I was pleased to join a panel of distinguished Edmontonians, including Avenue Magazine Editor Colin McGarrigle and University of Alberta Dean of Business Mike Percy, and elected officials this morning for a CityTV live-broadcast town hall meeting at Enterprise Square. The town hall was hosted by Ryan Jespersen and Bridget Ryan reported live from a classroom at Paul Kane High School in St. Albert.
Edmonton-Strathcona NDP MLA Rachel Notley is always well-spoken and at every opportunity she took control of the discussion with ease, including taking jabs at Zwozdesky over a recently leaked report from Alberta Health Services that the NDP claim include plans to close over 9,000 long-term care beds.
After the forum, I had a really good discussion with Notley about the challenges in reinvigorating politics and civic engagement in Alberta. While she thought I may have been a little hard with my criticisms of politicians, we both agreed that what exists now in terms of political infrastructure isn't resulting with a politically engaging population. From the perspective of an opposition MLA, I can understand how it quickly becomes a chicken and egg scenario. In our parliamentary democracy, can an already existing political movement invigorate citizens to engage in politics, or will citizens need to already be engaged before a political movement can begin to succeed? I believe that it comes down to values and the mechanisms that citizens feel they can join to express them.
Fresh from what he described as a "jet ride" victory in the Calgary-Glenmore by-election, Wildrose Alliance MLA-elect Paul Hinman relied heavily on memorized talking points, but was the second most articulate speaker after Notley. On-air, Hinman presented a reasonable message of conservatism that likely would not have scared away many voters, and he addressed the issue of the politics of scaremongering while on-air.
My more interesting reflections on Hinman are generated from our discussion afterward, when he spoke in the tone of a much harder version of anti-government conservatism. I believe that government can play a positive role in society, but it was clear that Hinman didn't as we conversed about the roles of individuals, community, and government in irradiating poverty and homelessness (it eventually culminated with Hinman very calmly accusing me of being a socialist).
During the sixth segment of the town hall, I made a point that had been similarly expressed after a recent Globe & Mail column blamed young people for the inspiration deficit in Canadian politics. I believe that it is naive of us to simply expect that young people will automatically buy-in to a political system that is dominated by a previous generation who held different priorities and values. There are young people who are passionate about any kind of issue you could imagine, but that doesn't mean that they will see value in participating in the currently existing political structure. Young people care about their future and they have valid opinions - and you can watch that passion in the final segment when Paul Kane students questioned the MLAs about Bill 44.
Overall, the town hall was a positive experience. I really believe that there is a lack of solid political discussion happening in Alberta and I hope that CityTV and other television stations host more live-discussions and debates in the future.
(Thanks to Kevin Kuchinski for the photos)
Video Segments:
Part 1: Introducing the BT Townhall
Part 2: Out Political History
Part 3: On Health Care
Part 4: The Real Questions
Part 5: The Wake-up Call
Part 6: Apathy & the Next Generation
Part 7: Bill 44 & Closing Remarks
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13 comments:
I agree with your last point whole-heartedly. The political discourse in Alberta often does not get into any form of depth, so it is nice to see a television station taking the time. I too hope that other stations elsewhere in the province follow suit on a variety of issues. This will go a long way toward increasing pride in our province too.
Thanks for the comment, DJ. I hope this one has been enough of a success that they do hold others, and maybe other stations will also pick up on the concept. It's free air time for the politicians, and mixing the discussion with the panelists allows for some more indepth observations and discussion.
Do you think there would be any chance of something similar happening with a television station in Calgary?
Dave:
As you now I have been a very vocal opponent of Section 9 of Bill 44, and I have to say that watching the last clip gives me some faith in future generations, and reaffirms my opinion that the PC's really underestimated this legislation.
I look forward to seeing them debate a resolution at their AGM to repeal it. (here's hoping anyways).
Great job Dave, and the others as well. I appreciated Mike Percy's perspective the most and for a moment I thought you were on the cusp of explaining the deeper issues of youth involvement in the political process that the moderator and others did not pick up. Perhaps the medium had something to do with this. I loved how Hinman chose his words carefully about “efficient” government as I know if you pressed him, he actually means no government and let market forces decide all, this approach worked great in the States, eh? I wonder what it felt like for Gene to be present having to hear the critics of his government, now three times over? I hope this forum gets repeated all over Alberta for even more to participate, God and Bill 44 knows we need it.
Rachel Notley was impressive. Swann isn't nuanced enough, it's difficult for me to see him as premier. Or maybe he needs to be more avuncular. I dunno, perhaps I just thought his swing at Hinman over Bill 44 was a wild haymaker because isn't really substantive grounds for saying the WRA supports s. 9. Our primary issue has been with s. 3.
Mike Percy did the best job of informing Albertans about what is happening when you take away the political rhetoric from all sides.
Thanks for the comments. I certainly agree that Mike Percy had one of the most interesting perspectives on the panel. As a former MLA and business prof, I can understand how he can sift through the rhetoric and offer a more clear synopsis of political events.
I would have elaborated more on the issue of youth engagement, but as time constraints would have it, I was pushing my time in a space-limited program (which is the trade off of having seven people on a 1 1/2 hour program, but then again it wouldn't have been as interesting if I were just me on the program).
Chris: I really wonder what is going to happen about Bill 44. I fully expected opposition to it to die over the summer, but I continue to hear people talking about it to this day. The PCs really struck a nerve with a large group of moderate voters that they might just have a hard time mending. Time will tell. Do you know if they will discuss Bill 44 at their convention?
David! Sit up straight and wear a suit jacket next time!
Love,
Your Mom.
(Not really.)
Your take on youth values, citizen engagement, the "political structure" needs some work I think. Buzzwords and platitudes for the most part.
Wow, Anon 7:44. How insightful of you.
Care to share your buzzword-free, no-platitude view?
Dave:
I am digging to find out if it made it to the AGM. I will be attending and tweeting from the floor. Hopefully it does and the discussion only gets louder and louder.
I had a chance to watch the video, excellent job Dave! I went to High School with Ryan J....he is quite the charachter!
*gasp* he called you a socialist? Well done, Dave.
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