Rob Norris is originally from Red Deer, a political science graduate of the University of Lethbridge and the University of Alberta. Aristotle once warned that good government is at once precious and precarious. The “decrees of democracy” can quickly decay into dire “directives of tyranny.” As she postures “to help people understand” her peculiar notion of public education, defeated Alberta Party candidate Jenny Yeremiy is exploiting Alberta’s Recall Act in an attempt to topple the province’s education minister, and MLA for Calgary-Bow, Demetrios Nicolaides. And she’s not alone. Mr. Nicolaides is only the first of several government members now confronting the wrath of political opponents who are working to undermine good government. .MUSHET: McGowan's attempt to take over .So, what she and her clique failed to do at the ballot box, Ms. Yeremiy is attempting to do by propagating a straw-man proposition focused on public education in Alberta. The response ought to be clear: the Minister and Cabinet are increasing the budget for Alberta’s public education; after a big bump up, Alberta’s budget for public education is almost $10 billion. And Premier Smith’s government is emphatic that more money, more schools, and thousands of more teachers are coming to Canada’s fastest-growing province. So why not simply let a lively debate ensue regarding the quantum, allocation, efficacy, and perhaps most importantly, real results of these educational resources? And while we are at it, why not rhetorically wrangle over the “notwithstanding clause” too?Hopefully, hard-working families, business leaders, students, and seniors — among others — can see through Alberta’s current labour tensions as well as Ms. Yeremiy’s ploy. To borrow from John Milton’s classic, Paradise Lost, Ms. Yeremiy and her aggrieved ilk are seeking to sow “horrid confusion.” Let’s be clear, this gimmick — which aims to politically deep-six a capable, respectable, and democratically elected cabinet minister — is a handy way of amplifying Ms. Yeremiy’s own policy position while coincidently increasing her partisan profile. .As Shakespeare says, perhaps such “ambition should be made of sterner stuff.” The source of Ms. Yeremiy’s contorted argument stems from her apparent misunderstanding of our Westminster model of parliamentary government. Specifically, she glosses over the distinct but intertwined roles assigned to Alberta’s executive branch, or Cabinet, and the legislative arm of Alberta’s Assembly. In fairness, the fusion of powers in the British parliamentary tradition is complicated. As are elements of Alberta’s evolving Recall Act; indeed, a simple amendment could prevent this troubling turbulence while controlling Elections Alberta’s inconceivable administrative costs.In torquing the Recall Act in this partisan-prone, fallacy-fueled fashion, Ms. Yeremiy — like those following in her footsteps — aims to defeat an elected Member of Alberta’s Assembly, destroy a minister, cripple the cabinet, paralyze policy making, and even upend good government. This sets a damaging, undemocratic precedent in, and for, Alberta. Recall has its place. But this isn’t it. .OLDCORN: Alberta’s classrooms are becoming English language camps.Frankly, every political party in Alberta should oppose this maneuver, especially Ms. Yeremiy’s Alberta Party. For, as U.S. constitutionalist James Madison warned, it’s when “mortal diseases” like confusion are purposefully introduced to and through our public assemblies that democratic governments are most at risk. And at this moment, Albertans should dismiss this recall ruse, thereby remaining vigilant about preserving our democratic institutions as well as protecting Alberta’s prosperity, position, and prestige.Rob Norris is originally from Red Deer, a political science graduate of the University of Lethbridge and the University of Alberta. Norris served as a two-term MLA for Saskatoon-Greystone and a Saskatchewan minister to Premier Brad Wall, as well as the Premier’s legislative secretary for Indigenous Peoples. Since retiring from government and subsequently the University of Saskatchewan, Norris now works in the private sector, serves on various boards, and lives in Calgary.
