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I’ve been fuming about the #UCP for months, about how they have messed up every file and about their culture of entitlement is centred around the principle of hypocrisy.
The Christmas vacation fiascos have just ramped it up. Here's a thread of what I'd do if I was Premier #ableg
The Christmas vacation fiascos have just ramped it up. Here's a thread of what I'd do if I was Premier #ableg
1) Shed all the issues managers and press secretaries. They can’t manage issues and the press has been awful, so obviously those people aren’t working, and they waste millions.
2) Have all MLAs sign an ethics covenant with Albertans and post it publicly.
2) Have all MLAs sign an ethics covenant with Albertans and post it publicly.
3) Create a set of values by which you will govern, post it publicly, and be accountable to it. Like your original health care guarantee you signed, but don’t ignore this one.
4) Adopt a series of principles of good governance that include Accountability, Clarity of Purpose, Clarity of Role, Independence, Respect, Respectful Challenge, and others. I wrote a whole book on good governance if you want to read more about it. https://www.municipalworld.com/product/whos-driving-the-grader-and-other-governance-questions/
5) Create and share an understandable and compelling vision for Alberta that goes beyond oil and gas in the decades to come.
6) Make public examples out of entitled colleagues who flaunt the rules for their own benefit. Show that being elected does not put them above the spirit of the law. Expect local government to do the same.
7) Engage with people who don’t agree with the UCP so you can generate a well-rounded opinion
8) Require MLAs to respond to every constituent when they send a legitimate, respectful request for communication, whether by letter, email, phone, or physical meeting (post COVID).
8) Require MLAs to respond to every constituent when they send a legitimate, respectful request for communication, whether by letter, email, phone, or physical meeting (post COVID).
9)Require all MLAs to hold public meetings and events in their constituencies that aren’t pre-screened for UCP party cards.
10) Involve non-UCP partisans in agencies, boards, and committees
10) Involve non-UCP partisans in agencies, boards, and committees
11) Work with the opposition parties. They are there to make Alberta better just like you are supposed to be. You are all climbing the same mountain, but taking different routes
12) Work with rather than against other orders of government. You’re all supposed to represent us
12) Work with rather than against other orders of government. You’re all supposed to represent us
13) Hold local governments to the same high standards you should have been holding yourselves.
14) Stop trying to destroy local government with downloading and bringing dark money into local elections. You will ultimately be left holding the bag anyway.
14) Stop trying to destroy local government with downloading and bringing dark money into local elections. You will ultimately be left holding the bag anyway.
15) Know that local government is not just an incubator for baby UCP MLAs; these people have passion for their communities and want to make them better.
16) Keep independent officers of the legislature truly independent and stop impeding their work.
16) Keep independent officers of the legislature truly independent and stop impeding their work.
17) Stop blaming others and accept responsibility. The buck is supposed to stop with you.
18) Stop making wishy-washy non-apologies that shift blame somewhere else. The PM, agree with him or not, isn’t the bogeyman.
18) Stop making wishy-washy non-apologies that shift blame somewhere else. The PM, agree with him or not, isn’t the bogeyman.
19) Really represent all Albertans, whether they voted for you or not.
20) Understand that you govern ‘people’ not the private entities that fund you and your party.
21) Know you are there to lead, not just to be the boss.
20) Understand that you govern ‘people’ not the private entities that fund you and your party.
21) Know you are there to lead, not just to be the boss.
22) Know that populism breaks down once the election is over. You focused on the wedding and have no idea how to be in a marriage.
23) Know that your divide and conquer focus doesn’t work when you have divided every identifiable group and you’re the only one left.
23) Know that your divide and conquer focus doesn’t work when you have divided every identifiable group and you’re the only one left.
24) Understand that your job is public-service, not self-service.
25) You’re supposedly a man of faith, so follow the Golden Rule.
25) You’re supposedly a man of faith, so follow the Golden Rule.
There is a whole bunch more I’d do if I was Premier, or even if I was advising the Premier. This whole list has ignored the actual work of government, but this is a place to start.
If you made it this far, thank you for reading my catharsis of #ableg ideas for #GoodGovernance
If you made it this far, thank you for reading my catharsis of #ableg ideas for #GoodGovernance
