Clean Governance Initiative
Author: David | Date: May 12, 2010 | Please Comment!Today I unveiled an ambitious new plan aimed at improving governance and restoring the confidence of voters in Alberta. The Clean Governance Initiative is a 12 step plan with an aim to make Alberta MLAs more accountable and level the playing field during the course of elections. The initiative includes an independent and binding body determining the salaries and allowances of MLAs rather than MLAs themselves setting their own pay. In addition, all MLA expenses would become publically available online.
I want to encourage ‘whistleblowers’ who expose waste and corruption in government. An Alberta Liberal administration would appoint an independent ombudsman with the power to protect whistleblowers from job loss and other unfair consequences.
Democratic renewal is important to me and I want to regain trust as well as better engage the people in the political process. By offering a $50 tax credit to those who exercise their democratic right we are rewarding proper behavior as a citizen of Alberta. We hope that this incentive will improve voter turnout during provincial elections and entice voters to follow the issues of the campaign as well.
I am very keen to hear your questions and comments about this initiative and democracy in our province. Please do not hesitate to contact my office at Calgary.mountainview@assembly.ab.ca or 403-216-5445 to provide us with feedback on this plan.
8:40 am on May 21st, 2010
The majority of the Albertans I have talked to are beginning to wonder about your decision making capacity to lead.
$50 as a tax credit bribe to vote? For the non-voters in the position of not paying any taxes, this is financial discrimination.
If the general population doesn’t want to vote Conservative, but there is no motivation for them to vote liberal or NDP, then this $50 amount to a bribe to come out to the polls.
Imagine the controversy if the liberals won such an election.
Bad policy, Bad decision David.