An Open Letter to Jim Prentice

Dear Mr. Prentice,

                First off, allow me to congratulate you on your new position as Alberta’s premier designate. Designate, not “elect,” because the latter would suggest that something democratic happened here. Far from it. But, regardless, congratulations on winning the leadership “race.”

                (You’ll pardon my use of sarcastic quotations, indicative of my cynicism with the state of Alberta’s “democracy.” There’s going to be some cynicism in this letter, but hopefully it will not overshadow the plain speak and precious, quivering hope.)

                Because, of course, this was not a leadership race. It was a farce. Far more of a farce than those that saw Ed Stelmach and Allison Redford elected by the people of Alberta, rather than by your party. Those two instances I purchased a PC membership to vote for the lesser of three evils. It was exciting. Those were the only times since moving to Alberta that I have felt my vote counted for anything provincially or nationally. There was no point in doing so this time.

                That’s because when you declared your intention to govern this province—with any due respect to misters Lukaszuk and McIver—it became a long, drawn-out, forgone conclusion. First, because of your celebrity, and secondly because your party—that is the government, which is one and the same in Alberta, as certainly as it was in Soviet Russia—adjusted the rules of leadership races to make sure it is the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta that chooses the premier of Alberta, rather than Albertans.

                Fine and well. As a man who does not usually find his values represented by the PC Party, I am used to being frustrated by what our democracy has degraded to in this province. I roll with it. Your party is so deeply entrenched that when its members are caught doing something questionable, underhanded, immoral, perhaps even illegal (thousands of tax dollars spent on private phone calls; marching with religious groups that promote hate; giving away free party memberships) it is rarely admitted to, never apologized for. You are, after all, the mighty PC Party of Alberta. Your only threat comes from those who feel you aren't extreme right enough, heaven help us.

                But, to my point.

                In your acceptance speech last night you spoke of “new beginnings,” of having “no excuses,” of “re-earning trust,” of “accountability.”

                Forgive me my quotation marks, but I doubt you.

                For you see, Mr. P-D, you've been “elected” head of a government and a party which threw its last leader under the bus for getting caught following party policy (and an itty bit for being a woman, let’s be honest). This is a party that ever-so-briefly under Redford looked as if it might finally live up to the P part of PC, riding many plugged-nose left-wing votes for fear of the Wildrose Party (which there are still conspiracy theorists who believe is a construct of your own party to keep you in power through leftist propping. Silly, no?) But once in power, Ms. Redford proved just another PC power monger, appointing inflammatory ministers like Jeff Johnson to the Education portfolio so she could swoop in like some sort of deus ex machina to put out his fires and save the union from itself. That is, until the party/government needed a scapegoat.

                The second source of my doubt, sir, is in your history as a minister in the cabinet of the most anti-democratic, anti-Canadian, and dictatorial national government in our history. You were a part of the Harper machine, a government more concerned with McCarthyian fear mongering of its opposition than good governing, a prime minister who has gone to war with our national institutions, our very Canadian identity, a party that has broken the laws of this nation repeatedly, a leader who has tried to hide his past of hate-ads against homosexuals so as to stay in power by appearing to stand for everything as he stands for nothing, a party that felt Rob Anders was the sort of person who could represent it. In short, the worst government in Canadian history. And you were a part of its inner circle. And then you left it for a bank—hardly a saintly transition for us armchair quotation cynics.

                But you did leave, so here’s hoping.

                Mr. Prentice, you speak of a new future for Alberta. You say this as the head of a party/government supported by voters who appear to only live for today (as an homage to the past 43 years). Our cities grow outward hilariously, acreages are the new suburbia, oil companies exploit our resources with no regard for environmental, health, or Aboriginal impact, and our health and education systems are overworked to the breaking point in order to stir sympathy for privatization. Alberta is a land where tomorrow hasn't existed since 1971.

                So, sir, consider: Those of us who are not willing to be complacent, who do not shrug our shoulders and accept our government and our governance as “the way it is and always had been” have more power than many may think, for good or ill. We brought Ms. Redford her majority. Our disgust with your party could see us return to voting with our hearts for small parties which have little hope of forming the next government, but whose grabbing of our votes could cost your party its Red Tory support and thus allow your extreme right opposition to unseat your bloated, entitled party. This would be to the detriment of us all, for a Wildrose Alberta would be worse for the future than a Harper Canada. (Which explains why Stevie likes them better than you.)

But it’s your own party’s fault.  

My plea, Mr. Prentice, is that you put your money where your mouth is. Your party/government has dug a rut and furnished it. It would be easy for you to align yourself with the status quo, to continue to pile filth on Redford’s reputation, and pander to the Right to bleed off more of those fanatical votes.

Alberta deserves better. Many feel that today is fine here in this lovely land of ours, but we must accept that the future exists and it will come no matter how much this government/party and its voters deny it. You have addressed the future, mister designated premier, now you must accept it. That job begins tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Paul 

Patriotic Despite

                I have been fortunate enough to make up for a relatively static first two decades of life with a constant travel in the time since. Journey is my drug, destination my addiction, and I’m lucky enough to have a spouse and children who share them.

                I experienced something unique returning from a summer European venture this year. I had been to Greece in April, and came home to a familiar appreciation of all things Canadian, and a lamenting of the ways in which Canada is inferior to Greece—and outside of the weather, it’s a satisfyingly short list. When you travel, coming home is an experience in itself.

                Summer was a Norway trip, and for me that’s very special. Norway is my ancestral home, and the first country I ever visited outside of the North American continent.

                I have a reputation among my Norwegian and my Canadian friends and relatives as being the Viking guy. I have always been hooked by medieval Norse history, have read all of Snorri’s work, and can reference most of the main kings in order from Heimskringla. You’d think I would have come back from that trip more fired up than ever for all things Viking, all things stereotypically Norse. Not so.

                A month after returning I still find myself missing the good sense of roundabouts, and my vindication that socialism is the only sensible form of democracy is strengthened. Norway is a country capitalistic enough to exploit its oil reserves but progressive enough to save a portion of them for the future, something those of us who live for a little bit more than today wish Albert was capable of.

                But I did not come back preaching the grandeur of Norway, wishing there were some way I could leave Canada behind and hide behind my Nordic last name forever. I love squeeze bottle caviar, but I love Canada more.

                I came home with a passion for my own country. I have always had a historical and cultural interest in Canada—certainly more than your average Canadian, might I say—but spending time with those Norwegians inspired something greater. Everyone there, young or old, passionate or not, knows so much more about their own country, culture, and history and expresses it with much greater pride than we Canadians do. We simply just “aw shucks” our own national tale for fear of sounding too much like Grandpa shouting answers at Front Page Challenge.

                I am a proud Canadian still, despite. Despite our environmental track record, despite our creeping capitalistic values, despite out American-patterned static and wasteful lifestyles. Despite or (barely) elected national government and its oh-so-rotten head. Despite a disunity among 34 million very diverse individuals living in a colossal landmass no sensible person would try to paint with the same regional or cultural brush.

                Nevertheless, I am proud.

                And so when I came home with a few weeks of holiday remaining, I was able to dedicate some of my time to some exploration of the Foothills, of the Crowsnest Pass, of Calgary, in an attempt to soften my relationship with a city I love so dearly despite its being the epicentre of all that could ruin this country.

                I approached this venture as a tourist, like an outsider. I shelved my previous knowledge and set about learning this place from scratch. And in this way I learned so much about us, because I didn’t let my preconceived judgments cloud my understanding. I learned so much about how Calgary grew and the area around fed it.

                I was left excited about this place, and saddened because I think I am in the minority. We Canadians are ignorant of ourselves. We could say that we are less so than our American cousins who have ignored the truth of their own story in the crafting of their myth, but at least in that false story they have a sense of something and a pride.

                I declare that this land is worth such an interest, because it’s only an interest in where we came from that we can learn who we truly are, and in learning who we are can we prevent ourselves from continuing where we’re going. Ignorance of the mass is a powerful tool for its leaders to use against that mass, and for a decade we have been allowing this to happen. If we as Canadians dedicated ourselves to a better understanding of ourselves, the pride would no longer be forced, or relegated to curling and hockey scores.