The next chapter in the Alberta story

Preston Manning – Globe and Mail December 3, 2009

Let's give Albertans the future they desire and deserve

Abraham Lincoln once began a famous address to the politicians and

citizens of Illinois with these words: “If we could first know where we
are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to
do, and how to do it.” Such words would be similarly appropriate if
spoken at the outset of a conference on Alberta's future, to be held in
Edmonton in early February.

Increasing numbers of Albertans are asking key questions concerning

the political state and direction of their province. Will the Progressive
Conservative administration, long in office, be able to reinvigorate
itself under Premier Stelmach? Will the Wildrose Alliance Party under
its new leader Danielle Smith be able to mature into a governing party.

Is the unique pattern of Alberta provincial politics about to re-assert

itself – a pattern characterized by long periods of one-party
governance during which the governing party remakes itself several
times, periods of political upheaval as Albertans become seized with a
new idea and/or the need for change, and periodic replacement of the
governing party (if it fails to renew itself), not by its traditional
opposition, but by something and someone new?

To provide a cross-partisan forum to address these questions, Nicholas

Gafuik, managing director of the Manning Centre for Building
Democracy, and a team of young Albertans are organizing the
Conference on Alberta's Future. Invitations will go to members and
supporters of the Stelmach government, the Wildrose Alliance, other
opposition parties, unaligned policy experts and grassroots Albertans.
Representation will be balanced between north and south and rural
and urban – the two fault lines that currently threaten to divide Alberta
politics.

Strenuous efforts will be made to convince the political players – in

government, opposition, and unaligned – that the intent of the
Conference is neither to denigrate nor advance any particular political
interest but to provide a unique opportunity for attendees of all
political persuasions to give their very best answers to the following
three key questions:

Question One: What is your vision of Alberta’s future? Or

expressed another way, if you could write the next chapter of the
Alberta Story, what would it look like?

Question Two: How well is Alberta performing as a province in

the following key areas of vital importance to Albertans and to
Canada? (Attendees, after appropriate discussion, will be asked to
complete a Report Card on Alberta’s Performance, with scores ranging
from Unsatisfactory to Exceptional.)

1. The handling of public money: Includes control of public

spending, taxation, and the prudent saving and wise investment
of non-renewable resource revenues.

2. Balanced economic growth: Includes responsible

development of the energy sector (renewable as well as non-
renewable) along with other key sectors and the knowledge
economy.

3. Environmental Conservation: Includes protection and

conservation of Alberta’s soil, watersheds, air sheds, forests,
wildlife, and landscapes.

4. Health and Education: Includes evaluation of performance and

achievement in the two highest categories of provincial social
spending.

5. Democratic Participation: Includes not only voter participation

in elections but also the effective engagement of Albertans in
public policy decisions affecting them and their future.
 6. Leadership on the National Stage: Includes consideration of
progress toward Alberta’s becoming a recognized leader on the
national stage, protecting/advancing Alberta’s provincial
interests while contributing positively to the advancement of
Canada’s interests.

Question Three: Where performance in the six key areas

covered by the Report Card on Alberta’s Performance is
considered inadequate, what policies and actions should be
pursued to improve that performance?

In many respects, this will be the most important question to be

addressed by Conference participants.

While it is relatively easy to be critical of governmental or provincial

performance in the various key subject areas, it is quite another thing,
and not so easy, to propose substantive policies and actions which
would significantly improve performance. The real test of whether the
Conference on Alberta’s Future can produce an operable and appealing
agenda for moving forward will very much depend on the quality,
thoughtfulness, and practicality of the proposals generated in response
to this third question.

The organizers of the Conference on Alberta’s Future are committed to

preparing a Summary Report of the Conference proceedings,
distributing it to all conference participants, and making it available to
the media and the public. Albertans will then be encouraged to judge
for themselves, which of the various categories of participants –
supporters of the government, opposition politicians, or others outside
the formal political arena altogether – are best qualified to further
advance those policies and actions which will provide the people of
Alberta with the secure and prosperous future they desire and
deserve.

Preston Manning is president and CEO of the Manning Centre for

Building Democracy.

Click Here for more information on the Conference for Alberta’s Future