Parts of the King - correction on November 14

On November, this blogger wrote something I really don't think makes sense.

87 MLA's are not 87 parts of the king because they govern in a democracy. 308 MP's are not 308 parts of the king because they govern in a democracy.

What I actually think makes sense is that each Canadian, each Albertan, in a democracy is an equal part of the government.

For practical reasons we elect people to use their wisdom and judgment to act on behalf of each of us in the act of governing. We, the government (the King), entrust our equally shared role of government to those elected representatives to use responsibly.

We change trustees from time to time through the election process.

It is then by our respective proxies that these elected officials become parts of the "king".

This is our country Canada. This is our province Alberta. We own it equally.

Think about that! We are equal partners in the ownership of the country!

Catalyst for Liberal Action

Ms. Terri Jackson eloquently and forcefully kicks the door open to healthcare reform.

I advise Liberals everywhere to use Ms. Jackson's letter as a call to health delivery reform arms.

More importantly, I strongly urge Liberals across Canada, including in Alberta, to recruit Mr. Duckett and Ms. Jackson to the cause of orienting health care delivery to be a patient driven service, enabling demand to lead where health care should go. Please don't insist they take a blood oath to become Liberals. Instead, respect their knowledge and ability by offering to engage them in the never ending effort to make health care more relevant, effective and efficient for the user/payers.

Stephen Duckett came to Alberta with interesting credentials. His strong public health background might have been the perfect camouflage for a cynical move back to the future where low income people could pay for health care by bringing chickens to the clinic, were they allowed to raise them in the backyard.

Mr. Duckett's wife is upset with his firing as any wife might be under any circumstances. However, she doesn't waste her breath simply leveling a blast at the powers that fired him. She delivers a considered essay describing the dysfunctionality at work and points to better ways of delivering a responsive, responsible patient driven health care system.

Ms. Jackson nails it! Well written, thoughtful letter with many clues to finding a meaningful roadmap to the future of healthcare everywhere, including Alberta.

Alberta made a mistake firing health boss, says Stephen Duckett's wife
Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/Alberta+made+mistake+firing+health+boss+says+Stephen+Duckett+wife/3916229/story.html#ixzz170rZJYVv
LETTER: Firing my husband was a big mistake, Alberta
Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/LETTER+Firing+husband+mistake+Alberta/3916269/story.html#ixzz170rkrCTY

Thank you Ms. Jackson.

Liberals Need Space in the Blab-o-sphere

Michael Luo reports on the development of a Democrat's initiative to counter the Republican-leaning voices commanding much of web-based and talk radio space - the blab-o-sphere- in the United States.

I wonder how Canadians can do the same sort of thing. Why can't liberal think tanks be brought to the fore to develop and support meaningful policies across the spectrum of needs by Canadians, even Canadians resident in only one province?

(see the New York Times article here)
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/23/us/politics/23money.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=a23

Far too much of the Canadian think-tank-o-sphere is far too narrowly focussed on simplistic partisanship supporting the power grasping of the neo-cons.

I think liberals can use our democratic perspective to develop facilities in the think-tank-o-sphere that are more heavily weighted on the think part and less so on the tank part.

Not elected to UNgovern!

The New York Times editorial of Saturday November 13 makes the point of electing people rather forcefully.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/14/opinion/14sun1.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=a211

I think we should take that message seriously. Opposition members are traditionally referred to as "members of the loyal opposition" for very good and sound reason.

If we think of a democratic government as the replacement for the king, we then have - in the case of Canada - 308 equal parts of the king, in the case of Alberta - 87 equal parts of the king.

Just like the various parts of a king, we would not expect some parts to disable the other parts. Rather, we would expect all the parts to figure out how to work together. The majority, or at least leading, party's political philosophy and the principles of that philosophy will be the head and heart of the kingly body, realizing the governance of the whole body in accordance with that philosophy and those principles. So the whole body may get into fights or not, may get slack or fit etc.

However, every part is necessary to the adequate functioning of that body.

In the same way, when people are elected, none are elected to disable the body from functioning or to kill it off with suicide. Yet, the out-of-control extreme partisanship we see all too often is evidence of that exact dysfunction.

Once the election is over, it's over. Time to get on with governing!

Open Mike

Heard an interesting suggestion last evening.

Leader Ignatieff is touring Canada with Town Hall meetings called "Open Mike" meetings.

There could be two huge posters of Mike Pearson, one on each side of the podium to honour a time of civil political discourse in this country epitomized by Liberal Mike Pearson.

Great idea that reminds us that outside of the writ period, even political foes are in this country together.

Today seems a good day to begin such a practice, given armed forces and civilian personnel worked together without consideration of political allegiance to defend this country in times of peril.

Let's Remember.

Coderre/ Kennedy Town Hall

Great event last evening.

Hon. Mssrs. Coderre and Kennedy had many important points to make about their role as Natural Resource critics vis a vis oil sands, renewable energy and their role as opposition.

That latter topic was particularly interesting to me. I'm sure they are working as elected members representing their constituents in government. They are learning what their opposition role is as part of liberal democratic government and are being effective in that role.

They are arming themselves with facts and aspirations of all parties to an issue, oil sand petroleum extraction for example, and working to address government's role in that important and strategic economic sector.

Most importantly, they are determined to help the actors in the sector develop policies to help assure the sector's sustainability, including managing its environmental, economic, social and political impacts.

I think we can be proud of the job our federal Liberals are doing on behalf of all Canadians.

C-428 - What Happened?

Whatever happened to Bill C-428 supporting immigrant families' access to Old Age Security?

Hon. Ruby Dhalla and Hon. Bob Rae moved to protect immigrant seniors with some income support that would have a minor impact on the federal budget. It would, however, have a major impact on attracting the immigrants we need to sustain Canada's economy and help us all thrive.

Seems a pretty small investment in egalitarianism for a pretty large return in business creation, job generation and and resulting tax revenue.

ALP and Swann Certain Also Rans?

So, people spent up to $97 per received vote in US elections and lost! Wow!
(see: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/09/AR2010110900153.html?wpisrc=nl_cuzhead ) (also : http://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/07/opinion/la-ed-money-20101107 )

Very interesting little event at Broken City last evening where a bright guy confidently pronounced David Swann and the Alberta Liberals as certain also rans in the next Alberta general election.

Given the Nenshi case for winning elections (see http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Nenshi+race/3717226/story.html & http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Election+outcome+tale+energy/3715121/story.html ) and the Angle/ McMahon/ Whitman case for losing elections along with the tone, mood and engagement found in the event yesterday, placing your bets just now might be a tad premature.

There is real opportunity and it relates to the engagement or disengagement of a great many highly motivated and critical wannabe voters.

The change of the campaign process has thrown most of conventional wisdom about campaigning out the window.

Brace for change!

See Nenshi win on Mikes Matters

http://mikesmatters.blogspot.com/2010/10/kelly-crydermans-report-on-nenshi-win.html

I'm always looking for responses!

Thank you Mark

In Sunday's Calgary Herald http://www.calgaryherald.com/columnists/Mikle+Nenshi+liberal+propensity+self+flattery/3718468/story.html , Mr. Milke promptly reminds us that Calgary has been made a great city by more than Mr. Nenshi.

Wow! How quickly we seem to forget those that came before us! ... and those with us still! Thank you for saving us from our ignorant selves!

What would we do without the brain trust apologists for oligarchy to keep us in our place?

We might act democratically!