Ah...........the lure of the seductive political siren (are there male sirens?).......... and the losing hangover the next morning.......... makes one non-linear...............
Despite the fact that the Tories won the popular vote, this province has a new Liberal Premier. And in a small place like this, a new government means change. Patronage is alive and kicking around here. All contracts for everything from snowplow operating to management consultation with the government will be scrutinized behind closed doors (or in a corner table at the local Tim Hortons). The change will directly impact the civil service, and the feeling this morning is one of disarray and concern.
What does it mean? What about the intiatives halfway being implemented? Who will get the axe? Who will the Departmental Minister be? Will the government departments be re-aligned AGAIN? All hiring is on hold even if a position needs to be filled. All political appointments, and there are a lot of them are null and void. Political reality imposes stark changes to any so-called strategic initiatives Management had spent ruminating hours in meetings planning.
Out the window..........the four year window has been closed shut..............time to find the new window..................
On a personal note, I am supposed to be moving to a new locale and a new division within my government department, with a supposed new list of job responsibilities at the end of the month. I'll be leaving the team I have worked with for 12 years in the Intake unit of Social Services to the Housing Division. Initially I was told that I was to head up a Community Development initiative for families with kids under the age of 5. However, in actuality, my position is being expanded rather than altered. Bit by bit, more responsibilities are being added to my list of to do's. Without any analysis of my work and without any helpful discussions with me, I have been pushed and pulled in a variety of directions, with no respectful communication. It has been stressful to say the least and quite offensive. This morning? This change may be put on hold. Why? One of the promises this Liberal government pledged was a separate housing department with a focus on Seniors. Looks like my "move" will be put on hold. Fine with me.
This will occur throughout the civil service. I'm sure the phones and emails are burning up today with stories, guesses, interpretations all related to the fallout.
My thoughts on the election............
Shawn Graham, the Premier elect spoke last night of a "bold change." Who's he kidding? A change of underwear perhaps........from blue bloomers to red knickers? This province will still struggle with the ongoing brain drain, high taxes and gas prices, low educational scores, unemployment, call centre hell, rural poverty, urban homelessness, dilaudid addictions, methadone madness, and obesity rates higher than the rest of Canada. Well, maybe Shawn will add a couple more gym classes into the equation, since that was his major in University. Yes, we have a Gym teacher for a Premier. Let's hope he's not prone to double dribbling.
Bernard Lord has a couple of options..............or so the mainstream media thinks...........
1. Stay the course and be an opposition leader while eating humble pie.
2. Jump ship the NB Schooner, run for the Feds and work for Harper.
3. Start developing a board of directors figurehead portfolio and make some money.
If I was offering my opinion.........I'd suggest he meet with me to help him update his resume. I'd then introduce him to the Resource Centre staff, show him the NB Job sites that have bogus ads on them and wish him well............ and possibly suggest that he contact Ralph Klein in a hurry. I hear there's loads of jobs in Fort MacMurray. Or maybe, because he's bilingual, he can land a supervisor role at the Cendant call centre. Repatriation, my butt.
Alison Brewer and the NDP? Let's hope she was receptive to the loud epiphanous message that her type of social activism and her personality don't automatically translate into being a leader of a group of social activists. Her unbelievably poor showing in the polls across the province had a major impact on the final results.
Despite the fact that the Tories won the popular vote, this province has a new Liberal Premier. And in a small place like this, a new government means change. Patronage is alive and kicking around here. All contracts for everything from snowplow operating to management consultation with the government will be scrutinized behind closed doors (or in a corner table at the local Tim Hortons). The change will directly impact the civil service, and the feeling this morning is one of disarray and concern.
What does it mean? What about the intiatives halfway being implemented? Who will get the axe? Who will the Departmental Minister be? Will the government departments be re-aligned AGAIN? All hiring is on hold even if a position needs to be filled. All political appointments, and there are a lot of them are null and void. Political reality imposes stark changes to any so-called strategic initiatives Management had spent ruminating hours in meetings planning.
Out the window..........the four year window has been closed shut..............time to find the new window..................
On a personal note, I am supposed to be moving to a new locale and a new division within my government department, with a supposed new list of job responsibilities at the end of the month. I'll be leaving the team I have worked with for 12 years in the Intake unit of Social Services to the Housing Division. Initially I was told that I was to head up a Community Development initiative for families with kids under the age of 5. However, in actuality, my position is being expanded rather than altered. Bit by bit, more responsibilities are being added to my list of to do's. Without any analysis of my work and without any helpful discussions with me, I have been pushed and pulled in a variety of directions, with no respectful communication. It has been stressful to say the least and quite offensive. This morning? This change may be put on hold. Why? One of the promises this Liberal government pledged was a separate housing department with a focus on Seniors. Looks like my "move" will be put on hold. Fine with me.
This will occur throughout the civil service. I'm sure the phones and emails are burning up today with stories, guesses, interpretations all related to the fallout.
My thoughts on the election............
Shawn Graham, the Premier elect spoke last night of a "bold change." Who's he kidding? A change of underwear perhaps........from blue bloomers to red knickers? This province will still struggle with the ongoing brain drain, high taxes and gas prices, low educational scores, unemployment, call centre hell, rural poverty, urban homelessness, dilaudid addictions, methadone madness, and obesity rates higher than the rest of Canada. Well, maybe Shawn will add a couple more gym classes into the equation, since that was his major in University. Yes, we have a Gym teacher for a Premier. Let's hope he's not prone to double dribbling.
Bernard Lord has a couple of options..............or so the mainstream media thinks...........
1. Stay the course and be an opposition leader while eating humble pie.
2. Jump ship the NB Schooner, run for the Feds and work for Harper.
3. Start developing a board of directors figurehead portfolio and make some money.
If I was offering my opinion.........I'd suggest he meet with me to help him update his resume. I'd then introduce him to the Resource Centre staff, show him the NB Job sites that have bogus ads on them and wish him well............ and possibly suggest that he contact Ralph Klein in a hurry. I hear there's loads of jobs in Fort MacMurray. Or maybe, because he's bilingual, he can land a supervisor role at the Cendant call centre. Repatriation, my butt.
Alison Brewer and the NDP? Let's hope she was receptive to the loud epiphanous message that her type of social activism and her personality don't automatically translate into being a leader of a group of social activists. Her unbelievably poor showing in the polls across the province had a major impact on the final results.
"And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on a carousel of time
We can't return we can only look behind
From where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game."
Joni Mitchell
3 comments:
Perfect Joni Mitchell quote to illustrate your point.
The book I am currently reading talks about why citizens left their countries back in the first days of immigration to the United States. One of the major reasons went on to explain the ever-changing governments that would takeover after one country over-ran another, and the new government in charge would persecute minorities with ethnic cleansing. Of course, starvation and pogroms were another reason, but I found it a real eye-opener that it all started with the "new" governments.
Lucky we live on this side of the world in the time we do now, as we have the freedom to complain, change, and vote out the rascals in "X" amount of years. Some countries still don't fare so well in that department.
Very interesting post today... I did not know of the Canadian political parties, but will stay tuned to see how this new management of Canadian Government will do.
Hopefully you will have someone better in office than we do. And very hopefully they will fine tune your job tasks.
They are rascals, arent they?
Yes, the Joni Mitchell song for some reason was stuck in my head all day. That and Harry Chapin's "All My Life's a Circle."
We are lucky to be living where we do and that democracy reigns. Though our countries are similar with respect to the democratic voting process etc, Canadian politics/government is based on the British system to some extent and set up very differently than the United States. Both are intriguing, but both have WAY too many men involved!! :)
Awareness is right. What these parties need are strong, sensible women. That is what lacked in the NDP. Allison Brewer, though a nice enough woman on a personal level I'm sure, lacked the sensibility needed to run a campaign. Today I heard Terry Seguin on the CBC morning show interview Ms. Luke the VP of the NB NDP Association and it only prooves that the lack of sensibility goes right to the top. He asked her what her party stood for and rather than answering the question and putting her message out there she decided to get defensive. "You know what we stand for Terry, it hasn't been that long since Elizabeth Weir was around..." is how she replied. He stated,"yes, but does the voter?" This was another opportunity missed for the NDP to get out their message. She simply replied that "I think they do know" and began chastizing the media for a lack of coverage. Quite frankly the media did them a favour because if this is the kind of coverage they are looking for their party would be even worse of than the 5% of the popular vote.
I was also slightly disappointed in the outcome. In my riding the Liberal candidate came to my house 3 times and visited EVERY house at least once to ask if the consituants had any concerns that he should know about. The PC guy didn't show up even once. Although the candidate that did take the time to shake hands, kiss babies, listened and worked so hard but he still didn't win. The hardest thing to swallow is that my vote was for the person this election and not really for the leader so I feel your pain.
Although I really wasn't keen on either party leader I did feel a bit of joy and sorrow for both leaders. Graham was so happy that he won but I couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness as I watched Premier Lord and the looks of despair on the faces of his family. His poor children...I'd be happy to help him with his resume and give him the pamphlet I created about finding jobs in Fort McMurray!
It will be interesting to see how the next few years play out. Most likely it will be a bit of the same.
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