Sunday, May 24, 2015
I Survived A Secondary Suite...
Some might consider me a survivor. Others might have called me the scourge of West Lethbridge. I was young and wasn't really paying attention. I was just happy to have somewhere to live.
To the surprise of some, I spent a year at the University of Lethbridge in hopes of getting into accounting. I'm relatively good with numbers and I took every high school accounting class I could, so it only seemed logical. So during that year, I needed a place to live (my first away from the farm).
It didn't take me long to find a place. Found it on Temple Boulevard. Nice middle-aged man had the house to himself and was looking to rent out the basement. I suppose it wasn't a FULL secondary suite as I didn't have my own kitchen, but everything else was my own. Entrance, bathroom, bedroom and even a parking spot connected to the back alley. He was a Christian chap, so I tried to mind my P's and Q's and didn't have parties or anything. My place was basically to sleep in anyways, as I was a full-time student with a part-time job (and as it turned out, volunteering at the university radio station took up the rest of my time).
As I've watched the on-going battle over secondary suites in Calgary, I can't help but look back on my days in my old place and wonder if someone is missing out on an opportunity that I had. The debate has been heated on both sides, with those against claiming it will ruin their communities, with everything from a lack of parking to an influx of drugs and prostitutes (that was actually one argument made). Those for the suites say nothing will really change as most of the suites are already in place, they're just considered "illegal" unless the owner has gotten the proper permits, etc.
What I have found interesting in this whole debate is that it feels like an "us vs. them" argument again, but someone is missing in this whole equation: the homeowner/landlord. I was lucky in that Gerry (I think that was his name, it's been a few years hahaha!) was an upstanding guy. He actually lived in the place, cut his grass, checked in on me. He was the opposite of a "slumlord." Maybe I'm being too much of an optimist here, but is it possible that most who are anti-secondary suite aren't actually opposed to the renters, but they're opposed to the idea that there will be homeowners who will rent out every single room in their home without actually checking in, only there to rake in the profits? Hate to burst any bubbles here, but I saw it when I first moved to Calgary. I went to a place in Inglewood where the owner showed me a room (Room #4 with an actual number on the door). It was one of six or eight rooms (can't remember) being rented. The room would have fit a bed and a dresser. That's it. You shared everything else. Needless to say, I didn't move in there.
It really feels like this whole argument is over something that no one has been able to actually eloquently address. It's about the homeowner/landlords. The renters want something resembling choice (aka affordable) and a safe place to live, while residents want their community to remain safe and everyone to be responsible. They want to be able to trust their neighbours, yet they don't. So instead of having to deal with it later (aka those "personal interactions" we all seem to deplore), they're being proactive and saying "no" outright. It's "nothing personal" for the potential renters, it's just there's that possibility that a bad apple could move in and they don't want that.
And really, no one does. But therein lies the problem. There are bad apples in every single group involved in these debates. The majority of renters are just simply looking for a place to live. The majority of potential landlords are mindful of their community but might also need some income, or wouldn't mind having someone in the house, or they feel they can help ease the housing crunch a bit. I'd also like to think the majority of communities are welcoming to the idea of legalizing secondary suites as they realize it will have little to no impact, especially if the first two groups are good apples.
Unfortunately, this is kind of like the debate over policing the Red Mile during the Calgary Flames playoff run. Police say the vast majority of revelers are good. But there are the few they need to keep a watchful eye on. The "bad apples" who ruin it for everyone else. There's a difference between the two though. Police are letting the Red Mile party continue while they weed out the bad apples, while the Secondary Suite party was shut down before it even started. And the good apples are being left with a court summons even though they didn't do anything wrong.
By no means am I saying that concerns on either side of the argument are misguided. I just hope to add a little insight into the back-and-forth, and that everyone keeps an open mind.
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
OFF-BEAT: Best Tunes of All-Time
I was compiling a list of my favorite tunes of all-time (for an upcoming roadtrip) and it got me thinking about what my top tunes would be. For anyone who knows me, trying to break that down is like picking a favorite child. I own a LOT of music, both CDs and through iTunes. It's almost unhealthy (it's better than drugs, right mom?) Anyways, I think I've narrowed down the list to my Top 11 Tunes of All-Time. (11 was my football number, for those who weren't at that post-game party 15 years ago). Let the countdown BEGIN!
#11. Papa Roach - Do or Die
One of those gems that you find at the end of an album. This is off the "Getting Away With Murder" album and I've always gravitated to songs with a positive life message (you'll get that feeling through this countdown). "It's never too late / To live your life / The time is now / It's do or die" is pretty awesome. The beat gets your foot tappin' and it's definitely one of those songs that makes you wanna drive 180 down the highway (but I don't because I'm a law-abiding citizen). Enjoy!
#10. Matchbox Twenty - Bright Lights
Now to go to the polar-opposite of "Do or Die". "More Than You Think You Are" was an album that came out while I was starting university and remember listening to this song, thinking I wasn't going to be able to handle life in the "big city" (yes it was Lethbridge but for me, that was the big city). Plus I'm a sucker for good piano and a sing-along chorus. Check and check!
#9. Black Stone Cherry - Remember Me
I could technically plunk almost any BSC song in here and I'd be okay with it. This is one of my favorite bands of all-time and, while this is a fairly new tune, it's quickly become of my favorites. A sing-along chorus (which I can actually sing along with thanks to my deep voice), crunchy guitars and a breakdown near the end (after the last chorus) that gets you rockin'. Southern rock at its best.
"A Little More Off-Beat"
Just to give you a bit of a breather, I should be clear that there are a ton of other songs I love. For example, I have a playlist on my iPod called "Chillout Mix", which are tunes that I can pretty much always fall asleep to. And there are some songs that I think would shock a few people that I even own. For example: Chantel Kreviazuk's "Imaginery Friend", Dave Matthews Band's "Crash Into Me" and Doc Walker's "Beautiful Life". All are wonderful tunes that I recommend if you're looking for something to relax with.
#8. Shinedown - In Memory
A few people would probably be surprised that this band isn't higher up on the list. Again, another band I could pick any song from and would be okay with it. This is off their first album "Leave A Whisper" and no one really knows it. I have no idea why, but when Brent Smith sings "Because I can't wait for you / To catch up with me / And I can't live in the past / And drown myself in memories", it makes my spine tingle.
#7. Meatloaf - I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)
This might surprise a few people, but I believe Meatloaf is one of the best singers of his generation. Plus rock operas are awesome. And this song screams exactly that. I remember listening to this song on my Walkman going out to Christmas in Queenstown, singing along. Totally forgot everyone else wasn't listening to my music. But I didn't care. And how this song goes from quiet to a full-blown orchestral bombardment of music: epic!
#6. Our Lady Peace - Right Behind You
I had to get some Canadian content in here. Okay, that's a lie. Going back to that theme of songs that inspire me with positive life messages, this is it. "No matter what you say / No matter what you do / No matter what I'm always / I'm right there behind you" is like a mission statement from me to the people I hold close to my heart.
#5. Alter Bridge - One Day Remains
Talk about driving tunes, this is another one of 'em. Off their debut album, 3 members of Creed along with Myles Kennedy formed a bond that became one of my favorite bands of all-time. They have failed to disappoint me. And again, the lyrical content in the chorus is what draws me to this song. "Because I see in you / More than you'll ever know / And I ask you why / You question the strength inside / And you need to know / How it feels to be alive" is powerful in my mind.
"More Off-Beat Ramblings"
Just breaking things up again. Before we went with chillout tunes. And now we go with the "punch a hole in the wall" tunes. My tastes can get pretty heavy. I'm not a black metal guy, but I do like a good heavy tune. I have the standards like Metallica, Pantera and Godsmack (among many others). Slipknot's "Spit It Out" comes to mind (I would never get myself into a moshpit with them on stage though). Trivium's "Strife" and Killswitch Engage's "My Curse" get me going as well.
#4. Badfinger - Baby Blue
This one might stick out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of these songs. I remember seeing something about this, written in my baby book that my parents put together and it seems to me the writing was my dad's. I don't remember the story behind the song, but I do know the Badfinger greatest hits album was one of the first CD's we ever owned as a family and I always gravitated to this song. I think of my dad every time I hear this song. So how can I not like it?
#3. Collective Soul - Under Heaven's Skies
Another one of those bands that I could pick any tune from and it'd be awesome. The "Youth" album is still one of my favorites, as it's solid from front to back. It's not a typical rock song, but it doesn't matter what mood I'm in, it always seems to put a smile on my face. And it's extra big when you have a live version like this one, with an orchestra. Everything is better with an orchestra.
#2. Pearl Jam - Betterman
I'm gonna take a lot of flack for this but I was never really a big Pearl Jam fan until I saw them live. Newfound appreciation for them. I still rank this song as one of my top five "saw in concert" moments. It was in Rexall Place and when they started playing this song, the lighters went up, lit the whole place up, then the crowd started singing. It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It was insane.
And finally...
#1. Foo Fighters - Everlong
No one should be surprised that this song is at the top of my list. This is my favorite band. This was the first song I taught myself how to play on guitar. It's the perfect rock song and the title is kind of appropriate given how you want it to be everlong. I'm not ashamed to admit that I shed a tear seeing this song played live and probably will in August. Because it just makes me so happy. Doesn't matter the mood I'm in, the Foo Fighters make me smile.
As it turns out, I have something in common with David Letterman, as two of his last guests happened to be Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters.
Anyways, thanks for tuning in and we'll be back to our regular-scheduled politics and other random ramblings next time!
#11. Papa Roach - Do or Die
One of those gems that you find at the end of an album. This is off the "Getting Away With Murder" album and I've always gravitated to songs with a positive life message (you'll get that feeling through this countdown). "It's never too late / To live your life / The time is now / It's do or die" is pretty awesome. The beat gets your foot tappin' and it's definitely one of those songs that makes you wanna drive 180 down the highway (but I don't because I'm a law-abiding citizen). Enjoy!
#10. Matchbox Twenty - Bright Lights
Now to go to the polar-opposite of "Do or Die". "More Than You Think You Are" was an album that came out while I was starting university and remember listening to this song, thinking I wasn't going to be able to handle life in the "big city" (yes it was Lethbridge but for me, that was the big city). Plus I'm a sucker for good piano and a sing-along chorus. Check and check!
#9. Black Stone Cherry - Remember Me
I could technically plunk almost any BSC song in here and I'd be okay with it. This is one of my favorite bands of all-time and, while this is a fairly new tune, it's quickly become of my favorites. A sing-along chorus (which I can actually sing along with thanks to my deep voice), crunchy guitars and a breakdown near the end (after the last chorus) that gets you rockin'. Southern rock at its best.
"A Little More Off-Beat"
Just to give you a bit of a breather, I should be clear that there are a ton of other songs I love. For example, I have a playlist on my iPod called "Chillout Mix", which are tunes that I can pretty much always fall asleep to. And there are some songs that I think would shock a few people that I even own. For example: Chantel Kreviazuk's "Imaginery Friend", Dave Matthews Band's "Crash Into Me" and Doc Walker's "Beautiful Life". All are wonderful tunes that I recommend if you're looking for something to relax with.
#8. Shinedown - In Memory
A few people would probably be surprised that this band isn't higher up on the list. Again, another band I could pick any song from and would be okay with it. This is off their first album "Leave A Whisper" and no one really knows it. I have no idea why, but when Brent Smith sings "Because I can't wait for you / To catch up with me / And I can't live in the past / And drown myself in memories", it makes my spine tingle.
#7. Meatloaf - I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)
This might surprise a few people, but I believe Meatloaf is one of the best singers of his generation. Plus rock operas are awesome. And this song screams exactly that. I remember listening to this song on my Walkman going out to Christmas in Queenstown, singing along. Totally forgot everyone else wasn't listening to my music. But I didn't care. And how this song goes from quiet to a full-blown orchestral bombardment of music: epic!
#6. Our Lady Peace - Right Behind You
I had to get some Canadian content in here. Okay, that's a lie. Going back to that theme of songs that inspire me with positive life messages, this is it. "No matter what you say / No matter what you do / No matter what I'm always / I'm right there behind you" is like a mission statement from me to the people I hold close to my heart.
#5. Alter Bridge - One Day Remains
Talk about driving tunes, this is another one of 'em. Off their debut album, 3 members of Creed along with Myles Kennedy formed a bond that became one of my favorite bands of all-time. They have failed to disappoint me. And again, the lyrical content in the chorus is what draws me to this song. "Because I see in you / More than you'll ever know / And I ask you why / You question the strength inside / And you need to know / How it feels to be alive" is powerful in my mind.
"More Off-Beat Ramblings"
Just breaking things up again. Before we went with chillout tunes. And now we go with the "punch a hole in the wall" tunes. My tastes can get pretty heavy. I'm not a black metal guy, but I do like a good heavy tune. I have the standards like Metallica, Pantera and Godsmack (among many others). Slipknot's "Spit It Out" comes to mind (I would never get myself into a moshpit with them on stage though). Trivium's "Strife" and Killswitch Engage's "My Curse" get me going as well.
#4. Badfinger - Baby Blue
This one might stick out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of these songs. I remember seeing something about this, written in my baby book that my parents put together and it seems to me the writing was my dad's. I don't remember the story behind the song, but I do know the Badfinger greatest hits album was one of the first CD's we ever owned as a family and I always gravitated to this song. I think of my dad every time I hear this song. So how can I not like it?
#3. Collective Soul - Under Heaven's Skies
Another one of those bands that I could pick any tune from and it'd be awesome. The "Youth" album is still one of my favorites, as it's solid from front to back. It's not a typical rock song, but it doesn't matter what mood I'm in, it always seems to put a smile on my face. And it's extra big when you have a live version like this one, with an orchestra. Everything is better with an orchestra.
#2. Pearl Jam - Betterman
I'm gonna take a lot of flack for this but I was never really a big Pearl Jam fan until I saw them live. Newfound appreciation for them. I still rank this song as one of my top five "saw in concert" moments. It was in Rexall Place and when they started playing this song, the lighters went up, lit the whole place up, then the crowd started singing. It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It was insane.
And finally...
#1. Foo Fighters - Everlong
No one should be surprised that this song is at the top of my list. This is my favorite band. This was the first song I taught myself how to play on guitar. It's the perfect rock song and the title is kind of appropriate given how you want it to be everlong. I'm not ashamed to admit that I shed a tear seeing this song played live and probably will in August. Because it just makes me so happy. Doesn't matter the mood I'm in, the Foo Fighters make me smile.
As it turns out, I have something in common with David Letterman, as two of his last guests happened to be Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters.
Anyways, thanks for tuning in and we'll be back to our regular-scheduled politics and other random ramblings next time!
Sunday, May 10, 2015
What Did We Just Do?
We've had a few days to soak in what we've just done in Alberta. We voted in a majority NDP government. That's correct. "Redneck Alberta" went off the rails and went with a non-PC government for the first time since 1971. I've known nothing but PC governments my entire life. It was certainly something few people thought was possible. But here we are. And, as usual, here's a few random thoughts I've had over the last few days when it comes to the 2015 election.
#1. Who did we vote for?
It sounds like a weird question, but let me put it another way: did Albertans vote for the NDP or did they vote against the PCs? I'm sure it's a combination of the two, but I know many people who simply said they were done with the PCs and a change was needed, regardless of whether it was the NDP or the Wildrose. What it also feels like is that there's still a lot of uncertainty when it comes to Wildrose in the cities (have they really gotten rid of their "Lake of Fire" connections?) while the NDP doesn't have many fans in the rural areas (they hate unions, etc). Which begs another interesting question: which party will be able to galvanize both urban and rural Albertans, or is it even possible? As a sub-plot to the "who did we vote for" question, what will Rachel Notley's cabinet look like? There's a lot of new blood in there. That doesn't mean they're not capable. That just means that they are going to have to rely on advisors and other government officials who are already sitting in the legislature to get up to speed, and fast. They have to build a budget and keep things in Alberta rolling. Because with the low price of oil, no one wants a government to do nothing while they learn the ropes.
#2. Calgary Foothills
You have to feel for the people of Calgary Foothills. They went to the polls last October in a byelection and voted for the PC's Jim Prentice. Then they were forced back to the polls in the general election and again, voted for Prentice. Then he took his ball and went home after the loss, forcing constituents into another eventual byelection. Rightfully so, those residents are not happy campers. That being said, I'm really interested to see how each party handles that byelection. The NDP finished second in that race, while the Wildrose would love to make some headway in the city somehow. I'm curious if the NDP runs an "all-star candidate" with plenty of connections to the oil industry, in hopes of electing an eventual energy minister and maybe winning over some of the naysayers who believe the industry is dead with an NDP government. The Wildrose would probably love to find a candidate well-loved in Calgary who could be viewed as trustworthy and can show just how far the party has come. I'm not sure what the PC's do there. But they might have bigger fish to fry, like finding a leader.
#3. Education and health care
The NDP has a pretty daunting task ahead of it. There are a lot of issues left behind by a party that at one point had gotten rid of deficits and debt, but failed to build infrastructure before or during a boom, and is now playing catchup. The one worry everyone should have is that if the economy continues to struggle, will people start to leave? And if they do, are we building all of these new schools and infrastructure for no reason? On top of that, the NDP made plenty of campaign promises which they will be expected to deliver on. They're not going to be able to change things overnight, but I do believe that the two most important portfolios they need to address are health care and education. If they can get wait times in hospitals back to respectable levels and clear up all of the issues surrounding "fat" in the system, they'll turn some heads. Same with education. If they can address the space shortage and deliver on getting some sort of funding formula put together for boards, they will win over a lot of detractors. I know parties aren't supposed to be focusing on the next election, especially after just winning one, but if they clear up some of the mess in those two portfolios, it'll be hard for a lot of Albertans to not re-elect them in four years.
#4. What happens to the PCs, Liberals and Alberta Party?
I'm really curious what happens with all three parties. Plenty of prognosticators are already making predictions about the demise of the PCs, much like the Social Credit after '71. I think it might be too soon to write them off, but they have a daunting task ahead of them. After Ralph Klein, it was kind of expected that Jim Dinning would be the poster boy for the party, but he was beaten by Ed Stelmach in the party's leadership way back when, and that set off a wild chain events that I think wrapped up last Tuesday. The party has always had a "next one" and I'm not sure if they have that right now. Is there an all-star leadership hopeful coming down the line? The key for the party over the next couple of years is to search for that person that can bring the electorate back to centre-right, and potentially unite Albertans, both urban and rural. At one point during the leadership race that was won by Alison Redford, I thought that person was Doug Griffiths (young, new ideas, well-spoken). Do they have that person waiting in the wings? I've thought Manmeet Bhullar, who has handled a number of key portfolios, could be that person. Maybe they need to find someone outside the party, who can claim that they're coming at it with a clean slate. I'm not sure. But that'll be their focus for the foreseeable future. As for the Liberals, they have just one MLA left (interim leader David Swann). Do they keep him on as leader or do they have a new leader not sit in the legislature? Does this re-open talks of joining another party? Maybe he jumps ship to another party and the Liberals disappear? It's a bizarre time for that party. And then there's the Alberta Party. They have their first MLA in Greg Clark in Calgary Elbow. This could be an important turning point for the party. Could an MLA or two cross the floor to join them, much like Rob Anderson and Heather Forsyth did when they went to the Wildrose after Paul Hinman won the Calgary Glenmore byelection a few years back? And if they go from a "one-member caucus" to a three- or four-member caucus, does that make the Alberta Party the true centrist party and make life even harder for the PCs?
#5. Self-fulfilling prophecies
There's been a lot of doom and gloom about the NDP taking over in Alberta. People are threatening to leave. They're saying "haven't you seen what they did in other provinces?" While it's hard to ignore their points, there's also a part of me that has to ask "what if this is different?" What if this NDP government (which I think is closer to centre than some of the other examples) is ready to listen to all stakeholders and steer this province back in the right direction, and is more transparent and realistic than other parties? What if things actually end up better in this province? There's also been a lot of attention drawn to the individual candidates. There's a movement abound to get rid of one candidate for questionable pictures on Facebook. Should they have been posted by a soon-to-be politician (or at least someone contemplating public office)? Probably not. But you know what else shouldn't be done while in public office? How about soliciting prostitutes? Or flipping the bird on camera like Ralph Klein did? And then there's the whole "they don't know how to run a multi-billion dollar business" side, as some will argue. I hope these people realize that there are people in the legislature that will help with the learning curve. Will they make mistakes? Sure. You know what I hope happens though? I hope that this new set of politicians will own their mistakes and apologize when they're made. Because there was a previous crop of politicians that never apologized for a no-meet committee, a SkyPalace, government plane debacles and much, much more.
I'm not advocating for the NDP or any other party for that matter. I'm just saying I'm not going to wave the white flag before they've had a day in office. Maybe I'm too much of an optimist. But some people are already thinking of giving up before the game's even started. The NDP has an opportunity to prove that they're different from others in this country and different from other political parties in Alberta. The Wildrose has an opportunity to prove to be an effective opposition and if they succeed, could be buoyed into a position of power in short time. The PC's have an opportunity to re-invent themselves and re-connect with an electorate that has lost faith in them. The Liberal Party has an opportunity to also take a step back and think about how to make themselves better. And the Alberta Party has an opportunity to prove that they are for real and should be considered a party to vote for in the future.
But most importantly, I think Albertans have an opportunity to see life through a different set of political lenses. They've been eating steak and eggs for breakfast since 1971. And now they've ordered pancakes and bacon. Will it be as tasty as others have told them, or will they go back to steak and eggs in a few years?
So many questions. And many, MANY more to come.
#1. Who did we vote for?
It sounds like a weird question, but let me put it another way: did Albertans vote for the NDP or did they vote against the PCs? I'm sure it's a combination of the two, but I know many people who simply said they were done with the PCs and a change was needed, regardless of whether it was the NDP or the Wildrose. What it also feels like is that there's still a lot of uncertainty when it comes to Wildrose in the cities (have they really gotten rid of their "Lake of Fire" connections?) while the NDP doesn't have many fans in the rural areas (they hate unions, etc). Which begs another interesting question: which party will be able to galvanize both urban and rural Albertans, or is it even possible? As a sub-plot to the "who did we vote for" question, what will Rachel Notley's cabinet look like? There's a lot of new blood in there. That doesn't mean they're not capable. That just means that they are going to have to rely on advisors and other government officials who are already sitting in the legislature to get up to speed, and fast. They have to build a budget and keep things in Alberta rolling. Because with the low price of oil, no one wants a government to do nothing while they learn the ropes.
#2. Calgary Foothills
You have to feel for the people of Calgary Foothills. They went to the polls last October in a byelection and voted for the PC's Jim Prentice. Then they were forced back to the polls in the general election and again, voted for Prentice. Then he took his ball and went home after the loss, forcing constituents into another eventual byelection. Rightfully so, those residents are not happy campers. That being said, I'm really interested to see how each party handles that byelection. The NDP finished second in that race, while the Wildrose would love to make some headway in the city somehow. I'm curious if the NDP runs an "all-star candidate" with plenty of connections to the oil industry, in hopes of electing an eventual energy minister and maybe winning over some of the naysayers who believe the industry is dead with an NDP government. The Wildrose would probably love to find a candidate well-loved in Calgary who could be viewed as trustworthy and can show just how far the party has come. I'm not sure what the PC's do there. But they might have bigger fish to fry, like finding a leader.
#3. Education and health care
The NDP has a pretty daunting task ahead of it. There are a lot of issues left behind by a party that at one point had gotten rid of deficits and debt, but failed to build infrastructure before or during a boom, and is now playing catchup. The one worry everyone should have is that if the economy continues to struggle, will people start to leave? And if they do, are we building all of these new schools and infrastructure for no reason? On top of that, the NDP made plenty of campaign promises which they will be expected to deliver on. They're not going to be able to change things overnight, but I do believe that the two most important portfolios they need to address are health care and education. If they can get wait times in hospitals back to respectable levels and clear up all of the issues surrounding "fat" in the system, they'll turn some heads. Same with education. If they can address the space shortage and deliver on getting some sort of funding formula put together for boards, they will win over a lot of detractors. I know parties aren't supposed to be focusing on the next election, especially after just winning one, but if they clear up some of the mess in those two portfolios, it'll be hard for a lot of Albertans to not re-elect them in four years.
#4. What happens to the PCs, Liberals and Alberta Party?
I'm really curious what happens with all three parties. Plenty of prognosticators are already making predictions about the demise of the PCs, much like the Social Credit after '71. I think it might be too soon to write them off, but they have a daunting task ahead of them. After Ralph Klein, it was kind of expected that Jim Dinning would be the poster boy for the party, but he was beaten by Ed Stelmach in the party's leadership way back when, and that set off a wild chain events that I think wrapped up last Tuesday. The party has always had a "next one" and I'm not sure if they have that right now. Is there an all-star leadership hopeful coming down the line? The key for the party over the next couple of years is to search for that person that can bring the electorate back to centre-right, and potentially unite Albertans, both urban and rural. At one point during the leadership race that was won by Alison Redford, I thought that person was Doug Griffiths (young, new ideas, well-spoken). Do they have that person waiting in the wings? I've thought Manmeet Bhullar, who has handled a number of key portfolios, could be that person. Maybe they need to find someone outside the party, who can claim that they're coming at it with a clean slate. I'm not sure. But that'll be their focus for the foreseeable future. As for the Liberals, they have just one MLA left (interim leader David Swann). Do they keep him on as leader or do they have a new leader not sit in the legislature? Does this re-open talks of joining another party? Maybe he jumps ship to another party and the Liberals disappear? It's a bizarre time for that party. And then there's the Alberta Party. They have their first MLA in Greg Clark in Calgary Elbow. This could be an important turning point for the party. Could an MLA or two cross the floor to join them, much like Rob Anderson and Heather Forsyth did when they went to the Wildrose after Paul Hinman won the Calgary Glenmore byelection a few years back? And if they go from a "one-member caucus" to a three- or four-member caucus, does that make the Alberta Party the true centrist party and make life even harder for the PCs?
#5. Self-fulfilling prophecies
There's been a lot of doom and gloom about the NDP taking over in Alberta. People are threatening to leave. They're saying "haven't you seen what they did in other provinces?" While it's hard to ignore their points, there's also a part of me that has to ask "what if this is different?" What if this NDP government (which I think is closer to centre than some of the other examples) is ready to listen to all stakeholders and steer this province back in the right direction, and is more transparent and realistic than other parties? What if things actually end up better in this province? There's also been a lot of attention drawn to the individual candidates. There's a movement abound to get rid of one candidate for questionable pictures on Facebook. Should they have been posted by a soon-to-be politician (or at least someone contemplating public office)? Probably not. But you know what else shouldn't be done while in public office? How about soliciting prostitutes? Or flipping the bird on camera like Ralph Klein did? And then there's the whole "they don't know how to run a multi-billion dollar business" side, as some will argue. I hope these people realize that there are people in the legislature that will help with the learning curve. Will they make mistakes? Sure. You know what I hope happens though? I hope that this new set of politicians will own their mistakes and apologize when they're made. Because there was a previous crop of politicians that never apologized for a no-meet committee, a SkyPalace, government plane debacles and much, much more.
I'm not advocating for the NDP or any other party for that matter. I'm just saying I'm not going to wave the white flag before they've had a day in office. Maybe I'm too much of an optimist. But some people are already thinking of giving up before the game's even started. The NDP has an opportunity to prove that they're different from others in this country and different from other political parties in Alberta. The Wildrose has an opportunity to prove to be an effective opposition and if they succeed, could be buoyed into a position of power in short time. The PC's have an opportunity to re-invent themselves and re-connect with an electorate that has lost faith in them. The Liberal Party has an opportunity to also take a step back and think about how to make themselves better. And the Alberta Party has an opportunity to prove that they are for real and should be considered a party to vote for in the future.
But most importantly, I think Albertans have an opportunity to see life through a different set of political lenses. They've been eating steak and eggs for breakfast since 1971. And now they've ordered pancakes and bacon. Will it be as tasty as others have told them, or will they go back to steak and eggs in a few years?
So many questions. And many, MANY more to come.
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