New community mailbox keys came with a letter signed by Canada Post’s “Senior Vice President of Business Transformation”. Does this mean that transforming the way mail is delivered is going to be a perpetual activity in which layers of executive involvement will be required? I remember the days when executive management entailed a CEO, a President and perhaps three Vice Presidents which headed up Finance, Sales and Marketing, and Human Resources. Your post office apparently has a “Junior” VP of Business Transformation and your price of a stamp has grown from twelve cents in 1979 to eight-five cents today. Expect an announcement for the celebrated position of Junior Vice President of Mailbox Graffiti Removal in the near future. However; I’ll happily fetch my own mail and eagerly anticipate if I can strike up a conversation with a neighbour momentarily suspended from the cell phone fixated glare.
Alberta Election Reflections
Everyone is shocked. I haven’t spoken to one person yet who saw this NDP majority landslide coming. In retrospect, the passion at the ballot box was a healthy endorsement of democracy in lieu of climate rife with wasted taxpayer money and untrustworthy politicians. Many would purport the ruling Progressive Conservatives as elitist and out of touch. Even the sudden exit of Jim Prentice after having won his seat had a scent of arrogance while he shunned his constituents and superimposed a semblance of family responsibility to cover for his great escape in a debacle partly of his making. The old boys club is no more. The halls of power in parliament have shifted and for the sake of our economy dominated by the oil and gas sector, we hope that calm words from Rachel Notley translate into rational policy.
NDP administrations in other Canadian Provinces have had difficulty hosting an economic climate of vigor through words and deeds which business leaders had come to believe as threatening to progress. Business equals risk and risk deploys capital. Capital seeks homes where returns are reasonable and regulatory hurdles are in line with good common sense. All stakeholders are provided due care.
Trouble arises when irrational sentiment blurs the common good. Cause and purpose can be superseded by competing interests lost in the internal dynamics of an operating environment. Fearful that followers will lose faith if concessions are undertaken for the betterment of sound policy, leaders become distracted by whispering chatter of intransigent discontents.
Alberta is embarking upon an experiment of inexperienced politicians whom first must become versed in parliamentary procedure. They’ll come to learn the nuances of drafting legislation that will impact the lives of a constituency. Time will tell if they possess the capacity to be balanced, open, and sensible.
Living Life Large
Living life large is a phrase which captures the totality of our everyday existence and can be implemented as a backdrop in accordance with our behavioural decisions.
Living life large translates into the progressive realization of a worth-while dream. It is the unfolding of a vigorous path executed with passion often times without fanfare and frequently in conflict with the mindset of the mediocre. Living life large has much to do with risk taking and little to do with acquiescing to others’ expectations. The trivial is never encountered. Priorities are perfectly placed and background noise is muted. Any partnering is like a pact because the cause has total commitment. It is a concisely orchestrated agenda which works upward in the hierarchy of needs culminating in a distinct contribution to society. Yes, it is self serving at first but gravitates towards a utopian feeling of joy emanating from purpose served.
Legal System’s Pace and Pamela Wallin
Why is Pamela Wallin back in the news? Why isn’t she in jail, exonerated, or broke from retribution for her wily ways as a Senator? Is it just for a journalistic feeding frenzy to prey on every legal uptick in proceedings for years ad nauseam? If there was an audit done to her expense receipt claims as Senator, would not these findings be easily corroborated with her schedule and matched to her business travel dates? Could not these revelations be compared directly to conflict and ethics rules established by parliamentary procedure? Could not this all be done already so that we the people and Pamel Wallin could get on with our lives? How is it that only on this date of March 31st, 2015 that the RCMP can be still “alleging” when she was turfed from office some fifteen months ago? Apparently, the wheels of justice move slow and I’m afraid this is more evidence it moves at a pace favouring the billing files of lawyers and the pocketbooks of Canadian taxpayers responsible for the salaries of our RCMP.
The Danielle Smith Fiasco
She seems like a nice lady with intelligence. So how in the world did she make the boneheaded move of crossing the floor in the Alberta legislature thereby alienating her constituents and further harming the only credible right of centre alternative to the PC dynasty in Alberta? Now she’s lost the PC riding nomination, naturally. Why would anyone trust her political instincts going forward if she couldn’t be trusted with ones vote? I chalk it up to political machinations, a self centred aspiration, and an abysmal failure in gauging public perception. We the people are sick and tired of witnessing deceit by the people who have put their names forward to act on our behalf in constructing laws, spending our tax money, and administering impactful civil matters. Should we send all candidates for public office first to the school of Common Sense 101.