Ken Chapman

Population Changes; Will They Change Canada?

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:10:00 +0000

Stats Canada reports the national population increased by 85,500 in the first Quarter of 2013. The ratio is 3 to 1 of population coming from immigration compared to internal growth. The national average growth is .02% a rate that aligns with Ontario, Quebec, BC and Manitoba.

In real numbers new immigrants totaled 62,700 which was 4,600 more than Qtr1 of 2012. The net flow of "non-permanent resident immigrants" (a technical term for Temporary Foreign workers?) was 14,900 in Qtr1 of 2013 versus 12,900 in Qrt1 of 2012. That said our natural population sources were down 6.8% in 2013 from 2012.

The national figures are interesting but the provincial figures tell us more about the trends in the country. What those population shifts mean is the really interesting stuff of these stats. The core story is the continuing shift of population (and power?) to Alberta. It is only about the first quarter of 2013 but the facts are telling.

Newfoundland is stable and PEI is down 200 folks. Nova Scotia lost 1,800 people to net migration to other places in Canada. Actually 1,100 Nova Scotians moved to Alberta in the first three months this year. New Brunswick lost 700 folks to Alberta in the same time frame. Jobs are still the attraction to Alberta. The unanswered question are these Maritimers moving to the oil sands or are they flying in and flying out? My sense is they moved so there is even more "migration" when you consider the fly in-fly out folks who still consider home to be in the Maritimes.

Central Canada is growing modestly but Quebec tells an interesting story. Quebec grew past 8 million with comparable year to year growth of 14,100 new citizens, but 11,700 came from international immigration sources. That is the second highest level in Quebec history, the highest level of international immigrants came in 1992. Quebec is not losing many people to other parts of Canada either, only 900, the smallest out-migration since 2005.

Ontario is also growing at the national average. There are over 13.5 m Canadians living in Ontario, up 22,700 in the first quarter of 2013, but hat is the lowest growth there since 1972. International migration is up 1000 compared to 2013 but Ontario lost 6000 people to Alberta in the same time frame.

B.C. is up 10,100 folks year over year, aligned with the 0.2% national average with 9,800 being international immigrants, but 3,400 of them are actually non-permanent resident types. B.C. also lost 2,500 people to Alberta in the first 90 days of 2013.

Saskatchewan and Alberta tell a very different story. Saskatchewan grew 0.4% in the quarter mostly international migration which was at its second highest level in 2012 since 1972 and 2013 became the new second level of international immigration. People are returning to the province, not leaving it.

Alberta is a case study very different from the rest. We grew by 34,000 which is 0.9% of a population just shy of 4 million now. This is the highest Alberta growth rate since 1972. It comes from international immigration of 8,100, non-permanent immigrants of 6,900. We have a net migration from within Canada of 13,400 mostly from Ontario and B.C.

This continuing shift to Alberta is about jobs and the economic influence of the oil sands. Even may jobs staying in the rest of Canada are driven by oil sands development. This is good and bad news for Alberta. We have serious skilled labour shortages but the Stats Can numbers don't tell us if the migrants to Alberta are skilled. They also don't come with their houses, schools, hospital beds or other infrastructure requirements. The growth infrastructure in Fort McMurray is already an unaddressed crisis. This population shift means it get worse unless provincial political attitudes about investing in public infrastructure changes - and dramatically.

Election Time is Coming in Alberta

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:39:00 +0000

The local municipal and school board elections are coming this fall - all over Alberta. These local elections are not partisan affairs. Local candidates run in wards or in smaller communities to represent people at the most "retail" of any order of government. School Board elections are pretty passive gentile and usually pretty pointless events, given the limited authority and influence the school boards have.

Since most of Albertans are urbanized living in over 600 communities all over the province, there are a lot of different kinds of candidates and some different issues in the municipal government races. There are lots of growth pressures on some communities. Others face decline and are threatened with extinction. There are vastly difference community cultures in the south, central and northern towns. There are different realities for communities inside or outside the Edmonton-Calgary corridor. Then there are the dramatic differences between Calgary and Edmonton municipal cultures.

This diversity and variety of perspectives at election time gives local communities a sense of exceptionalism. They see themselves as unique. And for the most part they are...just like every other community (sic). Then go to Fort McMurray. There you will see real uniqueness, real diversity and real pressures.

I think every Albertan needs to be aware and informed of the issues facing their communities as well as Fort McMurray in these forthcoming elections. That is right. Think of yourself as a citizen of your Alberta community AND as a non-permanent citizen of Fort McMurray at the same time.

What happens in Fort McMurray and the Athabasca Oil Sands Region generally will have dramatic impact on your community too. The development growth of the oil sands puts enormous pressures on McMurray housing, transportation including roads, rails, birdges and air services, hospitals, schools, recreation, social cohesion, social profit sector services, police, fire, ambulance, arts, culture, spiritual needs and other quality of life elements.

The resolution of these problems in the oil sands will make it more difficult for other communities in Alberta to compete for trades, attention and other resources to meet local needs. However if Fort McMurray fails to have its growth challenges met, so will Albertans fail to optimize the benefits of the oil sands. After all all Albertans are owners of the oil sands. We need to start acting like owners. Part of acting like an owner is to become aware adn supportive of getting the quality of life in fort McMurray right. When that happens we all benefit, If it does not happen we all suffer loss.

This blog will give you information on what is needed in Fort McMurray to ensure it succeeds as a community and who can - should - must step up and make it happen. Time to act like an oil sands owner Albertans. Time to get educated about the people, planet and prosperity implications of oil sands development on the Athabasca Oil Sands Region and ALL OF ALBERTA.

HOW IS PRIME MINISTER HARPER'S POPULARITY HOLDING UP THESE DAYS?

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:37:00 +0000

The Huffington Post reports on a CBC exclusive survey on Canadians change of attitude about Prime Minister Stephen Harper, done by Nik Nanos, one of the most reliable pollsters in the biz these days.

Canadians when asked how satisfied they were about our Prime Minister's explanation of the $90,000+ cheque his Chief of Staff wrote to then Conservative Senator Mike Duffy to cover his unwarranted expenses 72% of us said we were "dissatisfied or somewhat dissatisfied." Only 27% were OK with Prime Minister Harper's explanation about what he really knows about the circumstances around the cheque.

The Government of Canada continue to say it cannot produce the cheque in question because it is a personal cheque and that is not within their power to produce. Strange though they have not seen it reasonable to asked the formed Chief of Staff of our Prime Minister to volunteer a copy to clear the air.

Might be helpful to co-operate publicly now and find a way to disclose the cheque before the recently announced criminal investigation by the RCMP does it for them.

It is not as if the Duffy-Wright scandal is off the public's radar screen. Nanos survey says 95% of Canadians are aware of this scandal and one in three of us hold our Prime Minister mostly to blame.

It is a long way to the next election in 2015. Lots can change between then and now...it is politics after all. One thing that will change is Alberta will have six more federal seats by then. What will happen to voting patterns in those new ridings? How will the changing nature of the urban Albertan respond to our political options? Next blog post will be on the changing population of Alberta.

Conversation With Author of Mistakes Were Made (but Not By Me!)

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:35:00 +0000

This is a book worth reading and understanding deeply. It has great application to our view of politics, the way we see our role in the environment and how we conduct business, society and even ourselves.

You will get a practical insight into cognitive dissonance and how we fool ourselves again and again. This is a video of the conversation between author Carol Tavris and Ken Low the animator behind Leadership Edmonton and Leadership Calgary...you really need to Google these organizations too.

Tim Goos was kind enough to put the link in hi Paper.li "The EnviroAb Daily" - It is at the bottom of the page.

It's an hour long conversation but worth it.

So What's Happening in Edmonton For Picking Our Next Mayor?

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 03:07:00 +0000

So I have received information on a poll done on preferred candidates for the Edmonton Mayoralty race this October.

This data is interesting as a provocation to conversation - not at all indicative or predicative of the outcome. I offer these results not to enhance the superficial horse-race analysis that is the media fodder of most of these polls. Note also that the predicative nature of "opinion" polls usually make astrology look good.

This poll is random in the province with a very small number of folks from Edmonton. So this is not "grain of salt" stuff, it is an invitation to engage in a citizen's conversation about what character, capacity and caring do we want in the nest Mayor of Edmonton?

Get to know the candidates beyond the media report. Come to forums, read bloggers (with a grain of salt) consider what is important to you about leadership. What is the stuff of being citizen of Edmonton that is important to you? Which candidate comes closest to your sense of the city...and can you say clearly why you will vote for the candidate you "best" support. Don't expect any one candidate to b perfect. They aren't, but neither are we in how we made decisions on who we will grant our consent to govern us.

So as at between April 20 to May 4, when only one candidate has actually declared intentions to run, here are the results:

Kerry Diotte: 19.4%
Don Iveson 17.6%
Karen Liebovici 15.1%
Tony Catarina 12.9%
Amarjeet Sohi 6.9%

Diotte has declared he was running before the poll and Sohi and said he is not after the poll.

So don't jump to conclusions but do create time and place for conversations on the future of Edmonton, the leadership we need and how do we get it?

Interested in our comments and hope for a conversation about the kind of leadership we need for Edmonton on this blog.

Brent Rathgeber Man of Political Character

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 04:44:00 +0000

I know Brent a bit, when he was in the Klein Progressive Conservative government. He was smart and insightful and had a great legal mind. He was also an independent thinker then. I formed these impressions from political meetings and convention conversations but mostly from some consulting work I did for the Alberta Minister of Justice and the Speaker of the Alberta Legislature.

I was reviewing the risk management policies for the Government of Alberta as a result of a defamation lawsuit brought against Stockwell Day, a Minister in the Klein Cabinet. The issues were complicated, politically laced and competing values were everywhere.

Brent grasped all of this in one and was immediately able and interested in exploring the issues, the implications and all in the context of the goal of public service and the greater good. He was not a guy who as concerned about the "Party" or his position in it. He was a democrat and a politician with character and competence.

I have to say I was sorry to see him join the Harper government. I always thought he was better than that. Well I was right. It took some time but the Brent Rathgeber I knew is back to being himself again.

Rex Murphy has a take on this that puts some more context on what I am trying to say.

Last Wednesday as a good day for democracy. Citizens need to be very careful who they vote for and why. We get the government we deserve, especially if we don't vote or vote mindlessly.

Why Robin Ford is Bad for Progressives

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Fri, 31 May 2013 03:51:00 +0000

The Kahneman work is the thesis on why the Robin Ford Scandal is bad for progressives. Give the Star story a read here.

The essence of the Kahneman thesis is this:

Behavioural economics has shown that the more times you hear something - even if you don't believe it, the more familiar it becomes. Familiarity breeds a sense of seeming truthfulness...what Colbert calls "truthiness."
Question is will inert complacent and compliant Progressives become even more disassociated with politics because of an even more enhanced sense of cynicism due to Mayor Ford.

I recently attended a lecture sponsored by Leadership Edmonton by Carol Tavris, the authour of "Mistakes Were Made but Not by Me.." She spoke of cognitive dissonance and self justification. The cognitive dissonance aspect applies to those who support something that they even know to be untrue is rationalized by focus selective evidence. I am sure mayor Ford is getting some positive feedback from his supporters who feel theyhave to rationalize their mistake in voting form him

We are seeing some of that perhaps with the comments of Prime Minister Harper who says he was not told of the Duffy payoff by his Chief of Staff so therefore he has nothing to do with it. Also the "facts are clear" avoids dealing with the legal and moral obligation to deal with the mistake...duck and cover is not leadership but his base will use this selective "evidence" to justify their earlier support for Harper.

Thinking of a blog post on Integrity as a fading value in a complex political and partisan world...stay tuned.

Orwellian Governance in the Canadian Context

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Mon, 27 May 2013 23:38:00 +0000

If this blog is to revive I want to do it systemically and thematically around supporting the return to democracy through enlightened progressive citizen engagement.

My friend Allan Gregg recently spoke to the Alberta Federation of Labour about this set of issues in the federalist context. I thank the folks at Rabble.ca for posting it for the rest of us.

This is a 38 minute video. So get a coffee or a tea and settle in and focus on the content and context. In a sober second thought, perhaps you should pour yourself something stronger. You may feel you need it after you fathom Allan's message.

Orwellian Governance in the Current Canadian Context

Looking forward to your feedback...even on if I should be back.

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Mon, 27 May 2013 22:54:00 +0000

Is it time to revive this blog? I will be publishing on oil sands issues as an owner of the asset at oilsandsken.com.

Is there another theme that this blog could pursue around citizen engagement and democracy commentary?

Take Time to Vote for The Grizzly Manifesto

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Wed, 25 May 2011 23:14:00 +0000

I am championing Jeff Gailus' book The Grizzly Manifesto in the Alberta Readers' Choice Awards. You can vote for this book - and you should - if only because I asked you to. But you should also read the book and the other four books in the competition. There is a rich array of genres awaiting your reading pleasure.

Here is a link to vote for Jeff's book. http://www.albertareaderschoice.ca. You have until the end of business on May 31 to vote on this book - so don't waste any time! Vote once a day. It is allowed!

If you want to get a sense of why I am championing this book - read this newspaper article based on an interview I did on The Grizzly Manifesto.

http://www.canmoreleader.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3139322

The Alberta Party Leadership Candidate Debate

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Wed, 18 May 2011 19:45:00 +0000

Here is the long form video of the recent Alberta Party Leadership Debate held in Calgary. It is 2 hours long so put on a pot of coffee first.

The Alberta Party Leadership Convention is in Edmonton May 27-28 and will be Live streamed. More to follow on those details.

Vote for The Grizzly Manifesto in the Readers' Choice Awards.

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Tue, 17 May 2011 19:50:00 +0000

The Readers' Choice Awards is a great prize and serious upside recognition for an Alberta author. The competition this year is between five terrific titles but my preferences is for The Grizzly Manifesto. I really think Albertans are hungry for this kind of information and narrative. We can't presume our species is in control and be oblivious to our place in the biosphere - even the carbon cycle.

Jeff Gailus teachers us, implores us and after reading this book, I know it will motivate us to take a more meaningful look as how humanity is integrated into nature. We have to do a much better job of being human within nature, not just consumers who are indifferent to our place in the planet.

I strongly recommend you read all the books but you vote for The Grizzly Manifesto. It is not like an election. Here you can vote early and often - until the end of May.

Here is the link to vote for the book I am championing.

Don’t forget to VOTE once a day, every day in May to make The Grizzly Manifesto Alberta’s best book of 2010!

As for the rest, you can check them out here - but only after you vote for The Grizzly Manifesto.

Vote a bunch of times between now and May 31 and tell your friends and family to vote for The Grizzly Manifesto - but be sure to buy it and read it too.

Premier's Council for Economic Strategy Report is Some Kind of Wonderful

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Mon, 09 May 2011 22:55:00 +0000

Premier Stelmach gathered together and challenge twelve of the most thoughtful minds you can imagine to actually imagine the reality we face as Albertans to ensure our prosperity from now until 2040. Then they were challenged to get focused on major aspects of the challenges ahead. That resulted in the five themes in the report.

The themes are:

"Realizing the full potential of our energy resources;
Broadening the economic base;
Preparing to prosper in a global economy
Providing a strong platform to sustain economic growth;
Investing in shaping the future.

Premier Stelmach framed the focus on the future challenges for Alberta in three ways. I have described them below and added the emphasis!

"What must Albertans begin to do now to sustain prosperity through the next three decades and beyond."

Next he asked the Council to consider "How can we ensure our children and grandchildren enjoy even greater opportunity than we have - that we hand future generations a legacy of 'a better Alberta'"?

He closed with the question of "What will it take to make the Alberta of 2040 the place for creative and committed citizens to live, work, raise families, contribute to an enjoy society."

This language aligns so nicely with my sense that we have to move beyond the Alberta Advantage and into defining and designing the Alberta Aspiration. The report of the Premier's Council for Economic Strategy is magnificently aligned with that way of thinking as it responds to the challenges posed by Premier Stelmach and points to potential and mindset adaptations we must make to move beyond the Alberta Advantage.

I am anxious to deal with the content of the report. It is a truly terrific document and designed to spark conversations and considerations of what we must to to adapt and achieve our potential in the coming but still uncertain future. I will get into the meaning and merits of the report in other posts. For now you need some context and a reason to read the report yourself.

I have chosen a could of quote from the introduction of the report and believe these words are more than enough to intrigue committed and concerned Albertans.

"This report of the Premier's Council for Economic Strategy is intended to inspire dialogue and action to ensure that in 2040 and beyond, the citizens of Alberta will be thriving, enjoying a desirable quality of life."

"We call on all Albertans to make intentional choices now to shape their future, the future of their grandchildren and the future of Alberta."

"In these pages,we identify opportunities Alberta has within its grasp, given its history, endowment and potential. We also shine a spotlight on threats to Alberta's future prosperity and suggest strategies for managing these risks as well. Our focus is on building an Alberta that is resilient and outward-looking, with all its citizens contributing to their full potential and ready to seize opportunities, a respected and strategic player in Canada and on the world stage."

If that language does not make you want to read the report, then you are clearly too cynical or to presumptive that tomorrow will be just like today, only better, with out change or applied effort.and intelligence.

Here is the link to the full report. It is a call to action for all Albertans. Be part of the design of the next Alberta. This report is a provocation towards a new and more appropriate purposefulness for the next Alberta.

Ready, reflect and respond. It is within our grasp to create the future we want and avoid the dangers of continuing the current mindset.

Meet Glenn Taylor Alberta Party Leadership Candidate

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Tue, 03 May 2011 22:44:00 +0000

The Alberta Party has done some short videos of the leadership candidates so the people of Alberta can get to know them better.

Here is the Glenn Taylor video. He is my choice to be the next leader of the Alberta Party and the kind of fresh thinking and collaborative politician I believe we need so Alberta can realize its full potential.

Glenn Taylor, Alberta Party Leadership Candidate from Alberta Party on Vimeo.

To learn more go to www.glenntaylor.org.

Coming to Grips with the Election Implications

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Tue, 03 May 2011 15:52:00 +0000

So here we are, in a "stable majority government" in times of enormous uncertainty in the world. Democracy has spoken and the collective wisdom of an ever diminishing number of democratically engaged citizens sets Canada on a new course. It looks like voter turnout was even lower this time than the dismal showing in the 2008 election with early indications showing we are flirting with 50% turnout.

We have the results and they are impressive. Mr. Harper is the clear winner and deserves congratulations for such an impressive tactical accomplishment. With Mr. Harper's absolute majority he now has absolute personal power and is now personally entrusted with the future of the country.

The check and balance on Mr. Harper's absolute power is the NDP who have been blessed and burdened with official opposition status. Again congratulations are in order but to Jack Layton personally, not the NDP. This is Jack's victory as much as the majority government is Mr. Harper's victory.

Those who voted for Mr. Harper seem to have been attracted by the need for the stability of a majority government. However, the stability promise of the "Harper Government" is unlikely given the economic, social, political and environmental instability of the world and in the country we now live in. The majority given to Mr;. Harper will more likely result in quicker more decisive political decisions but that is no guarantee of a future that is steady-state stable and certain.

The promise to balance the budget quickly but still undertake enormous spending projects without raising taxes in an economy that most likely a flat line growth profile means money will have to come from serious cuts many other government programs. That is the clear, unequivocal and well articulated game plan of the Harper government. There is no hidden agenda here.

The NDP has been entrusted to be the caring and compassionate conscious of Canadians and to keep the Harper Government honest and accountable. I have no doubt of the integrity of the Layton lead NDP and its capacity to play that role. However, much of the reality of the NDP political fortunes are embedded in the nationhood aspirations of Quebec. It is unclear to me if the death of the Bloc and the resurrection of the Dippers in Quebec means a rejection of separation for federalism. Or is the shift to the NDP just a smarter political tactic by Quebeckers to have fresh faces to push an entitlement agenda in Ottawa?

How beholden is the NDP going to be to the Quebec agenda given that all politics are local at the end of the day? Will we see a return to the focus on Ontario and Quebec as the political power bases that determines the direction for the country like we had in Trudeau's time? Will the west feel like it is "in" or "out" as the country stumbles into a new narrative or returns and retreats into an old one?

As for the Liberals, the writing is not only on the wall it is all over their political structure. Humility was the tone I heard in Mr. Iggnatieff's concession and confession speech last night. It is only one of the key lessons the Liberals have to take to heart as they rebuild from the grass roots up. They have to pick up on Mr;. Iggnatieff's comment that "democracy teaches hard lessons" and the Liberal political challenge now is one of showing character and courage. Are they able to rethink everything and rebuild with a new sense of purpose with an open heart and mind that resonates with Canadians? Time will tell.

The Bloc is done but what is the Quebec agenda for the NDP? Is it separation or federation? We still don't know but we will be enlightened on what the shift to the NDP from the Bloc means for Canada sooner than later. How Mr. Harper responds to Quebec is also uncertain? Will he punish them of appeal to them? He has done both in the past. Again the future is uncertain.

As for Elizabeth May and Linda Duncan, we have the best indication that at the end of the day all politics are local. The coalesced citizens and engaged them in ways that encourages people like me who are worried about the viability of our democracy if citizenship means disengaged cynicism instead of informed activism.

Congratulations to Mr. Harper and Mr. Layton. Condolences to Mr. Iggnatieff and Mr Duceppe. Thumbs up to Ms May and Ms. Duncan for bucking the trends and showing citizens that they can make a difference.

So no federal election for four more years. I wonder how much economic and social stability we will actually have? I wonder how much Canadian politics will change by then too? As for me I see more uncertainty than stability, challenges that are more about complexity than simplicity. I see a fiscal and environmental fog in the future and no clear path forward. So one with the day as we stumble into the future where stability actually means no near term elections but uncertainty in all other aspects of being and becoming the next Canada.

Is Layton the New Nenshi?

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:06:00 +0000

Watching the last minute rise of Jack Layton in the polls for the election on Monday reminds me of the Calgary civic election last October. What we saw then was Naheed Nenshi, an "also-ran" candidate with little hope of success, turn the election for Mayor into a rout and rejection of the establishment candidates.

Are we seeing the same thing on a national scale with the rise in popularity of Jack Layton? It seems to be true in Quebec where Bloc fatigue is translating into NDP support. Quebec is moving far away from the Conservatives who try to buy the hearts with entreats and untrusted promises. As for the Liberal Quebec support, it is pretty much concentrated in Montreal and will likely stay there...but with some nail-biting uncertainty for sure.

There seems to be NDP movement in BC too and some shifting ground in spots in Ontario too. It seem as though more ordinary Canadians are seeing Jack (not the NDP) as a credible person to put some trust in as an alternative to temper the social conservative underbelly of the Harper Conservatives and to continue to humble the Liberal Party as the same time. Are Canadians collecting their wisdom and sending a message that politics as usual is not working and we want change...real change? Is the surge to Jack a protest vote more than a real shift in political philosophy of Canadians? I think so.

As we move into the final campaign weekend the parties will push the emotional buttons of their support base to get out and vote. I expect the messages will have all the subtleness of a late night Sham Wow (sic) infomercial and the gentility of a Don Rickles or a Joan Rivers monologue. The winds of change are in the political air but it is a not a violent thunder storm. It is more like a strong unrelenting headwind of thoughtful citizens pushing back against some of the distasteful campaign tactics of what has become conventional politics in Canada.

There is potential for a new political narrative to be written for Canada come Monday. It will almost assuredly be a minority government and perhaps with the NDP as the official opposition with a strong base in Quebec. What will that mean in terms of policy, governance and politics for the country? Will we see some significant political flux in the leadership of the Conservatives and the Liberals if this happens? Will the knives be out and after the leaders inside the CPC and the LPC? It depends, but don't be surprised if there are pressures on those leaders to pass the torch.

As for Jack, he might decided to quit while at the top of his game and move into a less demanding role as well. Duceppe wants out of politics and has signalled that desire for years. I expect that he will be moving on soon after this election regardless of the outcome.

It could be that the next federal election will see campaigns with new leaders in all the parties, including the Greens if Elizabeth May does not win her seat this time out.

What will the political and policy map of Canada look like after Monday? I am not sure but I am sure of one thing it will be different than it is today. Stay tuned. But in the meantime get out and vote. In a democracy we always get the government we deserve...especially if you don't vote.

Youth Are Not Politically Disengaged - If They Have a Reason to Believe

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 15:43:00 +0000

A great thing about political campaigns is you meet new people, often outside your usual spheres and circles. It adds dynamics and depth to ones understanding of how others see the world. I especially enjoy spending time with younger people and finding out more about their points of view and not just about politics - about everything they see as important.

The presumptions and stereotypes we are so quick to attribute and hesitant to change about one group or another is a dangerous thing. Pattern making is one of the great gifts of the human species and also one of our greatest downfalls because it hinders our ability to reflect on a deeper understanding appreciation or even plain tolerance for differences.

I am very aware of the application of this patterning perpetuating beliefs and superficial assumptions. One that drives me crazy is the superficial assumption that youth are not involved and engaged in politics. They are not involved in the outdated and sclerotic political institutions but that is a far cry from saying they are not involved. They are - just not in the traditionalist top down command and control concepts of political culture.

I want you to meet Erin Craig. She is a young musician who has become politically engaged through the Glenn Taylor campaign to be the leader for the Alberta Party. Here is her email to her friend expressing her thoughts and asking her friends to also become active, informed and engaged citizens. It is also a strong testimonial for Glenn Taylor and food for thought as to why he is the right kind of person to lead with others in the Alberta Party.

The Alberta Party is an effort to change the old way of doing politics in a top down hierarchy with concentrated and centralized leadership. It is a learning organization with people very skilled at the use of social media as an outreach tool and a means for message amplification. But the Alberta Party is dedicated to speaking with people directly, face to face, in what we call The Big Listen. This is an effective and sincere effort to form real relationships amongst people. It is a growing citizen's movement learning to become a new kind of political party to foster progressive changes to the Alberta political culture.

Young people like Erin Craig catching on to what the Alberta Party is all about. I expect many of them, like Erin, will find that Glenn Taylor is a different kind of leader, one they can believe in. Everyday I am seeing a progressive sea change coming to Alberta in the next election as the Erin Craig story get repeated all over the province and through all different kinds of people.

I encourage you to dust off your citizenship and park your apathy...it boring. There is a revival of democracy in the Alberta air these days and the Alberta Party is part of that spring freshness you a sensing. Join us and be the change you want. Support Glenn Taylor as the leader for the Alberta Party and help make the change you want in Alberta a reality. You can join Team Taylor by purchasing an Alberta Party membership online and volunteering for Glenn by sending me an email at kenc@glenntaylor.org

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Dave Meslin Makes Sense of Citizen Engagement

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 21:28:00 +0000

Readers of this blog know that I am keen on progressive politics but also citizen engagement. Dave takes on the presumption of apathy. The presumption of apathy is challenged and seen as a function of institutionalized barriers and obstacles.

He explores my other passion of leadership. Leadership is an heroic effort and a collective effort. Leadership is imperfect and voluntary. Leadership is "...about following your own dreams uninvited and work with others to make those drams come true."

His comments about political parties are very telling. He rightly says that political parties ought to be the most obvious entry point for citizen to become engaged. Instead they be come unimaginative and uninspiring organizations that are so dominate by polling and focus groups they all crowd in the muddle (sic) and don't risk bold and creative ideas.

It is just over 7 minutes but if you are concerned about how to prevent, avoid, detect and correct what is hindering citizen engagement this TED Talk is worth your time and reflection.

Alberta Party Leadership Nominations Close Today

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 16:01:00 +0000

The next growth stage for the Alberta Party starts today. The nominations for the leadership close today so we will know who is really in the running to lead this new political party and who is not.

GLENN TAYLOR FIRST AP LEADERSHIP CANDIDATE CONFIRMED:
Glenn Taylor was confirmed as qualified to run for the Alberta Party leadership last Thursday. He was the first candidate to declare his intentions to seek the Alberta Party leadership on February 8th and he is the first to meet the requirements of the Alberta Party to qualify to run for leadership.

Glenn is the candidate I believe most qualified and experienced to help the Alberta Party move to the next level of organization and preparation. He aligns with the values and the shared governing philosophy of the Alberta Party. There is also a pragmatic reality facing the Alberta Party around leadership. That is all the work that must be done to get this fledgling political movement ready to be a force to be reckoned with in the next Alberta election.

There is so much on the ground organizing work to be done. That will take dedicated time and proven talent if the next leader to continue to help the Alberta Party and its dedicated and growing membership realize the goal of being a viable and valid political alternative in the next election. The next election may come sooner than we think.

ALBERTA PARTY IS MOVING TO THE NEXT STAGE OF GROWTH:
Albertans are now seriously considering the Alberta Party but there is a long and arduous road ahead to move people from seriously considering to actually supporting the Alberta Party. Part of that shift will depend on the new leader. Will she or he be credible within the Alberta Party membership to capture and help them generate more enthusiasm for doing politics differently? Will the new Alberta Party leader be credible with the general voting population of Alberta to move beyond being Alberta Party curious to being an Alberta Party supporter?

That support for the Alberta Party that must come from Albertans who are yearning for a viable alternative to status quo politics. Casting a ballot for an Alberta Party candidate is necessary but insufficient to make the real difference the Alberta Party is pursuing. That support has to translate into memberships, fund raising, constituency organization, candidacy selection and training, policy and platform development, communications. Plus a deep and determined dedication to continuing and extending the Big Listen process all over, up to and through the next election. That support comes from hard work and devoting the time necessary to make it happen.

QUALITIES AND CAPACITIES OF THE NEXT LEADER:
The next a leader has to do all this and model the behaviour necessary for others to engage deploying their time and talents to the cause too. This is a shared responsibility that is lead from within the membership not dictated by a top down leader. The Alberta Party is looking for an authentic and catalytic leader not just a charismatic personality kind of leadership. Finding that kind and quality of leader is one of the keys for the Alberta Party to actually demonstrate that we will do politics differently and not just say we are different.

The new leader has to be capable an competent in all these areas as well as bring the capacity for personal electability. There is nothing good going to happen for the growth of the Alberta Party if the new leader is not electable in a constituency somewhere in Alberta. That is the truly one of the most profound and pragmatic reasons why Glenn Taylor is the best choice for the Alberta Party leadership. He has been elected four times in Hinton, three times as Mayor.

Glenn is the real deal when it comes to organizing and delivering on citizen engagement and political participation . He has sold the most Alberta Party memberships of anyone in his campaign. I will not be surprised that come the May 28 Alberta Party Leadership and Policy Convention that Glenn's constituency of West Yellowhead is going to be one of the largest, if not the largest Alberta Party constituency membership in all of Alberta.

Glenn has attracted and recruited former provincial and federal candidates from the NDP and Liberals in the West Yellowhead constituency to join the Alberta Party and support his leadership bid and his candidacy for the Alberta Party in the next election. That kind of bridge building and relationship focus is going to be at the heart of the next stage of the Alberta Party growth and development.

JOIN THE ALBERTA PARTY AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
So today is a big day in the history and the future of the Alberta Party and those candidates who qualify for the leadership race. They offer themselves for public service in a partisan political leadership role and potentially as the Premier of the province.

So Alberta, it is not too late to have an influence on the Alberta Party, its leadership and the future of the province. If you want to support Glenn Taylor you can. You can buy a membership by contacting haleys@glenntaylor.org. You can donate online at www.glenntaylor.org. You can organize and invite folks to a meet and greet event in your home or your community to move people from Alberta Party curious to Alberta Party enthusiast.

Forty years of one party rule is enough. We need a viable progressive political alternative. The good news is the Alberta Party is emerging as that viable progressive political alternative but it need nurturing and support to make it happen. The world is run by those who show up. Here is a chance for you to be a citizen again and to be part of running Alberta again.

Are Canadian Youth Standing Up and Showing Up This Election?

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 17:35:00 +0000

Here is a video that is simple and pointed about youth at the University of Guelph showing up as citizens and encouraging voting to make a difference. Lets hope this spirit spreads to other campuses and to other groups.

It is election time in Canada. Time for citizens to take back control of our democracy. Time for citizens to create alternatives to the status quo - and definitely time to get rid of oppression, intimidation and abuse through political power.

(h/t to Political Cafe for the link - a new blogger I recommend you put on your must read list.)

We can't sit back and assume all is well with how we are governed or will be under a Harper majority when we see these scenes happening on a Canadian street to peaceful protesters. Mass arrests of peaceful protester at the G20 that was more than twice the amount of arrests than happened during the FLQ crisis.

Do you think if we just concentrate just on the economy and not the integrity, accountability, transparency and honesty of those who want political power over us we will be well governed? Of course it's about the economy but it is stupid.to think it is just about the economy. Think about this election. Get informed and show up to vote and make a difference.

Canadian Women Are "Breaking Up" With Harper

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:56:00 +0000

In all the negative ad space this election and even before the election there are glimmers of satirical political hope on YouTube. These clips of Women Breaking Up With Stephen Harper fit the bill.

I think the most politically disengaged citizens in Canada are youth and women. When you put them together and cleverly highlight the personal relationship of political leadership to citizenship you get this kind of high quality satire.

These clips are 3 minute or so and worth every second of your time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn5RzQCx7So&feature=share
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2766jFKOEY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyuXptGR9cY&NR=1

This is the stuff of pointed political commentary but it is not enough to make the political changes we actually need. If women and youth show up in large numbers at their local polling stations on May 2 and reject the "Harper Government" (sic) and choose a Canadian Government instead, they can be the change agents we need to clean up the political culture of Canada.

If not, we will get more of Bev Oda's kind of conniving that made the "Harper Government" (sic) guilty of the very first finding of Contempt of Parliament in the entire history of our Westminster system of governance. How can you trust Harper to keep any promise if he has demonstrated no respect for integrity, accountability, honesty, transparency and holds the highest of our governing institutions in contempt?

If not, we get more personal abuses of political power calling in the RCMP to investigate outlandish claims, with no evidence whatsoever, but directed at personally destroying Helen Geurgis' reputation. She was a friendly, a Harper Cabinet Minister. Consider how Harper might handle his political opponents if he gets the absolute power of a majority government.

The politically motivated firing of Canadian nuclear watchdog, Linda Keen for doing her regulatory job as another example of Harper using political chilling and marginalizing those in the administration of government. There are a lot more examples. These are just a few graphic examples of why the women of Canada have to re-engage and be part of the citizen's movement to take back control of our democracy from abusive power-hungry political forces.

We need more women in Canadian politics in every way, not the least of which is as active informed and voting citizens. Cynicism is dangerous. Apathy is boring. Citizenship is a serious responsibility if democracy is to survive and reverse the scary shift towards political demagogy that we have enabled by our neglect and distaste for politics.

Politics is the power source of citizenship - especially at election time. Don't throw away your power. Make a difference in the vision and direction of Canada in this election. The world is run by those who show up. Show up and vote on May 2 to send Harper a message - Canada is "breaking up" with him and women are making it happen.

Vote for an Independent Conservative. Vote for Jim Ford May 2

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 20:02:00 +0000

OK - it will come as a surprise to many that I am endorsing a conservative candidate in the May 2 federal election. Well I am. It is my strong recommendation (for what it is worth) that the good citizens in the Edmonton Sherwood Park Fort Saskatchewan riding vote for Independent Conservative Jim Ford .

I have known Jim Ford for decades. We were both active in the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta. We were in different parts of that "big tent." He was Reform leaning and I was Red Tory as they come. We could always share ideas, address concerns and have real and respectful conversations about issues that mattered. That is not the case in the current opposition hating hyper-partisan Harper hegemony and that is not good enough.

There is a difference between a thinking independent conservative like Jim Ford and the herd of Harper compliant conservative candidates we see hunkered down and running scared across the country. We rarely hear from the individual Conservative candidates in this election. When we do it is all just speaking points. This election it is all Harper all the time and he is only talking about the most simplistic, shallow and short-sighted of his own speaking points. They are used to keep his half-hearted fiscal conservative and disheartened social conservative base happy since he has does so much to betray all of their trust since coming to power.

In conversations with Jim Ford over the years we knew we could thrive on our differences. We never had to fear each other or deride each other for having another point of view. Jim was always about gathering the collective wisdom of people. I expect he still is all about that. That is only part of why I want to endorse his candidacy, again.

We Albertans need to send the Harper Conservatives a message, not the least of which is he should no longer take the support of Alberta for granted. Canada is a representative democracy not a "friendly dictatorship" as Mr. Harper sees it as he rules rough shod over HIS caucus and HIS cabinet in the HARPER government. If Harper wins a majority government he will reign and rule over the rest of us and we will all suffer from the natural consequences of such absolute power.

Chuck Cadman knew that first hand about how Harper uses political power when he was ousted from the CPC nomination in favour of a Harper loyalists. After serving many years as a Reform and later Alliance MP Cadman was unceremoniously pushed out of the CPC nomination. Cadman was offended by the tactics used in the nomination process and decided to run anyway. He won as an independent Conservative - and the Harper preferred candidate came in 4th. Cadman heard about his 2004 election victory from his hospital bed. He had terminal cancer at the time but was still the overwhelming choice of his constituents. Canadians, and especially Albertan, need to take that same rebellious independent spirit that elected Cadman and do it again in ridings all over the country and all over Alberta.

Cadman made a huge difference and a positive personal contribution to good governance in Canada. Some of you will recall the scandal that erupted when it was alleged that key advisers to Harper were accused of offering a bribe to Cadman to secure his vote against the Martin Budget in May 2005. Cadman apparently refused and in fact, while in chemotherapy, he flew from his riding in BC to Ottawa specifically to vote for the Martin Budget. The Budget vote was a tie and the Speaker broke the tie voting with Cadman and the Martin government on the obvious non-confidence motion.

There is so much more to the Cadman story on Wikipedia and other sources if you are interested. You should be interested, It is a fascinating story that has been forgotten in the perpetual partial attention world of modern politics. Cadman was a man of courage, principle and public service. He had values that he lived by. He was caring, and conscientious and responsible. His ethics were not situational and selective as we see in so much of the Harper approach that is often an abuse of his political power.

The Jim Ford I know is an independent thinker - much like Chuck Cadman - and I expect he shares many of the other admirable Cadman qualities. Jim Ford is a guy worthy of our consent to govern. I strongly recommend the citizens of Edmonton Sherwood Park Fort Saskatchewan.send Jim to Ottawa for your own good, for the good of Alberta and yes, even for the good of the country.

Alberta in a Global Perspective Partly Because of Oil Sands

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:55:00 +0000

The oil sands have put Alberta on the world stage in many ways. The size of the reserves is enough to turn heads. The size of the capital investment for development in billions of dollars is another attention grabber. Then we have the negatives of a branding of "dirty oil" and climate change implications that have become part of the international Alberta "brand" as a result of oil sands.

There is much more to the oil sands and their implications beyond these macro issues including the social impacts of rapid development in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, aboriginal relationships and the impact rest of the province and benefits for future generations. Add the issues of water usage, habitat protection, conservation offsets and reclamation issues, especially around tailings ponds and you get a more complex but still incomplete picture.

Then consider Alberta's emerging as an international energy force and our opportunities beyond continental North America in places like China and India. Then the narrative becomes even more interesting and complex. The Institute for Public Policy at the University of Alberta Department of Economics is sponsoring an event in Edmonton May 9-10 to address the opportunities for Alberta in the light of the power shift to China and India. My business partner Satya Das is chairing one of the panels as part of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada initiative known as the "National Conversation on Asia."

This conference will look at the trade opportunities for Alberta with China and India in raw materials, manufactured goods, technology, education and business services. Can a middle power and multi-cultural country like Canada and a resource rich province like Alberta exploit the opportunities in these "burgeoning markets?

Topics include the Economies and the Financial systems, Innovative Partnerships, Energy and the Environment, Agriculture, Business Opportunities in Alberta . Satya's Chairing the Energy and Environment session with participation from the Canadian Centre for Clean Coal/Carbon and Mineral Processing Technologies, the Centre for Economic Studies at Jawaharal Nehru University, the Research Centre for Sustainable Development, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Joe Doucet, the Enbridge Professor of Energy Policy at the U of A School of Business.

More Harper Contempt? This Time is it for the Law?

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 20:47:00 +0000

The picture is getting clearer every day about of just how bad the Harper government is (sic) and what a danger he has become to our democracy and in his indifference to his governance responsibility to Canadians.

Now we have reports of a "damning audit of G8 spending by the federal Conservatives" from Auditor General Sheila Fraser. However, Fraser, ever the consummate professional, will not release the report because under her enabling legislation she can only release reports when Parliament is sitting. Where is the whistle blower who might leak this vital information for Canadians to have and help us judge the quality and capacity of the Harper Cons to govern? BTW, where is the Harper promise of legislation to protect whistle blowers when he came to office five years ago?

Media reports quote Fraser as saying an early draft, not the final report, "...may have been released by someone outside our Office." One can only hope. We need a change in the law so the AG can release any report she wants to at any time she wants to whether it is preliminary or final. This arcane restriction that such material can only be released when Parliament is sitting is a relic of a bye-gone era of command and control of communications was possible and preferable. Not the case today.

Apparently every party has agreed to the release of her damning audit of G8 expenses but only when it is done properly and according to the law. Harper in his best dog-in-a-manger mood called on Fraser to release the final report anyway, knowing she could not do so legally. What height of hubris would motivate a holder of the highest office in the country to make such a statement. Actually inviting the Auditor General to break the law.

Spare me the half-hearted homage to open accountable honest and transparent governing Mr. Prime Minister. We are talking about allegations of misspending and illegality of some of the $1.2billion of taxpayer money we had to borrow "to put a good face on Canada" at the G8 and to give "...the rest of the fund (as) a gift to the region. This is money Harper borrowed on our behalf to upgrade parks and revitalize small town down towns in communities that allegedly had nothing to do with G8 activities but sure seemed aimed at helping out hapless Tony Clement, the Cons MP from the area.

Why should thoughtful Canadian citizen have the slightest respect for a Prime Minister who openly suggests the Auditor General break the law? This is pure political posturing at best to mislead the media and the public about the truth. At worst it is counselling an Officer of Parliament to break the law. That is irresponsible governing but typical of Prime Minister Harper who has shown less and less respect for the non-political duties of his office. Makes one see just how easily it was for this PM to have a five time convicted fraudster working in his office without any serious concern for the possible consequences.

John Baird, bless his partisan heart, said the "inflammatory language" in the first report is not in the final draft. That does little to diffuse allegations of serious wrong-doing or reassure Canadians that these guys are still worthy of our consent to govern. Besides, what is Baird doing commenting on the content of the still secret Auditor General report and why is he doing it in public before the author can legally talk about the contents herself? Who made him above the law? That behaviour is further evidence of contempt for Parliament and disrespect for the rule of law by the "Harper government."

This election Canadians have to realize that they are electing their own government, not Harper's government as he likes to have us refer to him. We have to ensure in this election that the words "Harper" and "government" are never again in the same sentence except to describe a bad time in the history of our democracy. When Brian Mulroney of all people, is prepared to "...show his unease with Harper's Tories" it is time to defeat them at the ballot box.

Imagine No Harper

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Chapman) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 18:14:00 +0000

This link came from an anonymous comment on another post on this blog. It is a little bit of satire you can spare 3 mins or so to enjoy and reflect on.

I know its anonymous and everyone know how much I detest anonymous comments. But OMG if they used their real names they would be thrown out of public political rallies by Harper henchmen as Harper ducks and weaves to avoid answering questions.

There here is the link - enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWI9GHIBusM