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Sunday 21 February 2010

Alberta Party - the plot thickens

First I would like to make it clear that I truly do wish the Alberta Party every success. Many are saying this will be another party on the right of the spectrum; I would disagree with that.

The two groups that now appear to have control are definitely to the left of the spectrum. One of their biggest supporters made it quite clear on Twitter yesterday; they will not even entertain views from the right.

Ian Berg tweeted:
@KenChapman46: If I agree with Myron a lot, I can't join Reboot?
To which Ken Chapman replied:
@IanBerg You can join by U will not enjoy yourself- the people are vested in different values from Mr. Thompson.
So it would appear the "Big Listen" is already limiting who they will be listening to.

Fair enough, that is actually why I wish them luck. IMO it appears they will be a good home for disenchanted Liberals and maybe a couple of ND'ers.

Having said that; I think they will eventually have to face their blatant disregard for the party constitution sooner, rather than later. A constitution is the very backbone of a party and clearly outlines how a party must conduct itself. As I have outlined in my previous posts, the board appears to have strayed greatly from their constitution.

Today it appears we may have yet another violation of the constitution come to light. Chris LaBossiere and Dave King have each come out of the woodwork to claim they are on the Alberta Party board.

We know that neither of these individuals were elected to the board at the last AGM, therefore they must have been appointed. The Alberta Party constitution does allow for this, however there are several requirements that must be met.

First according to Article 5(m) there must be a "vacancy" to fill and that the person appointed will come from the same "regional zone". The board member I have contact with has confirmed no one for the board elected in October has stepped down; therefore there was no vacancy to be filled.

Second {from 5 a) (i) & (ii)} to be eligble to be a board member you must be either a member for 120 days or have been on a CA board a minimum of 90 days. Now it does go onto say the second one (90 dys on a CA) can be waived; however there in zero reference to being able to waive the 120 membership requirement.

Even if we overlook the "vacancy" issue, anyone added to the board in Feb 2010 would have had to been a member back in Sept 2009; anyone added to the board in Jan 2010 would have had to been a member in Aug 2009; and so on. I find it hard to believe that if Dave and Chris, two politically active individuals, were members back in the fall of 2009 that they wouldn't attend the AGM in October.

In Dave Kings case it is not clear when he joined the Alberta Party, he only refers to himself as
"a new member of the Board of Directors of the Alberta Party."
Chris La Bossiere however gives us a very definite time frame;
I have been a member of the Alberta Party Board of Directors now for over a month. I joined the Party and the Board, in advance of the recently announced "merger" with the Renew Alberta movement

It would appear he likely joined somewhere in the first two weeks of January; that would make him eligible to be appointed to the board at the earlist in the first part of July 2010. And even then, only if there is a vacancy and he resides in the same regional zone of that vacancy.

Let's take a tally. So far they have:

- Ignored the constitutiion by "suspending" policies without a majority vote from the members.

- Ignored the fact that they already have principles embedded in their constitution and are using the principles of the "Renew" group.

- Ignored the constitution by appointing new board members where no vacancy exists and appointed members who don't meet the requirements.

There has been a lot of internet chatter since Thursday on this, I have yet to see one explanation of the their actions. According to Daveberta we won't even know the full board until March! Why the secrecy?

18 comments:

  1. Thanks for the link, Jane.

    Over the breakfast meeting yesterday, I didn't get any sense that they were trying to hide anything (in fact, they admitted that they would probably make mistakes, like any group of people trying to create a new political party).

    Their new website is set to be launched in 8 days (ie: March) and from what I was told, they are still collecting the bios for their board members (they showed me a list of board members).

    I can't speak to the Alberta Party constitution, but I can speak to the honest conversation that I had with them yesterday morning. There is no malicious intent, scandal, or secret agenda, just a group of Albertans wanting to change something that many (ie: 60% of Albertans who didn't vote in the last election) believe is broken.

    Cheers,

    Dave
    http://www.daveberta.ca

    ReplyDelete
  2. Every hit crates a rush to copy their success. The Wildrose Alliance is no different. Now everybody has a new 'party' or 'movement'.
    The Alberta party, Reboot, etc. will be forgotten by the summer, replaced by another entity with a different name but similar faces.
    ...and the beat goes on.

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  3. Hi Dave,

    As I stated in another comment; I think it is more a case of naviety. Unfortunately, it is one that potentially could get them into a lot of hot water.

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  4. Is there another Jane Morgan who was the executive director of the Wildrose Alliance party in 2009? Because the financial disclosure portion of the Elections Alberta website is pretty clear

    http://efpublic.elections.ab.ca/efParty.cfm?MID=FP_1&PID=1

    2009 Annual
    Mr. Paul Hinman, Leader
    Ms. Debra Armstrong, Chief Financial Officer
    Mr. Jeff Callaway, President
    Ms. Jane Morgan, Executive Director
    Suite 3 , 1303-44 Ave NE
    CALGARY AB T2E 6L5
    Wildrose Alliance Party Phone: (403) 769-0992
    Toll Free:1-888-262-1888

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  5. Anon,

    I already responded to this several times in the other posting. As I asked there:

    What is your big hang up on the previous positions I have held with the party?

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  6. Isn't it a bit disingenuous to prattle on and on about how the constitution of a tiny fringe party is being trampled on when you are obviously more than just an "observer".

    I think you're raising some valid points but you need to be more upfront about who you are and your history if you want to have some credibility.

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  7. Anon,

    Believe me I would be "prattling" on if this was the WAP pulling a stunt like this too. In fact I would likely be even more vocal.

    As for being more up front. What do you suggest? Should I be posting my resume with every blog entry?

    This is all rather comical coming from an annyomous commenter. I suppose the irony is lost on you though.

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  8. So why dodge the issue of your former position in the WAP in the comments of this and the other post? You're not doing yourself any favours. Extremely puzzling.

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  9. Ah, what exactly have I dodged?

    I have confirmed for you I am not the Executive Director.

    I have confirmed I was formally the CFO.

    I have confirmed I am currently a member (like over 13,000 other Albertans).

    Just what is it you would like to know about me that you don't already know?

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  10. HI Jane. Re Myron Thompson and the Big Listen on Twitter.

    You are confusing Reboot Alberta with the Alberta Party. They are not the same thing. Some participants in the Reboot Alberta movement believe there is a need for a centrist/progressive political party as an alternative.

    Reboot Alberta itself is only a gathering place for conversation and sharing concerns about the state of our democracy and to revitalize and return a progressive citizen's based voice into the political dialogue in Alberta. It is not a political party but it is supported by many participanting citizens who belong to the various political parties in the province. I would not be surprised to see some WAP members attend Reboot2.0 next weekend.

    Reboot Alberta is about citizens with progressive voices returning to active engagement in the political culture of Alberta. We have been distant and indifferent to politics and the impact it has our our lives for far too long.

    To the credit of people active in the WAP you have been very engaged and engaging and quite successful in impacting the political culture and governing philosophy of the province. I also applaud the WAP, and you personally, for being open enough to invite me to do a presentation on social media in politics at your Leadership Convention. BTW I had a wonderful time and was treated very well inspite of our "differences.".

    RebootAlberta2.0 next weekend in Kananaskis is also an open event to anyone who wants to register. The weekend is designed for progressive thinking Albertans but any Alberta citizen who wishes to can come and would be welcome. The key about Reboot gatherings is that you come as an individual citizen only, with your personal perspective, not as a representative of any group or organization. The conversations at the first Reboot event were intense, interesting and very respectful. I expect the same this time.

    Since we missed meeting in real life at your Leadership Convention and we have wanted to meet face-to-face, perhaps we can meet at RebootAlberta2.0. You can register at www.rebootalberta.org. It would be terrific to have you join us and I am sure we can find some time to chat.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Ken,

    Thanks for the invite, but I think I will pass at this time.

    You have been following me long enough to know I have a bit of liberal (that's small l) stripe to me and yes, I likely would have much in common with the progressives involved with Reboot.

    However, I am first and foremost a fiscal conservative. As such the WAP is the best fit for me.

    I got a bit of chuckle from;

    "...is that you come as an individual citizen only, with your personal perspective, not as a representative of any group or organization."

    As we have seen from the Anon commenter, I can't seem to escape my past. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ms. Morgan,
    Thank you for your interest in the Alberta Party – an interest that brought you to the first portion of the Annual General Meeting of the party last October in Red Deer. Unfortunately, your recent blog entries are factually incorrect and it is important that I set the record straight:
    First, Mr. Erickson ran on a platform that clearly stated that he wanted to bring the Renew Alberta team into the Alberta Party.
    Second, the portion of the Annual General Meeting that you walked away from saw the presentation of my Omnibus Motion #10-24-09-20, overwhelmingly passed by the party membership who were in attendance at that meeting, and who represented more than 40% of the total membership of the party. This motion completely negates the points you have made in your blog postings. For your reassurance, and for the information of your readers, I quote two pertinent portions of this motion:
    Whereas the Constitution can only really be applicable to our Party after we sustain some growth, to work in practice, (and the Party, since 2005 is trying to follow it in principle), we have to admit to ourselves that we have to concentrate on growth with our secondary objective [that] of making the Constitution workable…"
    And
    “… That the Provincial Board may make any operational policy, between General Assemblies, to regulate the provincial affairs of the Party, including, but not limited to the bylaws and sections of the Party Constitution…"
    The party constitution and the omnibus resolution give the board clear authority to suspend the party policies.
    Third, and most significant, the board of the Alberta Party proceeded with this course of action because traditional policy development simply doesn't work. Clearly, we intend to be a new type of party. We are inviting the involvement of all Albertans.
    I suspect that your vehement opposition to the Big Listen is based entirely on the fact that you have no interest in seeing the Alberta Party broaden its base of support and actually listen to people who may disagree with your own point of view. Fortunately for you, there is a party (in which you apparently hold an official position) which will accommodate your narrow minded, old-school political perspective.
    Yours truly,
    Charles Relland,
    President
    Alberta Party

    ReplyDelete
  13. Does the irony occur to you? The irony of lambasting the Alberta Party with the brush of suspicion of motive...this from a member and (possibly former) executive of a party that, in spite of what it says it believes in, accepts legislators who cross the floor, without first taking their case back to the people who elected them? My, my the double standard!

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  14. New Brunswick Anon 4:02,

    Every party accepts floor crosses. It is a fact of our system.

    Not sure why you are getting on the other "Anon's" bandwagon of my status with the WAP. There is no "possibly former"; I am the former Executive Director; I am the former CFO.

    Not sure how I can make this any clearer.

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  15. And now, as former Executive Director, and former CFO, and present member, precisely what is your connection with WAP? A paid position, perhaps?

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  16. Nope, sorry New Brunswick Anon. I am but a vocal member; like many others.

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  17. Wow,
    Nothing like already casting out people that are involved in another party like Relland does with this statement "Fortunately for you, there is a party (in which you apparently hold an official position) which will accommodate your narrow minded, old-school political perspective." Talk about listening to Albertans huh.
    Also can't get his facts straight unless he can show where Jane holds an official position. Very nice, when you question the party, you are narrow minded.
    Where can I sign up Mr. Relland, your party is obviously soooo much more different. What a poor showing on the Alberta Party's behalf already.

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  18. Could this actually be a wiki and not a blog? seems like posters are trying to create a shared reality about what all these new parties represent! the confusion will lessen or grow over time.

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