Musings —06.06.2017 09:11 AM
—I think Dave Khan can be Premier of Alberta
My friend Dave was elected Alberta Liberal leader on the weekend. He’s an amazing guy, and I believe he’s got what it takes to win.
He’s also got a few things in his favour:
- The ideological extremes are arrogant, and have (stupidly) left the Alberta political centre wide open
- The notion that a Liberal option is unelectable in Alberta is just not true – Trudeau showed everyone that in 2015, even in Calgary
- The Wildrose/PC internal battles aren’t over – they’re just starting. And the NDP remains very unpopular. There’s room for a smart, centrist Liberal option in Alberta – because Alberta has changed
The Alberta Party is a stalking horse for the Right and the Left. Khan’s Liberals are the only sensible option for modern Alberta.
Watch this guy.
While anything is possible this would involve a big jump than even the NDP last time around. Certainly some Red Tories will probably abandon the united right and likewise he make pick up some dissatisfied dippers, but actually going all the way to winning seems a long shot. Not impossible, but highly unlikely.
Rachel Notley is “extreme”? For real?
What is the ideological difference between Rachel Notley (who you apparently dislike) and Kathleen Wynne (who you adore)?
I’m not sure that the Liberal brand in Alberta is irreparably tainted. They were cruising to likely victory under Laurence Decore in the early 1990s until the Tories had a leadership change and re-invented themselves as the party of fiscal responsibility.
I think the more serious problem is the complete lack of any grassroots or infrastructure. The party could not even find a permanent leader in time for the last election. That is going to mean at least an election cycle or two of rebuilding.
That said, I think there is an opportunity for the Liberals to capture a good chunk of the vote by appealing (as noted above) to socially liberal Tories who want nothing to do with Wildrose and disaffected NDP voters from the last go-around. I think Sharon Carstairs in Manitoba in 1988 is a good template to try and follow – people were in the mood to turf the NDP but many (particularly in Winnipeg) could not quite bring themselves to vote for the rurally-based Filmon PCs. Carstairs was able to capitalize on the perception that the NDP was incompetent while the Tories were heartless. I could see a similar play working in Alberta next time out.
I first saw Dave Khan on Power & Politics with Rosemary Barton. I clicked “like” his comments.
Read his tweets for a long time! Then I followed him.
I am new to social media, new to twitter.
As an Elder, my years of experience, living and working across Canada including on First Nation communities, something told me then, an inner voice, intuition that David was the real deal. He has a passion and energy equal to Justin Trudeau.
David is not Justin and Justin is not David.
But David being born in Alberta has a real passion for Alberta and will do everything in his power to ensure inclusion for everyone and a prosperous future for every Albertan.
As a Metis, I like his knowledge & experience with Indigenous issues. Reminds me of Justin Trudeau message of Real Change which was why I registered as a Liberal. Trudeau passion and sincerity with my Metis Nation, my Metis National Council.
As a teacher, I like his experience supporting Central European University academic freedom!
David wants to explore basic income.
So does Elon Musk Founder & CEO of TESLA and SpaceX, Martin Luther King Jr., Mark Zuckerberg Facebook CEO, Milton Friedman -Nobel Prize Economist, Kathleen Wynne Premier of Ontario and the list goes on!
So MANY positives! Read his tweets, posts, website.
David Khan WILL be the best Premier of Alberta.
David is different from the typical “politician”. His time is now because that is what our time in history is calling for fairness, equality, freedom and inclusion. That’s David Khan plain and simple.
David Khan is making a strong positive difference now!
Something just tells me that David will make a larger difference, a long lasting positive legacy for Alberta, Canada and even the global community.
we need guys like him to put there hand up ..good for him for running ..
Yes, good observation!
It takes time, money, commitment and lots of resources.
And passion for inclusion, equality, fairness, and freedom, lucky for us David has that in his heart and wears it on his sleeve.