Wildrose: Noxious Weed

In the most obvious of ways, whatever Albertans decide is really none of my business, that's the way our federation works. That said, the potential victory of the Wildrose will have ramifications for the entire country, in my view contributing to and exasperating regional tensions in a wholly unproductive way. A supposedly progressive campaign between two highly intelligent woman has really devolved into a superficial personality contest, content replaced by simplistic sales jobs, if this is "change" consider me unimpressed, populism has seen better days.

Again I have no say in how people choose their own direction, but that doesn't disqualify from somewhat informed commentary. Having been exposed to certain tendencies in Alberta, I've always found the over cooked "pride" an almost admission of insecurity. My view, when truly arrived, one doesn't have to continually pat themselves on the back, needlessly pick fights to contrast and rally, a true swagger just is, it doesn't require continual projection and reaffirmation that requires a "them". I see a Redford stressing the relationship with the rest of Canada, she strikes me as "statesman" in approach, sophisticated enough to understand how to work within a team concept. On the other hand, Wildrose seems to be thrive on uber-provincialism, reminiscent of other "firewall" manifestations and all the bullshit narratives that narrow view exploits.

How Alberta deals with the oilsands will be a paramount consideration moving forward, all sides can agree on this reality and much of the subsequent debates during this campaign find their nexus in the sand. And yet, here we are on the cusp of having climate change sceptics manage the store?? Flanagan thinks it's all sun spots, Smith thinks there is a fierce scientific debate about warming, I'm not in the mood to be kind, this party reeks of backwater nonsense that hasn't even evolved to accept the most basic of premises, I actually think KOOKY applicable. Imagine moving forward on the environment in Alberta when people question if you are actually convinced there is a problem? The international optics will be dreadful and the inter-provincial tensions will bulge, I for on will have ZERO confidence in anything coming out of Edmonton. A recent report confirms other provinces doing the heavy lifting to offset oilsands emissions, which is fine, "overall" is important, but only if a sense we truly are in this together. There will be no together with Wildrose, what there will be is needless friction and frankly alarming perceptions. The Canadian Sarah Palin isn't exactly a welcome advancement from where I sit, but since part of the SELLING narrative is "who cares what anyone else thinks" anyways, a certain symmetry.

The world is a very simple place in Wildrose land, the solutions are easy, the goodies slick, the presentation disarming and pleasant. I see something else beyond the hoopla, something which will amplify threats to the federation, something which will return us to abrasive relationships at a very critical time, something that will contribute to regional drift and narrow realities, something which will make Canada a little more of a farce than is already it today. But, what do I know and who cares anyways right.