PC darling with the backing of the Dinning PC leadership brain trust.
Then we have Naheed Nenshi, the upstart outsider progressive candidate with a more modern and motivated campaign approach based on issues and policy. Nenshi was at first a group of third tier progressive candidates including Wayne Stewart and Bob Hawkesworth but he broke from that pack. Nenshi is now tied with the original front runners all around 30% support according to a very recent Leger poll. Hawkesworth has withdrawn and is supporting Higgins. Stewart has also withdrawn and is supporting Nenshi. Just to make it more interesting.
Here is a chance for progressive voters in Calgary to vote for a young, intelligent, articulate and capable political alternative. They can show up and support the momentum of Nenshi and send a message to the establishment that runs Calgary that their presumption of the perpetual traditional right-wing conservative political culture is not a given in the future of that great city.
Full disclosure - I know Nenshi the best of all the candidates. He is involved in Reboot Alberta too and was one of the people who helped merge the Renew Alberta group with the Alberta Party as a progressive centrists political alternative for our province. I worked with Ric McIvor a few year ago on men's issues in bullying and domestic violence and his knowledge and understanding of the complexity of the issues impressed me. I have never met Barb Higgins but know a lot of the people running her campaign.
CONCLUSION:
There is a very important subtext to the Mayoralty races in Edmonton and Calgary with potential implications for the future of provincial politics in Alberta. If McIvor and Dorward win the Wildrose will become even wilder and emboldened. If Higgins wins the Calgary establishment will rise up and once again want the run the province from behind closed doors like they did when Ralph Klein was Premier. If Mandel and Nenshi win we can see signs of a shifting in the political culture in the province and the old one-party system is an artifact of the past. It will show that there is a yearnings for a more progressive, inclusive, accountable government that is open, based on integrity and stewardship - not just getting and keeping personal political power
The choices made by Edmonton and Calgary represent two-thirds of the Alberta population. That alone has serious implications for politics in the rest of the province. None of my readers will be surprised by my choices. I am voting for Mandel and would vote for Nenshi - if I lived in Calgary.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Alberta Local Elections Less Than a Week Away!
Early indications are that there is more interest in local elections for municipal government and school boards this time than three years ago. Only anecdotal but the advance poll in Edmonton shows a marked increase in voter turnout. The Edmonton Sun non-scientific on-line "poll" shows 67% of us say we will vote. We always say we will vote but we perpetually lie about our actual voting behaviours. Maybe citizens will have more integrity this time and do what they say on October 18th
Three years ago things were pretty rosy in Alberta, energy prices were soaring to new highs and everyone was scrambling to keep up with the overheated economy. Now the change is dramatic but in reality we are in a more normal economic situation but tinged with some critical uncertainties. Uncertainties like the US economy and the rise of the BRIC nations and enormous personal and public debt overhanging the psyche and climate change seeping in as a reality. It all adds up and with record gold prices we see the economic angst being acted out in the market place.
Back to the local realities in Alberta - will we see a revived sense of citizenship in improved voter turnout next Monday? What will be the ballot questions? Calgary is in a culture war that is illustrated by the wide array of candidates for mayor. I wonder if Calgary wants a new face for their city or if the entrenched power structure will opt for a version of a status quo candidate, McIver or Higgins.. Mandel won in Edmonton two elections ago because both highly touted front runners were found wanting in some fundamental way. The chance for change took over and both of them were rejected in favour of the third place candidate - Mandel. Could that happen in Calgary this time? Would Nenshi, Stewart or Hawkesworth benefit from this kinds of yearning for real change in Calgary?
Edmonton started out as a yawner of a campaign but has heated up significantly thanks to Envision Edmonton efforts to press for a plebiscite on the municipal airport closing. The mayoralty campaign here is turning into a battle for the next narrative of the story Edmonton wants to tell itself about itself. There is a sense by the traditionalists Envision Edmonton types to almost emulate the Wildrose as the yearn for an Edmonton of a time past. The modernists just want to be left alone and get on with their lives, make some money and without having to worry about messy things like politics, democracy, citizenship and social issues.
The real question in Edmonton is will the progressives show up and support Mandel or just presume his win is a foregone conclusion so they can stay indifferent and inert politically. If that happens and the grumpy types from Envision Edmonton show up then anything can happen. That is the nature of politics.
School Board elections are interesting in Edmonton - have not followed them in Calgary. EPSB is in for some serious change for sure, not sure about the Catholic board here but will ponder that in the next few days. too.
I encourage all Albertans to get informed and get into discussion with friends an family about what they want from their government and make a conscious considered choice at the polls. I especially encourage progressives to take this plea to heart. Indifference is inexcusable in tight races. The progressive voice is being lost in the Alberta political culture because we are not speaking up and not showing up. Other voices are speaking up and showing up. And they are taking over the political power in our province.
Remember it is not THE government. It is OUR government - whether you voted or not.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Three years ago things were pretty rosy in Alberta, energy prices were soaring to new highs and everyone was scrambling to keep up with the overheated economy. Now the change is dramatic but in reality we are in a more normal economic situation but tinged with some critical uncertainties. Uncertainties like the US economy and the rise of the BRIC nations and enormous personal and public debt overhanging the psyche and climate change seeping in as a reality. It all adds up and with record gold prices we see the economic angst being acted out in the market place.
Back to the local realities in Alberta - will we see a revived sense of citizenship in improved voter turnout next Monday? What will be the ballot questions? Calgary is in a culture war that is illustrated by the wide array of candidates for mayor. I wonder if Calgary wants a new face for their city or if the entrenched power structure will opt for a version of a status quo candidate, McIver or Higgins.. Mandel won in Edmonton two elections ago because both highly touted front runners were found wanting in some fundamental way. The chance for change took over and both of them were rejected in favour of the third place candidate - Mandel. Could that happen in Calgary this time? Would Nenshi, Stewart or Hawkesworth benefit from this kinds of yearning for real change in Calgary?
Edmonton started out as a yawner of a campaign but has heated up significantly thanks to Envision Edmonton efforts to press for a plebiscite on the municipal airport closing. The mayoralty campaign here is turning into a battle for the next narrative of the story Edmonton wants to tell itself about itself. There is a sense by the traditionalists Envision Edmonton types to almost emulate the Wildrose as the yearn for an Edmonton of a time past. The modernists just want to be left alone and get on with their lives, make some money and without having to worry about messy things like politics, democracy, citizenship and social issues.
The real question in Edmonton is will the progressives show up and support Mandel or just presume his win is a foregone conclusion so they can stay indifferent and inert politically. If that happens and the grumpy types from Envision Edmonton show up then anything can happen. That is the nature of politics.
School Board elections are interesting in Edmonton - have not followed them in Calgary. EPSB is in for some serious change for sure, not sure about the Catholic board here but will ponder that in the next few days. too.
I encourage all Albertans to get informed and get into discussion with friends an family about what they want from their government and make a conscious considered choice at the polls. I especially encourage progressives to take this plea to heart. Indifference is inexcusable in tight races. The progressive voice is being lost in the Alberta political culture because we are not speaking up and not showing up. Other voices are speaking up and showing up. And they are taking over the political power in our province.
Remember it is not THE government. It is OUR government - whether you voted or not.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Inspiring Hearts & Minds = Innovation in Education
Here is an updated blog post by Kim Bater - a candidate for School Trustee in Banff. Kim is a very creative leader and thinker with a dedication to public education.
Thanks to Esme Comfort, another candidate for school trustee in the same district for the link on Twitter @esmecomfort if you want ot follow her.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Thanks to Esme Comfort, another candidate for school trustee in the same district for the link on Twitter @esmecomfort if you want ot follow her.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Monday, October 11, 2010
Social Media 3Q Update: Who Uses Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, & MySpace? | Social Media Today
The digital world is still an amazing force that is changing communications, community, consciousness and content that we pay attention to in our daily lives. The demographic mix of users is changing and the growth is leveling off. It had to at some point but the level of engagement is still a phenomenon the be reckoned with. The impact on any business that depends on a social license to operate - like forestry, banks, oil&gas and oil sands need to figure out how to tap into this new world and how to use it.
Thursday, October 07, 2010
Alberta Tea Party Possibilities Update
I recently did a post on the possibility of an Alberta Tea Party forming at some time possibly from the social conservatives and separatists in our midst.
Canada 2020 recently hosted a panel on Polling with Frank Graves (Ekos Research) Nik Nanos (Nanos Research) and Bruce Anderson (Harris/Decima) moderated by Don Newman. The panel was broadcast on CPAC last night and I missed it but hope it will be repeated. Should be worth a watch.
I point this out because Susan Delacourt who writes on this Ottawa-ish for the Toronto Star picked up on a comment from Harris/Decima about the possibility of a Canadian Tea Party equivalent. She wrote a story about it here. Susan has also written a blog post on it the concern here called "Distemper of our Times."
Nik Nanos, a very reliable pollsters at the Canada 2020 event, commented on "...the forces of disaggregation, the forces of discontent and the forces of dilution...of power." He concluded by saying "So to wrap up: expect political instability and turbulence. I believe we are at a risky but unintended place in our democracy -- that the forces of disaggregation
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Canada 2020 recently hosted a panel on Polling with Frank Graves (Ekos Research) Nik Nanos (Nanos Research) and Bruce Anderson (Harris/Decima) moderated by Don Newman. The panel was broadcast on CPAC last night and I missed it but hope it will be repeated. Should be worth a watch.
I point this out because Susan Delacourt who writes on this Ottawa-ish for the Toronto Star picked up on a comment from Harris/Decima about the possibility of a Canadian Tea Party equivalent. She wrote a story about it here. Susan has also written a blog post on it the concern here called "Distemper of our Times."
Nik Nanos, a very reliable pollsters at the Canada 2020 event, commented on "...the forces of disaggregation, the forces of discontent and the forces of dilution...of power." He concluded by saying "So to wrap up: expect political instability and turbulence. I believe we are at a risky but unintended place in our democracy -- that the forces of disaggregation
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Premier's Awards for Alberta Public Service
The 2010 Premier's Award of Excellence are now out. These are the Alberta Public Service employee awards for "outstanding achievement in business excellence and service delivery to Albertan." There are Gold, Silver and Bronze levels
These are a great form of recognition by the Premier. I actually won one of these awards even though I never worked as a public servant. I am very proud to wear the Gold level pin. I was one of the external people bought in to help design and execute the Future Summit back in the day. The folks who ran that terrific project were generous enough to include me and another external consultant in their team to receive the award.
Ironically I was an external consultant on the Domestic Violence and Bullying project a few years back. It was dealing with male perpetrators and victims of domestic violence. It was a tense situation and a delicate role to play. I think I was the only male in the front lines of this very important project. It was the inspiration of the Minister of the day Iris Evans and Colleen Klein, the wife of former Premier Ralph Klein. It also won the Gold level that year. A different attitude by the internal administrative powers in place then actually excluded external people from participating in the Award of Excellence recognition. This had nothing to do with the Minister of Colleen Klein - just a small minded senior bureaucrat at the time.
I was proud to be associated with a great team of dedicated civil servants who worked on the ground in these projects and exemplified the essence of "business excellence and service delivery to Albertans" in both projects.
So my congratulations go out to this years Premier's Award of Excellence recipients. Thank you for your great work and service to the people of Alberta. I for one really appreciate it.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Canada Touted as a Green Energy Powerhouse
Interesting quote in the Calgary Herald today. "The most pressing business challenges in the Alberta oil sands are the same ones the environmentalists have identified" according to Samir Brikho, the CEO of the international engineering firm AMEC PLC.
Looks promising to see some of the energy industry talk be about transforming Canada into a clean energy powerhouse. That is the central premise of the book Green Oil written last year by my business partner Satya Das. We published it through the Cambridge Strategies Inc. imprint Sextant Publishing so you can buy it at better book stores and online in hard copy or by digital download at the Cambridge Strategies Bookstore
Ironically the government of Alberta has the policy positions in place to promote this objective but is seems that there is insufficient focus and political will to design and execute an proactive plan to those ends. Check out the report "Responsible Actions: a Plan for Alberta's Oil Sands" This document outlines six integrated strategies to optimise economic growth, reduce the environmental footprint and increase the quality of life in Alberta.
The Strategies are:
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Looks promising to see some of the energy industry talk be about transforming Canada into a clean energy powerhouse. That is the central premise of the book Green Oil written last year by my business partner Satya Das. We published it through the Cambridge Strategies Inc. imprint Sextant Publishing so you can buy it at better book stores and online in hard copy or by digital download at the Cambridge Strategies Bookstore
Ironically the government of Alberta has the policy positions in place to promote this objective but is seems that there is insufficient focus and political will to design and execute an proactive plan to those ends. Check out the report "Responsible Actions: a Plan for Alberta's Oil Sands" This document outlines six integrated strategies to optimise economic growth, reduce the environmental footprint and increase the quality of life in Alberta.
The Strategies are:
- Develop Alberta's oil sands in an environmentally responsible way;
- Promote healthy communities and a quality of life that attracts and retains individuals, families and businesses;
- Maximize long-term value for all Albertans through economic growth, stability and resource optimization;
- Strengthen our proactive approach to aboriginal consultation with a view to reconciling interests;
- Maximize research and innovation to further support sustainable development and unlock the deposit potential;
- Increase available information, develop measurement systems and enhance accountability in the management of the oil sands.
The resent values research we did with OSRIN on what Albertans want to see guide and drive the development of their oil sands...remember Albertans own this resource...track very well with this "Responsible Actions" policy proposal.
The Priority Actions in the plan for a focused implementation include:
- Revise the current environmental impact assessment process to support cumulative effects management;
- Increase the pace of reclamation in the oil sands areas;
- Continue implementing the Fort McMurray community development plan to address housing shortages and investigate opportunities for regional service delivery;
- Leverage bitumen royalties to develop value-added oil sands products;
- Develop a regional plan for the Lower Athabasca Region within the Land Use Framework
- Conduct a pilot project to assess the cumulative environmental impact of oil sands development on the rights and traditional land uses of aboriginal people.
Some significant progress is being made in some of these Priority Action areas notably #3 and #5. I am not sure of the progress in the other areas. I just don't know. Strange we don't hear more about the progress in the work in these areas and less about multi-million dollar taxpayer paid advertising campaigns that we hope will counteract the negative messages of some aggressive ENGOS.
As an owner of the oil sands and a citizen of Alberta I want more updated information on this policy and its implementation. If it is being attended to aggressively it would go a long way to assuring me that the right things are being done. I want to know my government, as my proxy holder, and the industry, as my tenant, is doing the right things in the right way and right now to promote integrated action in create responsible prosperity from this enormous advantage we have from the oil sands.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Alberta Party and Doing Politics Differently
I was unable to make it to the AGM of the revitalized Alberta Party on the weekend. I had a speaking engagements in Calgary of the Oil Sands Leadership Initiative and the Banff Centre Leadership Development program. Then I had to be back to host a table at the Gandhi Foundation Dinner my partner Satya Das was speaking at. It was a busy weekend already.
From all accounts the Alberta Party AGM was a positive exercise in doing politics differently. Dave Cournoyer was there and offers a comprehensive blog post on his impressions of the meeting. It is worth a read and some time for reflection on this new political initiative.
The comments on Daveberta's blog post are interesting too in that the sense of the Alberta Party is working on doing politics differently. The goal is not to beat the other party in the pursuit of political power but rather to make Alberta the best it can be. I see the potential for Alberta to aspire to look beyond trying to be the best in the world but rather to be the best for the world. I hope the Alberta Party can help refocus our province towards this kind of future.
Dave King is very active in the Alberta Party too and one of the co-instigators of Reboot Alberta. He has written a thoughtful blog post that sums up this progressive spirit of the Alberta Party...at least to my mind.
Dave King captures my sense of where we need to move the political narrative and culture of the province. The adversarial gamesmanship of conventional politics turns off citizens, discourages quality people with the necessary wisdom and servant-leadership qualities and capabilities from getting involved in politics and governing.
The influence of big business and donors working behind closed doors in government relations seems like collusion for self-interest and not open collaboration to create a better Alberta for a greater number of citizens. The merchandising of messages instead of sharing ideas and concerns and seeking mutually agreeable solutions is the basis of party politics these days. Too many everyday Albertans feel their governments are not listening to them and that their opinions don't count any more.
We live in complex and chaotic times and solutions offered by superficial and artificial mock battles played out in the media between partisans is not going to get us to realize the potential we have as a province. Achieving our potential will not result by one side merely proving the other side wrong and therefore "winning." Albertans lose in that situations. This progressive approach to politics will take a greater degree of pioneering leadership embraced by people with a genuine intent on serving the greater good not just winning the next election.
I am hopeful that the Alberta Party can be the beginning of that more progressive and enlightened approach to politics and government and can develop into being as a positive force in the betterment of the lives of Albertans. The prerequisite for any of this is an informed, engaged and conscientious sense of citizenship. More citizens have to take back control of the power and become influencers on the politics of our time in order to overcome the deficiencies in our democracy that have been caused by decades of political indifference.
Full disclosure - I am a member of the Alberta Party but not actively engaged in their organizational efforts. My time is focused on Reboot Alberta and that is a progressive citizen's movement in Alberta that welcomes participants from any or no political affiliation provided you want to do help Alberta to be more than it is and serve a greater good beyond ones self. Reboot is a great place to start re-engaging as a fully responsible citizen without the burden of political affiliation. If you are a partisan who wants to change from within your party you can find others with a similar goal at Reboot too.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 Nov 5-6 at Edmonton Delta South at www.rebootalberta.org
From all accounts the Alberta Party AGM was a positive exercise in doing politics differently. Dave Cournoyer was there and offers a comprehensive blog post on his impressions of the meeting. It is worth a read and some time for reflection on this new political initiative.
The comments on Daveberta's blog post are interesting too in that the sense of the Alberta Party is working on doing politics differently. The goal is not to beat the other party in the pursuit of political power but rather to make Alberta the best it can be. I see the potential for Alberta to aspire to look beyond trying to be the best in the world but rather to be the best for the world. I hope the Alberta Party can help refocus our province towards this kind of future.
Dave King is very active in the Alberta Party too and one of the co-instigators of Reboot Alberta. He has written a thoughtful blog post that sums up this progressive spirit of the Alberta Party...at least to my mind.
Dave King captures my sense of where we need to move the political narrative and culture of the province. The adversarial gamesmanship of conventional politics turns off citizens, discourages quality people with the necessary wisdom and servant-leadership qualities and capabilities from getting involved in politics and governing.
The influence of big business and donors working behind closed doors in government relations seems like collusion for self-interest and not open collaboration to create a better Alberta for a greater number of citizens. The merchandising of messages instead of sharing ideas and concerns and seeking mutually agreeable solutions is the basis of party politics these days. Too many everyday Albertans feel their governments are not listening to them and that their opinions don't count any more.
We live in complex and chaotic times and solutions offered by superficial and artificial mock battles played out in the media between partisans is not going to get us to realize the potential we have as a province. Achieving our potential will not result by one side merely proving the other side wrong and therefore "winning." Albertans lose in that situations. This progressive approach to politics will take a greater degree of pioneering leadership embraced by people with a genuine intent on serving the greater good not just winning the next election.
I am hopeful that the Alberta Party can be the beginning of that more progressive and enlightened approach to politics and government and can develop into being as a positive force in the betterment of the lives of Albertans. The prerequisite for any of this is an informed, engaged and conscientious sense of citizenship. More citizens have to take back control of the power and become influencers on the politics of our time in order to overcome the deficiencies in our democracy that have been caused by decades of political indifference.
Full disclosure - I am a member of the Alberta Party but not actively engaged in their organizational efforts. My time is focused on Reboot Alberta and that is a progressive citizen's movement in Alberta that welcomes participants from any or no political affiliation provided you want to do help Alberta to be more than it is and serve a greater good beyond ones self. Reboot is a great place to start re-engaging as a fully responsible citizen without the burden of political affiliation. If you are a partisan who wants to change from within your party you can find others with a similar goal at Reboot too.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 Nov 5-6 at Edmonton Delta South at www.rebootalberta.org
Monday, October 04, 2010
Donald Duck Meets Glenn Beck
This came via @prog_blog and is a very funny and telling narrative of the "reality"of the radical right
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Is There a Tea Party Movement in Alberta's Future?
Is there a potential for an Alberta Tea Party? Where has Craig Chandler gone? What happened to WAP leadership candidate Jeff Willerton? Where are the Alberta Separatists these days? Where are the Libertarian activists located politically these days? We get little or now news from them for quite some time but we know they are out there...in more ways than one!
My sense is they are hiding quietly in the basement of the Wildrose Alliance Party. So long as Danielle Smith can keep up the media generated momentum for the alliance side of the WAP, the wild side of the party will keep quiet and wait until the power shift happens. If that happens after the next election expect the Tea Party types to come out of hiding. they will want to reassert and impose their values on what has become a very compliant, confused and all-too content and comfortable Alberta public. It will be a a hard-fought contest for the heart and soul of the WAP too but all of us will suffer in the internal culture war that will ensue.
The sense is the popularity of the Wildrose Alliance Party has peaked but at a significant level of support that cannot be ignored. They are not going away but the question is will Albertans vote for them in protest just to send a message to the PC Party? Smith has done a remarkable job of soothing the citizen's fears about the scary side of the WAP. This is in no small part because she is personally able to do that with her mellow messaging and skillful positioning of herself as a Peter Lougheed kind of politician.
There is a yearning for a return to Alberta of that kind of Lougheed socially progressive social, fiscal conservative and culturally diverse basis of public policy coupled with a long term view of good governance over short term pursuits of political power. So far nobody has been able to capture the imagination of the Alberta public to convince us that any of the existing parties can deliver that kind of inclusive, creative and conscientious government we used to enjoy under Peter Lougheed.
I hope nobody is fooled by this illusion of the WAP selling us that they are going to be a return to a Lougheed style of governing . The hard-nosed mean-spirited Harper Conservatives are very much behind the provincial Wildrose Alliance Party in our Alberta. We have seen the dire consequences to progress from that kind of Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld inspired reckless abuse of power.
The way I see it is with the Harper-Cons coupled with the Fraser Institute inspired WAP will take Alberta into a socially conservative policy approach that will be marked by wedge issues, division and marginalization of minorities and further damage vulnerable citizens. They abhor government because they think it interferes with individual rights and freedoms and is inefficient. While at the same time they fail to understand the need to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens - especially those who disagree with them.
They think individual competition and marketplaces forces are the only way to create a society based on economic wealth being the trump card in any political policy decision. They scoff and the idea of a synergy existing between individual talents foster in ways the benefit those individuals and in the service of our society as a whole. They are proudly the anti-intellectual and rejects science, preferring superstition and fundamentalism as a basis to make public policy decisions.
They think nature is a resource only to be exploited now and not protected in a duty to ensure we leave the planet in better shape than when we arrived as an obligation to future generations. Environmental policy is always seen to be in the way of their version of wealth-creation based on market forces that dictate conspicuous consumption. Long term conservation and habitat protection policies it must be tamed to ensure "wealth" is created as quickly as possible with little or no regard for the long term environmental or biodiversity implications. As "wealth gets created they have little if any regard as to fairness in how that wealth is distributed. If you are poor or disadvantaged the social conservatives say it is your own fault. You must simply pull up your socks...if you have no socks...well that is your fault too.
So is there a Tea Party in Alberta's future? In my opinion, chances are yes! Especially if progressive thinking Albertans continue to avoid their responsibility to re-engage in the political culture of the province. Abdication by progressive thinking Albertans of their duty of citizenship will leave the wielding of political power to those who aspire to take Alberta backwards. If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta come to RebootAlberta 3.0, November 5-6 in Edmonton. Register now at www.rebootalberta.org
My sense is they are hiding quietly in the basement of the Wildrose Alliance Party. So long as Danielle Smith can keep up the media generated momentum for the alliance side of the WAP, the wild side of the party will keep quiet and wait until the power shift happens. If that happens after the next election expect the Tea Party types to come out of hiding. they will want to reassert and impose their values on what has become a very compliant, confused and all-too content and comfortable Alberta public. It will be a a hard-fought contest for the heart and soul of the WAP too but all of us will suffer in the internal culture war that will ensue.
The sense is the popularity of the Wildrose Alliance Party has peaked but at a significant level of support that cannot be ignored. They are not going away but the question is will Albertans vote for them in protest just to send a message to the PC Party? Smith has done a remarkable job of soothing the citizen's fears about the scary side of the WAP. This is in no small part because she is personally able to do that with her mellow messaging and skillful positioning of herself as a Peter Lougheed kind of politician.
There is a yearning for a return to Alberta of that kind of Lougheed socially progressive social, fiscal conservative and culturally diverse basis of public policy coupled with a long term view of good governance over short term pursuits of political power. So far nobody has been able to capture the imagination of the Alberta public to convince us that any of the existing parties can deliver that kind of inclusive, creative and conscientious government we used to enjoy under Peter Lougheed.
I hope nobody is fooled by this illusion of the WAP selling us that they are going to be a return to a Lougheed style of governing . The hard-nosed mean-spirited Harper Conservatives are very much behind the provincial Wildrose Alliance Party in our Alberta. We have seen the dire consequences to progress from that kind of Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld inspired reckless abuse of power.
The way I see it is with the Harper-Cons coupled with the Fraser Institute inspired WAP will take Alberta into a socially conservative policy approach that will be marked by wedge issues, division and marginalization of minorities and further damage vulnerable citizens. They abhor government because they think it interferes with individual rights and freedoms and is inefficient. While at the same time they fail to understand the need to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens - especially those who disagree with them.
They think individual competition and marketplaces forces are the only way to create a society based on economic wealth being the trump card in any political policy decision. They scoff and the idea of a synergy existing between individual talents foster in ways the benefit those individuals and in the service of our society as a whole. They are proudly the anti-intellectual and rejects science, preferring superstition and fundamentalism as a basis to make public policy decisions.
They think nature is a resource only to be exploited now and not protected in a duty to ensure we leave the planet in better shape than when we arrived as an obligation to future generations. Environmental policy is always seen to be in the way of their version of wealth-creation based on market forces that dictate conspicuous consumption. Long term conservation and habitat protection policies it must be tamed to ensure "wealth" is created as quickly as possible with little or no regard for the long term environmental or biodiversity implications. As "wealth gets created they have little if any regard as to fairness in how that wealth is distributed. If you are poor or disadvantaged the social conservatives say it is your own fault. You must simply pull up your socks...if you have no socks...well that is your fault too.
So is there a Tea Party in Alberta's future? In my opinion, chances are yes! Especially if progressive thinking Albertans continue to avoid their responsibility to re-engage in the political culture of the province. Abdication by progressive thinking Albertans of their duty of citizenship will leave the wielding of political power to those who aspire to take Alberta backwards. If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta come to RebootAlberta 3.0, November 5-6 in Edmonton. Register now at www.rebootalberta.org
Don't Vote!
There is a link at the end of this post to an American video made for the 2008 election. However the sentiment is very applicable to the Alberta local, provincial and national elections. It makes the point that not voting is stupid...uninformed voting may be even dumber. However, it is no longer acceptable for uninformed apathetic citizens to stay that way and give up on their citizenship responsibility to support democracy and cast an informed ballot for the candidate(s) of their choice.
So we are 2 weeks away from civic and school board elections all over Alberta. You have 2 weeks to check out the candidates and see which one comes the closest to reflecting your values. You have to consider which ones are wise enough to govern not just slick or rich enough to run. You have to decide who is worthy of your trust to govern you and to make the hard far reaching decisions that will impact your life and your family.
No candidate will be a perfect fit - that is life. But that does not mean you can't support the closest fit to your values and issues and priorities. You just have to take the time to find that candidate and with the Internet it is easy. Google them. If they don't show up on Google you may want to consider if they are even serious enough about the job of being a politician if they are not even with it enough to be using digital media to reach out to connect with citizens.
There are the values our research shows that Albertans want their politicians to use when making decisions. I strongly suggest you put every candidate for municipal government or school board in your community to these values tests. Do they have integrity? Are they honest? Do you believe they will be accountable and transparent? Do you believe they will be fiscally responsible and expect you to take personal responsibility too - like being an informed voter!!!
Now take 4:45 minutes and watch this video and forgive the fact it is American. If that offends you then make your own Alberta version and send it to me. I will be sure it gets an audience.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
So we are 2 weeks away from civic and school board elections all over Alberta. You have 2 weeks to check out the candidates and see which one comes the closest to reflecting your values. You have to consider which ones are wise enough to govern not just slick or rich enough to run. You have to decide who is worthy of your trust to govern you and to make the hard far reaching decisions that will impact your life and your family.
No candidate will be a perfect fit - that is life. But that does not mean you can't support the closest fit to your values and issues and priorities. You just have to take the time to find that candidate and with the Internet it is easy. Google them. If they don't show up on Google you may want to consider if they are even serious enough about the job of being a politician if they are not even with it enough to be using digital media to reach out to connect with citizens.
There are the values our research shows that Albertans want their politicians to use when making decisions. I strongly suggest you put every candidate for municipal government or school board in your community to these values tests. Do they have integrity? Are they honest? Do you believe they will be accountable and transparent? Do you believe they will be fiscally responsible and expect you to take personal responsibility too - like being an informed voter!!!
Now take 4:45 minutes and watch this video and forgive the fact it is American. If that offends you then make your own Alberta version and send it to me. I will be sure it gets an audience.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Elizabeth May & Ezra Levant on CTV Question Period
Here is a great piece of informative video from CTVs Question Period where Green party Leader Elizabeth May and Ezra Levant discuss implications about the oil sands. May makes the point that being "ethically" the best oil supplier in the world (ignoring Norway???) is not a pass to responsible developing the oil sands more responsibly. Being the best hydrocarbon provider of a bad lot is not good enough for Canadians. It most assuredly not good enough for Albertan, as evidenced our recent research on values we want to see guide and drive oil sands development. Only 31% of Albertans think oil sands are being responsibly developed now.
I have written about trade off between dirty oil and blood oil on this blog in the past. My position is in agreement with Elizabeth May and many of the more progressive and responsible oil sands companies that have formed the Oil Sands Leadership Initiative (OSLI). Those forward thinking oil sands companies that are starting to realize they need the direct support of the Alberta public as owners of the oil sands to justify an on-going social license to operate in our natural resource.
It should not be lost on Albertans that two of the companies in OSLI are state owned by Norway (Statoil) and France (Total). The other key members of OSLI are Nexen, ConocoPhillips and Suncor. These companies are aiming higher than the ethical standard of competitive advantage of Mr Levant. The get that there needs to be responsible prosperity from the oil sands that integrates concerns for issues of environmental integrity, social well being and fairness as well as a reasonable rate of return to the owners - Albertans.
BTW - you can see my business partner Satya Das the author of Green Oil in discussion/debate/dialogue (who knows what it will end up as) with Mr. Levant at LitFest in Edmonton's Stanley Milner Library October 19th at 7 pm. Tickets available at TixontheSquare
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
I have written about trade off between dirty oil and blood oil on this blog in the past. My position is in agreement with Elizabeth May and many of the more progressive and responsible oil sands companies that have formed the Oil Sands Leadership Initiative (OSLI). Those forward thinking oil sands companies that are starting to realize they need the direct support of the Alberta public as owners of the oil sands to justify an on-going social license to operate in our natural resource.
It should not be lost on Albertans that two of the companies in OSLI are state owned by Norway (Statoil) and France (Total). The other key members of OSLI are Nexen, ConocoPhillips and Suncor. These companies are aiming higher than the ethical standard of competitive advantage of Mr Levant. The get that there needs to be responsible prosperity from the oil sands that integrates concerns for issues of environmental integrity, social well being and fairness as well as a reasonable rate of return to the owners - Albertans.
BTW - you can see my business partner Satya Das the author of Green Oil in discussion/debate/dialogue (who knows what it will end up as) with Mr. Levant at LitFest in Edmonton's Stanley Milner Library October 19th at 7 pm. Tickets available at TixontheSquare
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Sunday, October 03, 2010
Kennedy-Nixon TV Debates 1960 Strangely Familiar
If you have an hour and a belief if we don't learn from history we are doomed to repeat it you will want to watch this first televised presidential debate. It is eerily reminiscent of today some 50 years later. I am old enough to have watched this on September 26, 1960 and sad enough to wonder if democracies are making headway with the political structures, cultures and institutions we have. Are they dated and deficient? Do we need to redesign our political culture, parties and democratic institutions to reflect a different world we have today? I leave that for you to reflect on. Also reflect on the detail and depth of this debate compared to the emotional hot-button rhetoric and propaganda we see from our political discourse of today.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
The Eyes of the World Are On Alberta's Oil Sands
Here is a link to yet another excellent Sunday Reader feature in the Edmonton Journal by Sheila Pratt on what it might take to get a reconciliation between industry the environmentalists and our governments on what is appropriate oil sands development approaches. I was interviewed by Sheila for this piece and pleased to participate.
What we need now is an adult conversation in Alberta and by Albertans on how we want to see our oil sands resources developed. The basis for that conversation should be framed from the findings of our resent research at Cambridge Strategies Inc. on the values Albertan's want to see guide and drive oil sands development was done in collaboration with OSRIN (Oil Sands Research and Information Network)
The citizens of Alberta need to create the place and space for that conversation to take place. That can be in community meetings, church basements, coffee shops, service clubs, business groups, union halls, educational institutions, political gatherings and kitchen tables, just to name a few. That conversation can begin where ever one Albertan takes the time to asks another about what they want to see done to assure us that our natural resource is being responsibly developed so we can be proud of all the outcomes.
I am quoted in the Edmonton Journal story saying Albertans are starting to lose pride in the province. I believe this to be true partly because our research shows only 31% of Albertans believe the oil sands resource in being managed well. The Influentials in the province are at the forefront of this emerging sense of a loss of pride in being Albertan. When asked if they tell others great things about living in Alberta only 51% of Influentials agreed or strongly agreed and only 45% of them would strongly recommend living in Alberta to a friend.
UPDATE: REX MURPHY ASKS WHY AREN'T WE PROUD OF THE OIL SANDS? This industry also needs a human face and not just the nice folks who work in the industry that populate the full page colour newspaper ads the industry is wasting money on - as if that would persuade us of authenticity, trustworthiness and integrity
The reason the opinions of Influentials are so important is because they are trend setters and opinion leaders. These are the people the rest of the population relies on to help form our own thoughts on issues, ideas and many of the decisions we make in our lives. Some have suggested what Influentials think today is what the general population will be thinking in 12 to 18 months from now.
That is why government and industry better start a more meaningful, serious and adult conversation with Albertans about what we want to see happening with the development of our resource. After all it is Albertans who own the oil sands. Industry is a mere tenant that depends on public confidence to gain and sustain a social license to operate their businesses be it forests, oil and gas or oil sands.
As for government their equivalent of a social license it to be seen worthy of the citizen's consent to govern. Right now all of the political parties and their leaders in are seen to be less than adequate to the task of effectively managing the growth of Alberta. When Albertans were asked who did they think was best able to responsibly manage Alberta's growth the results were astonishing. Premier Ed Stelmach was the choice of 23%, Danielle Smith garnered 19%, David Swann had 9% and Brian Mason only 4%. None of the Above was the assessment of 45% of the 1032 Albertans who were in the random survey done last May.
Change is in the air and alternatives are needed based on this survey result. If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
What we need now is an adult conversation in Alberta and by Albertans on how we want to see our oil sands resources developed. The basis for that conversation should be framed from the findings of our resent research at Cambridge Strategies Inc. on the values Albertan's want to see guide and drive oil sands development was done in collaboration with OSRIN (Oil Sands Research and Information Network)
The citizens of Alberta need to create the place and space for that conversation to take place. That can be in community meetings, church basements, coffee shops, service clubs, business groups, union halls, educational institutions, political gatherings and kitchen tables, just to name a few. That conversation can begin where ever one Albertan takes the time to asks another about what they want to see done to assure us that our natural resource is being responsibly developed so we can be proud of all the outcomes.
I am quoted in the Edmonton Journal story saying Albertans are starting to lose pride in the province. I believe this to be true partly because our research shows only 31% of Albertans believe the oil sands resource in being managed well. The Influentials in the province are at the forefront of this emerging sense of a loss of pride in being Albertan. When asked if they tell others great things about living in Alberta only 51% of Influentials agreed or strongly agreed and only 45% of them would strongly recommend living in Alberta to a friend.
UPDATE: REX MURPHY ASKS WHY AREN'T WE PROUD OF THE OIL SANDS? This industry also needs a human face and not just the nice folks who work in the industry that populate the full page colour newspaper ads the industry is wasting money on - as if that would persuade us of authenticity, trustworthiness and integrity
The reason the opinions of Influentials are so important is because they are trend setters and opinion leaders. These are the people the rest of the population relies on to help form our own thoughts on issues, ideas and many of the decisions we make in our lives. Some have suggested what Influentials think today is what the general population will be thinking in 12 to 18 months from now.
That is why government and industry better start a more meaningful, serious and adult conversation with Albertans about what we want to see happening with the development of our resource. After all it is Albertans who own the oil sands. Industry is a mere tenant that depends on public confidence to gain and sustain a social license to operate their businesses be it forests, oil and gas or oil sands.
As for government their equivalent of a social license it to be seen worthy of the citizen's consent to govern. Right now all of the political parties and their leaders in are seen to be less than adequate to the task of effectively managing the growth of Alberta. When Albertans were asked who did they think was best able to responsibly manage Alberta's growth the results were astonishing. Premier Ed Stelmach was the choice of 23%, Danielle Smith garnered 19%, David Swann had 9% and Brian Mason only 4%. None of the Above was the assessment of 45% of the 1032 Albertans who were in the random survey done last May.
Change is in the air and alternatives are needed based on this survey result. If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Raise a Reader Campaign for Literacy
I applaud the Edmonton Journal and the rest of the Postmedia people for their annual Raise a Reader campaign focused on children's literacy. I was "solicited" this morning to buy a newspaper by Alberta's Education Minister and long-time friend Dave Hancock to make a donation for the cause.
Dave is a big advocate for all aspects of the literacy challenges we face. Alberta is the most literate province in the country but the results are not impressive when you consider the implications of the lack of literacy on the economic, social, health, justice, education, community capacity, costs, well-being and competitiveness of our people.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Dave is a big advocate for all aspects of the literacy challenges we face. Alberta is the most literate province in the country but the results are not impressive when you consider the implications of the lack of literacy on the economic, social, health, justice, education, community capacity, costs, well-being and competitiveness of our people.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
James Cameron - David Swann & the Plight of Fort Chip People
I had dinner with Liberal Opposition Leader David Swann last night at Rigoletto's, my favourite restaurant in downtown Edmonton. We were talking about the Reboot3.0 and the next steps for the progressive citizen's movement known as Reboot Alberta. I, and others, are working hard at changing the political culture in Alberta. Progressives from all political stripes and walks of life know that we must move Alberta away from the shift to the Libertarian right in our political culture caused by the recent rise of the Wildrose Alliance Party.
David mentioned in passing that he was having breakfast this morning with James Cameron and others from the First Nations people from Fort Chipewyan. David's chat with James Cameron is happening before Premier meets. An interesting prelude and a great opportunity for James Cameron to see another side of Alberta...for sure.
I expect both Swann and Stelmach will be hospitable and curious about Mr. Cameron's observations and reaction to what he has seen and heard in the past couple of days. I hope there is a realization of the enormous good that can happen from responsible development of the oil sands. That responsible potential has to integrate the health and social concerns of the people of Ft Chip as well as the environmental, habitat protection and reclamation responsibilities inherent in development.
The dinner conversation last night reminded me of the first time I met David Swann. Ironically it was two years ago in Ft. Chip at a Keepers of the Water Conference he and I attended with many others. It was while I was working with the Canadian Boreal Initiative trying to figure out a system to compensate for the loss of wildlife habitat from oil sands development with the use of conservation offsets.
I remember a warm summer evening where David and I whiled away the evening lying on a rock high above a field watching the sun set over Lake Athabasca and gazing at the starlit clarity of the night sky. We talked way into the night on that rock that night and mostly about the future of Alberta. We talked about the need to take an integrated, balanced holistic approach to the development of the oil sands that was respectful to the needs and rights of First Nations people. David and I shared some thoughts, hopes, aspirations and even a few fears for the future progress of our province that night - and we have continued to do so ever since.
The wisdom of Albertans today is that the proper development of the oil sands should be the goal. That includes assuring Albertans, as owners, that the government and development corporations are not being indolent in their duties. Some of those duties is a guarantee that no harm is being done to human health and the well being of wildlife and the quality of air, land and water in the course of oil sands resource exploitation.
I hope when James Cameron and David Swann meet today that they get to share that same kind of great conversation David and I did that night. I hope they get to share thoughts about what kind of energy and commitment it will take for Albertans before we can realize the potential for the province. I hope they get to compare notes and impart to each other a shared sense of common cause. I hope they both agree to commit to help co-create that progressive prosperous and preferred future for Alberta that benefits everyone, not just a few. I hope they connect with the same great intensity and share that same sense of inspiration, hope and obligation David and I felt as we discussed the blessing and burden of being Albertan with the birthright of the oil sands.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
David mentioned in passing that he was having breakfast this morning with James Cameron and others from the First Nations people from Fort Chipewyan. David's chat with James Cameron is happening before Premier meets. An interesting prelude and a great opportunity for James Cameron to see another side of Alberta...for sure.
I expect both Swann and Stelmach will be hospitable and curious about Mr. Cameron's observations and reaction to what he has seen and heard in the past couple of days. I hope there is a realization of the enormous good that can happen from responsible development of the oil sands. That responsible potential has to integrate the health and social concerns of the people of Ft Chip as well as the environmental, habitat protection and reclamation responsibilities inherent in development.
The dinner conversation last night reminded me of the first time I met David Swann. Ironically it was two years ago in Ft. Chip at a Keepers of the Water Conference he and I attended with many others. It was while I was working with the Canadian Boreal Initiative trying to figure out a system to compensate for the loss of wildlife habitat from oil sands development with the use of conservation offsets.
I remember a warm summer evening where David and I whiled away the evening lying on a rock high above a field watching the sun set over Lake Athabasca and gazing at the starlit clarity of the night sky. We talked way into the night on that rock that night and mostly about the future of Alberta. We talked about the need to take an integrated, balanced holistic approach to the development of the oil sands that was respectful to the needs and rights of First Nations people. David and I shared some thoughts, hopes, aspirations and even a few fears for the future progress of our province that night - and we have continued to do so ever since.
The wisdom of Albertans today is that the proper development of the oil sands should be the goal. That includes assuring Albertans, as owners, that the government and development corporations are not being indolent in their duties. Some of those duties is a guarantee that no harm is being done to human health and the well being of wildlife and the quality of air, land and water in the course of oil sands resource exploitation.
I hope when James Cameron and David Swann meet today that they get to share that same kind of great conversation David and I did that night. I hope they get to share thoughts about what kind of energy and commitment it will take for Albertans before we can realize the potential for the province. I hope they get to compare notes and impart to each other a shared sense of common cause. I hope they both agree to commit to help co-create that progressive prosperous and preferred future for Alberta that benefits everyone, not just a few. I hope they connect with the same great intensity and share that same sense of inspiration, hope and obligation David and I felt as we discussed the blessing and burden of being Albertan with the birthright of the oil sands.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Obama's Rolling Stone Interview
I seem to be getting copies of interesting but long articles these days. Here is the "Obama Fight Back" interview with Rolling Stone magazine. Definitely worth a read.
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/209395?RS_show_page=0#userComments
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/209395?RS_show_page=0#userComments
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Linda Duncan Steps Up With a Report on Water and Oil Sands
I have not read this report on the oil sands by Linda Duncan - MP for Edmonton Strathcona yet...but I will soon.
I disagree with Linda politically on a few issues and agree with her on many others. We both share a passion for good music and Leonard Cohen in particular went together to his concert in Edmonton earlier this year. Full disclosure of my bias and friendship with Linda.
One thing for sure you cannot question Linda's integrity, honesty, accountability and transparency when it comes to her application of her environmental expertise. Based on that I suggest every Albertan, as an individual owner of the oil sands read her report. Reflect on the implications and come to your own conclusion as to the implications for the responsible development of our resource.
Here is the link and I look forward to a full and open discussion on the content on this blog.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
I disagree with Linda politically on a few issues and agree with her on many others. We both share a passion for good music and Leonard Cohen in particular went together to his concert in Edmonton earlier this year. Full disclosure of my bias and friendship with Linda.
One thing for sure you cannot question Linda's integrity, honesty, accountability and transparency when it comes to her application of her environmental expertise. Based on that I suggest every Albertan, as an individual owner of the oil sands read her report. Reflect on the implications and come to your own conclusion as to the implications for the responsible development of our resource.
Here is the link and I look forward to a full and open discussion on the content on this blog.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Gaming Rivals Royalties in Alberta Coffers
Albertans own some of the greatest and largest collection of natural resources to generate wealth now and for future generations. Those include forestry, coal, oil, gas and oil sands in abundance. But are we getting good value from our tenants? Are we getting good management from our government? How are they jointly providing for the proper stewardship? Are they taking a comprehensive long-term integrated development approach that embraces the social, political, cultural, ecological and economic elements related to exploitation of our resources.
If so, why then do we only expect to collect revenues from those resources at about the same level as we garner from gambling in the province? What is wrong with this picture? This is a perfect storm example of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. Gambling revenues are apparently highly concentrated from a small and not very wealthy portion of the population and is a very socially expensive tax system.
Non renewable resources have only one time to generate royalty revenues from our natural capital. But we forgo them in exchange for subsidized jobs in the energy sector especially. This is nothing short or selling out the birthright of future generations as we use these capital revenues to subsidize our about a third of current public service programs instead of taxing our selves properly to pay our way.
Instead we adhere to a narrow-minded Alberta Advantage mantra of low taxes at all costs. Foolish and selfish are the only conclusions one can come to when gambling is as important a public revenue source as natural resources.
Any political party prepared to suggest to Albertans that we return to our self-reliant, self-respecting and resilient selves and actually pay our own way for health care, schools, seniors, safe communities and so forth. that may mean a rise in taxes and a closer look at value for money as taxpayers. It also beg the question of the proper role of government and the appropriate level of funding for government to do the jobs we ask of it.
Time to wake up and grow up Alberta. We got serious about getting rid of debt and deficits in the early 90s in no small part so we would not leave that burden on our children and could look them in the eye. Not so sure we can do that now. This is especially true given how we are squandering such resource wealth and opportunity and at the same time stifling our capacity for caring, compassion and dignity for the young, vulnerable and marginalized in our society by under funded government programs because we will not pay our way as taxpayers.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
If so, why then do we only expect to collect revenues from those resources at about the same level as we garner from gambling in the province? What is wrong with this picture? This is a perfect storm example of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. Gambling revenues are apparently highly concentrated from a small and not very wealthy portion of the population and is a very socially expensive tax system.
Non renewable resources have only one time to generate royalty revenues from our natural capital. But we forgo them in exchange for subsidized jobs in the energy sector especially. This is nothing short or selling out the birthright of future generations as we use these capital revenues to subsidize our about a third of current public service programs instead of taxing our selves properly to pay our way.
Instead we adhere to a narrow-minded Alberta Advantage mantra of low taxes at all costs. Foolish and selfish are the only conclusions one can come to when gambling is as important a public revenue source as natural resources.
Any political party prepared to suggest to Albertans that we return to our self-reliant, self-respecting and resilient selves and actually pay our own way for health care, schools, seniors, safe communities and so forth. that may mean a rise in taxes and a closer look at value for money as taxpayers. It also beg the question of the proper role of government and the appropriate level of funding for government to do the jobs we ask of it.
Time to wake up and grow up Alberta. We got serious about getting rid of debt and deficits in the early 90s in no small part so we would not leave that burden on our children and could look them in the eye. Not so sure we can do that now. This is especially true given how we are squandering such resource wealth and opportunity and at the same time stifling our capacity for caring, compassion and dignity for the young, vulnerable and marginalized in our society by under funded government programs because we will not pay our way as taxpayers.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Canadians Split on Oil Sands Development???
Asked if energy is more important than environment Canadians are split 51-49. Ipsos Reid poll for CBC shows no clear opinion on that opinion.
Even more important is 41% of Canadians don't know or don't care about oil sands implications one way or the other. Are 40% of Canadians naturally oblivious or just living under a rock?
Maritimers are mostly concerned about energy over environment - it couldn't be Fort McMurray jobs tainting that opinion could it? Surprisingly Ontario has a economic over environment bias too.
The moral of this story is that Canadians are not yet decided on the best options for oil sands development. Our research at Cambridge Strategies shows Albertans are much more decisive when you ask them about the values they attribute to development of THEIR oil sands.
None of this polling predicts behaviour unfortunately. Our research on the values that Albertans want to drive and guide oil sands are unequivocal that reclamation, habitat, ecological monitoring GHG and water usage trump the economic issues. There is still a large Alberta swing vote in the middle that could go against for for the oil sands development and there is an erosion of pride in the oil sands by the most educated, influential and progressive parts of the population.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Even more important is 41% of Canadians don't know or don't care about oil sands implications one way or the other. Are 40% of Canadians naturally oblivious or just living under a rock?
Maritimers are mostly concerned about energy over environment - it couldn't be Fort McMurray jobs tainting that opinion could it? Surprisingly Ontario has a economic over environment bias too.
The moral of this story is that Canadians are not yet decided on the best options for oil sands development. Our research at Cambridge Strategies shows Albertans are much more decisive when you ask them about the values they attribute to development of THEIR oil sands.
None of this polling predicts behaviour unfortunately. Our research on the values that Albertans want to drive and guide oil sands are unequivocal that reclamation, habitat, ecological monitoring GHG and water usage trump the economic issues. There is still a large Alberta swing vote in the middle that could go against for for the oil sands development and there is an erosion of pride in the oil sands by the most educated, influential and progressive parts of the population.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Monday, September 27, 2010
A PC MLA Speaks Her Mind on Public Education
Genia Leskiw, the Progressive Conservative MLA for Bonnyville Cold Lake has written a very interesting piece on her website. It takes direct aim at the Wildrose Alliance Education Policy. You can form you own opinions about the Wildrose policy
I love the political spunk and personal exercise of free speech that Genia represents in this posting. MLAs need to speak out more often like this and on critical issues of the day. They also need to be able to change their minds based on new knowledge and better information from time to time without being accused of flip flopping.
Tip of the Hat to Daveberta for the link and good for you Genia. You make me proud to know you.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
I love the political spunk and personal exercise of free speech that Genia represents in this posting. MLAs need to speak out more often like this and on critical issues of the day. They also need to be able to change their minds based on new knowledge and better information from time to time without being accused of flip flopping.
Tip of the Hat to Daveberta for the link and good for you Genia. You make me proud to know you.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Envision Edmonton Going to Court Over Muni?
Media report says the Envision Edmonton group is off to court to try and get a ruling to force City Council to hold a plebiscite.
Waiting to see what the grounds for judicial review will be but those reported in the Edmonton Journal don't seem all that strong. Saying for instance suggestions that the Municipal Government Act requiring a petition to be filed within 60 days of the council vote under dispute is trumped by the Mayor's "open invitation to come up with visions for the airport" made the petition legit???? Coming up with a proposed vision is legit but to say a call for planning options for city lands take precedence over the laws of the province - that is a stretch.
The law also says the City Clerk does not have to provide scrutineers in the review of the validity of petition signatures. The City Clerk is an administrator not a political operative. There is a need for open disclosure and reasons for disallowing certain signatures by the City Clerk. That is being promised "once the rush to deal with the start of the civic election was completed." This court action should wait to see the reasons for rejections. It may make the entire litigation exercise functus.
I wonder what FOIP restrictions apply to those disallowed signatures? I hope that is not a barrier to Envision Edmonton or others from reviewing, rejecting or validating the disallowed signatures. Looking forward to seeing the analysis and evidence behind the City Clerk's decisions to reject certain signatures.
Going to court is an interesting tactic but it is not the solution long term. I applaud Envision Edmonton, its volunteers and financial backers - whoever they may be for this exercise in citizen engagement. That said, the likelihood of getting the requisite number of signatures on a petition in 60 days is pretty impossible in a large city like Edmonton that is embedded in a dynamic surrounding region where confusion as to eligibility is going to be a problem.
I wonder is we can't use the technology we have available via the Internet to allow for a notice to go out to eligible citizens and allow them to sign an electronic petition on line. To get face-to-face with that many people i that short a time makes the plebiscite protest a moot solution.
Edmonton is becoming active in open data and may be a leader amongst municipalities in Canada in that regard. Internet petitioning is not a walk in the park but it is doable and we should, as a smart city, start thinking about how to make that happen. Just about everyone has email these days and those that don't can sign up the old-fashioned way if they wish.
The Province will have to change the Municipal Government Act but that is possible once the mechanics of Internet petitioning to identify eligible citizens are worked out. Service Canada has a secure system for Internet access by individuals to their own records all worked out. It has been done before and can be done for this purpose - and others so why not do it. It will also advance a strengthened democracy and enable more effective informed citizen engagement - both of which are in serious need of support these days.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Waiting to see what the grounds for judicial review will be but those reported in the Edmonton Journal don't seem all that strong. Saying for instance suggestions that the Municipal Government Act requiring a petition to be filed within 60 days of the council vote under dispute is trumped by the Mayor's "open invitation to come up with visions for the airport" made the petition legit???? Coming up with a proposed vision is legit but to say a call for planning options for city lands take precedence over the laws of the province - that is a stretch.
The law also says the City Clerk does not have to provide scrutineers in the review of the validity of petition signatures. The City Clerk is an administrator not a political operative. There is a need for open disclosure and reasons for disallowing certain signatures by the City Clerk. That is being promised "once the rush to deal with the start of the civic election was completed." This court action should wait to see the reasons for rejections. It may make the entire litigation exercise functus.
I wonder what FOIP restrictions apply to those disallowed signatures? I hope that is not a barrier to Envision Edmonton or others from reviewing, rejecting or validating the disallowed signatures. Looking forward to seeing the analysis and evidence behind the City Clerk's decisions to reject certain signatures.
Going to court is an interesting tactic but it is not the solution long term. I applaud Envision Edmonton, its volunteers and financial backers - whoever they may be for this exercise in citizen engagement. That said, the likelihood of getting the requisite number of signatures on a petition in 60 days is pretty impossible in a large city like Edmonton that is embedded in a dynamic surrounding region where confusion as to eligibility is going to be a problem.
I wonder is we can't use the technology we have available via the Internet to allow for a notice to go out to eligible citizens and allow them to sign an electronic petition on line. To get face-to-face with that many people i that short a time makes the plebiscite protest a moot solution.
Edmonton is becoming active in open data and may be a leader amongst municipalities in Canada in that regard. Internet petitioning is not a walk in the park but it is doable and we should, as a smart city, start thinking about how to make that happen. Just about everyone has email these days and those that don't can sign up the old-fashioned way if they wish.
The Province will have to change the Municipal Government Act but that is possible once the mechanics of Internet petitioning to identify eligible citizens are worked out. Service Canada has a secure system for Internet access by individuals to their own records all worked out. It has been done before and can be done for this purpose - and others so why not do it. It will also advance a strengthened democracy and enable more effective informed citizen engagement - both of which are in serious need of support these days.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Every GOP Candidate in US Mid Terms = Climate Change Deniers!
Here is a link to a very disturbing story where mythology and faith are replacing objective science in determining policy and politics in the United States. The Tea Party is dumbing down the Republican Party with ignorance and fear promoted by fundamentalists in religion, economics and politics rule the day for them.
This quote from the story alone is most telling and terrifying. It is showing the decline of intelligent reasoned political deliberation and the pursuit of power through merchandising of fear and ignorance amongst GOP politicians.
"Remarkably, of the dozens of Republicans vying for the 37 Senate seats in the 2010 election, no one supports climate action, after climate advocate Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE) lost his primary to Christine O’Donnell. Even former climate advocates Sen. John McCain(R-AZ) and Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) now toe the science-doubting party line."
Progressive political thought can't remain quiet and assume all is well when this kind of ignorance pervades the political culture. I wonder how many members of the federal Harper Conservatives and their provincial counterparts in the Wildrose Alliance Party are climate change deniers. Quite a few is my bet.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
This quote from the story alone is most telling and terrifying. It is showing the decline of intelligent reasoned political deliberation and the pursuit of power through merchandising of fear and ignorance amongst GOP politicians.
"Remarkably, of the dozens of Republicans vying for the 37 Senate seats in the 2010 election, no one supports climate action, after climate advocate Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE) lost his primary to Christine O’Donnell. Even former climate advocates Sen. John McCain(R-AZ) and Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) now toe the science-doubting party line."
Progressive political thought can't remain quiet and assume all is well when this kind of ignorance pervades the political culture. I wonder how many members of the federal Harper Conservatives and their provincial counterparts in the Wildrose Alliance Party are climate change deniers. Quite a few is my bet.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Are Albertans, Like Americans, Becoming Fat Dumb and Lazy & Losing Our Advantage?
Thomas Friedman has a very interesting piece in the New York Times comparing the energy of authoritarian China and the torpor the democratic United States. Before we get into any anti-American Canadian sense of superiority, it is my observation that what Friedman says holds true for Canada and even good old Alberta.
Democracy is broken in Canada and in Alberta too. It is partly the fault of the system, the politicians and the media, but it is mostly the fault of indifferent and compliant citizens who have defaulted on their duty of citizenship.
Power is the purpose of the political machines we see running what passes for democracy today in our country too. The best evidence of the citizen culpability in the democratic deficit is the lack of voter participation. But the problem goes much deeper to the consequences of an uninformed and politically illiterate population that can be manipulated by language and fear.
Friedman describes this as a lack of ability for democracy in the USA (Canada and Alberta???) to >>>"generate the kind of focus, legitimacy and stick-to-it-iveness to do big things - democratically." He notes "we have done it before. But we're not doing it now because too many of our poll-driven, toxically partisan, cable-TV addicted, n=money corrupted political class are more interested in what keeps them in power than what would make America (Canada and Alberta???) powerful, more interested in defeating each other than saving the country." (Canada and Alberta???)
This is the political cultural backdrop that Reboot Alberta started to seek some sense of and solutions about. It is time for progressives to become activist again. The number of Reboot people running in the current local school board and municipal elections is a positive sign that this is starting to happen. Reboot 3.0 has to take that energy and start identifying issues that progressives feel need something done about them. That is at least informed citizen engagement, democratic reform, intergenerational equity and acting like owners of the oil sands to ensure they are developed in an integrated, open, honest, transparent, accountable way with an overarching concern for ecological stewardship.
If you are tired of being complacent, mislead and manipulated you will want to be part of the Reboot Alberta progressive citizen's movement. If you are not impressed with the serious shift to the right in the Alberta political spectrum by the two leaking parties, you will want to be part of the Reboot Alberta progressive citizen's movement. If you want to be proud to be an Albertan again as we look beyond being the best place in the world and aspire to be the best place for the world, you will want to be part of the Reboot Alberta progressive citizen's movement.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Democracy is broken in Canada and in Alberta too. It is partly the fault of the system, the politicians and the media, but it is mostly the fault of indifferent and compliant citizens who have defaulted on their duty of citizenship.
Power is the purpose of the political machines we see running what passes for democracy today in our country too. The best evidence of the citizen culpability in the democratic deficit is the lack of voter participation. But the problem goes much deeper to the consequences of an uninformed and politically illiterate population that can be manipulated by language and fear.
Friedman describes this as a lack of ability for democracy in the USA (Canada and Alberta???) to >>>"generate the kind of focus, legitimacy and stick-to-it-iveness to do big things - democratically." He notes "we have done it before. But we're not doing it now because too many of our poll-driven, toxically partisan, cable-TV addicted, n=money corrupted political class are more interested in what keeps them in power than what would make America (Canada and Alberta???) powerful, more interested in defeating each other than saving the country." (Canada and Alberta???)
This is the political cultural backdrop that Reboot Alberta started to seek some sense of and solutions about. It is time for progressives to become activist again. The number of Reboot people running in the current local school board and municipal elections is a positive sign that this is starting to happen. Reboot 3.0 has to take that energy and start identifying issues that progressives feel need something done about them. That is at least informed citizen engagement, democratic reform, intergenerational equity and acting like owners of the oil sands to ensure they are developed in an integrated, open, honest, transparent, accountable way with an overarching concern for ecological stewardship.
If you are tired of being complacent, mislead and manipulated you will want to be part of the Reboot Alberta progressive citizen's movement. If you are not impressed with the serious shift to the right in the Alberta political spectrum by the two leaking parties, you will want to be part of the Reboot Alberta progressive citizen's movement. If you want to be proud to be an Albertan again as we look beyond being the best place in the world and aspire to be the best place for the world, you will want to be part of the Reboot Alberta progressive citizen's movement.
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Sunday, September 26, 2010
The "Slow Hunch" Process to Innovation
Here is a quick (4 min) engaging video by Steven Johnson that provides a summary of some thoughts on how creativity and innovation happens in an incubated format. Hunches need to bump into each other to become new ideas or innovation breakthroughs. The increased connectivity of the Internet - networked world provides unprecedented opportunity to combine and borrow ideas from each other.
Progressives have lots of hunches but do not have a disciplined space to take chances and share our hunches and ideas so the synergy does not happen as much as it could. This is an inspiration for me as to what RebootAlberta could become-that place for hunches and ideas to bump into each other.
Progressive live in their heads and need a place where their creative progressive thought engage with others in face-to-face and connected spaces to share hunches. I am thinking long term to convert Reboot Alberta into a space and place for Alberta progressives to come and share, learn, create and engage in defining and designing the Alberta Aspiration - something much more vibrant than the low tax mindset of the Alberta Advantage.
BTW Johnson has a wonderful closing comment that resonates with me "Chance favours the connected mind." That is a mantra worth living in this day and age.
Thanks to Mark Holmgren for the link
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
Progressives have lots of hunches but do not have a disciplined space to take chances and share our hunches and ideas so the synergy does not happen as much as it could. This is an inspiration for me as to what RebootAlberta could become-that place for hunches and ideas to bump into each other.
Progressive live in their heads and need a place where their creative progressive thought engage with others in face-to-face and connected spaces to share hunches. I am thinking long term to convert Reboot Alberta into a space and place for Alberta progressives to come and share, learn, create and engage in defining and designing the Alberta Aspiration - something much more vibrant than the low tax mindset of the Alberta Advantage.
BTW Johnson has a wonderful closing comment that resonates with me "Chance favours the connected mind." That is a mantra worth living in this day and age.
Thanks to Mark Holmgren for the link
If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org
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