The Alberta Party is on the Move and Making Waves.

I had a great time at the Alberta Party Policy Convention last Saturday.  Could not stay for Sunday but I watched a lot of the events online through the Alberta Party website.  I have been to a lot of these events over the years and this one felt comfortable in its format but more engaging in the content and context.  This is because of the new party feel and the mix of people in the room.  I was mostly struck by the much lower than usual age of the crowd.  It is encouraging.

The authentic openness to discuss ideas and the respectful request for explanation and information at the discussion tables was refreshing.  It is not unique to any one political to be respectful as Albertans sit down to explore ideas about the direction of the province.  What the Alberta Party has as a blessing and a burden is they are starting a policy process from scratch.  Well not exactly from scratch because they were trying to respect the inputs they received from the 100 individual Big Listen meetings held all over the province and not be prescriptive.  They still had to respect the meaningful inputs from those who showed up at the Policy Convention to add, amend or reject the initial proposals.  I think they found the balance and I look forward to seeing the final  policy results.

There was an vibrant energy in the room that Dave King reflected on as reminiscent of the times he spent travelling all over Alberta with former Premier Peter Lougheed when the re-emerging PC Party caught the temper of the times and imagination of the citizenry.  Dave should know how all that happened and how it felt because he was Lougheed's EA.  He was an elected PC candidate at 25 years old and went into the Lougheed Cabinet.

I got involved with the Alberta PC Party after the 1971 election while I was in Law School and was captured by the sense of something new, exciting and significant was happening to design the next Alberta back then too.  It was about a new narrative for Alberta then, and it is about another new narrative foe Alberta now.

There was a similar sense of something significant happening around the Alberta Party on Saturday in Red Deer.  There were people there who believe in the province and who are personally committed to its future.  That is not unique amongst political partisans.  What is different about Alberta Party members is the level of  dissatisfaction with the current public policy trajectory and the hard shift to the right they see in the political culture of the province.  For the first time many are seeing a glimmer of hope and an emerging  reason to believe that progressive political change may be possible for Alberta.  The best evidence of this was the number of people who attended the Alberta Policy Policy Conference initially as observers but who bought memberships that weekend as a result of what they heard, saw and got to say.

The fact that one could fully participate in the formal policy discussion of a political party without being a member is unique in itself.  Opening up public policy and political conversations at party event with ordinary citizens attending as citizens and not requiring them to take out party membership is a unique enhancement of democracy that was shown by the Alberta Party.  Live streaming the policy process on the Internet so anyone could watch and even participate with comments and Twitter feeds was another opening up of the political and policy making process.  That openness will pay dividends to the Alberta Party as being seen and accepted as a preferred agent for positive democratic change going forward to the next election.

My final observation is the potential for the Alberta Party to form government in the next election.  It is possible if not probable at this time but times are a-changin'  and quickly.  My late friend Robert Theobald observed awhile back that Alberta was getting better and better, worse and worse and faster and faster, all at the same time.  I think that was true over10 years ago when he said it and it even more accurate today going forward.

The classic conventional political presumptions of what it takes to win elections have been challenged in many of the dramatic changes seen in recent local elections all over Alberta.  Some things in Alberta's elections are getting better, others are getting worse but everything is moving faster and faster...that is for sure. There is also a general feeling of dissatisfaction with the status quo and a disillusionment with the current offerings of political alternatives.  There are feeling of uncertainty in the air and a growing concern about the future of Alberta that are just below the surface but could emerge as a political game-changer at any time and on any issue.

There is a feeling that the Alberta Advantage is a worn out and forlorn governing philosophy that generated rapid economic growth but at an unacceptable environmental and social costs.  The economic benefits generated were not equitable distributed either.  All boats did not rise with the economic growth of the Alberta Advantage just the yachts. The rich got richer, the poor are still poor and the middle class is struggling just to keep up.

There is a feeling that Alberta is not living up to its potential, especially given all our blessings. There is a sense that we are not leaving a positive legacy to future generations with the social and environmental deficits we are creating along with a limited economic diversification.  The race to the bottom with an ideologically instilled tax policy that says they are only going down...always.  That means, to sustain current necessary public services we are using substituting non-renewable, one-time natural resource capital revenues instead of paying our own way now for the social, health, and education needs we have.  That is squandering the birthright of future generations because we choose to, not because it is right to do.

Today we have a new sense of a need for change.  The traditional political party alternatives are not able to capture the mood of the public and are not seen as the kind of change people want.  The other "alternative" is a hybrid of old-line narrow, market-model conservatives with a  hard line libertarian "every man for himself" social/economic philosophy. And now we have the emergence of the yet to be defined but diverse, young and democratically interesting Alberta Party as a new kid on the block.

It took Peter Lougheed two elections to come to office and change Alberta into a modern province.  He had the sense of change in the province working for him.  He had youth and energy working for him too as a contract to the stodgy, tired and tepid Social Credit incumbents.  What he did not have was the Internet and Social Media as a way to reach, engage and energize citizens directly as a supplement to the tried and true election campaign activities.  Will all of this new media and traditional campaigning converge and be sufficient to capture the public imagination through the launch a new party and be dramatic and trusted enough to garner a new mandate?

I think the real Alberta battle isn't a battle between various political parties.  It is all about changing the Alberta narrative.  We need to move beyond the Klein era of the Alberta Advantage that was about being the best IN the world as defined by the lowest taxes and royalties to attract investment along with lax environmental enforcement and a push to privatize the public interest.  We need to reject ideologically driven by top down, command and control governance models that is at the root of the political culture war between the PCs and the Wildrose Alliance

We need to move the narrative now to the Alberta Aspiration of being the best FOR the world. We can do the by using our enormous natural resources and develop responsible prosperity with environmental stewardship.  We can become a leader around inclusive, caring and compassionate social policy with evidence based decision making.  We need leadership that is pioneering for these times, not caught in a political marketing mindset that seeks to perfect yesterday or, worse yet, drag us back to the 1950s ways of thinking.

Is the Alberta Party up for that? Time will tell!

Alberta Party Policy Conference - I Smell Democracy in the Air

Tomorrow will see the first Policy Convention of the revitalized Alberta Party.  This is the next step of many stage that is the evolution of the Alberta Party as it fosters a civilized political revolution in our province.

The political culture in Alberta is changing faster and more profoundly than most casual observers realize.   Gerard MacLellan was at Reboot 3 last weekend and that reminded me about a blog post he did last August really captures the essence of the shifting ground in Alberta politics. He give 10 reasons why the Alberta Party will grow and make Alberta more democratic.

The recent opinion poll commissioned by the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta provides more evidence of a shift in the political culture of the province.  There are 76% of Albertans who believe we have a "pressing social deficit" that includes homelessness, wait times for health care and post-secondary education access.  We are confused when it comes to trading off jobs for protecting the environment as 48% believe environment comes first, 40% say the opposite and 9% can't make up their minds.

When it comes to moral issues the religious fundamentalist and social conservatives who want government to meddle in private moral issues are in the minority.  There are 75% of us who say people must make up their own minds on moral issues like same sex marriage and abortion.  We found in our Reboot Alberta values survey that using religion as a basis for making public policy decisions was the lowest ranking criteria.  We see lots of  political pressure coming from the social conservatives in the WAP and the PC Party that needs to be resisted and rebutted by mainstream Albertans.

The PC Party poll shows that there is a political shift in the works when Albertans were asked about leadership, competence and responsibility.  The PC take solace in the fact they are still the highest rated political alternative but the levels of support are not what they are used to and the indifferent-undecided responses are surprisingly high for a "one-party state."  For example 37% see the PC as best prepared to run government but after 40 years of doing it, why wouldn't they be. None of the Above or Undecided are the same or larger than the Liberals or Wildrose on this issue.  As for competence the PCs are only are 33% support after 40 years and 35% question the competence of all the parties.

I found an interesting political framing question in the PC poll when they asked which party would would describe as "extreme." The Wildrose is seen as extreme by 21% of Albertans and the NDP by 22%.  The PCs were perceived a extreme by 9% and 27% said no party was extreme or they were undecided.

On the other end of experienced competent leadership the Stelmach PCs get 28% support and after 40 years of governing Alberta, that is hardly a ringing endorsement.  All the other political party leaders only get 7-6% support for their record. The moving ground comes into play when 21% say none of the current leaders are given credit for a proven record of accomplishment. The measure of strong leadership and competence shows  a race between Stelmach and Smith each in the 20% range on both counts but Mason and Swann are both inconsequential.

The various leaders caring and compassion measures again shows a PC preference 20-23% but not a ringing endorsement as 16-17% say none on the above, the second highest number in each case.  Even as 30% of Albertans see Stelmach as a "regular person" over 15% for Smith, 12% for Mason and 8% for Swann. With 4 years of "Steady Eddy" leadership, only 25% see him as "reliable" and #2 is at 15% - None of the Above...more evidence of shifting political culture.

There are more interesting insights from this poll but that will be for another post in the future.  The reality is the PCs are no longer in free fall and the Wildrose has peaked.  The Liberals and NDP are inconsequential and not gaining from the fear of the ultra-right Wildrose and the tired and terrified PCs.  The political discontent is growing in the heads and hearts of Albertans as 45% of us do not trust any of the existing players to responsibly manage the future of the province.

What is emerging is a time for change but to what?  There is not a popular enough alternative and the status quo is unacceptable.  In that dynamic something reasonable, different and fresh like the Alberta Party may be seen as a place to park a vote, place a vote and send a message.  That is not as par fetched as the conventional wisdom of the main steam media and usual talking pundit heads would typically dismiss.  The local elections all over the province showed the yearning for change incumbents as well and presumptive alternatives getting  dumped or beaten by reasonable, intelligent and progressive alternatives.

What is certain is change and if the existing parties do not adapt quickly enough or completely enough, I would not be surprised by a minority government with an Alberta Party balance of power.  The Alberta Party was not included in the PC Party poll so we just don't know what impact they are having right now and they have a lot of work to do. Interest in them is coming from many surprising sources and they are about to launch into a leadership campaign which will raise interest and profile.  I am not making a prediction or engaged in wishful thinking, merely proposing a plausible possibility that this could happen by election time in March 2012 if the trends continue as they have in the past year or so.

Lest We Forget

This came be email from my friend Frank Smith and i thought it was well worth sharing on this Remembrance Day.  This is always a day of sad reflection and thanksgiving as I remember my Dad and his service in World War II

It is the VETERAN , not the preacher,

Who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the VETERAN , not the reporter,

Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the VETERAN , not the poet,

Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the VETERAN , not the campus organizer,

Who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is the VETERAN , not the lawyer,

Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the VETERAN , not the politician,

Who has given us the right to vote.

 

It is the VETERAN ,

Who salutes the Flag,

 

It is the veteran ,

Who serves under the Flag,

 

THERE IS MUCH OWED BY THOSE OF US WHO NOW ENJOY THESE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS.  

THANKS TO THOSE WHO DIED TO PRESERVE AND PROVIDE THEM

Another Progressive Calls it Quits on Ottawa

Keith Martin is the kind of caring, compassionate, intelligent and responsible politician we need more of.  Well he is done with federal politics, saying he can accomplish more "off the Hill."   Rabid partisanship and the totalitarian governing style of Prime Minister Harper has convinced him that our democracy is dysfunctional.

Sad that we learn of this on Remembrance Day, the time we reflect on the sacrifices of so many people just so we could enjoy our freedoms.  We need to reboot our democracy.  Citizens need to take back control, create alternatives to the current damaged and dangerous systems and get rid of totalitarian proto-facist political practices that are becoming normal.

Sad to see another good person in politics pass on any hope of making a difference through Parliament. 
Cynicism and disdain are not good enough any more.  Citizens have to rise up and revolt against those destructive forces that are destroying our democracy. Use it or Lose it Canada.

Albertans Most Open to Immigration - Go Figure!

There is more and mounting evidence that the Alberta image of a red neck radical Conservative political culture is misinformed. The recent election of Naheed Nenshi as Mayor of Calgary caused the central Canada and national media to buzz with the "News" of such countervailing evidence to the mistaken prejudice they harbour about what Alberta is really like.  I have lots of other stories and examples too but that is for another time.

Now we have the Leger Marketing poll of 1503 Canadians that shows Albertans as the most open of any group of Canadians to accepting immigrants without restrictions and limitations based on country of origin.  In Alberta 46% don't believe in any such restrictions.

In Ontario 29% believe there should be restrictions on immigration from some countries "to balance the mix." Quebec has the most liberal values in all of Canada but 35% of them also favour limiting immigration based on country of origin. This is the highest level of wanting restrictions in all of Canada. Only 25% of Albertans hold such narrow and restrictive views on immigration based on country of origin.

So Alberta is not the progressive back woods in Canada when it comes to welcoming newcomers from all over the world.  Part of this is because we need skilled workers here more than anywhere else in Canada. Part of this is also because the Alberta economy is relatively stronger than the rest of the country so perhaps we don't feel threatened by newcomers.

We can't discount the possibility that Albertans are just more welcoming, accepting and tolerant of immigrants and we don't really care all that much about country of origin as a deciding criteria.  Of course we have to get beyond merely being accepting and tolerant of newcomers.  We have to actually come to savour the benefits of diversity as we continue the great experiment of Canada.  We see this sense of savouring diversity in younger citizens already.  The point is Albertan's core values about immigration are about inclusion, diversity, freedom, fairness and empowerment of citizens so we can create opportunity of responsible prosperity. Those are mainstream values in the Canadian context too but Alberta does not get credit for holding those values, never mind  leading in them.

One has to wonder were the mistaken impressions of Alberta values and beliefs comes from, particularly  in the rest of Canada.    My sense is a main source has been because of the kind of politicians we have been sending to Ottawa, especially those Conservatives who are known to be fundamentalist and hardcore social conservatives.  With Jim Prentice quitting the Harper government and leaving politics, the last moderate progressive political voice in Ottawa is gone...not that he was ever allowed to say much in the first place. The ultra-conservative political voices "representing" Alberta get all the air time and media attention without any countervailing voices. Could that be a reason why Albertans are so misunderstood in the rest of Canada?  Just a thought.

Alberta Needs More Politicians Like Doug Griffiths

It was great to see Doug Griffiths at Reboot3.0 last weekend. I was disappointed I did not get much time to talk with him and catch up on how the progressives are doing in the Progressive Conservative Party.    Based on Troy Wason’s presentation at the Reboot3.0 political panel update on the State of the Notion of Progressive Politics in Alberta, the PC Party has started returning to a more moderate, less radical right-wing approach.  That is encouraging since they are in government.

Doug is the kind of thoughtful and courageous politician we need these days.  He is not afraid of engaging in meaningful and focused conversations with citizens.  His widely acclaimed and often sought presentation and now new book on “13 Ways to Kill Your Community” is but one example.  You can connect to the content on Doug’s blog www.douggriffiths.ca for more.  I strongly suggest you buy the book but from a local bookseller to ensure you don’t miss some of the points about supporting local enterprises.

I have read the informative and helpful column by Graham Thomson in today’s Edmonton Journal on Doug’s suggesting we have a public discussion on a consumption (a.k.a. Sales Tax) tax in Alberta.  Graham really positions Doug Griffiths as the kind of progressive, forward thinking and consciousness raising kind of politician we need in Alberta.  We need his kind of courage to speak up and create conversation spaces to overcome the democratic deficit induced by partisan and preservation politics that dominate these days.

According to Thomson, Doug is “…one of the bright lights in the Conservative caucus, not to mention one of the most idealistic.  Perhaps he is the most idealistic.”  We need politicians who are seriously into servant-leadership and dedicated to responsible fiscal management coupled with a personal character that is all about caring and compassion and personal responsibility.  Doug’s persistence in living his values with integrity is characterized in his determination to create a conversation space for a public discourse to explore a consumption tax in Alberta.  You have to read Graham’s column today to see the consequences of character coming up against the ignorance of mythology, ideology and a bit of the hypocrisy surrounding the subject of an Alberta sales tax.

There is a larger concern behind the issue of a consumption tax of not for Alberta. It goes to the definition and the health of our democracy.  George Lakoff (author of "The Political Mind" and other books) recently noted in a public lecture in Edmonton that government is there to protect and empower citizens.  Progressive values that define that sense of democracy are founded on empathy and responsibility, based on a belief of freedom and fairness for all.  That sentiment is at the root of Doug’s call for a conversation to explore how we make Alberta’s tax system more honest, accountable, transparent and fair.  

Sales or consumption tax aside, there is also another larger issue at stake here.  That is the current political struggle as to who will write the new operating narrative for the next Alberta.  Will we be progressive and forward thinking society or will we be more conservative and regress into the patriarchy of the past?  

My vote goes to a progressive, creative and forward thinking narrative for our future.  To do that we need more progressive politicians like Doug Griffiths, who believe in a positive generative role for government instead of seeing government as the problem.  We need to have progressive politicians who see a role for the marketplace but know that the competitive approach it is not always a substitute for good government – even in Alberta.   

Doug is not the only Alberta politician with these progressive qualities and values.  They exist in all political parties, including the Wildrose Alliance Party. For the record, I use Heather Forsythe as an example of a progressive in the Wildrose Party.  The problem is progressive politicians are far from being a majority.  They are also marginalized and far from the levers of real power in our provincial politics.  Like most Albertans these day, they are not listened to and their opinions don't account for much in setting public policy. 

We need to realize it is about more than politicians.  We we also have a duty as citizens to be informed voters but between elections we must be vigilant stewards of our democracy, freedoms, rights and responsibilities.  That includes pushing for and protecting the environment, the vulnerable in our society and leaving a positive legacy for future generations.  If citizens are not engaged in preserving, promoting and protecting democratic freedoms we forfeit any hope of good progressive government by giving away our political power to others. 

All of this political discussion is grounded in a set of moral issues.  All of politics is grounded in a set of moral issues.  Our values research provided insight on what Albertans use to measure, guide and drive the political morality of ourselves and our politicians.  The moral values we want to see in our politicians and ourselves are integrity, honestly, accountability, transparency, fiscal and personal responsibility and environmental stewardship.  Not a bad set of values to measure our political and personal morality as a society and as citizens if you ask me. 

How are we doing in measuring up to our values?  Not too well if you ask me – personally or politically.  But I am optimistic based on the successes of progressive candidates and increased citizen participation in the recent municipal and school board elections all over Alberta. A lot of incumbents lost in these elections.  Political change is happening and gaining momentum in Alberta these days. There is much more to do but I get the feeling that progressives are tired of being apathetic. Progressives also are coming to see a real and present danger to their sense of democracy if they continue to be disengaged in the political culture of our times.  Here’s hoping I am right!

So lead on Doug.  Keep up the good fight and keep the conversations going.

Some of the Other Blog Posts About Reboot Alberta 3.0

Here are links to a few of the blog posts relating to RebootAlberta 3.0 from some of the folks that were there

Antoine Palmer - Monk turned Business Consultant has his take here 

Alex Muir is The Roundhouse has been to all of the Reboot Gatherings and it was great to see him again.

Then we have Chris LaBossiere's take as the President of the newly revived and refocused Alberta Party

DJKelly was not able to make it - his wife had their first baby on the Reboot3.0 weekend but he extended the invitation to attend through his blog.  Congratulations to one an dall in the growing Kelly family.

There were other Bloggers at Reboot3.0 and we will share their posts as they happen.

You can check out the Twitter feed on the event at www.rebootalberta.org 

Reboot 3.0 a Rousing Success so Expect 4.0 Perhaps in March 2011

RebootAlberta 3.0, a gathering of progressive thinking Albertans happened last Friday and Saturday.  It was inspired by the initial efforts of Dr. David Swann, Leader of the Alberta Liberal Party and his “Let’s Talk” efforts to reach out to progressive political parties.   That effort, while sincere, failed because it was political party to political party.  The traditions of turf, pride, partisanship and the competitive nature of politics doomed such an effort at co-operation.

What occurred to me was that such a meeting of the minds could happen at Reboot Alberta since we have established a reputation to be inclusive of progressive thought leaders from a wide range of political affiliations.  I met with David and approached the idea and he was very supportive.  A quick check in with the other Reboot Instigators and key individuals dedicated to the cause of a more progressive political culture in Alberta and Reboot3.0 was on its way.

The opportunity for a conversation on what can be done to coalesce the progressive perspective into a political force in Alberta was the focus of Reboot3.0.  This focus is part of the progression of RebootAlberta as it works towards a more informed and focused sense of citizen engagement.  We were very successful in creating the space for politics to be introduced directly into the Reboot community discussion with a panel of partisans.   They presented their perspectives on politics in their parties and the Democratic Reform Project was also part of the presentation.   Thanks to Troy Wason on behalf of the Progressive Conservatives, Phil Elder speaking for the Democratic Reform Project, Chris LaBossiere as President of the Alberta Party and David Swann the Leader of the Alberta Liberal Party for participating and making that part of Reboot 3 so interesting and informative.

We had two critical flaws in this process – and I take responsibility for both. The flaws were that the timing of Reboot3.0 was coincidental to the NDP Convention in Red Deer so we were unable to get someone to participate in the panel from the NDP.  I have to give kudos to Nancy Furlong, the President of the NDP, for her extra effort in trying to finding us someone to come and speak at Reboot3.0

The second critical flaw was that we did not invite the Wildrose Alliance Party to participate.  I canvassed the crowd at Reboot 3.0 asking if I should have invited them and the significant majority said yes.  I didn’t invite them because I don’t believe they are interested in progressive public policy.  While that may be true, we did have a couple of Wildrose Party members attend Reboot 2.0 because they were “dragged along by their wives.”  However they were farmers and ranchers who had a serious interest and experience in conservation issues so they fit right in on those terms. 

In any event, one of the key elements of RebootAlberta that participants really value is the safe and respectful space it creates for meaningful and diverse conversations that includes all progressives of all political persuasions, partisan or otherwise. The discussions often highlight disagreements but at Reboot they are not done disagreeably.  Progressives not only respect diversity, they thrive on it so it should not be a surprise that they would want to hear what the WAP had to say about promoting progressive values in the Alberta political culture.

When we discussed the future of RebootAlberta we were asked to convene the next gathering to be known as Reboot 4.  I am thinking it may happen in March 2011 as part of the continuation of the Learning Our Way to the Next Alberta project.  We will want to expand the reach of the progressive citizens’ network in Alberta. We will want to increase political participation through parties, not-for-profits or otherwise as people self select.  We should start using the cultural creative aspects of Alberta as a core ingredient of the Reboot Alberta citizen’s movement in Reboot 4.0.

There will be more on the outcomes and events of Reboot 3.0 in some future blog posts.  For now a further thank you to Dean and Glenn Taylor as well as the Alberta Liberal Party for hosting the Hospitality Suites at Reboot 3.0. Much appreciated.

Tales of Two Alberta Cities and Two Civic Election Campaigns

Scott McKeen entered the Edmonton election race late and naively - by his own admission.  Naheed Nenshi quickly jumped into the Calgary race for Mayor once he heard the incumbent was not running.  Scott's piece is in the Edmonton Journal and Naheed's runs in the Calgary Herald.  Both are different but great pieces of personal perspective journalism.

The results are different in each case - very different - but the first person story of Scott's amazing adventure into politics is a poignant, funny and very realistic account for a rookie campaigner.  Worth a read for every wannabe candidate to come.  There will be lots of elections in the next year or so.  Reading Scott's rendering of his campaign and himself will give you an easy way to get insight about what you are getting into - without the sword of partisan politics hanging over the head of any federal or provincial candidate.

The other story is about the game changing Nenshi campaign for Mayor in Calgary.  He has single handedly changed the stereo type of Cowtown politics and culture.  They are not yet up to the Nenshi persona of an educated, worldly, business savvy and still authentically connected to the emerging diversity of Calgary and being beyond just doing the next deal.  "Campaigning in full sentences" is the tag line Nenshi borrowed from the Don Iveson campaign for Councillor in the City of Edmonton 2007.  Don's campaign was the first to use social media as an outreach technique, community building effort and intelligence gathering tool to amplify conventional campaign tactics.  Don beat a sure-thing incumbent not unlike Nenshi's trouncing of the presumptive winners of the establishment candidates.

There are other example of up-start candidates using new connectivity and community creating techniques of social media to upstage and defeat convention yesterday type incumbents - all over the province.  The world of politics has changed.  The world of election campaigns has changed. The world of good governing is about to change too. All of this is because of the Internet and the power shift from institutions and establishments to individuals.  Citizenship matters again and candidates cum politicians had better get with the program.

Big Business to Push Harper for a National Energy Plan

Looking forward to reading the report from the Canadian Council of Chief Executives tomorrow on a call for a national energy policy.  It is proof again that the Harper dithering and dallying on setting CO2 and other climate change standards allegedly waiting for the US to set their standards first is a political policy that is  bad for business.  Harper can't be very happy with this development.  he may have to make a real decision on climate change...something he does not believe in.,

Here is the key point from the Council “The private sector is ready and willing to do its part, but our industries need a road map that provides clarity and predictability so that they are able to contribute innovative and lasting solutions,”

The irony of Harper being asked to set a National Energy Policy (NEP) by business is too sweet for those of us who know how badly Harper has misrepresented the former National Energy Policy in Alberta for decades.  The fact is NEP was never applied but boy does it get trotted out in ways to misinform Albertan and to vilify the federal Liberals whenever Harper and his henchmen get a chance.  What killed energy prices was not the NEP.  President Reagan beat it to the punch by releasing the US strategic energy reserves and that kicked the crap out of oil prices.

Harper has lost his nerve. Almost every day we see him he is forfeiting his political principles for personal power expediency (something he promised never to do).  He is losing the confidence of his best and brightest MPs (maybe 5 in all) and Cabinet members. (only one left now that Prentice quit Harper)  The man is morally shallow and philosophically narrow on any question of policy substance that might better serve the needs of the country.  Serving the greater good is not why Harper is in politics.  He is in politics, for one purpose, to crush the opposition by any means he can to confirm and continue his personal power over anything or anyone who stands in his way. That may be the Liberals or those in his own party and government how have real integrity and a hope to serve their constituents first - not just Harper..  He just likes to play hardball hateful politics in the intimidating and bullying Cheney - Rumsfeld methodology of the Bush White House.

It will be interesting how Harper will forfeit the trust and respect of big business.  This will happen over his inevitable reluctance to be clear and capable to respond to their demands for climate change certainty in Canada, and not use the US as an excuse for foot-dragging, denial and more master-minding  more misleading messaging based on Harper's faith, but not supported by and scientific evidence.

Harper is melting politically - not as quickly as the Nazis in Raider of the Lost Arc - but he is melting just like them nevertheless.  Get ready for a spring election likely based on a bunch of assumptions that will basically be lies in the Harper budget. We need a new leader for Canada...one we can trust and respect with personal integrity and honestly we can rely on.

Prentice Quits Harper!

Jim Prentice just announced he is quitting the Harper Cabinet effective immediately and his role as MP by year end.

I know Jim Prentice is one of the most talented, capable and progressive members of the Harper front bench.  I have know Jim for years from when he was a young lawyer.  We were on opposite sides of the Oldman River Dam project) We also were members of the now defunct federal Progressive Conservative Party (defunct thx to the lack of personal integrity, honesty and accountability of Peter McKay).  I supported Jim's bid as leader of the federal PC Party at one time.

I am not surprised that he is quitting the Harper government but I'm betting Harper is.  The autocratic leadership style of Prime Minister Harper inside his party, the CPC caucus and his Cabinet as well as the federal public service is not the kind of servant-leader politician Jim Prentice would want to serve for very long.

Politics is in Jim's blood but my betting is he got tired of having to bite his tongue all the time as a Harper Cabinet Minister.  It must be difficult for a man of integrity like Prentice to deal with the hypocrisy that is so central to Stephen Harper's totalitarian approach to governance.  Add the mean-spirited approach to politics and the lack of respect and intimidation management of the PM and the PMO with the bureaucracy - enough is enough.  Prentice's time to do the right thing for himself had come.  Ironically his departure could cause enough of  stir up the sheeple in the Harper Cabinet and Caucus.  That would be good for Canada.

So thank you Jim Prentice and family too for the years of dedicated public service.  Thank you too for your timing and the swiftness of your departure.  I know you will officially reject any such allegations and observations regarding the circumstances of your departure, especially of the kind I reference here.  But the reality is the public is not stupid. We can read the writing on the wall. We know what is going on and politically correct pro forma denials of the well-founded  perceptions will not render them wrong in the public mind.

I hope this is the beginning of the end of the fear and intimidation Harper lords over all in his reach and realm.  Canada needs a new leader and a new government. We need servant-leaders who know and respect the proper role of government, namely to protect and empower citizens.  We need them to know their place too, namely to have the best interests of the country as paramount.  It is time to end the tyranny of the  authoritarian belligerent bully we  now have as our national "leader."  

It is close to election time Canada. Dust off your citizenship and inform yourself on the issues.  Then run for public office or encourage quality candidates that align with your values and your vision for our country. It is time for a change.




  

If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org

What is Reboot3.0 All About? Changing the Alberta Political Landscape!

RebootAlberta 3.0 Happens This Weekend!
I love horoscopes. Not because I believe them.  They are just fun.  When they reinforce my preconceived notions of reality they are even more fun.  Such is the case in my Globe and Mail horoscope today.   It tells me, as a Taurus, to "Set your sights high today and keep them high right through tomorrow and the weekend.  Some may say your goals are too tough but once you get started your Taurus drive and determination will see your through to success."  Very timely advice given that this weekend is the Reboot3.0 gathering of progressives in Edmonton.

I am strangely energized by this horoscope as I prepare for my presentation and fine tune the process design for RebootAlberta 3.0 this Friday night and all day Saturday.  BTW  you can still register at www.rebootalberta.org/rsvp if you want to meet like-minded progressive thinking Albertans engaged and empowered to make a positive difference about the future of our province.


What is RebootAlberta About?
The goal of RebootAlberta, since it started one short year ago, is to provide a place and space for progressives to gather to share and see how they can shift the Alberta political culture and policy trajectory from the current turn in Alberta's political direction to the ultra right or merely the far right.  I think it is time to set some higher sights about changing the political culture of Alberta to a more inclusive, moderate, progressive balance.  We need to be sure the progressive voice it included and pushes toward a provincial political governing philosophy that weights and integrates implications from all aspects from economic, ecological, social, political and and cultural.  RebootAlberta is focused on getting progressive thinking citizens empowered to fulfil those goals.

Measuring Genuine Progress Differently!
Part of the new integrated approach to policy making is enabled by using more comprehensive measures of progress and wealth - beyond GDP.  Genuine Progress Indicators are the way forward.  Marlo Raynolds will be  reviving and reviewing some work the Pembina Institute did to analyse genuine progress indicators towards a more sustainable Alberta. Here is a link to the original GPI analysis for Alberta.  It would be important to update that analysis in the current economic, environmental, social and political climate in Alberta.

Reboot3.0 agenda items this weekend will enable and encourage Influential Progressives in Alberta to come to life and set some higher sights around setting the future direction and destination of Alberta.  Saturday morning will focus on Alberta citizens and their oil sands ownership rights, roles and responsibilities.  This is a great topic that captures so much of the need to change the politics and governing philosophy in our Alberta.

The Future of Progressive Politics in Alberta
Saturday afternoon will feature presentation from various political parties and groups talking about what they see as the State of the Notion of a Progressive Alberta.  David Swann the Leader of the Alberta Liberal Party and the Official Opposition is attending  Reboot 3.0 and will be one of the featured speakers on the State of the Notion.  We have other speakers from other parties too but unfortunately not the New Democratic Party.  They have their convention in Red Deer at the same time.and while the NDP Executive Committee was keen to participate at Reboot 3.0 we just could not work out the logistics.  We have agreed to keep in touch and push towards a more progressive Alberta.

Does Alberta Need a Progressive Citizens Movement?
The other Reboot3.0 "set your sights high" opportunity will be about the future direction and mandate for Reboot Alberta itself.  In a recent workshop in Edmonton Dr. George Lakoff  emphasized that one of the vital elements required to influence public policy is a progressive citizen's movement.  This citizen based political movement idea  is not the same as a political party which pursues power through elections.  A citizens movement, like Reboot Alberta, is a cultural phenomenon and would work to activate progressive values through collaborations and coalitions of various groups and social justice agencies.  It would be focused on promoting and strengthening democracy from a progressive point of view.

The politics of the Province of Alberta is shifting.  The ground is moving under the feet of the conventional political operatives and power-brokers.  Citizens are distrusting and disillusioned with politics and government. They are increasingly frustrated, angry and scared.  That breeds fear, uncertainty and doubt and that means climate change in democratic politics.  We have seen the volatility of the voter all over the place, in Alberta from local  municipal and school board elections, to the City of Toronto, B.C, over HST that unseated Premier Campbell. Then we have the USA shift to the extreme right going from being overwhelmingly for Obama to overwhelmingly against Obama in just 2 years.

This is no time for thoughtful progressive Albertans to sit on the political sidelines.  For those who are not yet ready to join a political party, perhaps Reboot Alberta is a place where they can engage to make a difference.   That is one of the key questions going into and coming out of Reboot3.0 this weekend.  I will post my thoughts on the outcomes of RebootAlberta early next week.  Stay tuned.  Better yet, get involved with Reboot Alberta and start by coming to Reboot3.0.

If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org/rsvp

Why is Province Sitting on PDD Report?

Accountability and Transparency Alert:  The Alberta Liberals in a News Release yesterday have drawn attention to the fact that the Stelmach government is sitting on the KPMG administrative review study on services to Persons with Developmental Disabilities.  


This study was ordered by Seniors and Community Supports department and apparently the Minister has had the report since September 15, 2010 but it is not released publically.  Full disclosure, I worked as an advisor and registered as a lobbyist for the ACDS on the funding and policy development in this area.  My work was completed I am no longer retained on the file but personally concerned about the provincial government approach in the entire area.

The Alberta government is very aware that business dislikes uncertainty but does not seem to appreciate the same impact of uncertainty on the not-for profit community based organizations that are all over Alberta serving vulnerable and disabled Albertans and fulfilling the legal obligations of the government to provide for these citizens.

I call this delay in disclosure of the report results Accountability and Transparency Alert because Albertans should be very concerned as to why the report is being sat on and the department is silent on the findings and recommendations.  I can speculate based on my knowledge of the background and facts I know about the lack of political will to do the right thing in this area.  These are two of the most important value Albertans expect of their government and evaluate their government.  The other key evaluation values used by citizens are honesty and integrity.  Delay of the report release, disclosure and response for pure political reasons discredits the provincial government in the eyes of the voters on all counts.

I will look at the politics of the matter at this time because that is what is likely behind the delay in release.  The provincial government political attitude about the PD Dares seems to be they are suspicious about getting value for money from the system.   At the community level they are.  Staff are overworked, underpaid, spread thin and in highly stressed especially with clients with multiple disabilities.  The province fudges the numbers in reporting costs and in comparisons but I will leave that analysis for after we see what KPMG says.

I harbour suspicions about the mandate given to KPMG in doing this report.  Don’t get me wrong they do quality work but if the scope of the work is limited or who they talk to is dictated, the integrity of the results and the usefulness of the report have to be questioned.  I hear that KPMG were told which service provider agencies they should talk to in gathering information.  If that is the case the process seems to be more political than policy based and the honesty and integrity of the process and findings have to be viewed with suspicion.

There are many wonderful people working in difficult and uncertain circumstances trying to do the right thing for developmentally disabled Albertans and their families.  The province seems to be on a path to discredit the local community agencies in their efforts.  If this is the motivation behind the review and the political pressure of the province I can only surmise that the real reason behind this intimidation of these not-for-profit volunteer and community based service providers is political.  I wonder if the real motivation  of the province to try and replace the community supported not-for profit service providers with private sector marketplace driven businesses to drive down costs, reduce services and  “save” money. 

There are a few very good for profit service providers in the PDD area now.  They are integrated and collaborate with the community based agencies.  In the past there were allegations and fraud charges laid against some private sector service providers but the province lost those court cases partly because, as I understand, the contractual arrangements with the private sector providers were less than clear so abuses were unpunished. 

So let’s not make those mistakes again.  Let’s not continue to make the current foolhardy political mistakes by sitting on the report.  Let’s keep an open mind on what the report says but let’s not be patient and compliant with any further delay in its release.  Let’s insist on a full disclosure and a public response from the provincial government on the process, findings and recommendations.  Integrity, honest, accountability, transparency and a fiscally responsible government would release and respond right away.  

America in an Ugly Midterm Election Mood

Rasmussen Reports polling results show just how confused, volatile and divided the American voter is these days.  The impact of the anger, angst and fear felt by many Americans will affect the Midterm elections.  Just how this will play out in the Midterms shall be known later today.

Tracking 10 key issues in a poll shows the divisions amongst Americans. The Republicans are more trusted than Democrats in 8 of them, including the top two issues of most concern, the Economy (Republicans 49% Democrats 39%) and Health Care (Republicans 47% Democrats 40%).  The Democrats are more trusted on Education and Government Ethics…go figure given Bush’s record on both.   

To see how volatile the American public is the same 10 tracking issues saw voters trusting the Republicans on all of them last August but two years ago when Obama was elected the Democrats were leading in public trust on all 10 issues.

In another more recent Rasmussen Reports poll shows how they are confused 49% of American blame the Bush administration for the economic problems that lead to the recession while 44% blame Obama.  Furthermore 59% of US voters trust their own judgment more than Obama’s on the major economic issues facing the nation…and it has been that way since June.

It is pretty ugly in American politics these days not to mention economically, environmentally and increasingly – socially.  The rise of the Tea Party has been given enormous media coverage because it fits the conflict as normative in their measure of what is “news.”  The anger and fear is being fed by Fox News fanatics and none of the right-sided pundits and political sources are offering solutions - just loud, angry and misleading opposition.  None of that will solve the problems - only make them worse. 

The Edmonton Sun Editorial today likens these Tea Party days to the early times of the Preston Manning Reform Party that started as a grumpy voter movement.  John Doyle of the Globe and Mail says this Tea Party mentality has not yet come to Canada but it will.  I don't know if either narrative about a radical right wing-nut political reality of Tea Party vitriol is good for America or Canada going forward.  Stay tuned...especially to the election results tonight.

If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org/rsvp
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Lots of Action for a Progressive Alberta Political Agenda in November

There are a very interesting series of events all of a sudden that go to the issues of democracy and citizen participation and open government. 

George Lakoff came to town.  “One of the most influential political thinkers of the progressive movement” according to Howard Dean gave a lecture at Grant MacEwan University Thursday night put on by the Alberta Federation of Labour.  Lakoff wrote the best-selling book “Don’t Think of an Elephant” and told me it has sold over 350,000 copies and is in translation into dozens of languages.  He was so fascinating Thursday night I talked my way into the all day Friday workshop and found.  Thanks to the AFL and President Gil McGowan for the flexibility and hospitality to include me. He gave me a plethora of blog post ideas on and around the Reboot Alberta progressive citizens movement I am passionate about.

Reboot Alberta 3.0 on Taking Progressive Action happens November 5-6 at the Edmonton Delta South.  There will be discussions on what actions progressive Albertans want to see happen to assure a responsible and sustainable development of our oil sands.  We will be looking at the state of progressive politics in the province, some new random research findings on the thinking around progressive political values and number of progressives in the province.  We will look at new measures of well-being and progress from some work done for the Pembina Institute and look at the future direction of Reboot Alberta.  You can see the full agenda and register at www.rebootalberta.org/rsvp

Peter Senge and Marg Wheatley in Calgary  November 11 and 12 “Building a Sustainable Future Conference” at the University of Calgary.  This leadership conference will be about exploring new ways of thinking.  It will look at how individuals and organizations can work together to create a sustainable world.  It will look at collaborative revolutionary change not incremental change in isolation.  It will look at new processes to restore authentic dialogue, good thinking and wise action with perseverance for the long term point of view. 

John Gaventa is next.  The Alberta Climate Dialogue out of the University of Alberta is holding a public lecture on November 15^th from 4:15 – 5:45 pm at the Engineering Teaching and Learning Centre Room E1-007 on the University of Alberta Campus.  Dr. Gaventa will talk about “Deepening Democracy through Citizen Participation” based on ten-years of collaborative work on the subject citizen action, building democracy, strengthening development and realizing human rights.  He works through the Development Research Center on Citizenship, Participation and Accountability (www.drc-citizenship.org) a network of over 60 researchers and activitists involved in these issues in over 20 countries.

Ken Chapman (yup that’s me!) speaks at the Max Bell Auditorium at Banff Centre November 16 at 7:30 pm on Citizenship, Stewardship and Leadership.   There is a clear and present danger to democracy when citizen disillusionment and distain for the political culture of their times means that they fail, refuse or neglect to take the duties of informed engaged citizenship seriously.  The oil sands are owned by Albertans.  That make us responsible to assure they are developed in responsible, sustainable and integrated ways that deal with economic, environmental, social and political aspects of this resource.  Political leadership starts in the mirror and the world is run by those who show up.  Disengagement from political participation and citizenship is not an option any more.  In a democracy, you always get the government you deserve, especially if you don’t vote.

Alberta School Boards Association meeting in Edmonton November 23, I present two workshops to School Trustees from all over Alberta.  These will be around the power and processes of social media in meeting the principles and values of community engagement from the Inspiring Action on Education report.

Alberta Urban Municipalities Association meets in Edmonton at the Shaw Convention Centre on November 24 and I share a panel on Open Data for local government with Jas Darrah and Mack Male.  The internet has changed the rules and relationships of government to citizens.  The Open Data movement is a good example of how government is responding, especially local governments.  I will be looking at it from a philosophical; values based approach and the emerging participatory Democracy 2.0 perspective.

All in all it is a pretty full and exciting month…and it has only just begun.

If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org

Threats to Democracy in America: Lessons for Canada?

I don't usually put in "guest blogs" but this article from Robert Reich former Sec of Labour in Clinton administration, and great writer, has information I thought needed to be shared.  The Americans are our largest customers and what happens there impacts Canada.  So here is his blog post I think has serious implication for us domestically and in terms of US-Canada relations.

H/T to Bill Totten for the link 

at http://billtotten.blogspot.com/

by Robert Reich

robertreich.org (October 18 2010)

It's a perfect storm. And I'm not talking about the impending dangers facing Democrats. I'm talking about the dangers facing our democracy.

First, income in America is now more concentrated in fewer hands than it's been in eighty years. Almost a quarter of total income generated in the United States is going to the top one percent of Americans.

The top one-tenth of one percent of Americans now earn as much as the bottom 120 million of us.

Who are these people? With the exception of a few entrepreneurs like Bill Gates, they're top executives of big corporations and Wall Street, hedge-fund managers, and private equity managers. They include the Koch brothers, whose wealth increased by billions last year, and who are now funding tea party candidates across the nation.

Which gets us to the second part of the perfect storm. A relatively few Americans are buying our democracy as never before. And they're doing it completely in secret.

Hundreds of millions of dollars are pouring into advertisements for and against candidates -without a trace of where the dollars are coming from. They're laundered through a handful of groups. Fred Malek, whom you may remember as deputy director of Richard Nixon's notorious Committee to Reelect the President (dubbed Creep in the Watergate scandal), is running one of them. Republican operative Karl Rove runs another. The US Chamber of Commerce, a third.

The Supreme Court's Citizens United versus the Federal Election Commission made it possible. The Federal Election Commission says only

32 percent of groups paying for election ads are disclosing the names of their donors. By comparison, in the 2006 midterm, 97 percent disclosed; in 2008, almost half disclosed.

We're back to the late 19th century when the lackeys of robber barons literally deposited sacks of cash on the desks of friendly legislators.

The public never knew who was bribing whom.

Just before it recessed the House passed a bill that would require that the names of all such donors be publicly disclosed. But it couldn't get through the Senate. Every Republican voted against it. (To see how far the GOP has come, nearly ten years ago campaign disclosure was supported by 48 of 54 Republican senators.)

Here's the third part of the perfect storm. Most Americans are in trouble. Their jobs, incomes, savings, and even homes are on the line.

They need a government that's working for them, not for the privileged and the powerful.

Yet their state and local taxes are rising. And their services are being cut. Teachers and firefighters are being laid off. The roads and bridges they count on are crumbling, pipelines are leaking, schools are dilapidated, and public libraries are being shut.

There's no jobs bill to speak of. No WPA to hire those who can't find jobs in the private sector. Unemployment insurance doesn't reach half of the unemployed.

Washington says nothing can be done. There's no money left.

No money? The marginal income tax rate on the very rich is the lowest it's been in more than eighty years. Under President Dwight Eisenhower (who no one would have accused of being a radical) it was 91 percent.

Now it's 36 percent. Congress is even fighting over whether to end the temporary Bush tax cut for the rich and return them to the Clinton top tax of 39 percent.

Much of the income of the highest earners is treated as capital gains, anyway - subject to a fifteen percent tax. The typical hedge-fund and private-equity manager paid only seventeen percent last year. Their earnings were not exactly modest. The top fifteen hedge-fund managers earned an average of $1 billion.

Congress won't even return to the estate tax in place during the Clinton administration - which applied only to those in the top two percent of incomes.

It won't limit the tax deductions of the very rich, which include interest payments on multi-million dollar mortgages. (Yet Wall Street refuses to allow homeowners who can't meet mortgage payments to include their primary residence in personal bankruptcy.)

There's plenty of money to help stranded Americans, just not the political will to raise it. And at the rate secret money is flooding our political system, even less political will in the future.

The perfect storm: An unprecedented concentration of income and wealth at the top; a record amount of secret money flooding our democracy; and a public becoming increasingly angry and cynical about a government that's raising its taxes, reducing its services, and unable to get it back to work.

We're losing our democracy to a different system. It's called plutocracy.

http://robertreich.org/post/1344561814

If you want a progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org

Dogmatism Explained! Thank You Facebook

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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