I want to tell you about two schools: Athabasca Delta Community School in Fort Chipewyan, Alberta, and Mormon Hills School in Bountiful, British Columbia. I won’t pretend that the linked reports are unbiased comprehensive depictions of either school, but they paint an interesting picture of the type of education that
Continue readingAuthor: Atypical Albertan
Your once-in-a-century chance is now!
In 2008, for Alberta’s last election, only 40% of eligible voters decided to cast a ballot. Many people cite cynicism, apathy or a lack of likable candidates as reasons to not vote. All of those reasons will disappear for the next election. If you care about whether there will be
Continue readingHow identity and leadership will factor on the future of Alberta politics
The two biggest factors that will determine the political future, coming out of this incredible state of flux, will be identity and leadership. I have often said that Alberta politics is all about identity. More specifically, the common piece of identity related to being a conservative (or a Conservative). For
Continue readingOn Being a Teacher, or Why Merit Pay Stinks.
I’m taking a course on organizational theory right now and the readings have caused me to reflect on an issue that is getting a fair deal of play in education right now – merit pay for teachers. There are many specific arguments that can be made as to why merit
Continue readingAlberta Health Services Works – Part II
Last week, I commented on how Alberta Health Services works in how it has served its function for government. Today, I argue that Alberta Health Services actually works in so far as how it serves its function for patients. However I will be clear, the Capital Health Authority also worked
Continue readingAlberta Health Services Works – Part I
Yesterday, it was confirmed. Alberta Health Services Works. It has done what it was designed to do. Many Albertans in May of 2008, asked why the province chose to dismantle nine regional health authorities, a provincial cancer board, a mental health board, an effective and well-branded provincial addictions board and
Continue readingBill 17: De-democratizing healthcare
My time lately has been consumed by two grad courses, an active full-time job and home and family commitments. But one emergent and urgent issue has forced me to tend to my oft-neglected blog. (Yes, Minister Zwozdesky, I do consider healthcare to be urgent.) If I was at all surprised
Continue readingMeet an Alberta Progressive: Sherry McKibben
One of the primary objectives of this series of podcasts, Meet an Alberta Progressive, is to demonstrate that progressives are a diverse group of people with diverse backgrounds, but to help us all to think about where our commonalities might lie.
Sp…
Continue readingYour Alberta Health Act: Opening Doors for Private Healthcare.
“We’d be a lot better off if we had funding follow the patient”
The comment hung in the air, a pinata, colorful, attention seeking, begging for a reaction.
I figured I would have to swing at it, or at least give it a poke.
I tapped the edge, “Hmmm, …
Continue readingMeet an Alberta Progressive: Chima Nkemdirim
The Alberta Liberal party placed an advertisement Wednesday inviting other progressive parties to talk about opportunities for cooperation. I spent a great amount of time campaigning in 2004 in Edmonton Glenora when a high profile NDP candidate and a h…
Continue readingKatz and Copps: Why Edmonton should be concerned.
Darryl Katz looking to take over the lease on Copps Coliseum says something incredibly important about his plans for Edmonton’s Arena District, but not in the way that most are speculating. A fair amount of speculation on the matter relates to how the …
Continue readingFraser Institute is Flat Wrong
Earlier this year, I wrote about the Manning Centre for Democracy’s conference on Alberta’s future. What I didn’t discuss in that post was how I spent an hour in the afternoon in the foyer outside the conference room talking about education with …
Continue readingInspiring Education report comes with risks
Inspiring Education came out with its long anticipated report yesterday and the initial response is quite positive. The primary vision is reflected in the three-Es for an educated Albertan: Engaged Thinker, Ethical Citizen and Entrepreneurial Spirit. B…
Continue readingManning Centre misses opportunity
In his book Don’t Think of an Elephant, George Lakoff provides a metaphor for conservatives as the strict father figure, where as liberals are the nurturant parent. Upon first reading I have to admit I didn’t completely buy the metaphors as a way to co…
Continue readingCute.
Further to my post on private health care…
Continue readingTime to put private health delivery to bed.
There seems to be one demon that lingers that Albertans have to fight off time and time again. At least this time it appears that our premier is actually standing up to the demon, instead of opening the door like our last premier did – and now the oppo…
Continue readingHearing David Suzuki
I had the opportunity through work to attend the 2009 Canadian Public Relations Society Conference in Vancouver this past June. The second afternoon luncheon was delivered by David Suzuki. I was so inspired and impressed by his talk. Now, that I have f…
Continue readingWhat it means to be a progressive.
Happy New Year everyone. Welcome to 2010. Is it everything you thought it would look like?I remember the new year of 1990 very well. I was 10 and it was the first time in my memory that we were celebrating the start of a decade. I remember vividly thin…
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