The latest Environics Research Group Poll of 1,011 random Albertans 18 years old and over, in six geographic segments, Edmonton, Calgary, small cities, rural south, central and northern done between January 20 and 31, 2011 with a margin of error of +/-3.1% 95 times out of 100.
Good News for the PCs? Not So Much!
The results are very interesting and imply some surprising changes. Notwithstanding the turmoil in health care from Duckett to Sherman and the emergency room crisis, the PC support not only held, it improved from a pretty consistent base of 34% in three surveys from October 2009, March and November 2010 to 38% today.
There is a misplaced sense of relief in the PCs based on finally having hit the bottom...an presuming the only way to go it up. Remember Premier Stelmach announced he is leaving politics (eventually) on January 25, with wall to wall media coverage and right in the middle of this poll.
What is the contributing factor of the 4% bounce for the PCs? Some will say the Stelmach departure announcement and I expect that is partly right. Others will say the Wildrose Alliance has peaked and the support was a parking place to send a message of dissatisfaction to Premier Stelmach. He seems to have gotten the message by quitting so it is time to return to the PC fold. That is partly right too. It looks like it is definitely right when yo see a 10% up tick for the PCs outside Edmonton and Calgary...that will be cause for a sigh of relief in Toryland. The anger fomenting in rural Alberta over land bills and fears of private property rights in the face of increased Ministerial power over people is not turning folks off the PC or causing them to rush to the Alliance. In fact the Alliance support in rural and small city Alberta is down 8%. Go figure
Bottom line, the PCs are in minority government territory no matter which way you slice the numbers. That is merely survival at best and not success by any measure given the dynasty they have created.
Wildrose Alliance Peaked and Piqued?
The question about the WAP is how solid is their support and what level is it at when push come to shove at the actual ballot box? As a place to protest the Alliance has been handy since the Calgary Glenmore By-election when the Deputy Premier quit. The Alliance won but the Liberal vote held and the PCs dropped to third place from a very comfortable margin of support from before. The message was being sent by some Calgary PCs staying home and others in open anger with their perceived loss of influence on the Premier's office from the Ralph Klein days.
The drop of 2% in Calgary for the PCs and the Alliance with a 3% drop by the NDP resulted in a 5% bounce for the Liberals. Calgary is getting interesting and volatile now too as voters there showed with the election of Mayor Naheed Nenshi, an Alberta Party supporter. Danielle Smith is more than Calgary-centric but the "entitled" power elites in Calgary now longer control the vote results. Nenshi proved that last October.
The dramatic drop of Alliance support in Edmonton (-7%) and the Rest of Alberta (-8) has to be unnerving for the Smith supporters. The anger with the PCs and the media hype over Smith versus Stelmach is over so Albertans are now taking a serious look at the Alliance and their politics.
Whither the Liberals and the NDP?
The overall results show the Liberals up 3% and the NDP down 3%, and this poll was done before Dr. Swann quit the Liberal leadership. The NDP are trending down 3% everywhere in Alberta. If this holds they may be seen as irrelevant in the next election, especially if the major trends are who will win the culture war on the right and who in the centre can we count on to replace both the Morton and Smith factions in the social conservative and public service stifling approach they both take.
For the Liberals there is some reason to hope not all is lost with a 3% overall bounce coming mostly from Calgary and Edmonton areas. At 22% they are within the margin of error with the Alliance. Will they be the choice for opposition or will the Alliance get the nod? Way too early to tell and lots more political drama to unfold before that question is top of mind.
Things Not Considered!
There are two serious other issues not captured or reported in this poll. The Undecided is said to be 18% overall slightly more than past polls. However the poll results are blended answers of two questions. "If a provincial election were held today, which one of the following parties would you vote for?" The second question is of the Undecided. "Perhaps you have not yet made up your mind; is there nevertheless a party you might be presently inclined to support?"
When you back out the second "inclined to support question" you get the true undecided. I called Tony Coulson of Environics to find out the actual Undecided without the leaning aspect. It is a whopping 27% - not the blended decided and leaning numbers that left a 18% Undecided!
That is very significant to show the volatility of the Alberta voter these days. We don't know how that 27% distributes between Edmonton, Calgary and the Rest of Alberta but with a population of 1/3 in each segment, it could be significant in final seat results. If you back out that 9% leaning vote and distribute it proportionately with the Decided votes the hard core support for the PCs and the Alliance is significantly softer and less than reported.
What: No Alberta Party?
Finally there is no reference to the Alberta Party in the results. I understood that the Alberta Party was excluded from the November 2010 Environics Poll because they did not have a seat. In all fairness that was true for the most part in this survey period. Dave Taylor joined the Alberta Party as its first MLA on January 25th, right in the middle of the data gathering. However, next time I expect the Alberta Party will be included. It will be interesting to see what impact the Alberta Party has overall and on Liberal, NDP and progressives in the PCs who are afraid of that party moving more to the right under Morton.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Albertan's Have to Take Back Control of Their Democracy
There is a great deal of defensiveness from some Alberta government-side politicians who are feeling at-risk these days with the new volatility in the Alberta political culture. That defensiveness is being expressed in public meetings by some - not all - PC MLAs lashing out at citizens and accusing advocates of being liars. Not good.
Danielle Klooster has done a very engaging blog post around such an experience that I recommend you read and reflect on. (H/T to AlbertaVote.ca for the link)
There is an increasing level of anxiety and angst reflected in what amounts to casual corruption through acts of intimidation and bullying of employees, agencies, boards and commissions by political people in "our" government. that behaviour includes politicians actually calling staff people directly making vague threats and innuendos clearly embedded in the kinds of questions they ask.
It is very difficult to bring truth to power when power has its own agenda. It is even more difficult to bring truth when that agenda is abusive of those who are vulnerable and pushed to compliance for personal survival.
We know that Albertans see Integrity and Accountability as the most important values in their politicians. We also know we don't have enough of it in our current political culture. An election is coming up. That is a time of citizen's making choices and sending messages. Silence and cynicism is no longer an option if you value your democracy and want to have your say.
Compliance in the face of bullying is not an option if you want respect from the politicians who are supposedly working you. Complacency is not an option if you want self respect. Citizenship is about leadership and in a democracy that leadership starts by looking yourself in the mirror and staking a stand.
It's time for Albertans to take back control of our democracy by engaging. It is time to empower and embrace alternatives to the status quo. It is time to delete those from political power who are inept, abusive and believe they are above accountability to the public. It's time for Albertans to start thinking for a change in government and about a change in governance.
Danielle Klooster has done a very engaging blog post around such an experience that I recommend you read and reflect on. (H/T to AlbertaVote.ca for the link)
There is an increasing level of anxiety and angst reflected in what amounts to casual corruption through acts of intimidation and bullying of employees, agencies, boards and commissions by political people in "our" government. that behaviour includes politicians actually calling staff people directly making vague threats and innuendos clearly embedded in the kinds of questions they ask.
It is very difficult to bring truth to power when power has its own agenda. It is even more difficult to bring truth when that agenda is abusive of those who are vulnerable and pushed to compliance for personal survival.
We know that Albertans see Integrity and Accountability as the most important values in their politicians. We also know we don't have enough of it in our current political culture. An election is coming up. That is a time of citizen's making choices and sending messages. Silence and cynicism is no longer an option if you value your democracy and want to have your say.
Compliance in the face of bullying is not an option if you want respect from the politicians who are supposedly working you. Complacency is not an option if you want self respect. Citizenship is about leadership and in a democracy that leadership starts by looking yourself in the mirror and staking a stand.
It's time for Albertans to take back control of our democracy by engaging. It is time to empower and embrace alternatives to the status quo. It is time to delete those from political power who are inept, abusive and believe they are above accountability to the public. It's time for Albertans to start thinking for a change in government and about a change in governance.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
An Alberta Party Update from Sue Huff
Sue Huff, Interim Leader of the Alberta Party speaks in Lethbridge at a special meeting of the Southern Alberta Council of Public Affairs on the development and growth of the the Alberta Party.
If you are Alberta Party curious, and who isn't these days, you can get a real sense of who we are and where we are on policy, people and progress of the Alberta Party. Listen to this audio file of Sue Huff's in a speech to over 100 folks who came out to learn more about the Alberta Party.
The Q and A is very interesting too.
If you want to know more about Alberta Party leadership candidate Glenn Taylor I encourage you to visit his website too.
If you are Alberta Party curious, and who isn't these days, you can get a real sense of who we are and where we are on policy, people and progress of the Alberta Party. Listen to this audio file of Sue Huff's in a speech to over 100 folks who came out to learn more about the Alberta Party.
The Q and A is very interesting too.
If you want to know more about Alberta Party leadership candidate Glenn Taylor I encourage you to visit his website too.
Embrace the Act of Imagination
I was at the Sir Ken Robinson lecture in Red Deer last night. This amazing event drew over 700 people and was sponsored by the ATA, Red Deer College, Creative Alberta and the Red Deer Advocate. Another indication of a yearning for real change in Alberta.
The lecture was video taped and I hope we will be able to feed the need for change at the next Learning Our Way to the Next Alberta events in Edmonton March 17th. You can get tickets online using this link. It promises to be another inspiring evening.
I received a tweet from a teacher who was at the SirKen event. She bought his recent book and asked him to write a line to new teachers when he signed the book. What he wrote resonated with me, and I expect with most of the readers of this blog. He wrote: "Embrace the Act of Imagination."
This is not an abstract ephemeral aphorism but more of an admonition that the status quo for our society is unsustainable, socially, economically and environmentally. I would even say our adversarial and personally nasty approach to political culture is unsustainable.
There is a shifting consciousness starting amongst a growing group of previously apathetic Albertans that we need to start thinking for a change. It is not a groundswell yet but it is gathering momentum. The opportunity for the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party and the Alberta Liberal Party to respond to the change will come from the results of their pending leadership decisions. The same can be said for the newer, smaller but intriguing Alberta Party as an agent for positive political change is these revived citizens seek a leader.
Full disclosure I am an Alberta Party member and working on the Glenn Taylor campaign to lead this new movement. I also had an Alberta Liberal Party membership to support David Swann' s leadership and as a PC member I supported Dave Hancock's leadership bid in 2006 and moved my support along with Dave to Ed Stelmach on the second ballot. I have let both of these memberships lapse and feel a bitter sweet irony that both these gentlemen are now leaving political leadership positions and I expect politics as well.
My sense is the Alberta Party with it aim of "doing politics differently" is the closest thing Albertans have as a choice that will pick up and deliver on the spirit behind Sir Ken Robinson's advice to "Embrace the Act of Imagination." Alberta is ready to move beyond the Alberta Advantage of corporate tax cuts, royalty breaks and industry subsidies.
The next Alberta is about a struggle for defining narrative about the Alberta Aspiration. What does that mean and how will we see in ourselves and define ourselves as we move forward into the creative age and not just the industrial age of resource extraction as our reason to be. The new narrative will be written by Albertans in part as a result of who these political parties choose for leadership. Another big part of writing the next Alberta narrative will be decided when we citizens select and elect our new government as we pause about how we are poised for striving and thriving in the changing world we must all face individually and together.
Granting your consent to be governed is partly a forfeiture of personal power to a politician so be careful who you vote for. In a generative time like Alberta is in today full of challenges, threats as well as strengths and opportunities citizenship should be more than merely voting. It should be the active act of embracing and imagining our aspirations as Albertans.
That is the stuff that motivates me to be so heavily engaged in the Alberta Party and the leadership campaign of Glenn Taylor. Visit his website and the party website and if you are at least curious take the next step and join the party and become a Glenn Taylor supporter. Be the change you want to see happen.
The lecture was video taped and I hope we will be able to feed the need for change at the next Learning Our Way to the Next Alberta events in Edmonton March 17th. You can get tickets online using this link. It promises to be another inspiring evening.
I received a tweet from a teacher who was at the SirKen event. She bought his recent book and asked him to write a line to new teachers when he signed the book. What he wrote resonated with me, and I expect with most of the readers of this blog. He wrote: "Embrace the Act of Imagination."
This is not an abstract ephemeral aphorism but more of an admonition that the status quo for our society is unsustainable, socially, economically and environmentally. I would even say our adversarial and personally nasty approach to political culture is unsustainable.
There is a shifting consciousness starting amongst a growing group of previously apathetic Albertans that we need to start thinking for a change. It is not a groundswell yet but it is gathering momentum. The opportunity for the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party and the Alberta Liberal Party to respond to the change will come from the results of their pending leadership decisions. The same can be said for the newer, smaller but intriguing Alberta Party as an agent for positive political change is these revived citizens seek a leader.
Full disclosure I am an Alberta Party member and working on the Glenn Taylor campaign to lead this new movement. I also had an Alberta Liberal Party membership to support David Swann' s leadership and as a PC member I supported Dave Hancock's leadership bid in 2006 and moved my support along with Dave to Ed Stelmach on the second ballot. I have let both of these memberships lapse and feel a bitter sweet irony that both these gentlemen are now leaving political leadership positions and I expect politics as well.
My sense is the Alberta Party with it aim of "doing politics differently" is the closest thing Albertans have as a choice that will pick up and deliver on the spirit behind Sir Ken Robinson's advice to "Embrace the Act of Imagination." Alberta is ready to move beyond the Alberta Advantage of corporate tax cuts, royalty breaks and industry subsidies.
The next Alberta is about a struggle for defining narrative about the Alberta Aspiration. What does that mean and how will we see in ourselves and define ourselves as we move forward into the creative age and not just the industrial age of resource extraction as our reason to be. The new narrative will be written by Albertans in part as a result of who these political parties choose for leadership. Another big part of writing the next Alberta narrative will be decided when we citizens select and elect our new government as we pause about how we are poised for striving and thriving in the changing world we must all face individually and together.
Granting your consent to be governed is partly a forfeiture of personal power to a politician so be careful who you vote for. In a generative time like Alberta is in today full of challenges, threats as well as strengths and opportunities citizenship should be more than merely voting. It should be the active act of embracing and imagining our aspirations as Albertans.
That is the stuff that motivates me to be so heavily engaged in the Alberta Party and the leadership campaign of Glenn Taylor. Visit his website and the party website and if you are at least curious take the next step and join the party and become a Glenn Taylor supporter. Be the change you want to see happen.
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Hearing Sir Ken Robinson in Red Deer Tonight
Looking forward to enjoying the company of 700 cultural creatives and fellow progressives who will gather from all over the province in Red Deer tonight to hear the insightful articulate and entertaining Sir Ken Robinson.
For those readers in the room here is the review of Sir Ken's new book "The Element." It will give those of you who are not coming tonight a sense of what you are missing.
For those readers in the room here is the review of Sir Ken's new book "The Element." It will give those of you who are not coming tonight a sense of what you are missing.
The Element
by Ken Robinson
Viking USA | January 13, 2009 | Hardcover
From one of the worldas leading thinkers and speakers on creativity and self-fulfillment, a breakthrough book about talent, passion, and achievement
The element is the point at which natural talent meets personal passion. When people arrive at the element, they feel most themselves and most inspired and achieve at their highest levels. "The Element" draws on the stories of a wide range of people, from ex-Beatle Paul McCartney to Matt Groening, creator of "The Simpsons"; from Meg Ryan to Gillian Lynne, who choreographed the Broadway productions of "Cats" and "The Phantom of the Opera"; and from writer Arianna Huffington to renowned physicist Richard Feynman and others, including business leaders and athletes. It explores the components of this new paradigm: The diversity of intelligence, the power of imagination and creativity, and the importance of commitment to our own capabilities.
With a wry sense of humor, Ken Robinson looks at the conditions that enable us to find ourselves in the element and those that stifle that possibility. He shows that age and occupation are no barrier, and that once we have found our path we can help others to do so as well. "The Element" shows the vital need to enhance creativity and innovation by thinking differently about human resources and imagination. It is also an essential strategy for transforming education, business, and communities to meet the challenges of living and succeeding in the twenty-first century.
The element is the point at which natural talent meets personal passion. When people arrive at the element, they feel most themselves and most inspired and achieve at their highest levels. "The Element" draws on the stories of a wide range of people, from ex-Beatle Paul McCartney to Matt Groening, creator of "The Simpsons"; from Meg Ryan to Gillian Lynne, who choreographed the Broadway productions of "Cats" and "The Phantom of the Opera"; and from writer Arianna Huffington to renowned physicist Richard Feynman and others, including business leaders and athletes. It explores the components of this new paradigm: The diversity of intelligence, the power of imagination and creativity, and the importance of commitment to our own capabilities.
With a wry sense of humor, Ken Robinson looks at the conditions that enable us to find ourselves in the element and those that stifle that possibility. He shows that age and occupation are no barrier, and that once we have found our path we can help others to do so as well. "The Element" shows the vital need to enhance creativity and innovation by thinking differently about human resources and imagination. It is also an essential strategy for transforming education, business, and communities to meet the challenges of living and succeeding in the twenty-first century.
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Wildrose Policy Wants to Put a Price on Volunteering
The Wildrose Alliance is talking about giving a tax break for volunteering. I can't see that is anything close to a good idea. It runs contrary to the human motives about wanting to contribute to the greater good. Volunteering is not about individual rewards but participating in something greater than yourself.
Daniel Pink talks about the motivators of Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose for volunteering. People do what they love because the love it and payment - like tax credits sullies the sense of contribution. Community is formed by intrinsic rewards being enough of a motivator. You don't strengthen a community by paying people to do what they love. Remove barriers and increase capacity for people but don't insult them with payment to do what they love to do.
Listen to this video on the research that shows why this is.
The attitude that you can put a cost on everything tends to be blind to the fact that what people really value.
Daniel Pink talks about the motivators of Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose for volunteering. People do what they love because the love it and payment - like tax credits sullies the sense of contribution. Community is formed by intrinsic rewards being enough of a motivator. You don't strengthen a community by paying people to do what they love. Remove barriers and increase capacity for people but don't insult them with payment to do what they love to do.
Listen to this video on the research that shows why this is.
The attitude that you can put a cost on everything tends to be blind to the fact that what people really value.
Glenn Taylor's CBC Radio Alberta Party Leadership Interview
This is an audio link to the interview done with Glenn Taylor today on CBC Radio Alberta at Noon.
Give it a listen and share it with your friend, family and people in your community. Then consider joining the Alberta Party and help change Glenn and your fellow progressive thinking citizens change the political culture of Alberta.
We will have the text of his speech on his website and Facebook page soon as well as the full video of his campaign launch for the leadership of the Alberta Party.
Check out Glenn's Facebook page too. Glenn Taylor A New Day. A New Way.
Times are changing in Alberta - it is time to be part of the change. Contact me (ken@cambridgestrategies.com)
if you want to help Glenn become the people's choice for leader of the Alberta Party and to get this new movement election ready.
Doing politics differently also means thinking about politics differently. How do you want to change things about how you are governed? Let us know what you want to see changed for the better - and get involved.
Give it a listen and share it with your friend, family and people in your community. Then consider joining the Alberta Party and help change Glenn and your fellow progressive thinking citizens change the political culture of Alberta.
We will have the text of his speech on his website and Facebook page soon as well as the full video of his campaign launch for the leadership of the Alberta Party.
Check out Glenn's Facebook page too. Glenn Taylor A New Day. A New Way.
Times are changing in Alberta - it is time to be part of the change. Contact me (ken@cambridgestrategies.com)
if you want to help Glenn become the people's choice for leader of the Alberta Party and to get this new movement election ready.
Doing politics differently also means thinking about politics differently. How do you want to change things about how you are governed? Let us know what you want to see changed for the better - and get involved.
Glenn Taylor Announces Alberta Party Leadership Bid
This morning at 10:30 am from the Art Gallery of Alberta, Glenn Taylor will announce that he is seeking the leadership of the Alberta Party.
We will stream it live at http://www.facebook.com/GlennTaylorAlberta?v=app_142371818162 and of course we will tape it for posting later in case you can't come down or view it live.
This is just the third Tuesday in a row where there has been a game changing announcement that impacts the future of Alberta. Two weeks ago Premier Stelmach said he was finished with Progressive Conservative politics. One week ago Dr. David Swann did the same when he stepped down from the Liberal Party leadership. Both of these leaders deserve our thanks for their service to Alberta.
Today, on this Tuesday, Glenn Taylor steps into provincial politics from an effective record of service at the municipal level. Glenn wants to get Albertans to re-engage in the political culture of our times. Unlike those past Tuesdays where leaders were stepping down, Glenn is stepping up today. He is offering his skills, experience and commitment to Alberta through the Alberta Party.
I wonder what is in store for next Tuesday?
We will stream it live at http://www.facebook.com/GlennTaylorAlberta?v=app_142371818162 and of course we will tape it for posting later in case you can't come down or view it live.
This is just the third Tuesday in a row where there has been a game changing announcement that impacts the future of Alberta. Two weeks ago Premier Stelmach said he was finished with Progressive Conservative politics. One week ago Dr. David Swann did the same when he stepped down from the Liberal Party leadership. Both of these leaders deserve our thanks for their service to Alberta.
Today, on this Tuesday, Glenn Taylor steps into provincial politics from an effective record of service at the municipal level. Glenn wants to get Albertans to re-engage in the political culture of our times. Unlike those past Tuesdays where leaders were stepping down, Glenn is stepping up today. He is offering his skills, experience and commitment to Alberta through the Alberta Party.
I wonder what is in store for next Tuesday?
Monday, February 07, 2011
A Message for Moderation in Alberta Politics
Here is a very well thought out and articulated plea for more civility in Alberta's political discourse in the Edmonton Sun yesterday.
We see the Harper government returning to the half-truth attack ads again. This time it is on Ignatieff and before on Dion but the intent is the same...belittling and unfounded personal attacks. The Harper brain trust do this to bolster the support of the Conservative base voter...and to divert attention on just how much he has betrayed the principles of those supporters with his policies that have caused big debts and big government?
The Harper Cons are also using taxpayer subsidized dollars to effectively campaign before the election writ so they don't have to account for the money under the election law. This is not illegal but it is way outside the spirit of the law. Disingenuous is a polite way to describe this lack of integrity.
Can this happen in Alberta? Stelmach when he announced his intent to step down as PC leader and Premier alluded to a concern that the next election would be rife with personal attacks against him too. I don't know where he got his information from but he is not a man prone to exaggeration.
We have a democratic deficit in Canada and in Alberta. Part of it is due to the importation to Canada of nasty negative adversarial campaigning from the darker side of the Republican party in the United States by the Harper government. The Tea Party movement in the United States bolstered by media ranters on Fox News like Glen Beck is a focal point for this kind of destructive political culture.
We don't want or need this kind of political campaigning in Alberta. One wonders just how much the Harper -Rove destructive election approach will infiltrate the culture war on the right between The Wildrose and the Morton campaign. Harper has influence on both camps. It will be interesting to see if the Harper nastiness, mean-spirited disingenuous electioneering will also be used by the hard right to try and unfairly discredit those in other parties in the coming election. I hope not but time will tell.
It is legitimate to take issue about the integrity and character of candidates and the consistency of their words and deeds but it needs to be relevant to their policy not just their personality . For example the media reports of Ted Morton claiming to be a "moderate" in the PC party is fair comment. He gives no evidence in support of such a statement - just a personal assertion that since the progressives find him too conservative and the Wildrose find him too progressive he must be in the middle???? This is a cynical framing comment designed to change the impressions of moderate Albertans of his persona and distance him from his pronounced social conservative past.
Taking Stelmach to task for calling on full disclosure of PC leadership campaigns now when he would not do so himself in the 2006 contest is also fair comment. That is not nasty campaigning it is asking for clarity on integrity and intent of his recent proclamations in conflict with past actions. It is important for politicians to be able to learn, grow and change over time and is that what Stelmach has done? Disagreeing and calling candidates to account is not nasty politics so long as it is evidence based and intended to increase honesty, accountability and transparency in politics and politicians.
But there is a line and it does get crossed and when it does citizens now have the Internet to protect against such abuse and to pronounce it unacceptable to a fully functioning and fair democracy. Yes and bloggers will have to be taken to account too if and when we cross the line. So citizens of Alberta - don't be taken in by the negative ads and the nastiness of some anonymous trolls who comment on the events of the day with out evidence or elan. Insist on a higher standard of conduct for our democracy and be harsh on those who don't meet those standards publicly and a the ballot box.
We see the Harper government returning to the half-truth attack ads again. This time it is on Ignatieff and before on Dion but the intent is the same...belittling and unfounded personal attacks. The Harper brain trust do this to bolster the support of the Conservative base voter...and to divert attention on just how much he has betrayed the principles of those supporters with his policies that have caused big debts and big government?
The Harper Cons are also using taxpayer subsidized dollars to effectively campaign before the election writ so they don't have to account for the money under the election law. This is not illegal but it is way outside the spirit of the law. Disingenuous is a polite way to describe this lack of integrity.
Can this happen in Alberta? Stelmach when he announced his intent to step down as PC leader and Premier alluded to a concern that the next election would be rife with personal attacks against him too. I don't know where he got his information from but he is not a man prone to exaggeration.
We have a democratic deficit in Canada and in Alberta. Part of it is due to the importation to Canada of nasty negative adversarial campaigning from the darker side of the Republican party in the United States by the Harper government. The Tea Party movement in the United States bolstered by media ranters on Fox News like Glen Beck is a focal point for this kind of destructive political culture.
We don't want or need this kind of political campaigning in Alberta. One wonders just how much the Harper -Rove destructive election approach will infiltrate the culture war on the right between The Wildrose and the Morton campaign. Harper has influence on both camps. It will be interesting to see if the Harper nastiness, mean-spirited disingenuous electioneering will also be used by the hard right to try and unfairly discredit those in other parties in the coming election. I hope not but time will tell.
It is legitimate to take issue about the integrity and character of candidates and the consistency of their words and deeds but it needs to be relevant to their policy not just their personality . For example the media reports of Ted Morton claiming to be a "moderate" in the PC party is fair comment. He gives no evidence in support of such a statement - just a personal assertion that since the progressives find him too conservative and the Wildrose find him too progressive he must be in the middle???? This is a cynical framing comment designed to change the impressions of moderate Albertans of his persona and distance him from his pronounced social conservative past.
Taking Stelmach to task for calling on full disclosure of PC leadership campaigns now when he would not do so himself in the 2006 contest is also fair comment. That is not nasty campaigning it is asking for clarity on integrity and intent of his recent proclamations in conflict with past actions. It is important for politicians to be able to learn, grow and change over time and is that what Stelmach has done? Disagreeing and calling candidates to account is not nasty politics so long as it is evidence based and intended to increase honesty, accountability and transparency in politics and politicians.
But there is a line and it does get crossed and when it does citizens now have the Internet to protect against such abuse and to pronounce it unacceptable to a fully functioning and fair democracy. Yes and bloggers will have to be taken to account too if and when we cross the line. So citizens of Alberta - don't be taken in by the negative ads and the nastiness of some anonymous trolls who comment on the events of the day with out evidence or elan. Insist on a higher standard of conduct for our democracy and be harsh on those who don't meet those standards publicly and a the ballot box.
Health Care Reform in Alberta - Who Has the Answers?
There is a major concern over access to health care in Alberta. The quality of the care once you are in the system seems to be very good but we need both.
The solutions offered by the culture war on the right in Alberta are difficult to follow but some changes proposed are a more "market-based" and "competition" approach to the publicly funded health care system. They don't like to call it privatization because they know that would be rejected in the next election. So they couch the language but you have to wonder if that is just hiding the privatization approach. It is hard to know what is really proposed and what is really going on with such language. There will be a debate in the PC, Liberal and Alberta Party leadership campaigns around all this I am sure.
Comforting political reassurances from the far right that privatization is not on their political agenda do not align with past pronouncements of those who are proposing this "competitive" approach to health care reform. Even Ted Morton of the hard right Calgary School is now claiming to be a "moderate" in the Progressive Conservative Party. This re-packaging of the hard line right wing past of some in the PCs and the Wildrose Alliance is just too hard to swallow and sure does not pass the sniff test based on past performance and policy positions. Have these leopards really changed their spots?
IS HEALTH CARE TOO EXPENSIVE NOW?
Other fiscal conservatives bemoan that the cost of health care is eating up a growing percentage of the provincial budget and that is "not sustainable." Is that percent of total government budget a good test of what we are committing to health care in Alberta? We are a growing economy and I understand we spend a smaller portion of our GDP on health care now that we did in 1968 when it first came in - and we get a lot more services now that we did back then. Isn't that a better measure of the cost of health care as a portion of the Alberta economy and not just of the government budget?
We have some political parties totally bent of reducing the role of government by starving necessary public services like health, seniors, children services and education. Ironically they see no problem is increasing subsidies and reducing rents to sunset energy sectors at the same time. This excessive subsidy to business puts the burden of personal income tax and strangles the capacity of the government to do the job the citizens expect of it. If you reduce the denominator of total government spending you increase the percentage attributed to health care but that isn't a public policy disaster as a result...it is just arithmetic based on a governing philosophy.
Look at it in another way. Our rush to the bottom in tax rates and revenues with our ridiculously low royalty regimes and then we use a significant portion of non-renewable resource revenues to pay for current government operations means this generation is not paying its way and robbing from the birthright of future generations. Again this is intentional with the goal to drive down tax revenues and reduce the capacity for the public sector service providers to do their jobs. Are there political forces in Alberta that want to be elected to that they can assure that the public system to provide necessary social services like education, health, and seniors services will fail?
ARE WE SETTING UP THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM TO FAIL?
Setting up the community based service providers, health care professionals and public sector services to fail by starving them of resources means we will then be told that the only saviour of the system will be market-based private sector providers. There will be soothing words that competition will keep the private providers honest and costs low but all too often we see reduced services, higher costs and feigned competitiveness.
There is a strong role for the private sector in many parts of our society but it must serve the needs of the society not the other way around. Solving the health care concerns in Alberta is very important but it is embedded in a much more foundational issue and that is what is the role of government in our society. Citizens also have to come to grips with what is our personal responsibility for our life style choices and the implications for the quality and cost of heath care too.
All these elements have to part of the discussion and design of a health care system that gives us access, quality and value for tax dollars. To reduce it to a private versus public health care debate is an over simplification of a complex social, cultural and political challenge. For every complex problem there is a simple answer that is usually wrong. Albertans should not be fooled by soothing over simplifications as we struggle to design a quality and sustainable health care system for now and the future.
The solutions offered by the culture war on the right in Alberta are difficult to follow but some changes proposed are a more "market-based" and "competition" approach to the publicly funded health care system. They don't like to call it privatization because they know that would be rejected in the next election. So they couch the language but you have to wonder if that is just hiding the privatization approach. It is hard to know what is really proposed and what is really going on with such language. There will be a debate in the PC, Liberal and Alberta Party leadership campaigns around all this I am sure.
Comforting political reassurances from the far right that privatization is not on their political agenda do not align with past pronouncements of those who are proposing this "competitive" approach to health care reform. Even Ted Morton of the hard right Calgary School is now claiming to be a "moderate" in the Progressive Conservative Party. This re-packaging of the hard line right wing past of some in the PCs and the Wildrose Alliance is just too hard to swallow and sure does not pass the sniff test based on past performance and policy positions. Have these leopards really changed their spots?
IS HEALTH CARE TOO EXPENSIVE NOW?
Other fiscal conservatives bemoan that the cost of health care is eating up a growing percentage of the provincial budget and that is "not sustainable." Is that percent of total government budget a good test of what we are committing to health care in Alberta? We are a growing economy and I understand we spend a smaller portion of our GDP on health care now that we did in 1968 when it first came in - and we get a lot more services now that we did back then. Isn't that a better measure of the cost of health care as a portion of the Alberta economy and not just of the government budget?
We have some political parties totally bent of reducing the role of government by starving necessary public services like health, seniors, children services and education. Ironically they see no problem is increasing subsidies and reducing rents to sunset energy sectors at the same time. This excessive subsidy to business puts the burden of personal income tax and strangles the capacity of the government to do the job the citizens expect of it. If you reduce the denominator of total government spending you increase the percentage attributed to health care but that isn't a public policy disaster as a result...it is just arithmetic based on a governing philosophy.
Look at it in another way. Our rush to the bottom in tax rates and revenues with our ridiculously low royalty regimes and then we use a significant portion of non-renewable resource revenues to pay for current government operations means this generation is not paying its way and robbing from the birthright of future generations. Again this is intentional with the goal to drive down tax revenues and reduce the capacity for the public sector service providers to do their jobs. Are there political forces in Alberta that want to be elected to that they can assure that the public system to provide necessary social services like education, health, and seniors services will fail?
ARE WE SETTING UP THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM TO FAIL?
Setting up the community based service providers, health care professionals and public sector services to fail by starving them of resources means we will then be told that the only saviour of the system will be market-based private sector providers. There will be soothing words that competition will keep the private providers honest and costs low but all too often we see reduced services, higher costs and feigned competitiveness.
There is a strong role for the private sector in many parts of our society but it must serve the needs of the society not the other way around. Solving the health care concerns in Alberta is very important but it is embedded in a much more foundational issue and that is what is the role of government in our society. Citizens also have to come to grips with what is our personal responsibility for our life style choices and the implications for the quality and cost of heath care too.
All these elements have to part of the discussion and design of a health care system that gives us access, quality and value for tax dollars. To reduce it to a private versus public health care debate is an over simplification of a complex social, cultural and political challenge. For every complex problem there is a simple answer that is usually wrong. Albertans should not be fooled by soothing over simplifications as we struggle to design a quality and sustainable health care system for now and the future.
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Alberta Party Becomes a Political Punching Bag
There is a new and nasty reaction to the rise of the Alberta Party from sources in the traditional political parties. The rumour mills, media quotes and online chatter is full of anger and angst aimed at the Alberta Party as some upstart new kid on the block that needs to be put in its place. It is as if our new found validation as a viable political option in the eyes of the media and others was our fault and not theirs.
The Alberta Party is now a target by some saddened practitioners of the politics-as-usual We in the Alberta Party are being punched way above our weight these days. But beating on us will not change the reality that Alberta citizens have rejected the old-style Alberta political culture. The tired and untrue political spin cycles just remind citizens why they avoid politics and see voting a pointless. It shows why we don't get our best and brightest people participating in public service and politics. They rightly conclude "Who needs this grief?"
Speaking of grieving, the soul searching of the NDP and Liberals and progressive in PC party has begun in earnest, especially with the recent resignations of Stelmach and Swann. The core partisans in these parties are grieving. They were in the denial stage of "this can't be happening" as they saw the infighting result in the loss of two good men as party leaders - within a week. That makes the continuation of the denial stage pretty pointless. There are some who are well into the anger stage now of "why me...this is not fair." If you look at the comment thread on this Daveberta post you can see the anger stage playing out in real time.
If the grieving continues we will see some examples of the bargaining stage emerge in the progressive wing of the PC Party. That will start to happen when they see who actually steps up to run for the PC leadership from the progressive side. There will be desperate bargains struck about who gets the nod as the preferred progressive candidate. There will be concerns of will he or she be strong enough to beat Ted Morton. If the preferred progressive is not strong enough to win expect more progressives to drift into the Alberta Party. Expect a wave of progressives to to the Alberta Party from the PCs if there is a purge of their ranks as a result of a Morton leadership victory.
On the Liberal side we have seen many rank and file members already make the value trade-off decision and have joined the Alberta Party. Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman's recent media comments about considering running for the leadership of either the Liberals or the Alberta Party is an example of a bargaining stage of grief. This ambivalence is totally understandable and this kind of decision making process is not easy. It is much more than just keeping political options open. It about being authentically open to new ways of thinking about politics. It is about trading past loyalties for the potential for new hope when everything is uncertain.
Some partisans will just go into the depression stage now or after the PC and Liberal leaderships have been decided. They will likely respond by withdrawing from political life and politics all together concluding "what is the point any more." Other partisans, displeased with the leadership decision of their party, will emerge out of all this looking for new hope and a new home. They will go through the final Acceptance stage of grieving. They will come to realize that Alberta has changed and they must change too. Perhaps the Alberta Party will be their new hope and their new home - but only time will tell.
I went through this kind of political soul searching and grieving in my own decision making process to leave the PCs. I realized, through my involvement with Reboot Alberta, that Alberta had fundamentally changed from what I had assumed was the political truth of the times. We found through research that Albertans were losing their sense of pride in the province but their personal commitment to making Alberta better was still extraordinarily strong. The research results we so strong that it was obvious that something was about to change dramatically in Alberta politics. Who knew how, where, what and when that change would happen - but it is happening now.
The research uncovered the fundamental values Albertans wanted to see from political parties before they would grant their consent to be governed. Those values are integrity, honesty, accountability, transparency, fiscal and personal responsibility and environmental stewardship. Albertans also felt these values were seriously lacking in the current political culture. My sense from the Reboot Alberta experience and research was that something new and different was needed in the Alberta political landscape. The politics as usual approach could not respond to the longing and yearning for a more caring, compassionate and responsible political culture.
The Alberta Party idea emerged from the first Reboot Alberta gathering. In time I came to see and accept that the Alberta Party was the best chance to do politics differently in our province. I have become active and have not been disappointed nor have I second guessed my decision. In fact I have been delighted with my new political home. I trust other moderates and progressives will eventually find their way to the Alberta Party using their own paths and processes. Check out the Alberta party website, stay tuned to its progress and see if it aligns with your values and aspirations for a better Alberta.. When you decide you want to become part of the co-creation of the next Alberta you should come join us.
The Alberta Party is now a target by some saddened practitioners of the politics-as-usual We in the Alberta Party are being punched way above our weight these days. But beating on us will not change the reality that Alberta citizens have rejected the old-style Alberta political culture. The tired and untrue political spin cycles just remind citizens why they avoid politics and see voting a pointless. It shows why we don't get our best and brightest people participating in public service and politics. They rightly conclude "Who needs this grief?"
Speaking of grieving, the soul searching of the NDP and Liberals and progressive in PC party has begun in earnest, especially with the recent resignations of Stelmach and Swann. The core partisans in these parties are grieving. They were in the denial stage of "this can't be happening" as they saw the infighting result in the loss of two good men as party leaders - within a week. That makes the continuation of the denial stage pretty pointless. There are some who are well into the anger stage now of "why me...this is not fair." If you look at the comment thread on this Daveberta post you can see the anger stage playing out in real time.
If the grieving continues we will see some examples of the bargaining stage emerge in the progressive wing of the PC Party. That will start to happen when they see who actually steps up to run for the PC leadership from the progressive side. There will be desperate bargains struck about who gets the nod as the preferred progressive candidate. There will be concerns of will he or she be strong enough to beat Ted Morton. If the preferred progressive is not strong enough to win expect more progressives to drift into the Alberta Party. Expect a wave of progressives to to the Alberta Party from the PCs if there is a purge of their ranks as a result of a Morton leadership victory.
On the Liberal side we have seen many rank and file members already make the value trade-off decision and have joined the Alberta Party. Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman's recent media comments about considering running for the leadership of either the Liberals or the Alberta Party is an example of a bargaining stage of grief. This ambivalence is totally understandable and this kind of decision making process is not easy. It is much more than just keeping political options open. It about being authentically open to new ways of thinking about politics. It is about trading past loyalties for the potential for new hope when everything is uncertain.
Some partisans will just go into the depression stage now or after the PC and Liberal leaderships have been decided. They will likely respond by withdrawing from political life and politics all together concluding "what is the point any more." Other partisans, displeased with the leadership decision of their party, will emerge out of all this looking for new hope and a new home. They will go through the final Acceptance stage of grieving. They will come to realize that Alberta has changed and they must change too. Perhaps the Alberta Party will be their new hope and their new home - but only time will tell.
I went through this kind of political soul searching and grieving in my own decision making process to leave the PCs. I realized, through my involvement with Reboot Alberta, that Alberta had fundamentally changed from what I had assumed was the political truth of the times. We found through research that Albertans were losing their sense of pride in the province but their personal commitment to making Alberta better was still extraordinarily strong. The research results we so strong that it was obvious that something was about to change dramatically in Alberta politics. Who knew how, where, what and when that change would happen - but it is happening now.
The research uncovered the fundamental values Albertans wanted to see from political parties before they would grant their consent to be governed. Those values are integrity, honesty, accountability, transparency, fiscal and personal responsibility and environmental stewardship. Albertans also felt these values were seriously lacking in the current political culture. My sense from the Reboot Alberta experience and research was that something new and different was needed in the Alberta political landscape. The politics as usual approach could not respond to the longing and yearning for a more caring, compassionate and responsible political culture.
The Alberta Party idea emerged from the first Reboot Alberta gathering. In time I came to see and accept that the Alberta Party was the best chance to do politics differently in our province. I have become active and have not been disappointed nor have I second guessed my decision. In fact I have been delighted with my new political home. I trust other moderates and progressives will eventually find their way to the Alberta Party using their own paths and processes. Check out the Alberta party website, stay tuned to its progress and see if it aligns with your values and aspirations for a better Alberta.. When you decide you want to become part of the co-creation of the next Alberta you should come join us.
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Rockyview School District Opens up to Social Media
I am doing some work with the Rockyview School district just outside of Calgary on citizen engagement. This focus on reaching out to communities to engage in a conversation about the role, responsibilities and relationship of public education to the larger community is laudable...and very exciting.
The leadership of Superintendent Greg Bass and the support of the Trustees, administration and teachers is quite energizing to someone like me. Conversations are game changers. Not every conversation is a game changer but I am pretty sure every game changing event started with a conversation.
Here is a link to blog started by a teacher who is embracing the spirit, intent and the new territory of social media. I encourage anyone interested or just curious how social media can be used for students, stakeholders, community and citizens engagement to follow the journey that the educators in Rockyview has started. The twitter hash tag for this emerging on-line community is #rvsed to get in touch and keep in touch with what is going on. Also search Twitter hash tags #abed #inspiringed #abfuture
There is lots more happening in the area of social media as a means to communicate the place and purpose of pubic education too. There are a growing number of Trustees who have taken up the cause of being in touch with constituents and communities using social media. Check out some of them here, here and here. There are many more.
There are broader, deeper and more meaningful relationships about the future of public education in Alberta happening all over the province but, like any major change, there are early adopters and early adapters. Soon what seems unique will be quotidian. Some of that face to face conversation will be happening in #yeg (that's Edmonton for newbies to Twitter) March 17 at a public lecture as part of the Learning Our Way to the Next Alberta work we do with the ATA. Join in the conversation with Michael Adams and Jean Twenge and meet other Albertans with a passion for public education. Learn more here- and to order tickets on line
When citizens of all kinds and concerns start to appreciate the quality and contribution of our Alberta public education system with information and connections they made online then we have a game changer. That game changer is part of the new creative economy the Internet and digital media is spawning. Alberta is perfectly poised to be the Petri dish to grow this new inter-related, networked and interdependent social, political, human and even spiritual culture. With the SuperNet we have the best fibre-optic connectivity infrastructure on the planet to foster a community based creative culture. We just have to unleash our imagination on how to use its potential.
It is all part of the whole about Alberta moving past the competitive race to the bottom and shifting to larger goals, greater dreams that are the emerging focus on the Alberta Aspirations. One of those new Alberta Aspiration is in the realm of public education. The Alberta system is already the best in the world, along with Finland. Now we should aspire to use our BEST IN THE WORLD world public education system with a renewed imagination and enthusiasm. We need to expand our consciousness to leverage our public education as an exportable asset and aspire for it to be the BEST FOR THE WORLD.
The educational leadership of school districts like Rockyview, the Canadian Rockies and the Edmonton Public are the scouts on the new digital frontier. They are making new paths, with new excitement but based on traditional values that has empowered people to make Alberta's public education system amongst the best anywhere. Now with high speed high quality and quantity connectivity, we can make it the best everywhere.
The leadership of Superintendent Greg Bass and the support of the Trustees, administration and teachers is quite energizing to someone like me. Conversations are game changers. Not every conversation is a game changer but I am pretty sure every game changing event started with a conversation.
Here is a link to blog started by a teacher who is embracing the spirit, intent and the new territory of social media. I encourage anyone interested or just curious how social media can be used for students, stakeholders, community and citizens engagement to follow the journey that the educators in Rockyview has started. The twitter hash tag for this emerging on-line community is #rvsed to get in touch and keep in touch with what is going on. Also search Twitter hash tags #abed #inspiringed #abfuture
There is lots more happening in the area of social media as a means to communicate the place and purpose of pubic education too. There are a growing number of Trustees who have taken up the cause of being in touch with constituents and communities using social media. Check out some of them here, here and here. There are many more.
There are broader, deeper and more meaningful relationships about the future of public education in Alberta happening all over the province but, like any major change, there are early adopters and early adapters. Soon what seems unique will be quotidian. Some of that face to face conversation will be happening in #yeg (that's Edmonton for newbies to Twitter) March 17 at a public lecture as part of the Learning Our Way to the Next Alberta work we do with the ATA. Join in the conversation with Michael Adams and Jean Twenge and meet other Albertans with a passion for public education. Learn more here- and to order tickets on line
When citizens of all kinds and concerns start to appreciate the quality and contribution of our Alberta public education system with information and connections they made online then we have a game changer. That game changer is part of the new creative economy the Internet and digital media is spawning. Alberta is perfectly poised to be the Petri dish to grow this new inter-related, networked and interdependent social, political, human and even spiritual culture. With the SuperNet we have the best fibre-optic connectivity infrastructure on the planet to foster a community based creative culture. We just have to unleash our imagination on how to use its potential.
It is all part of the whole about Alberta moving past the competitive race to the bottom and shifting to larger goals, greater dreams that are the emerging focus on the Alberta Aspirations. One of those new Alberta Aspiration is in the realm of public education. The Alberta system is already the best in the world, along with Finland. Now we should aspire to use our BEST IN THE WORLD world public education system with a renewed imagination and enthusiasm. We need to expand our consciousness to leverage our public education as an exportable asset and aspire for it to be the BEST FOR THE WORLD.
The educational leadership of school districts like Rockyview, the Canadian Rockies and the Edmonton Public are the scouts on the new digital frontier. They are making new paths, with new excitement but based on traditional values that has empowered people to make Alberta's public education system amongst the best anywhere. Now with high speed high quality and quantity connectivity, we can make it the best everywhere.
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
Raj Sherman Calls for "Leaders" Debate on Health Care.
Dr Sherman wants an on-line debate on health care amongst the leaders of the various political parties. I have suggested on Twitter that what we need is a real deliberative conversation about health care nor so much an old style political debate. Too much of what passes for political debate and even balanced reporting these days is one side arguing with the other side. The sound bites are not solutions.
Just as Don Iveson ran for Edmonton City Council and Naheed Nenshi ran for Mayor of Calgary "by campaigning in full sentences," when it comes to a complicated matter like health care we need an adult conversation in full paragraphs. I worry that a old-style debate will be little more than sound and furry signifying nothing.
There is another problem with a old fashioned Don Cherry style rock 'em sock 'em leaders debate right now. There is a shortage party leaders to participate. There are three political parties in search of a new leader right now. We only have Danielle Smith of the Wildrose Alliance and Brian Mason of the NDP left as leaders and only one of them have a seat in the Legislature. We don't know who all will show up as candidates in the other three parties and that is hardly the circumstances to have any kind of political debate.
The Alberta Party has issued as statement suggesting and alternative, a more deliberative approach for a discussion on health care concerns. I think it is worth considering because it offers more substance than a typical political debate format. Perhaps that conversation will happen in the various leadership campaigns. It would be nice if it did.
In the meantime Danielle Smith as accepted Raj's challenge to have a leader's debate on health care. I think a Smith-Sherman debate would be very interesting. Raj is now his own man and can speak his mind, not a party line. He is showing personal leadership in his Friends of Medicare facilitated town hall tour around Alberta. He is a very knowledgeable, professional and evidence based kind of guy who has captured the public's imagination. Danielle is a strong communicator with a certain vision that says more market-based competition is a key factor in solving the health care crisis. Both are excellent communicators and with different perspectives on the problems and the solutions. That is the basis for the debate Raj is asking for.
So lets see the Sherman-Smith debate on the future of Health Care in Alberta. Lets make sure Brian Mason of the NDP is part of the punch up too. Let's do it live on the Internet and see if we get some light and clarity instead of heat and histrionics over health care. If nothing else we should get a clearer sense of if the Wildrose Alliance has really abandoned what Raj calls the Americanization of Alberta Health care. Raj could be a catalyst to test the trust Albertans ought to give to the Alliance and the NDP on health care reform.
Set it up Raj - I'll watch.
Just as Don Iveson ran for Edmonton City Council and Naheed Nenshi ran for Mayor of Calgary "by campaigning in full sentences," when it comes to a complicated matter like health care we need an adult conversation in full paragraphs. I worry that a old-style debate will be little more than sound and furry signifying nothing.
There is another problem with a old fashioned Don Cherry style rock 'em sock 'em leaders debate right now. There is a shortage party leaders to participate. There are three political parties in search of a new leader right now. We only have Danielle Smith of the Wildrose Alliance and Brian Mason of the NDP left as leaders and only one of them have a seat in the Legislature. We don't know who all will show up as candidates in the other three parties and that is hardly the circumstances to have any kind of political debate.
The Alberta Party has issued as statement suggesting and alternative, a more deliberative approach for a discussion on health care concerns. I think it is worth considering because it offers more substance than a typical political debate format. Perhaps that conversation will happen in the various leadership campaigns. It would be nice if it did.
In the meantime Danielle Smith as accepted Raj's challenge to have a leader's debate on health care. I think a Smith-Sherman debate would be very interesting. Raj is now his own man and can speak his mind, not a party line. He is showing personal leadership in his Friends of Medicare facilitated town hall tour around Alberta. He is a very knowledgeable, professional and evidence based kind of guy who has captured the public's imagination. Danielle is a strong communicator with a certain vision that says more market-based competition is a key factor in solving the health care crisis. Both are excellent communicators and with different perspectives on the problems and the solutions. That is the basis for the debate Raj is asking for.
So lets see the Sherman-Smith debate on the future of Health Care in Alberta. Lets make sure Brian Mason of the NDP is part of the punch up too. Let's do it live on the Internet and see if we get some light and clarity instead of heat and histrionics over health care. If nothing else we should get a clearer sense of if the Wildrose Alliance has really abandoned what Raj calls the Americanization of Alberta Health care. Raj could be a catalyst to test the trust Albertans ought to give to the Alliance and the NDP on health care reform.
Set it up Raj - I'll watch.
Alberta Politicians Feeling the Pressure
The recent resignation of Premier Ed Stelmach as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta and reports of the pending resignation of David Swann as leader of the Alberta Liberal Party simply underscore the volatility and unrest in Alberta. Go to any of the public meetings being held on certain Bills on land and property rights issues happening over Alberta and see the anger.
I am saddened by both resignations and the internal/external political circumstances surrounding them. I have great respect for the integrity of Ed Stelmach and David Swann as people. I bought an Alberta Liberal Party membership card to support David Swann's bid for leadership. I have been in touch with David Swann on many occasions in the last 2 years and my respect and admiration for him has only grown.
I supported Dave Hancock in the 2006 PC leadership race. The evening the first vote ballots were about to be announced in Calgary Dave Hancock and I both joined the Stelmach campaign before the first vote was even announced. The integration of the Hancock and Stelmach campaigns for the second ballot was seamless and Dave was able to deliver most of his votes to Ed, contributing greatly to his victory.
The political and communications skills of these gentlemen have been questioned, internally and externally, Their resignations are a direct consequence of that questioning. There is no questioning of their character or their commitment to servant-leadership. The circumstances of there resignations are also, in part, a result of the organizational and communications skills of Danielle Smith. She has provided an alternative to those partisans who want to shift Alberta to more market based solutions for public policy and who see government as a problem not a solution to the challenges we face in Alberta. None of these gentlemen have captured the imagination of the public to provide a moderate progressive alternative. That is partially why the Alberta Party is seen suddenly seen as an alternative worth watching.
These leadership resignations are merely a function of the political realities settling in. Albertans are not happy enough with any of the political options they are currently offered. I have known this since last May from research we have done. Albertans are displeased with all the leadership alternatives conventional political parties have offered. When 51% of us do not believe our government is listening to us and 51% feel we have no influence on government, that says our politicians are out of touch, not just the PCs.
When asked in the same survey "Who do you trust the most to responsibly manage Alberta's growth" the responses were damning for all and disastrous for some. The Stelmach PCs only had 23% support. The Smith lead Wildrose Alliance was trusted to responsibly manage Alberta's growth by 19%. The Alberta Liberals under David Swann garnered 9% while Brian Mason and the NDP were trust in this context by only 4% of Albertans. The kicker that should have all conventional political parties worried is that 45% said they trusted NONE OF THE ABOVE to responsibly manage Alberta's growth. This discontent is what will plague and frustrate the conventional political parties and their leadership candidates in particular .
What this all says to me is the democratic system is broke when 60% can't be bothered to even vote. It is in need of repair not just maintenance when 45% say they don't trust any of the party leaders in play right now. What is behind all this is a sense of alienation of the public from politics because the political culture is more about gamesmanship than leadership.
What we have here is not just a failure to communicate. There is lots of messaging going on. What we have here is a failure to lead...from all political parties...and from citizens too. We citizens have a leadership role in changing the political culture of our times too. Most us us have abdicated that responsibility. In the new networked world of the Internet the "strong" leader framed as the charismatic disciplinarian autocrat is out of date. Leadership in a modern networked community based world is all about relationships and service, not personality based power and control.
The ritual sacrifice of Ed Stelmach and David Swann is a remnant of the old political culture. While I am saddened for them personally and am energized by these resignations because they provide a chance to focus and reflect on just how broken our political system is and how deep is the democratic deficit in Alberta. They beg the question about what will we do about these problems.
If you want to explore more on the crisis of political leadership in Alberta read this blog post by my good friend Dave King. "What does it mean "to lead?" What is leadership." If you want to explore the implications of there high profile political resignations on the political culture of Alberta then read Dave's blog post called "The Big Shift."
Nothing is safe or sacred, even 40 years of continuous rule by one political party, once the population decides there must be a change. Albertans have been poised for a change since the 2004 election when the PCs ran on the promise that Ralph Klein would leave shortly afterwards. When Klein mused about hanging on the rank and file PC membership sent him packing. That was the early warning signs that politics as usual was not on any more in Alberta.
The events of the past week have been bubbling from all the way back to 2004. By all accounts the next election will be a game changer. There is a political struggle that is about to emerge in Alberta. It is going to be about defining and delivering the new narrative for the next Alberta. That is the subject of an other blog or blogs. Albertans are waking up to the possibility that this sense of change could go really badly or quite magnificently....and the choice is all of ours - not just for some small group of nameless people who pull or aspire to pull the levers of power these days.
I am saddened by both resignations and the internal/external political circumstances surrounding them. I have great respect for the integrity of Ed Stelmach and David Swann as people. I bought an Alberta Liberal Party membership card to support David Swann's bid for leadership. I have been in touch with David Swann on many occasions in the last 2 years and my respect and admiration for him has only grown.
I supported Dave Hancock in the 2006 PC leadership race. The evening the first vote ballots were about to be announced in Calgary Dave Hancock and I both joined the Stelmach campaign before the first vote was even announced. The integration of the Hancock and Stelmach campaigns for the second ballot was seamless and Dave was able to deliver most of his votes to Ed, contributing greatly to his victory.
The political and communications skills of these gentlemen have been questioned, internally and externally, Their resignations are a direct consequence of that questioning. There is no questioning of their character or their commitment to servant-leadership. The circumstances of there resignations are also, in part, a result of the organizational and communications skills of Danielle Smith. She has provided an alternative to those partisans who want to shift Alberta to more market based solutions for public policy and who see government as a problem not a solution to the challenges we face in Alberta. None of these gentlemen have captured the imagination of the public to provide a moderate progressive alternative. That is partially why the Alberta Party is seen suddenly seen as an alternative worth watching.
These leadership resignations are merely a function of the political realities settling in. Albertans are not happy enough with any of the political options they are currently offered. I have known this since last May from research we have done. Albertans are displeased with all the leadership alternatives conventional political parties have offered. When 51% of us do not believe our government is listening to us and 51% feel we have no influence on government, that says our politicians are out of touch, not just the PCs.
When asked in the same survey "Who do you trust the most to responsibly manage Alberta's growth" the responses were damning for all and disastrous for some. The Stelmach PCs only had 23% support. The Smith lead Wildrose Alliance was trusted to responsibly manage Alberta's growth by 19%. The Alberta Liberals under David Swann garnered 9% while Brian Mason and the NDP were trust in this context by only 4% of Albertans. The kicker that should have all conventional political parties worried is that 45% said they trusted NONE OF THE ABOVE to responsibly manage Alberta's growth. This discontent is what will plague and frustrate the conventional political parties and their leadership candidates in particular .
What this all says to me is the democratic system is broke when 60% can't be bothered to even vote. It is in need of repair not just maintenance when 45% say they don't trust any of the party leaders in play right now. What is behind all this is a sense of alienation of the public from politics because the political culture is more about gamesmanship than leadership.
What we have here is not just a failure to communicate. There is lots of messaging going on. What we have here is a failure to lead...from all political parties...and from citizens too. We citizens have a leadership role in changing the political culture of our times too. Most us us have abdicated that responsibility. In the new networked world of the Internet the "strong" leader framed as the charismatic disciplinarian autocrat is out of date. Leadership in a modern networked community based world is all about relationships and service, not personality based power and control.
The ritual sacrifice of Ed Stelmach and David Swann is a remnant of the old political culture. While I am saddened for them personally and am energized by these resignations because they provide a chance to focus and reflect on just how broken our political system is and how deep is the democratic deficit in Alberta. They beg the question about what will we do about these problems.
If you want to explore more on the crisis of political leadership in Alberta read this blog post by my good friend Dave King. "What does it mean "to lead?" What is leadership." If you want to explore the implications of there high profile political resignations on the political culture of Alberta then read Dave's blog post called "The Big Shift."
Nothing is safe or sacred, even 40 years of continuous rule by one political party, once the population decides there must be a change. Albertans have been poised for a change since the 2004 election when the PCs ran on the promise that Ralph Klein would leave shortly afterwards. When Klein mused about hanging on the rank and file PC membership sent him packing. That was the early warning signs that politics as usual was not on any more in Alberta.
The events of the past week have been bubbling from all the way back to 2004. By all accounts the next election will be a game changer. There is a political struggle that is about to emerge in Alberta. It is going to be about defining and delivering the new narrative for the next Alberta. That is the subject of an other blog or blogs. Albertans are waking up to the possibility that this sense of change could go really badly or quite magnificently....and the choice is all of ours - not just for some small group of nameless people who pull or aspire to pull the levers of power these days.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Ted Morton Out to Unite the Right in Alberta
Here is an excellent piece by Josh Wingrove of the Globe and Mail outlining the history of Dr. Ted Morton and the reasons for his push to Unite the Right and bring the Wildrose Alliance back to the PC fold. It looks like Dr. Morton has lost a lot of his base from the 2006 Leadership contest to the Alliance.
For Dr. Morton not all is lost. He should be a favourite of the fundamentalist social conservatives in Alberta and be able to woo them back to his leadership. They have all been very silent since they lost the Wildrose Alliance leadership. They have a new champion in Dr. Morton as this Globe piece reminds us. His has strong and strident social conservative beliefs and those who share those values seem to be lost right now. Will Dr. Morton be their man? Remember when he wins the PC leadership he automatically becomes Premier. He can do a lot of damage or a lot of good - depending on your values and point of view - before he has to face the Alberta electorate.
Just another part of the political culture war that is unfolding on the far right these days. These values only become mainstream when moderates and progressives let them by staying passive about the politics of our time.
For Dr. Morton not all is lost. He should be a favourite of the fundamentalist social conservatives in Alberta and be able to woo them back to his leadership. They have all been very silent since they lost the Wildrose Alliance leadership. They have a new champion in Dr. Morton as this Globe piece reminds us. His has strong and strident social conservative beliefs and those who share those values seem to be lost right now. Will Dr. Morton be their man? Remember when he wins the PC leadership he automatically becomes Premier. He can do a lot of damage or a lot of good - depending on your values and point of view - before he has to face the Alberta electorate.
Just another part of the political culture war that is unfolding on the far right these days. These values only become mainstream when moderates and progressives let them by staying passive about the politics of our time.
Doing Politics Differently
I just read a blog post from a fellow I have met through this social media world. I look forward to working with in the Alberta Party as we are both members. Gary and I are very different based on our political history. I have been politically active since I was 14 and he is just now taking his first partisan steps. What he says in this blog post however points out to me just how much we have in common based on our shared values.
We need a more civility and a greater public servant sense from our politicians, regardless of partisan leaning. We have too many people pursing personal political power or trying to perpetuate that power once they have it. It may be good politics but it is bad governance...and that is just not good enough anymore.
We need a more civility and a greater public servant sense from our politicians, regardless of partisan leaning. We have too many people pursing personal political power or trying to perpetuate that power once they have it. It may be good politics but it is bad governance...and that is just not good enough anymore.
Raj Sherman on BNN Squeeze Play
Raj Sherman speaks his mind and outlines his short term intentions to stay as an Independent for a while. He also give insight into what is wrong with health care policy and who is to blame. Part of the fascinating times in Alberta politics.
http://watch.bnn.ca/squeezeplay/january-2011/squeezeplay-january-28-2011/#clip409154
http://watch.bnn.ca/squeezeplay/january-2011/squeezeplay-january-28-2011/#clip409154
Sue Huff Does a Great Job for the Alberta Party
Here is a clip of an interview with Sue Huff the Interim Leader of the Alberta Party on the Business News Network. Worth a watch to get a better sense of what the Alberta Party is all about.
http://watch.bnn.ca/squeezeplay/january-2011/squeezeplay-january-28-2011/#clip409154
http://watch.bnn.ca/squeezeplay/january-2011/squeezeplay-january-28-2011/#clip409154
Bloggers AND the Media or Bloggers AS the Media
Interesting editorial in the Calgary Herald today on the recent Court ordered bar of the public from a preliminary hearing. Anonymous bloggers and citizen journalists and social media sites are said to be "rife with violations of the basic laws pertaining to the courts." The editorial also notes the widespread violations of libel and slander laws on too many sites and I might add from too many Anonymous commenters.
I agree with the observations of the Calgary Herald editorial but then it gets all uppity and defensive about the superiority of the traditional media and professional journalism. I also agree that there is a great benefit to society from professional journalism but frankly that has been eroding too. Not the legal standards but the ethical standards are not always up to snuff. There has been an erosion of analysis and depth in MSM too. This is due to the money saving move for convergence of newspapers, radio and television coverage and ownership but also the competitive pressures to get it first before getting it right.
Part of this competitive pressure is brought on by the Bloggers too because they are breaking more and more news these days. John Ibbitson of the Globe and Mail said as much in a conference we were both speaking at. He noted that in the 2008 Presidential campaign that every major story was broken by a Blogger not a reporter. Part of the problem is the reporters were ensconced on the candidate campaign buses and force fed recycled spin. The news was happening elsewhere...in the communities where the Bloggers were.
Not doubt Bloggers and social media sites have to pick up their game by learning and respecting the legal requirements that relate to what they are writing about. By the same token MSM needs to elevate their coverage too and risk being really informative and start eschewing the infotainment we see all too often - especially on television and talk radio.
The public is ill served by MSM pushing superficial shallow news coverage or self-serving pap served up as authoritative analysis. The public is also ill served by silly shocking strident and uninformed commentary by Bloggers out to pick a fight instead of informing a civil conversation.
I think the courts should insist that citizen journalists, who want to cover court proceedings, actually get proper accreditation specifically as Bloggers/Citizen Journalists. Perhaps they need to pass a test to show knowledge of basic laws relating to the administration of justice and defamation. They can't be anonymous either and they must obey the laws.
Rather than ban Bloggers the courts should make them accountable and liable for what they report. I recently got access to a confidential court file as a Blogger when I did the report on the contempt finding against a Director of Children's Services in the Alberta government. I asked and undertook not to disclose the child's name nor his caregivers in anything I wrote under penalty of Contempt of Court. It was not easy and it happened mostly because I was a lawyer too and could give a professional undertaking to the courts. That is too high a standard and banning Bloggers is too low.
Seems to me there is a better way to serve the public interest here than banning Bloggers from the courts. The larger problem to me is Tweeting from the Court room by anyone with a smartphone. They can publish and mislead the public with instant and enormous reach with retweeting. Many of those who would be tweeting in a Courtroom don't even know they are publishing. It is almost guaranteed that we will see out of context and misinformed tweets coming out of courtrooms. With with only a 140 characters per "story" it is pretty hard to be contextual never mind accurate. Perhaps a ban on cellphones in courtrooms is something we have to look at. I also think we need to allow live video feeds from the courts so the whole complex context of a case is available directly to the public. I think that coverage can be supplemented with an informed or expert commentator to explain the procedure and the context of the proceedings for people. Not reality television silliness but real world information and education for the public about the courts, the administration of justice and the law.
We need professional experienced journalists and responsible informed bloggers to a have access to the courts to so show us that justice is being done and explain how the public interest is being served by the processes and outcomes of various cases. We don't need them to be the keepers of the truth and gatekeeper determinants of what is important or newsworthy. We need a more informed and media literate public with a highly developed skill at critical thinking too. This will all help to keep our democracy and its institutions focued on their real job; that of serving the public interest...not just looking for scoops and sensations.
I agree with the observations of the Calgary Herald editorial but then it gets all uppity and defensive about the superiority of the traditional media and professional journalism. I also agree that there is a great benefit to society from professional journalism but frankly that has been eroding too. Not the legal standards but the ethical standards are not always up to snuff. There has been an erosion of analysis and depth in MSM too. This is due to the money saving move for convergence of newspapers, radio and television coverage and ownership but also the competitive pressures to get it first before getting it right.
Part of this competitive pressure is brought on by the Bloggers too because they are breaking more and more news these days. John Ibbitson of the Globe and Mail said as much in a conference we were both speaking at. He noted that in the 2008 Presidential campaign that every major story was broken by a Blogger not a reporter. Part of the problem is the reporters were ensconced on the candidate campaign buses and force fed recycled spin. The news was happening elsewhere...in the communities where the Bloggers were.
Not doubt Bloggers and social media sites have to pick up their game by learning and respecting the legal requirements that relate to what they are writing about. By the same token MSM needs to elevate their coverage too and risk being really informative and start eschewing the infotainment we see all too often - especially on television and talk radio.
The public is ill served by MSM pushing superficial shallow news coverage or self-serving pap served up as authoritative analysis. The public is also ill served by silly shocking strident and uninformed commentary by Bloggers out to pick a fight instead of informing a civil conversation.
I think the courts should insist that citizen journalists, who want to cover court proceedings, actually get proper accreditation specifically as Bloggers/Citizen Journalists. Perhaps they need to pass a test to show knowledge of basic laws relating to the administration of justice and defamation. They can't be anonymous either and they must obey the laws.
Rather than ban Bloggers the courts should make them accountable and liable for what they report. I recently got access to a confidential court file as a Blogger when I did the report on the contempt finding against a Director of Children's Services in the Alberta government. I asked and undertook not to disclose the child's name nor his caregivers in anything I wrote under penalty of Contempt of Court. It was not easy and it happened mostly because I was a lawyer too and could give a professional undertaking to the courts. That is too high a standard and banning Bloggers is too low.
Seems to me there is a better way to serve the public interest here than banning Bloggers from the courts. The larger problem to me is Tweeting from the Court room by anyone with a smartphone. They can publish and mislead the public with instant and enormous reach with retweeting. Many of those who would be tweeting in a Courtroom don't even know they are publishing. It is almost guaranteed that we will see out of context and misinformed tweets coming out of courtrooms. With with only a 140 characters per "story" it is pretty hard to be contextual never mind accurate. Perhaps a ban on cellphones in courtrooms is something we have to look at. I also think we need to allow live video feeds from the courts so the whole complex context of a case is available directly to the public. I think that coverage can be supplemented with an informed or expert commentator to explain the procedure and the context of the proceedings for people. Not reality television silliness but real world information and education for the public about the courts, the administration of justice and the law.
We need professional experienced journalists and responsible informed bloggers to a have access to the courts to so show us that justice is being done and explain how the public interest is being served by the processes and outcomes of various cases. We don't need them to be the keepers of the truth and gatekeeper determinants of what is important or newsworthy. We need a more informed and media literate public with a highly developed skill at critical thinking too. This will all help to keep our democracy and its institutions focued on their real job; that of serving the public interest...not just looking for scoops and sensations.
The Future of Alberta Politics is Collaboration Not Competition
Dave King has penned a thoughtful blog post on collaboration being a better governing model than the tired and distrusted competition model of politics we are stuck in these days. Dave applies us usual wisdom and wit to the world as he sees it.
In the outmoded adversarial model of politics and governing we short change our society because we seek competition for power trumping good governance. If a good idea emerges from the opposition, the old-style politics will reject it because they don't want to be seen as giving the opposition any credit. There are exceptions but they are rare.
In the outmoded adversarial model we use simplistic debates to find an answer to complex issues. To every complex problem there is a simple answer - that is wrong! Dialectic arguments are an insufficient decision model for a modern interdependent and integrated world. To "win" in a political debate like in a legal argument, you don't have to prove you are right - you merely have to prove the other side "wrong." The nurturing of good ideas to make them better never happens because some adversary says "yeah but" pointing out some flaw, real or fictitious, and the best of a good new idea is shelved for fear of uncertainty.
Uncertainty is the only certainty in the real world these days. The key question for citizens in selecting a government is to figure out who you can trust, respect and rely on to hold true to the best interests of the greater good. What is it about a candidate and a leader that makes them worthy of your vote and your consent to be governed? Who can show caring and compassion while empowering individuals to become the best they can be but in the service of that greater good is the talent for a 21st century collaborative politician. Who can do all this and enhance the environment and not just plunder it in the process.
We in the Alberta Party are striving to be collaborative first. We prefer a co-creative approach that is about design not just debate. There is a place for debate but based on curiosity and sharing of ideas, not jut defeating the opposition. The competition between good ideas must be about the ideas themselves. Ideas should be judged on their merits and not just rejected because of the sources. Give credit where credit is due is part of a new political culture we need to foster in our Alberta...and this, I believe, can all be achieved through the Alberta Party. Get Alberta Party curious and learn more. Join this citizen's movement that is based on thinking for a change. It is a place to start to be the change you want to see.
In the outmoded adversarial model of politics and governing we short change our society because we seek competition for power trumping good governance. If a good idea emerges from the opposition, the old-style politics will reject it because they don't want to be seen as giving the opposition any credit. There are exceptions but they are rare.
In the outmoded adversarial model we use simplistic debates to find an answer to complex issues. To every complex problem there is a simple answer - that is wrong! Dialectic arguments are an insufficient decision model for a modern interdependent and integrated world. To "win" in a political debate like in a legal argument, you don't have to prove you are right - you merely have to prove the other side "wrong." The nurturing of good ideas to make them better never happens because some adversary says "yeah but" pointing out some flaw, real or fictitious, and the best of a good new idea is shelved for fear of uncertainty.
Uncertainty is the only certainty in the real world these days. The key question for citizens in selecting a government is to figure out who you can trust, respect and rely on to hold true to the best interests of the greater good. What is it about a candidate and a leader that makes them worthy of your vote and your consent to be governed? Who can show caring and compassion while empowering individuals to become the best they can be but in the service of that greater good is the talent for a 21st century collaborative politician. Who can do all this and enhance the environment and not just plunder it in the process.
We in the Alberta Party are striving to be collaborative first. We prefer a co-creative approach that is about design not just debate. There is a place for debate but based on curiosity and sharing of ideas, not jut defeating the opposition. The competition between good ideas must be about the ideas themselves. Ideas should be judged on their merits and not just rejected because of the sources. Give credit where credit is due is part of a new political culture we need to foster in our Alberta...and this, I believe, can all be achieved through the Alberta Party. Get Alberta Party curious and learn more. Join this citizen's movement that is based on thinking for a change. It is a place to start to be the change you want to see.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Alberta is Changing - But for the Better?
There is a fascinating set of op-eds in today's Edmonton Journal that I recommend highly to every Albertan who wants a real change in the political culture and direction of this province.
BLACK DAYS FOR THE SWANN
Graham Thomson chronicles (and foreshadows?) the plight of David Swann and the Alberta Liberals. They have turned into spectators not participants as the political ground shifts beneath them...and everyone else. Given the ineptness of the Stelmach PCs and the unease of the real agenda of the Alliance, the Liberals should be soaring in the polls and the natural alternative for informed engaged and progressive thinking Albertans. It has not happened. Asking why this is the case is pointless now. What to do about the rise of the right and the self-righteous is the key question now.
We have to do something about the ugly side of politics if good guys like Ed Stelmach and David Swann are politically sand-bagged and personally crucified by dark forces of self interest and personal power aspirations. Democracy needs am makeover in this province.
PRESTON MANNING IS WISE BUT TOO NARROW
Next up is a very well reasoned essay by former Reform leader Preston Manning saying the PCs best reinvigorate with a new leader of it is "game over." Like so many on the enthocentric far right, they tend to drink too much of their own bathwater. Manning does that in spades. He only sees the Wildrose Alliance as a viable alternative. Given his history and the pack he runs with, that narrow view is understandable, but he is a much wiser observer of the political scene to be so myopic.
Take his commentary and replace Wildrose Alliance with Alberta Party each time. Except for the name and a few other changes the story is the same one. (apologies to Neil Diamond - I stole that line from his song "I Am I Said"). The emergence and growth of the Alberta Party shows a citizen's movement morphing into a political party with spirit, energy and an attitude that the status quo nor a return to the 50s is not the preferred future for Alberta. With our gifts, talents and skills Alberta should aspire beyond the "Alberta Advantage" attitude of being the best in the world. We need a new "Alberta Aspiration" to be the best for the world.
Preston Manning has a clear understanding of the situation in Alberta but his solution lens is too narrow. There are other political options emerging to the Wildrose Alliance...like the Alberta Party. There are other forums emerging beyond his Centre for Democracy for the Citizen's Assembly to occur...like a refocused Reboot Alberta to become a think-tank to offset the Libertarian harshness of the Fraser Institute and the Fundamentalist framing of the Manning Centre.
I have a lot of time for Preston Manning but like the rest of us, he is captive of his own history and experiences. Don't be fooled by the limited options he presents...there are others. But do reflect on his analysis and ideas...that is the value he provides to the future focus of the Next Alberta.
BLACK DAYS FOR THE SWANN
Graham Thomson chronicles (and foreshadows?) the plight of David Swann and the Alberta Liberals. They have turned into spectators not participants as the political ground shifts beneath them...and everyone else. Given the ineptness of the Stelmach PCs and the unease of the real agenda of the Alliance, the Liberals should be soaring in the polls and the natural alternative for informed engaged and progressive thinking Albertans. It has not happened. Asking why this is the case is pointless now. What to do about the rise of the right and the self-righteous is the key question now.
We have to do something about the ugly side of politics if good guys like Ed Stelmach and David Swann are politically sand-bagged and personally crucified by dark forces of self interest and personal power aspirations. Democracy needs am makeover in this province.
PRESTON MANNING IS WISE BUT TOO NARROW
Next up is a very well reasoned essay by former Reform leader Preston Manning saying the PCs best reinvigorate with a new leader of it is "game over." Like so many on the enthocentric far right, they tend to drink too much of their own bathwater. Manning does that in spades. He only sees the Wildrose Alliance as a viable alternative. Given his history and the pack he runs with, that narrow view is understandable, but he is a much wiser observer of the political scene to be so myopic.
Take his commentary and replace Wildrose Alliance with Alberta Party each time. Except for the name and a few other changes the story is the same one. (apologies to Neil Diamond - I stole that line from his song "I Am I Said"). The emergence and growth of the Alberta Party shows a citizen's movement morphing into a political party with spirit, energy and an attitude that the status quo nor a return to the 50s is not the preferred future for Alberta. With our gifts, talents and skills Alberta should aspire beyond the "Alberta Advantage" attitude of being the best in the world. We need a new "Alberta Aspiration" to be the best for the world.
Preston Manning has a clear understanding of the situation in Alberta but his solution lens is too narrow. There are other political options emerging to the Wildrose Alliance...like the Alberta Party. There are other forums emerging beyond his Centre for Democracy for the Citizen's Assembly to occur...like a refocused Reboot Alberta to become a think-tank to offset the Libertarian harshness of the Fraser Institute and the Fundamentalist framing of the Manning Centre.
I have a lot of time for Preston Manning but like the rest of us, he is captive of his own history and experiences. Don't be fooled by the limited options he presents...there are others. But do reflect on his analysis and ideas...that is the value he provides to the future focus of the Next Alberta.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Alberta Party Makes it Into the Economist
For a party that has just an Acting Leader and no leader, a policy that is a work in progress, no candidates and one sitting MLA for less than a week, to be seen as a political force by the Economist magazine, is high praise indeed.
It is reason for hope amongst those of use deeply committed to this centrist, moderate, inclusive, creative and energized progressive citizens movement. We ere becoming a political force to be reckoned with in the changing landscape of Alberta political culture.
http://www.economist.com/node/18010841?story_id=18010841&fsrc=rss
GLENN TAYLOR THINKING LEADERSHIP
Stay tuned to the growth and rise of the Alberta Party. I am working hard to recruit Glenn Taylor to lead us. We are making great progress in his due diligence to finally decide to take on this challenge. As a newly elected Mayor of Hinton just into his third term, one of the key considerations he has to deal with is the expectations and obligations to the citizen of his community. Here is a link to and editorial and a story in the Hinton Voice on his possible run at leading the Alberta Party.
http://hintonvoice.com/mayor-mulls-alberta-party-leadership-run-p1167-140.htm
http://hintonvoice.com/one-tough-decision-p1161-488.htm
There are a few more lose ends. Once we have the final rules of the leadership process from the Provincial Board, Glenn can make his final decision. Those rules will be settled on February 5 so look for the final decision if Glenn Taylor will run or not shortly afterwards.
It is reason for hope amongst those of use deeply committed to this centrist, moderate, inclusive, creative and energized progressive citizens movement. We ere becoming a political force to be reckoned with in the changing landscape of Alberta political culture.
http://www.economist.com/node/18010841?story_id=18010841&fsrc=rss
GLENN TAYLOR THINKING LEADERSHIP
Stay tuned to the growth and rise of the Alberta Party. I am working hard to recruit Glenn Taylor to lead us. We are making great progress in his due diligence to finally decide to take on this challenge. As a newly elected Mayor of Hinton just into his third term, one of the key considerations he has to deal with is the expectations and obligations to the citizen of his community. Here is a link to and editorial and a story in the Hinton Voice on his possible run at leading the Alberta Party.
http://hintonvoice.com/mayor-mulls-alberta-party-leadership-run-p1167-140.htm
http://hintonvoice.com/one-tough-decision-p1161-488.htm
There are a few more lose ends. Once we have the final rules of the leadership process from the Provincial Board, Glenn can make his final decision. Those rules will be settled on February 5 so look for the final decision if Glenn Taylor will run or not shortly afterwards.
Have Faith in Ted - He's a Healer!
First I applaud Ted Morton for stepping down from Cabinet and announcing his candidacy for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta. Premier Stelmach did the same thing in 2006. At least they agreed on that approach to campaigning. for the leadership.
Interesting that Dr. Morton is calling on Wildrose Alliance types to return to the true Conservative "Mothership," the PC Party under his rule - or thumb - depending on your preferred metaphor. Mr. Morton insists the unite the right must be done to avoid vote splitting and the moderates making problems for them by coming up the middle.
I expect the progressives in the PC party will have trouble finding a candidate they can believe in to run in this leadership race. It is not Alison Redford although she has the inside track if you listen to the chattering class. Her resume reads like a social democrat but her approach to governing is very much a command and control old fashioned law and order agenda.
With no progressive force in the leadership race Dr. Morton will win and purge the Red Tories out of the party like Harper has done federally. The governing philosophy of the Smith Alliance or the Morton Conservatives will be a combination Calgary School and Fraser Institute with minor variations depending who rules the Republic of Alberta.
Here is an interesting Calgary Herald video clip of the Dr. Morton Cabinet resignation announcement with comments from Smith of the Alliance and Mason of the NDP. Form your own conclusions.
Interesting that Dr. Morton is calling on Wildrose Alliance types to return to the true Conservative "Mothership," the PC Party under his rule - or thumb - depending on your preferred metaphor. Mr. Morton insists the unite the right must be done to avoid vote splitting and the moderates making problems for them by coming up the middle.
I expect the progressives in the PC party will have trouble finding a candidate they can believe in to run in this leadership race. It is not Alison Redford although she has the inside track if you listen to the chattering class. Her resume reads like a social democrat but her approach to governing is very much a command and control old fashioned law and order agenda.
With no progressive force in the leadership race Dr. Morton will win and purge the Red Tories out of the party like Harper has done federally. The governing philosophy of the Smith Alliance or the Morton Conservatives will be a combination Calgary School and Fraser Institute with minor variations depending who rules the Republic of Alberta.
Here is an interesting Calgary Herald video clip of the Dr. Morton Cabinet resignation announcement with comments from Smith of the Alliance and Mason of the NDP. Form your own conclusions.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Ted Morton Quits Stelmach Cabinet - Runs for Premier.
Today Ted Morton did what I predicted earlier in the day in this blog...he just did it much sooner than I thought. He resigned from the Stelmach Cabinet and announced his run at the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta leadership.
So the PC Leadership starts today and now one Ted Morton is waiting for the niceties of Premier Stelmach writing his exit letter to the Party President.
Game on! But a PC Party lead by Ted Morton will see to it that the word Progressive is expunged from the party name. There are Principles of the PC party will have to be expunged too. For example Ted Morton is a social conservative Family Values kind of guy. How long do you think this Principle of the PC Party will last?
Or this Principle on Social Policies when he wants to impose draconian cuts to social programs in his preferred future budget and give massive subsidies and royalty breaks to the energy sector for billions of bucks
So the PC Leadership starts today and now one Ted Morton is waiting for the niceties of Premier Stelmach writing his exit letter to the Party President.
Game on! But a PC Party lead by Ted Morton will see to it that the word Progressive is expunged from the party name. There are Principles of the PC party will have to be expunged too. For example Ted Morton is a social conservative Family Values kind of guy. How long do you think this Principle of the PC Party will last?
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FAMILY
The family is paramount in the development of social responsibility and a sense of self-worth. The family, as defined by its individual members, is of vital importance to our communities. (emphasis added)
Or this Principle on Social Policies when he wants to impose draconian cuts to social programs in his preferred future budget and give massive subsidies and royalty breaks to the energy sector for billions of bucks
SOCIAL POLICIES WHICH ENABLE INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVE AND RESPONSIBILITY
Our social policies should support an environment in which Albertans can work together, be self-reliant, and accept responsibility for their own lives. We also believe that our social policies should ensure that those who need assistance can lead dignified and meaningful lives. (emphasis added)
Or how about Alberta's role in Canada when Dr. Morton is one of those, along with Stephen Harper, who believes Alberta should have a Firewall built around us to keep the influences of the rest of Canada at bay.
ALBERTA AS AN EQUAL PARTNER IN CONFEDERATION
We must strive to maintain sovereignty over provincial matters, believing that a strong and vibrant Alberta is a cornerstone of a strong and united Canada. (emphasis added)
inally here is some more context on the real Ted Morton, a story from the Archives of the Calgary Herald the last time he ran to ruin Alberta.
Welcome to the culture war on the far right as Ted and Danielle duke it out and regardless of which one of them wins, Alberta will be taken backwards in time, attitudes and treatment of those who are "different.
What Qualities Do You Want in the Next Premier of Alberta?
UPDATE 4:00 PM JANUARY 27
Ted Morton just resigned from Cabinet and announced he is running for the leadership of the PC Party: Read on in this context. This blog was posted a couple of hours before hand.
As the PC Party trudges along to path towards a new leader a burning question for Albertans is what qualities capabilities and skills do we want in the next Premier of Alberta.
There is no guarantee that the next leaders of the PC Party will be Premier. When Stelmach won the leadership the Premiership was exactly what we were choosing. This time the leader will be Premier but for a relatively short time until there has to be an election.
A WANT AD FOR THE NEXT PREMIER
Paula Simons writes in the Edmonton Journal today about this question of what do we want to be our political leader for the Next Alberta. Her wish list for new leader qualities and characteristics is contained in this paragraph:
Wanted: Smart, energetic party leader who understands contemporary urban issues and priorities. Must love rapid transit, regional land use planning and public education. If you like river valley walks and vibrant downtowns, give me a call. Homophobes and hard-line ideologues, right wing or left, need not apply.
She does a nice summary of the trials and tribulations of Premier Stelmach term as Premier. No one knows what will happen but chances are the PCs are in for some trials and tribulations themselves as the Caucus and the Party try to figure out the leadership process. What to do next as well as when it will all happen in a destructive culture of internal distrust, disgust and disquiet.
DO WE GET HOMOPHOBES & IDEOLOGUES RUNNING OR RUINING THE PROVINCE?
I see the Bill 44 homophobes and fiscal hard line ideologues, a.k.a. the "Morton Minions," will line up behind him and continue to agitate. This is because the budget politics are not over yet - not by a long shot. According to media reports Morton came out of PC Caucus yesterday saying the budget is "going ahead." Here is the kicker. When asked if he will deliver the budget he said " We'll see!" He is reported to add that "The Premier and I have to talk."
There are media reports from the "usually reliable sources" that he was threatening to resign if he did not get to table his allegedly draconian budget. I think now that Premier Stall-mach has said he will resign instead. Eventually the Morton Minions will want to push off the cliff him sooner than later. How does that happen? I speculate about tactics for sure, but not much about intent.
WHAT IS MORTON'S NEXT MOVE?
To get a quicker Stelmach exit and to stage a leadership strike while the iron is hot advantage for Minister Morton, I see a scenario that he merely resigns Cabinet - just before the legislative session starts Feb 22, It will be couched as a matter of personal principle because while Morton agrees that while Cabinet sticks together, he can not, in all consciousness, based on his personal ideology, present a deficit budget as a Minister in the Stelmach Cabinet. If Stelmach wants a deficit budget he will have to find some one else to read and wear it politically.
This accomplishes more than further embarrassment for the Premier and the continued erosion of the PC brand. It puts Morton on the moral high ground with his base, his fellow fiscal hawk ideologues. These guys believe government is always the problem and never the solution. They want to cripple government by withholding resources that set it up to fail. They then triumphantly usher in the private sector "free market" solutions to address all pressing public policy issues, including health care.
The tactical timing and political intent of a Morton Cabinet resignation means he is then free, as a backbencher, to start actively campaigning for the PC leadership. He does not have to heed the rules or wait politely for the actual resignation letter of Premier Stelmach.
WHITHER ALBERTA?
What happens the the peace order and good governing of Alberta in the meantime? There is none. The caucus fragments as replacement leadership aspirants huddle in dark rooms and scheme in hushed tones each trying to be the next leader, or make the leader or to at least be engratiated to the leader.
The Progressive Conservative Party splits and shatters into segments like a broken mirror with shards only reflecting small segments of the reality. Nobody is looking at the whole picture or for the good of the province. Is it progressives versus conservatives, Edmonton versus Calgary, north versus south, rural versus urban, in the Corridor versus out of the Corridor or just all of the above?
What will happen to all those proudly touted billions of dollars of Alberta Advantage investments in such uncertainty? What happens to on going initiatives like Inspiring Action on Education? Is the Premier's personal agenda for a Competitiveness Strategy? Will it only play out as an internecine competitive struggle in the PC Party and Caucus?
Then we have reality of the rancour and rhetoric in the right wing culture war between Morton and Smith. All this happens as the province's economy slips into decline and deterioration. Is this the inevitable consequence of power politics as usual? Where is the servant leader who can inspire and challenge us a citizens to realize our potential in service of the betterment of the society as a whole instead of mere personal self service?
WE NEED A GAME CHANGER!
We not only need to change the political game we have to quit seeing it as a game or a war. We need a new narrative for the Next Alberta. What is festering now and soon to be raging, That challenge for thoughtful Alberta is to come together as citizens and write that new narrative. Will we be a society of Darwinian individualists where it is each man for himself and the only goal is making as much money, by what every means you can, as quickly as possible and regardless of consequences? Or will we strive to be better persons who apply our talents and skills to achieve our personal potential but and in the service of the greater good?
We will have two choices for Premier in realizing the Darwinian society; Danielle Smith or Ted Morton. We have not yet found the choice for the latter preferred future. I am putting my hopes and efforts behind the Alberta Party and Glenn Taylor, if he runs for leader, to help Albertans realize that latter choice together.
Alberta is not at a crossroad. It is at a trail head with three paths before us. One veers hard right with Smith and Morton, the other goes to the left with Swann and Mason. The Alberta Party is setting out to create a new path between them. The way forward takes the best of the other options and integrates them with progressive values and then moves us forward.
Albertans who get engaged, informed and show up to vote will decide which is the preferred path for the province in the next election. It will not the political parties or the wannabe Premiers. In the meantime there is not much certainty about the direction or the destination of the province. That will not change if power politics will prevail and good governance is devalued. The short term future for Alberta is not pretty. We have choices to make and a province to create. Lets use our collective wisdom in the effort and not our pooled ignorance.
Ted Morton just resigned from Cabinet and announced he is running for the leadership of the PC Party: Read on in this context. This blog was posted a couple of hours before hand.
As the PC Party trudges along to path towards a new leader a burning question for Albertans is what qualities capabilities and skills do we want in the next Premier of Alberta.
There is no guarantee that the next leaders of the PC Party will be Premier. When Stelmach won the leadership the Premiership was exactly what we were choosing. This time the leader will be Premier but for a relatively short time until there has to be an election.
A WANT AD FOR THE NEXT PREMIER
Paula Simons writes in the Edmonton Journal today about this question of what do we want to be our political leader for the Next Alberta. Her wish list for new leader qualities and characteristics is contained in this paragraph:
Wanted: Smart, energetic party leader who understands contemporary urban issues and priorities. Must love rapid transit, regional land use planning and public education. If you like river valley walks and vibrant downtowns, give me a call. Homophobes and hard-line ideologues, right wing or left, need not apply.
She does a nice summary of the trials and tribulations of Premier Stelmach term as Premier. No one knows what will happen but chances are the PCs are in for some trials and tribulations themselves as the Caucus and the Party try to figure out the leadership process. What to do next as well as when it will all happen in a destructive culture of internal distrust, disgust and disquiet.
DO WE GET HOMOPHOBES & IDEOLOGUES RUNNING OR RUINING THE PROVINCE?
I see the Bill 44 homophobes and fiscal hard line ideologues, a.k.a. the "Morton Minions," will line up behind him and continue to agitate. This is because the budget politics are not over yet - not by a long shot. According to media reports Morton came out of PC Caucus yesterday saying the budget is "going ahead." Here is the kicker. When asked if he will deliver the budget he said " We'll see!" He is reported to add that "The Premier and I have to talk."
There are media reports from the "usually reliable sources" that he was threatening to resign if he did not get to table his allegedly draconian budget. I think now that Premier Stall-mach has said he will resign instead. Eventually the Morton Minions will want to push off the cliff him sooner than later. How does that happen? I speculate about tactics for sure, but not much about intent.
WHAT IS MORTON'S NEXT MOVE?
To get a quicker Stelmach exit and to stage a leadership strike while the iron is hot advantage for Minister Morton, I see a scenario that he merely resigns Cabinet - just before the legislative session starts Feb 22, It will be couched as a matter of personal principle because while Morton agrees that while Cabinet sticks together, he can not, in all consciousness, based on his personal ideology, present a deficit budget as a Minister in the Stelmach Cabinet. If Stelmach wants a deficit budget he will have to find some one else to read and wear it politically.
This accomplishes more than further embarrassment for the Premier and the continued erosion of the PC brand. It puts Morton on the moral high ground with his base, his fellow fiscal hawk ideologues. These guys believe government is always the problem and never the solution. They want to cripple government by withholding resources that set it up to fail. They then triumphantly usher in the private sector "free market" solutions to address all pressing public policy issues, including health care.
The tactical timing and political intent of a Morton Cabinet resignation means he is then free, as a backbencher, to start actively campaigning for the PC leadership. He does not have to heed the rules or wait politely for the actual resignation letter of Premier Stelmach.
WHITHER ALBERTA?
What happens the the peace order and good governing of Alberta in the meantime? There is none. The caucus fragments as replacement leadership aspirants huddle in dark rooms and scheme in hushed tones each trying to be the next leader, or make the leader or to at least be engratiated to the leader.
The Progressive Conservative Party splits and shatters into segments like a broken mirror with shards only reflecting small segments of the reality. Nobody is looking at the whole picture or for the good of the province. Is it progressives versus conservatives, Edmonton versus Calgary, north versus south, rural versus urban, in the Corridor versus out of the Corridor or just all of the above?
What will happen to all those proudly touted billions of dollars of Alberta Advantage investments in such uncertainty? What happens to on going initiatives like Inspiring Action on Education? Is the Premier's personal agenda for a Competitiveness Strategy? Will it only play out as an internecine competitive struggle in the PC Party and Caucus?
Then we have reality of the rancour and rhetoric in the right wing culture war between Morton and Smith. All this happens as the province's economy slips into decline and deterioration. Is this the inevitable consequence of power politics as usual? Where is the servant leader who can inspire and challenge us a citizens to realize our potential in service of the betterment of the society as a whole instead of mere personal self service?
WE NEED A GAME CHANGER!
We not only need to change the political game we have to quit seeing it as a game or a war. We need a new narrative for the Next Alberta. What is festering now and soon to be raging, That challenge for thoughtful Alberta is to come together as citizens and write that new narrative. Will we be a society of Darwinian individualists where it is each man for himself and the only goal is making as much money, by what every means you can, as quickly as possible and regardless of consequences? Or will we strive to be better persons who apply our talents and skills to achieve our personal potential but and in the service of the greater good?
We will have two choices for Premier in realizing the Darwinian society; Danielle Smith or Ted Morton. We have not yet found the choice for the latter preferred future. I am putting my hopes and efforts behind the Alberta Party and Glenn Taylor, if he runs for leader, to help Albertans realize that latter choice together.
Alberta is not at a crossroad. It is at a trail head with three paths before us. One veers hard right with Smith and Morton, the other goes to the left with Swann and Mason. The Alberta Party is setting out to create a new path between them. The way forward takes the best of the other options and integrates them with progressive values and then moves us forward.
Albertans who get engaged, informed and show up to vote will decide which is the preferred path for the province in the next election. It will not the political parties or the wannabe Premiers. In the meantime there is not much certainty about the direction or the destination of the province. That will not change if power politics will prevail and good governance is devalued. The short term future for Alberta is not pretty. We have choices to make and a province to create. Lets use our collective wisdom in the effort and not our pooled ignorance.
Glenn Taylor on Doing Politics Differently
Glenn Taylor the Mayor of Hinton has written an interesting blog post posing questions to Albertans about doing politics differently. This is not easy stuff to do but he sees an opportunity and a challenge to those ends.
He says (in part) "The resignation of Premier Stelmach along with the rise of the Alliance has opened up the door for a new discussion to take place, let us not allow the governance of Alberta to be defined by the politics of division, the politics of power, the politics of the past.."
I am a big fan of Glenn Taylor. I have worked with him in the past on a number of projects in Hinton and the Grande Alberta Economic Region. I am encouraging him to run for the leadership of the Alberta Party as well.
I think it was Preston Manning who said a couple of years ago that it is likely we don't yet know the name of the next Premier of Alberta. I am thinking Glenn Taylor is that name and the Alberta Party is the way forward to make that happen.
I will be doing a blog post on why I support Glenn Taylor and the Alberta Party over the week end for posting on Monday.
He says (in part) "The resignation of Premier Stelmach along with the rise of the Alliance has opened up the door for a new discussion to take place, let us not allow the governance of Alberta to be defined by the politics of division, the politics of power, the politics of the past.."
I am a big fan of Glenn Taylor. I have worked with him in the past on a number of projects in Hinton and the Grande Alberta Economic Region. I am encouraging him to run for the leadership of the Alberta Party as well.
I think it was Preston Manning who said a couple of years ago that it is likely we don't yet know the name of the next Premier of Alberta. I am thinking Glenn Taylor is that name and the Alberta Party is the way forward to make that happen.
I will be doing a blog post on why I support Glenn Taylor and the Alberta Party over the week end for posting on Monday.
Rick Mercer Rants on Harper Attack Ads
The pith and substance of Rick Mercer's anger against misleading and personal attack ad is exemplified in this terrific rant. His takes on them is that they are the work of bullies and cowards. I agree entirely.
The propensity of the Federal Reformatory types to use these pre-election ads that are not subject to campaign spending rules. That is such a cheap trick and an integrity breach the spirit of the law. These political dirty tricks are right out of the American Republican cum Tea Party types that Harper seems to idolize.
Personal attack ads come from the kind of people you tend not to trust to make fair and effective laws that serve the greater good - only their own self-interest. I think the fact that Harper's Alberta brain trust who write and run these anti-democratic and misleading ads are behind the Wildrose Party in Alberta. I make one wonder if this cozy relationship with Harper gives substance to Premier Stelmach warning to us to expect them to engage in that same kind of George Bush-league politics Harper loves to do.
If you want respect as a politician, attack policy - not persons.
Here is what Mercer says about all this:
The propensity of the Federal Reformatory types to use these pre-election ads that are not subject to campaign spending rules. That is such a cheap trick and an integrity breach the spirit of the law. These political dirty tricks are right out of the American Republican cum Tea Party types that Harper seems to idolize.
Personal attack ads come from the kind of people you tend not to trust to make fair and effective laws that serve the greater good - only their own self-interest. I think the fact that Harper's Alberta brain trust who write and run these anti-democratic and misleading ads are behind the Wildrose Party in Alberta. I make one wonder if this cozy relationship with Harper gives substance to Premier Stelmach warning to us to expect them to engage in that same kind of George Bush-league politics Harper loves to do.
If you want respect as a politician, attack policy - not persons.
Here is what Mercer says about all this:
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