Photo: flickr/ Dave Cournoyer

Dear Alberta,

Let me be among the many to congratulate you on accomplishing on May 5 what everyone thought was impossible. Within a few years, Alberta’s reputation as a conservative stronghold has been completely turned on its head. Electing an NDP majority government and reducing the PCs — the longest-ruling political party in any province — to a pitiful 10 seats was astounding and inspiring.

No doubt you’re feeling quite optimistic and proud. This is excellent! It is high time Albertans felt that they mattered and had a real say in how they are governed.  

Rachel Notley and her MLAs now have a formidable and unenviable job facing them. People will understandably have very high expectations of the new provincial government, which has to tackle back-to-back-to-back provincial deficits, an economic crisis perpetuated by their predecessor’s exclusive reliance on oil revenues, and decades of austerity and neglect. They’re going to need your help.  

Here are five things that the newly minted NDP government needs from their supporters:

1. Be patient.

There is much to fix and improve upon and few resources to do it with, thanks entirely to decades of PC rule. Alberta will not resemble a shining example of the NDP’s vision tomorrow or next week or even next year. Give Premier Notley the time she needs to make the changes Albertans need.

 

2. Be creative in how you demonstrate your support.

The days of an individual’s participation in democracy ending at the voting booth are dead and gone now. You have a brand new government for the first time in 44 years. They will have detractors and enemies coming at them from all sides. If there was ever a time and place for citizens to demonstrate their commitment to democratic governance by supporting the government they elect, that time and place is Alberta right now.

 

3. Watch for and celebrate any positive change.

No one is going to see the NDP accomplish everything it hopes to do in its first mandate, especially walking into power with Alberta’s fiscal books in such disarray. But anything the Alberta NDP succeeds in doing to improve the lives of Albertans is a victory, because it would not have happened if Jim Prentice had remained in power. Recognize those accomplishments and celebrate them.

 

4. Don’t give Rachel Notley a free ride.

Despite what I’ve said in number three, don’t allow the provincial government to rest on its laurels. Notley is in the Premier’s seat because Albertans want substantive change. As you should with any government, hold the NDP government to account.

 

5. Get ready for the next fight.

Throwing the PCs out of office in Alberta for the first time in over four decades means that anything is possible and no party should take the support of its constituents for granted. You’ve done what needed to be done provincially; there will be a federal election this year and it’s patently obvious that there needs to be a reckoning in Parliament as well.

Take some time to celebrate what you’ve done for Alberta but also take those lessons and experiences and prepare to do the same for Canada.

 

Todd Ferguson is an former Albertan and current labour activist, now living in eastern Canada.

Photo: flickr/ Dave Cournoyer