Under Construction

Hi all,

I am currently re-working my website to reflect my position as Leader of the Alberta Party and the candidate for West Yellowhead. Please be patient as we relocate and re-design this blog.

Thank you for your continued readership and I look forward to re-launching my blog in the fall of 2011.

Glenn

Thank you!!!

As I walked up to the microphone upon the announcement of the results from the first ballot at convention, I took off my jacket and rolled up my sleeves.  As we move forward into the next phase of building the Alberta Party into the viable option for Albertans during the next election we have much to do and much to be thankful for. I want you to know that my sleeves are permanently rolled up.

It’s certainly been a whirlwind for me, right from the first media scrum at the convention immediately following my acceptance of the task that you have asked of me, through my first Board meeting as leader on Sunday, and onward through the interviews, phone calls, e-mails, twitter messages and facebook comments! 

I’m gratified by the quick interest of the media, as I have been interviewed by media outlets right across Canada. From the Vancouver Sun to the Montreal Gazette, from Sun TV in Toronto to Alberta Primetime we have been generating a lot of interest and a lot of stories, now we need to keep this momentum going. 

As I’ve been engaged in all of these activities over these last few days, I’ve also been reflecting on the wonderful people that I’ve met over the course of the campaign. I have such gratitude for the commitment we share, and our hope that we can together, create the foundation for a new, stronger Alberta.  So, before I go farther, let me thank you all. 

First I want to thank everyone who voted and all the Alberta Party members who have been answering family and friends’ questions about what this new party is, and why we need a new alternative.  The strength of our democracy is founded on people’s willingness to engage in the democratic process. 

Our leadership campaign team has been my mainstay over the last few months.  I’ve appreciated the strength of support that comes from people from diverse backgrounds with strongly held ideas, finding synergy in a common cause and a shared dream.  I look forward to your continued involvement and contribution.

To Randy, Lee and Tammy I would like to say that our shared experience on this campaign trail was one of the high points for me. I and our Party benefits from the ideas you brought forth and the passion you hold for acting in service of a better Alberta. Your networks of supporters and their ideas and passion are a critical part of the foundation that we’ve established to build on.  The character of an organization is established in its beginnings.  The standard we set for respectful, collaborative competition I hope will be the core of what the Alberta Party is known and respected for.  I appreciate your offers to assist as we go forward - count on me calling on you. I look forward to working with you in whatever role you choose to play as we go forward. 

Thank you, and congratulations to the Board and staff of the Party. You’ve created so many miracles over the past few months that it’s hard to believe just how short a time it’s been.  I hope you’re reveling in the knowledge that you’ve produced an amazing start.  Sue Huff has been tireless as interim leader and I look forward to working closely with her and with Dave Taylor as we go forward. 

If we are to be a learning organization, and ultimately a learning government, then that means we need to learn as much as we can from each experience about how we live our Party’s values to the highest level. So, if you have feedback on the leadership campaign, please send it to leader@albertaparty.ca.  Please put “Learning Ideas” in the subject line so we can be sure to record it in the Learning Summary. 

Thank you to everyone.  I’m looking forward to working with you over the next months and years, and to celebrating again after the next provincial election!

If You Want to Go Far, Go With a Group...

There is an African proverb that says; “If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go with a group.  The Alberta Party has to do both – because the real test of our party and our next leader will be in the next election, and that may be as early as November 2011, surely not much later than March 2012.  We in the Alberta Party have to go fast and far if we are to become a viable political alternative.

In this blog I am going to outline how I have attempted to do both, as a leadership contestant for the Alberta Party.

It began in late January of 2010.  I recognized within myself a strong desire to run as an MLA candidate for the Alberta Party in my home constituency of West Yellowhead in the next provincial election. At the same time I also began to recognize I wanted to offer my leadership skills and contribute more to the goals of democratic reform and political change through this new citizen’s movement known as the Alberta Party.

 These ideas were growing stronger within me so I talked to my wife Donna.  She is the common sense balance that I need as I learn, lead and live in the world of politics.  Donna and I explored if this was a wise thing to do.  Once she agreed that I should look further into doing this I spent some time reflecting on what this change would mean in our lives.    

Taking time to talk things through and to reflect on what running for MLA and party leader would mean was invaluable in coming to grips with the challenges as well as the opportunities.  Winning the Alberta Party leadership without winning a seat in the Legislature would not be good enough.

In order to do both, I recognized that I actually needed to build two different teams.    One team would build the Alberta Party West Yellowhead Constituency Association (CA).  The other team would  focus on the Leadership  campaign and be involved  all over Alberta.  Both teams shared the common goal of selling memberships and raising awareness of both me and the Alberta Party. I have been blessed with two incredible, but separate groups of volunteers committed to different by complementary goals.

BUILDING WEST YELLOWHEAD

In West Yellowhead we have a team that includes the former candidates who ran for both the NDP and the Liberal Party in each of the last federal and provincial elections.  They bought Alberta Party memberships and brought their political campaign organizers and volunteers with them.  . The Alberta Party in West Yellowhead also has participation from three municipal councils in our region, three Chambers of Commerce and two aboriginal organizations.   Every Hinton town councillor I serve with is now an Alberta Party member and the Deputy Mayor is our CA President. 

Over thirty people showed up to our founding meeting and today we have the largest membership of any constituency in the Alberta Party. These people are committed to building a viable political option for West Yellowhead and are well on their way to getting it done.

My most memorable moment while starting the conversations with the folks at my local level was when one of the organizers from another party said to me, “Glenn, here’s the thing. We all wanted you to be our Party’s candidate in the next election.  Instead of that, you’re going off to build a whole new Party. Well, if we can’t have you with us, then I guess we’re going to be with you...”

The folks in my riding of West Yellowhead have been working hard they have been building our party, selling memberships, promoting this Alberta Party idea of doing politics differently.  And they’ve been doing all this, while I’ve been travelling the Province campaigning to be the leader.

RUNNING FOR LEADER

For my leadership campaign I had to have conversations with a wide array of people all over Alberta.    On this journey I have come to know more about the province and the people who make it such a great place to live. I asked them what they thought of this idea of the Alberta Party, Furthermore, I had to ask them if they would be willing to risk connecting themselves to what I and the Alberta Party is trying to do.

In January and early February I talked with people that I knew, and many others that I was introduced to for the first time. I asked them if they could find reason to believe in supporting me for leader of the Alberta Party.  I asked if they would work with me on a campaign that had very little money, very little structure and a lot of hope. I was surprised and humbled by the many positive responses I received.

From all across Alberta people offered to help. Well connected people, active volunteers and builders in their own right. Today I have a leadership campaign team that represents a broad cross section of Albertans, demographically and geographically.   They come from the creative community and ranks of the unemployed to the leaders of multi-million dollar companies, from the boards of not-for-profit organizations to activists in the labour movement.  People who want change have stepped forward to help make that change happen by donating time, talent and funds to our leadership campaign

 We have three teams set up, one that is focussed on and in Calgary, another for Edmonton, and one for the rest of Alberta. These teams are made up of some of the most committed, quiet, social activists in Alberta.  Many of our volunteers are involved in politics for the very first time as they recognize their need to work to change government in Alberta.

On our provincial campaign teams we have people that represent some of the most steadfast volunteer and not for profit boards in our fine province.  From the PDD board to SOFA, from funders to fundraisers, we have people that have chosen to step up and regain their democratic right to join the political party of their choice and look past the fear of repercussions from our current government.

Our organizing model has been based on the best tenants of community organizing. People invited their friends and neighbours, their family and co-workers into their homes where they hosted an opportunity to meet me, learn about the Alberta Party and sell memberships to those that found a connection to what we are trying to do.

As a result of what our volunteer provincial team has done over these past few months I know that we have increased the Alberta Party membership by the hundreds, and for that I am grateful.

No matter what happens on May 28^th when the Alberta Party selects their next leader, I will have some small satisfaction in knowing that we have built a new awareness and helped many people regain their citizenship through political action.

While we might be able to get there faster by going it alone, I know that we will go further having worked as a group. On May 29^th the next phase of building will begin.

 We have to be viable, vibrant and competitive in the next election. 

On May 28 the Alberta Party will choose a leader, in doing so we will be telling the rest of Alberta who we think the person to be Premier should be, the person that we think is capable, caring and courageous enough to take Alberta forward, to realize our full potential.

 We have grown in numbers, in confidence and in capacity to become a preferred choice for change in Alberta...but we are a long way from being that preferred choice.   The next job is to become that first choice for change.

How To Build a Better MLA

Recently an Alberta Party member contacted me by e-mail to ask me what I would do, as leader, to help our Party get MLA’s elected, because that “is my biggest concern and that is how we will get REAL change accomplished in this province,” he wrote. “As leader, you would have a major role and effect in/on this effort. This is a pragmatic question and I am looking for a frank and pragmatic response.” - Jeremy

I responded to him last week, but now have decided to share my answer with all of you through my blog post this week. So here it is…

Hi Jeremy,

Their are many, many good people already working as volunteer board members, elected local government representatives, school board reps and community association presidents, etc. These are people that are already working on behalf of their friends and neighbors, already have a trust factor established and have governance experience. These are the folks that I think we should ask to consider offering themselves as candidates on behalf of the Alberta Party. Ideally we could set up a matrix that could guide our CA's as they move to candidate identification and selection.

Immediately following the election of our leader on the 28th my intention would be to start by connecting with community league/association presidents and local elected officials from across Alberta - many whom I know through my experience with the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association, and setting up discussions with them as to who they think are the respected, connected, experienced volunteers and community activists in their regions.

Then we work to connect our Constituency Associations (CA’s) with the folks that we've identified. If we can connect with these people, they will already bring the organization and network from having already been elected in some capacity for some kind of community service. This would also give us a huge leap forward in organizing on the ground.

I believe that many community volunteers and locally elected officials have waited years for an opportunity that our Party is presenting, they are not going to put themselves forward for the PC's (you have to wait your turn for that) and they don't identify with the Alliance, therefor a progressive party like ours, with a clear framework could be very attractive to them.

It has been my experience that there is a whole host of people across Alberta that have been biding their time, waiting for a political party that represents their values so that they can offer themselves as candidates. They have been serving their communities in elected positions and are ready to take on a new role, with the right Party. The opportunity is here, and we need to go find them.

That is one aspect of my outlook on your question.

I also think that we need to continue the home hosted meet and greets. During my leadership campaign I have been in dozens of homes as the guest of the owner, it is amazing how people respond when they have been invited into someone’s home to meet a person that represents something that they believe in and are willing to risk their personal credibility on.

As a result of these home hosted events we have signed up many, many new Party members. I think that our team has surpassed two hundred new members so far, and just brought 41 more on board this past weekend.

During the home hosted events we start to build the organizing team for the local CA while supporting the potential candidates as the leader. We literally build the Party by going into peoples homes and doing the work of community organizing, one neighborhood, and one community at a time.

Finally, we focus on information exchange with all of our candidates, both from our central office and from the office of the leader. I envision a regular tele-conference or video conference with all of the candidates and the leader during which we examine and discuss hot topics, emerging trends and such, while sharing best practices and learning with one another.

My background is one of community organizing and advocacy, I would work with the Party to bring that experience to bear to help find, select and support our team of MLA's and the CA's that select them, to be successful.

I see my role as leader being a phased approach to helping build our party. Initially we continue the path that I've been on of criss-crossing Alberta, meeting people where they are and building the Party on the ground. Then we move to election readiness planning, CA and candidate support, training and education. Then finally we move to the campaign, where we have good support regarding messaging, local support and communications.

Finally, I would suggest that part of our candidate support process would be based on my experience of having worked with a group of people across Alberta to introduce an Elected Officials Education Program. I would like to see us introduce an intense training program so that our candidates are fully informed as to the job duties of an MLA, understand the primary issues of the day, including Bills in front of the ledge recently and of course, the Alberta Party policy and perspectives. We need to present a viable option that we will be ready to govern if we are asked to serve Albertans.

By engaging on the ground in helping our CA’s find, recruit and educate potential candidates, ideally those that have governance experience and then working with them to understand the role, educating them on the issues and supporting them while they continue to meet and greet people, where the people are, I believe that we should be able to have a very credible, very strong team of candidates to offer Alberta.

It’s All in The How . . .

As I have been travelling across Alberta these past few months I've been involved in a lot of conversations about how the Alberta Party might do politics differently. In this blog post I'm going to capture a little of where my mind is at when it comes to this question...

Most often when we think about Doing Governance Differently, we automatically turn to public policy as a descriptor or guide to what “differently” means.  While some nuance of differently MAY show up in policy . . . meaningful “difference” will most often happen in the means through which the policy is carried out.

It seems quite likely that most of Alberta’s current political parties will continue to outline their story for the future of our province in their policy and it is also likely that this policy will all look quite similar; “strong and vibrant economy”, “diversified energy platform”, “best educated citizenry in the world” – you get my drift  . . . However, as I have often said, it’s in questions about how we will achieve these ends that Albertans will begin to understand what governing differently really means. 

Will we continue to restructure health care every two years, will Ministries work collaboratively, will decisions be made as close to the issues as possible, how will government connect to and hear the voice of those who have put their faith in them . . . the list of how’s is endless and through the how we will begin to understand what governing differently really means.

The how I want to discuss is Meaningful Citizen Engagement.   Our Leadership Team, the team that is working to help elect me as Leader for the Alberta Party, has been thinking about what meaningful citizen engagement really looks like.  I submit that meaningful engagement means a process that will foster collaborative dialogue intended to share mutual knowledge, and discover NEW opportunities for action. It will welcome all voices that want to be heard, will ensure anonymity when requested and will treat participants as equals. 

Let me unpack this process stuff just a bit.

Dialogue is NOT simple conversation, or debate, or one individual answering the questions of another.  The etymology of Dialogue is Greek with dia meaning flowing or passing through and logos meaning, umm, well, meaning, I guess.  So . . .  meaning flowing through.  I like that descriptor.

If we have authentic dialogue that allows for the sharing of knowledge the discovery of new opportunities will often take those who participate not only to a new understanding, but more importantly, to the discovery of new answers. The meaning will flow through to the actions needed.

I envision a process where we suspend any supposed rank so that we all participate as equal citizens in a method lightly facilitated that allows the conversations to go where they need to.  We don’t need to invent something new either, there are well researched, designed and tested processes that can lead participants to EUREKA moments that are well supported by the systems to develop new answers and new beginnings.

We just have to be bold enough to try a new way in governance.

Isn’t that what we are looking for – New Answers – not the same old answers wrapped in different wrapping paper and given every election as the new way – but truly new answers! New beginnings that we can develop together.

After all, if we are going to do politics differently then we have to ensure that we actually do it differently. Entrenched governments tend to use force - economic, influence, fear and funding - to gain their ends; our job is often to resist that force. If we end up using the same means to gain our outcomes, will we end up being any better than them? Will we be different? I don’t think so.

It’s not enough to win. We have to win without becoming that which we are struggling against.

I've Lived It...

A New Day For Alberta

We are in a new era, and we need a new leadership and governance model.  Albertans are educated, connected and want to be involved ... not shut out. 

The Alberta Party is grounded in the values of true democracy, engagement and transparency ... where our elected officials, including the leader, are accessible, respectful of opinion, and collaborative in solutions. 

The Alberta Party has become a movement across the province – a collection of people who care deeply about Alberta, and who deeply want to be a part of building Alberta.  That’s what sparked our “Big Listen” that has been going around from community to community, embracing ideas from every place, everyone and every age.  The people we’ve been meeting feel a part of it for the first time or for the first time in a long time ... they’ve been asked what they think ... what they believe ... and what they expect.  So simple, but so profound. 

Leadership Style

I’ve had the privilege of serving this province in many capacities over the last decade ... as the Mayor of Hinton, as the Chair of the Rural Alberta Development Fund, as a board member of AUMA ... and my leadership style is what Albertans tell me they are looking for:

 

Wisdom: to handle changing circumstances;

Humanity: to understand the needs of all people;

Respect: to attract people of difference but of character;

Integrity: to get done what is promised;

Courage: to ignite morale and commitment; and

Dignity: to ensure pride and confidence.

Experience: to lead having learned by doing.

But most importantly, my leadership style comes from what I learned best from my parents ... hard work every day, resilience in times of trouble, and to try to inspire everyone you meet.

Experience

Many people are asking how we are going to move from our Big Listen to building policy based on what we have heard and then finally acting on it. This is where I think that I have something unique to offer based on my experience serving in leadership positions with the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association, Rural Alberta Development Fund and as Mayor for Hinton.

In each of the organizations that I mention above we build actions based on having first listened to our constituents and then incorporated what we heard into a business plan, built a budget based on that plan and then acted to institute the plan.

With the Rural Alberta Development Fund I chaired a $100 million fund that we designed to listen to Albertans with great ideas, and then work with them to build a plan to implement that idea and finally fund the idea. We’ve had incredible results.

With the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association as a Vice-President I chaired a sub-committee that had the responsibility to listen to over 1300 members and then develop policy based on what we heard so that we could advocate to the Government to effect change on behalf of every urban municipality in Alberta. Most recently we led an initiative to build Community Sustainability Plans for towns and cities. These CSP’s were built by listening to and then acting on the interests of the citizens that lived in the communities that were involved in the planning.

In Hinton, we have been building policy based on listening to our citizens ever since I was elected to office. During our first community consultation about 8 years ago we had about 150 folks out, during our last round of consultation we had over 1800 citizens engage in the process.

I know that the Big Listen will be effective because I’ve lived and worked it for many years. Authenticity in leadership is based on listening, and then acting. And then of course, being accountable for your actions.

I’ve lived it, I’ve been held accountable publicly for my actions, and I know we can do this together at the Provincial level.

Let's Build Our Next Alberta Together

I believe that Alberta should aspire to be the best FOR the world. Not just the best IN the world. With all of our individual and provincial advantages we should have higher expectations of ourselves and greater aspirations for our Alberta   

It’s time for Alberta to be the best for the world in clean energy, and in responsible environmental stewardship, in research and innovation, in public education and in public healthcare.  We have all the tools and talents.  We just need to focus our will as a people and a province to take up these challenges and rise to our potential.

We have a decaying democracy and a flawed governing philosophy in Alberta and it’s time for us to take back the control of our democracy. 

The Alberta Party is a hopeful example of how that is happening now.  Our Party is growing as an influential citizens’ movement as we become a successful new political party. 

The key to this change is the energy and enthusiasm of Alberta Party members.  We have all come together and are taking on personal responsibility to be better informed, more active and more effective in demanding the political and policy changes we want in our Alberta.

I believe that we need to change the nature of political leadership as part of the solution.  We need a governance culture that enables and empowers people to be the best they can be for the benefit of themselves and their families. 

We need a sense of personal citizenship that serves the greater good in our communities and for our province.

Our traditional political parties seem to be tired and weary.  Our government has lost their way and have forgotten who they are supposed to serve. 

Many Albertans that I have chatted with believe that our government has become disconnected from the realities of the ordinary people of Alberta who are striving to prosper while pursuing a satisfying life.

Government should be a place where citizens come together with hope and optimism.  It should not be a way to drive us apart and raise our fears.

The mainstream political parties in Alberta  seldom stop to figure out and reflect on the real questions that we need to be concerned with.   Questions like how can we be assured that we are leaving a legacy to future generations that are better, not worse than what we inherited? 

How do we integrate our economy and environment and do it in a way that serves our society as a whole and not just benefit certain special interests? 

How do we plan for long term goals and move away from a partisan self-serving political culture that thinks and makes policy in four year election cycles?

Be The Change

For far too long, I couldn’t find a political home here in Alberta, a home where my values and beliefs wouldn’t be compromised; a home where my hopes and dreams about what Alberta can and should be would be embraced and realized.  

My search ended whith the emerging Alberta Party and its inclusive, progressive, caring and common sense approach. 

My search for a political home is over, but my journey to be the change I want to see in Alberta has just begun. 

I see I am not alone on this journey.  Everyone I have spoken with as I campaign to be a leader of the Alberta Party is also on a personal journey of learning and leading.  

We are learning how to do politics differently and we are leading change in Alberta by listening to our friends and neighbours.

We are going to raise the level of debate and dialogue in this Province. We are going to talk about ideas, not just ideology. 

We are going to commit to constantly listen and really understand what we are hearing as we continue the spirit of the Big Listen as fundamental to our approach to doing politics differently.

The Alberta Party is not just a promising new political party - It is an emerging and empowering citizen’s movement.  Its values  align with my values.

I have found common purpose with people that have a vision of the role of government that aligns with my vision of responsible, relevant governance with a renewed sense of representative democracy.

I believe that the Alberta Party aligns with the values and sensibilities of the vast majority of Albertans who are moderate, inclusive, and progressive; and who want to be proud of their province once again.  This is what I hear coming from the heads and hearts of Albertans  as I listen to the aims and aspirations of the people I have come to know and respect as fellow travellers in the Alberta Party journey.

Dream Big and Act Boldly 

I yearn for the spirit, the vision, and the daring of the era that attracted me to Alberta.  When the people of this province dreamed big and acted boldly, with a clear vision of the future and our place in it. And I am willing to work hard to bring back that spirit and sense of purpose to our province.

I believe that I have a proven personal record of public service and the leadership qualities that will help the Alberta Party to change the nature of politics and the government of Alberta.

In the end, what I really want to do is to be to be part of the thinking, planning and destiny of a political movement that will make Albertans feel proud to be Albertan again. 

So as I aspire to be worthy of your support to lead the Alberta Party, as together we set out to change our political culture, I ask you what your commitment is to our Alberta and your citizenship duties  

I ask you to continue to take on more responsibility to be part of creating the vision of our Alberta that we can all share and achieve together as the Alberta Party.

Ask yourself what your role is in our shared journey as we go forward and create the Alberta Party and our next Alberta.

As I continue on my journey of building our next Alberta through the Alberta Party I am offering my experience, skills and commitment to serve this party as a leader. 

I say “A” leader not “THE” leader.  That is because if we are going to do politics differently, we have to do leadership differently too.  There is a lot of leadership talent and energy in the Alberta Party already.  There is more to come as we grow our membership and the numbers and strength of our constituencies.  

As a municipal mayor I understand the process of shared leadership and mutual respect for differences of opinion.  I also know there is wisdom in crowds if we are open to listen, explore and share. 

Our party is on a search for more than a new leader.  We want a new kind of leader for Alberta.  It is in that spirit that I ask you support the Alberta Party by supporting me as that new kind of leader.

As I continue on this journey of building our next Alberta – and seek the leadership of our Alberta Party - I hope that you will walk with me, support me, and when needed, vote for me.

A Growing Citizens Movement

It’s a New Day. It’s Time for a New Way.

My interest in, and support of the Alberta Party is founded in my belief that it’s time to recognize how much our province has changed in recent decades – and to reflect these changes in the important relationship between our government and us, the people that they were elected to represent.

Over the past year we reached out to Albertans, in living rooms, and community halls, in coffee shops and pubs, we invited Albertans to meet us, and we listened to what they had to say.  

And what I heard called me to action.

Our Province has changed but our government hasn’t changed with us.

They are still trying to perfect yesterday, but the Alberta Party is the Party of change. We don’t have to unlearn the old lessons of the party politics of yesterday.

We are going to start something new. Something that is built on the hopes and dreams, the aspirations and understandings of the citizens of Alberta, people like you and I. People that believe that there has to be a better way.

It’s Time for a New Way.

I am seeking the leadership of the Alberta Party because I bring a level of experience and understanding that I think can really benefit this new Party.

Because of my work on a Provincial level with the many boards, committees and associations that I have served with I will bring both a rural and an urban perspective to my leadership of this Party.

For the past 10 years, I have traveled throughout rural and urban Alberta; I have worked with and listened to our citizens from towns and cities, villages and hamlets right across the province.

I have a deep and abiding understanding of the challenges that Albertans face today.

One thing that I have learned is that the vast majority of us have given up on the political system, but not on Alberta.

It’s Time for a New Way for Social Responsibility.

Ask yourself; is it acceptable that our elderly, our infirm, our sick, are left waiting for care in emergency rooms across Alberta?

Like my mother-in-law, who waited for over 7 hrs in the emergency room with a blood clot in her leg only to be told to drive to another hospital to see someone there instead?

She suffered a life debilitating stroke during that trip and now sits paralysed and voiceless in a designated living facility with inadequate care, and not enough strength to look after herself.

Is it acceptable that so many of our children struggle through school looking for the acceptance that not all children learn at the same rate or the same speed?

Or for that matter, that not all children are destined for University and a classic post secondary education?

My nephew dropped out of school in Grade 10 because he wasn’t able to take the shop courses or the trades training that would have helped him stay in high school, he didn’t match the Government mandated achievement expectations. 

I’ve seen the pain of a woman who lost her father, because his age pushed him to the back of the surgery waiting list. I’ve seen men waste away and die waiting for that surgery.

I’ve seen the fear in the eyes of students when they have to accept heavy debts in order to receive an advanced education in the most prosperous province in the nation.

In a province as prosperous as Alberta, every citizen that wishes to learn should be able to afford to. Every child should be able to attend school without having to worry about school supplies and extra costs.

It’s Time for a New Way of Fiscal Responsibility.

Ask yourself; is it acceptable that a party calls itself fiscally conservative but is so fiscally irresponsible that it constantly projects economic doom and gloom while demanding cuts in programs and services, only to re-consider their budget later in the year, and admit they were wrong?

The programs don’t come back though, and that quiet admission of error doesn’t help those left without the services they need.

We need to redefine success. In a way that’s credible and accountable, with clarity and honesty.

We need to be smarter about taxation and expenditures and build on our existing economic strengths and areas of greatest potential while developing a comprehensive, transparent plan for the investment and expenditure of revenue from the investments.

It’s Time for a New Way of Governance and Democracy.

However, what worries me the most, is that I’ve seen Albertans turn away from the political process when they conclude their vote makes no difference, because decisions are made in faraway places by politicians who don’t see their struggle, and when they do, fail to trust the very citizens that elected them to develop local solutions.

Our politics are broken. Our democracy needs nourishment. Our citizens need inspiration.  

We need a government that understands that our MLA’s job is to be the voice of citizens into government, not the voice of government to the citizens.

Remember the meaning of democracy - by the people, for the people.

A healthy democracy means there is no fear; a prosperous democracy means there is no want.

But it’s a new day in Alberta and there is an answer: the Alberta Party. A common sense party that is connecting to Albertans and connecting Albertans to one another. A Party that is building policy by the people, and for the people, of Alberta.

It’s a new day. It’s time for a new way.

Provincial Budgets Never Reflect Reality. Why Not?

There's always a huge gap between the politicized budget forecasts of Progressive Conservative governments in Alberta, and the audited budget facts from the Auditor General.

The one common theme of all the Progressive Conservative budgets of the last 20 years is the lack of transparency, accountability, integrity, and honesty. Prudent budgeting is a good thing, but political posturing and spin is not good fiscal planning.

So why do Alberta's Finance Ministers constantly project fiscal doom and gloom and demand cuts in programs? Is it the progressive side under promising so they can over deliver?  Or is it a way for the conservative side to under resource necessary public services setting up public sector service providers to fail so privatization can come to the rescue?

I’m not sure of the answer but I do believe that there has been in internal struggle within the Stelmach government between the progressive and the conservatives. Today's budget shows that this government's big tent is threadbare and fraying fast.

The tug-of-war between the Progressives and Conservatives is tearing at the fabric of the party.

This is clear given in the stark difference between last year's budget, and this year's. Last year, the Finance Minister painted a dire picture of multi-billion-dollar deficits and dwindling savings. The audited facts showed he was more than $2.6 billion dollars wrong on his deficit forecast.

A deficit forecast at $3.624 billion for the 2009-10 fiscal year in last year's budget, is stated as an actual result $1.032 billion in this years. Two years ago, he forecast that 2009-10 deficit to be $4.714 billion. So they were $3.7 billion wrong in their reckoning of a couple of years ago.

That's the context in which to see their forecasts of a $4.821 billion deficit in the current fiscal year and a $3.405 billion deficit in fiscal year ending March 2012.

How can this government be so far off in their budget projections year after year after year?

Because it chooses to. The Auditor General reckons assets and liabilities the way all households and businesses do. In this year's budget, the government doesn't even pretend that it follows auditor standards.

Here are the fiscal plan tables attached to the 2011 budget.http://www.finance.alberta.ca/publications/budget/budget2011/fiscal-plan-tables.pdf
On Page 78, you will find the government's balance sheet. The bottom line is labelled "Net Assets for Fiscal Policy Purposes."

That's quite different from the Auditor General, whose report of net assets is stated under "Consolidated Statements of Financial Position" on Page 27 of the document below.http://www.finance.alberta.ca/publications/annual_repts/govt/ganrep10/confinst.pdf

That's the difference between figures set out for "fiscal policy purposes" and the actual health of the province's finances.

So in the politicized reckoning, you will find a historical summary of the government's fiscal position, on page 88 of the document below:http://www.finance.alberta.ca/publications/budget/budget2011/fiscal-plan-tables.pdf

The "fiscal purposes" statement of net assets is $50.549 billion at the end of the 2010 fiscal year (line 22). The Auditor General states the net assets as $61.534 billion.

For "fiscal purposes" the government ignores the value of the tangible assets it has in schools, universities, colleges and hospitals. It has passed legislation called the "Fiscal Responsibility Act" compelling it to ignore these assets.

The Auditor General isn't allowed to pick and choose his own facts. He is bound by law to be honest, transparent and accountable. Moreover, that historical summary shows a surplus in each and every fiscal year from 1994-95: the years of the "debt and deficit" crisis Albertans were led to fear. (line 18).

This year's budget says we can afford to ride out the economic turbulence of the past couple of years. It comes down squarely on the progressive side, in its outlook and forecasts. The Conservative gloom has given way to Progressive optimism. But which version of this party should we believe?

On a non-consolidated basis, there was an annual operating deficit of $931 million in 2009, and $476 million in the year ended March 31, 2010. But when you consider all things in the Alberta fiscal accounts there is no deficit.

Why would you not budget in such a way that all things are considered? Why would you pick and choose your own facts, when it is so much simpler and easier to be honest, transparent and accountable? To display the integrity demanded by our constitutional principles of peace, order and good government?

Even though today's Ministers budget is markedly different from last year's Minister's budget, keep in mind that this government has a proven track record of misleading and deceptive budgeting.

We have come out of the worst global economic recession in 60 years, with a robust and healthy asset base of $61.5 billion.

That's Alberta's bottom line. That's where we start building a culture of fiscal responsibility.

If I earn the privilege of leading an Alberta Party government, I will start with smart budgeting; with open, honest, transparent budgeting.  Our budget process should be a model of integrity and accountability. We will release draft budget scenarios well in advance, explain the consequences of different options and actions.

We will invite Albertans' input. We'll listen, and then lead. All within a framework of fiscal responsibility: true to the fiscally-conservative values Albertans hold dear.

I will remain committed to creating and sustaining one of the most competitive tax regimes among the world's advanced democracies. I am committed to fostering a culture of innovation and enterprise to drive our growth.

If I earn the privilege of serving Albertans, my role will be to set the competitive framework and the strategic direction that will enable us to grow our wealth, our enterprise and our well-being.

Under my leadership the Alberta Party government's stewardship of public finances will be sound, sustainable, secure, and communicated in ways that are honest, transparent and reliable.

 For a more detailed analysis please visit my webpage at http://www.glenntaylor.org/

We Have Much To Do

Well, this has been a big week.  People from all over Alberta have been asking me to consider running for the leadership of the Alberta Party. My good friends Ken Chapman and Satya Das have been encouraging me to run for some time now and have offered to work on a campaign with me.

Good people that I serve with on various boards and committees at a provincial level, along with folks from my home community have also taken the time to share their thoughts with me and encourage me to run as well.

Many people that I respect and admire, from Calgary to Grande Prairie, from Lethbridge to Edmonton and many communities in between have voiced their support for my candidacy.

So last week, after much discussion with my wife Donna, my children Zac and Kelsea and my Council colleagues I made a decision to seek the leadership of the Alberta Party and announced my candidacy.

My final decision was made after reflecting on my views of what I think a citizen servant leader should offer our Province. As you read my previous blog posts you might see that I am passionate about service to my fellow citizens as an elected official.

I believe that Alberta should aspire to be the best FOR the world. Not just the best IN the world, but the best FOR the world.  And I am tired of the old-style party politics that have been practiced here in Alberta for far too long.

Many people have shared with me that they have found our governance wanting, I agree with that. Our traditional political parties seem adrift and lost: they’re full of answers, but seldom stop to figure out the right questions.

We need a government ready to deliver on the promise of Alberta, to lead the flowering of our full potential.  That’s why the Alberta Party was reborn and that’s why I’m seeking the leadership of the Party and the people that have helped me find new hope and a political home in Alberta.

I believe that a better Alberta means building and sustaining safe, inclusive, welcoming and healthy, vibrant communities. It means investing in our creative communities and building on the strength of our cultural diversity. It means moving to fiscal responsibility, not just fiscal conservatism. It means rethinking the way we sustain the common good and build the common wealth for all Albertans.

 I’m running to bring back the spirit, the vision, and the daring of the era that attracted me to Alberta. I would like to lead a government that shares the progressive vision and collaborative values that define our people and our society here in Alberta.

As I continue along this journey of discovery and leadership I hope that you continue along with me. We have much to do.

 If you have any questions or ideas you want to share, email me at AskGlenn@GlennTaylor.org

A Time to Engage

Many of you know that I have been working with a committed group of Albertans that have been striving towards building a new Alberta for the 21st Century. In November of 2009 I found kindred spirits at the ReBoot 1.0 Conference in Red Deer.

Albertans from across the political spectrum came together on that day to discuss how the Alberta that they yearn for has to be renewed and reborn. Also on that day I met people that were interested in building a new political party that could, perhaps re-define how politics could be done differently. That small group of people decided that politics could and should be done differently and were willing to lead the way.

Over the next year many volunteers stepped forward and an established party that was born out of a desire to see a new way forward for Alberta had new life breathed into it and has been re-energized as a vehicle for change in Alberta.

As I have posted previously, the Alberta Party is the place where I have found my political home, a place that aligns with my values and with my vision of how our great province can once again be led by a government that is relevant to the citizens that we are elected to represent.

As my journey continues I have reached a point where I can no longer sit back, it is time for me to engage, openly and honestly as I continue this quest for a better governance for Alberta.

Last week I resigned my position as Chairman of Rural Alberta's Development Fund. I did so out of my desire to not only talk the talk, but walk the walk of better governance. The media release announcing this is attached below.

Your comments are welcomed.

Monday, January 31, 2011

RADF Announces Changes to Board of Directors

Edmonton- In the spirit of good governance and continued impartiality, Rural Alberta Development Fund is announcing the voluntary resignation of Mr. Glenn Taylor as Chair of the Board. 

“Mr. Taylor has informed the Board that he is giving serious thought to seeking the leadership of the new Alberta Party, and the Board compliments him on being proactive in resigning his role as Chair to prevent any perceived conflict of interest,” confirms Brad Ferguson, Managing Director for Rural Alberta Development Fund.

Rural Alberta Development Fund is an independent non-profit company focused on stimulating innovative projects throughout rural Alberta.  The company is stewarded by a governance Board representing all corners of the province.  The Board accepted Mr. Taylor’s decision to resign as Chair while remaining as a Member of the Board, which affirms the values of this independent organization.

Mr. Taylor states, "Although I remain a true champion for rural Albertans, I am an equal champion for good governance.  Resigning as Chair ensures the position is never used, or perceived to be used, for personal or political gain.  It is simply the right thing to do at this time.”

 -30-

 Rural Alberta’s Development Fund is a not-for-profit company that inspires innovation, collaboration and growth across rural Alberta. In 2007, it was capitalized with $100 million by the Government of Alberta as part of its Rural Development Strategy. So far, $75 million has supported 68 rural Alberta projects. Applications are now being accepted for the remaining $25 million, which must be committed by March 31, 2012.
For further information, contact:
Brad Ferguson, Managing Director
Rural Alberta Development Fund
P: 780-436-9585 or E: brad@radf.ca

http://www.industrymailout.com/Industry/View.aspx?id=249602&q=280007939&qz=633420

It's Time to Preside Over a New Pride in Being Albertan

Today in an Edmonton Journal Op/Ed piece Preston Manning asks the question “Should the political energies of Albertans be directed toward revitalizing the governing Progressive Conservative Party or toward replacing it...?”

Tammy Maloney blogged about working to change the current government whether you are interested in the Alberta Party or the Alliance. She makes a good case for supporting either party as long as we agree that it is time to change out old for new.

Even Ted Morton thinks that it’s time to build new as he states that it’s time to bring the Alliance and the P.C.’s back together, back to the ‘mothership’ as it were; although I don’t really see that as new, I think you get the idea.

I don’t think that many Albertans would disagree that at the very least this is a government in disarray as Danielle Smith stated this week.

One of the reasons that I have personally aligned my political values with the Alberta Party is because I don’t find it hard to disagree with any of them on this point. Yes Mister Manning it is time for change, it is time to replace our current government. Yes, Ms. Smith Albertans do have “real uncertainty...”

It is time to stop putting up with the internal bickering and constant positioning of the P.C. MLA’s as they strive to retain power rather than serve the citizens that elected them.

It is time to elect a government that has its primary mission clearly aligned to serve the citizens of Alberta. It is time for the Alberta Party.

Sue Huff, the Interim Leader of the Alberta Party stated today the “We need to be courageous & dream bigger, if not for ourselves, then for our children & grandchildren. “ This statement alone encourages me to look beyond the old and to build new.

While it is true that the Alberta Party is still in the early stages of developing policy, I like that the policy that is under consideration is going to be based in collaboration and founded on what is in the best interests of the citizens of Alberta.

I also believe that we build policy from the perspective of how Alberta can be not just the best IN Canada but the best FOR Canada.  That is where true leadership resides, that is where true Citizen Servant Leaders should work, and that is what the Alberta Party is doing.

I am not afraid of ‘inspirational and aspirational leadership’. It is often in the striving to achieve that true progress is made.  I like a political party that is able to attract socialist and capitalist thinkers. A party that is able and willing to accept liberal, conservative, independent and otherwise aligned political activists. A party that is willing to do politics differently, a party that is willing to do governance differently.

Over the next few weeks I am going to be outlining my thoughts in this blog on the type of policies that the next Leader of the Alberta Party should be considering, the things that I would want to do or see done if I were the leader of this party.

As I reflect on how politics and governance have devolved in Alberta to this state of disarray and confusion I can’t help but think of what it was the Peter Lougheed helped to build back in 1971. Jeremy Barretto is blogging on his ideas of what Mr. Lougheed would do and I must say that I agree wholeheartedly with Barretto’s ideas.

It is time to “Preside over a new pride in being Albertan” as Barretto states. I don’t see that happening under our current government and now, once again, we need to build.

Finally, I have to say that it is people like Tammy and Jeremy that inspire me to continue this journey that I find myself on. They are so representative of the Alberta that can be. We just need to find a way to get there. And for me that way is the Alberta Party.

It’s a New Day, Are We Ready for a New Way?

As political bombshells are falling in Alberta I have been reflecting on the opportunities that are being presented to us as citizens that choose to engage and fulfill our role in the democratic process.

Yesterday, someone left a note on my desk and it inspired me, so I thought that I would share it with you. This captured, almost perfectly, my sense of purpose found within the Alberta Party.

An Excerpt from

Leading With Passion

By John Murphy

Light a match in a dark room and watch as the light instantly overcomes the darkness.

Observe the power and grace of that single, solitary flame dancing with life. Now light several candles or kindle a fire and experience the added warmth and comfort extending from that first, vulnerable flame through others. This is the heart and soul of leadership – the essence of inspiring others. It is about courageously casting off fear, doubt and limiting beliefs and giving people a sense of hope, optimism and accomplishment. It is about bringing light into a world of uncertainty and inspiring others to do the same. This is what we call passion, the fire within.

Passion is a heartfelt energy that flows through us, not from us. It fills our hearts when we allow it to and it inspires others when we share it. It is like sunlight flowing through a doorway that we have just opened. It was always there. It just needed to be accepted and embraced. Under the right conditions, this ''flow'' appears effortless, easy and graceful. It is doing what it is meant to do. It is reminding us that we are meant to be purposeful. We are meant to be positive. We are meant to be passionate. We feel this when we listen to and accept our calling in life. We feel it as inspiration when we open the door of resistance and let it in.

Inspiration springs forth when we allow ourselves to be "in-spirit," aligned with our true essence. Stop and think about it: When you feel truly passionate and inspired about someone or something, what frame of mind are you in? What are you willing to do? What kind of effort are you willing to put forth? How fearful are you? Chances are, you feel motivated to do whatever it takes, without fear or doubt, to turn your vision into reality. You grow in confidence. You believe you can do it. You are committed from the heart and soul.

It is time to put Alberta first again, rather than the internal party politics of power and control, fear and retribution. I believe that it is time for politicians to be purposeful, positive and passionate about Alberta again.

The Alberta Party is committed to doing politics differently in Alberta. We are committed to strengthening the relationship between our government and the citizens we serve. Unfortunately, too often in Alberta the voices of Alberta’s citizens fall on deaf ears in our legislature, I believe that it is time again for the elected representatives in Government to be our voice into government rather than their voice to us.

The resignation of Premier Stelmach along with the rise of the Alliance has opened up the door for new discussions 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. It shouldn’t be about the politics of the right and the left, or worse yet; the politics of the right or the far right. The discussion that we are about to engage in cannot be defined in that narrow context.

Albertans need to step up and re-assume our responsibilities as citizens. Albertans are yearning for Citizen Servant Leaders.  As a friend of mine commented recently, governance is not just Of the People, By the People, For the People – it also needs to be WITH the People. That is the new Alberta that we can build together if we are willing to rise above the politics of the past.

It’s a new day, are we ready for a new way?