Could I Have A Side Of Policy With That?

Here we are, less than 20 days from our opportunity to choose the next Premier. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a decision making feel to it as much as it’s got a Canadian Idol, high school student council election feel to it, with a dash of a Seinfeld episode for posterity and dissolution. I can understand how it can be frustrating for some…

The more I read the newspapers and columnist’s opinions on Alberta’s leadership race the more it becomes clear that there is no end in sight to the rainbows and teddy bears. As an example, on the weekend the Edmonton Journal reported on each Candidates favourite/least favourite food… as much as I want to know that Jim Dinning loves ice cream but dislikes brussels sprouts, or that Dave Hancock and Mark Norris couldn’t share dinner because cheeseburgers and filet mignon don’t go together that well, I would much rather hear their remedy for Alberta’s spiraling health care budget, or how they plan to fix the employment disaster so that we can get the “service” back in the service industry.

One of the main arguments I keep hearing to rationalize the lack of policy has something to do with the mindset that because we’re not in a general election policy isn’t necessary. Well then, when will policy be necessary? Once we convince party members to just roll the dice on who they think has the most appropriate appetite… someone told me that Martha and Henry really enjoy a good moose sausage, so I guess they be voting for Lyle Oberg?

How is anyone supposed to take the process seriously if they have nothing to believe in? A leader is supposed to lead, whether it’s a general election or a leadership election, throw us a bone, give us something to follow.

Some will argue that it’s best to be a little of everything to everyone. I’m more of the mindset that it’s best to stand for inspired ideals fraught with passion… you’d be surprised who would follow that.

We are less than 20 days away from deciding the next leader of the most prosperous jurisdiction in Canada, I expected more inspiration and ideas and a lot less rainbows and teddy bears.