Back when I did community development, we used a process called "Community Capacity Building" to identify issues, gather input from stakeholders and mobilize community members to implement innovative solutions. I loved doing this work and was always filled with community pride when an idea became an initiative and then became a well-rooted community strength.

There were, however, times when someone or someones would bring up an issue, and we would work the process, but find in the end that there just wasn't the uptake to make something new happen. One example was neighbourhood watch. We talked about it, had meetings about it, but never seemed to gain the critical mass of volunteers to make it a reality. What one learns through this process is to be very pragmatic about the things that don't take wings; though a need was identified and action was taken as a catalyst for change, ultimately there has to be community buy-in for it to work. It doesn't make the idea a bad one, nor does it mean that the solution was wrong. When an idea does not materialize into the outcome one hopes and plans for, the view must be taken that the community has spoken, and our job is to accept that and move on.

Understanding that process and having walked that path has really been a help to my mental game throughout the campaign, and particularly in reflecting on the outcome of the election.

Citizens Endorse Danielle Klooster Innisfail - Sylvan Lake Alberta Party

I'm sure we've all received many dire warning emails over the years. You know the kind: They're usually forwarded by a friend or by my Mom (sorry) and they announce some cataclysmic consequence for something, up to and including what will happen if you fail to forward to ten friends. Dire warnings I've received include my cell phone exploding, my computer, various accounts being closed or in jeopardy, and the always dreaded "someone is saying nasty things about you!". Try as I might to get folks to please check snopes before hitting forward, these forwards keep a'comin'. 

Why are dire warnings so popular? Why do these things keep circulating, sometimes even the same story going round and round for years? I think it's because they work. Fear is a very powerful emotion; it's one of our most basic instincts. Knowing that, those who seek a specific outcome for their own benefit and lack the moral fibre to conduct themselves in a forthright manner stealthily plant seeds of fear in the hearts and minds of the unsuspecting. It's only the goodness and lack of manipulative mentality that gives this type of reprehensible behaviour its track record of success. You see it in sales, advertising, religion, and even politics. Or these days, especially politics. 

There are three provincial parties now asserting that their MLAs will have a free vote in the legislature, effective with the onset of the next sitting: Liberals, Wildrose and Alberta Party. Many people are confused by what free vote means; they wonder how this can work and if it is even possible. 

Last Wednesday night at the Sylvan Lake forum, the PC incumbent, Luke Ouellette, told the crowd that free votes are illegal and impossible, because our province operates under the British Parliamentary system, and therefore members voting against their party would automatically result in a confidence vote that would lead to the fall of government.

So let's clear this up once and for all.

Highlights of Danielle Klooster speaking at the Innisfail-Sylvan Lake riding Candidates' Forum held in Innisfail on April 10, 2012.

Danielle Klooster is the Alberta Party candidate for the riding of Innisfail-Sylvan Lake.
In this short video, Danielle explains why she was attracted to the Alberta Party and what is needed to restore faith in government.

Danielle Klooster, Alberta Party candidate for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake, describes how important community building is to her and how her grassroots, democratic approach to community development has benefited her community - The Town of Penhold.

The Town of Sylvan Lake has been lobbying the provincial government for the better part of twenty years, according to local doctors, eight of them in a very organized, community-driven fashion. The seven urgent care centres in our province may be best described as bridging the gap between a walk-in clinic and the ER. There are none anywhere in Central Alberta, and the community says (and I completely agree) that the resort community of Sylvan Lake, with over one million visitors per year, is the perfect place for such a facility.

I’m having a really interesting time knocking on doors and chatting with people in this constituency. I think being on the ground, talking to people in these communities is by far the richest part of this whole experience of running for office.

Many people, regardless of age, tell me they have typically voted Conservative (meaning PC). Not surprising. What is interesting is the number of people who’ve told me the reason: “I believed we had to.” One fellow said, “Well really, I’m a leftie, but I voted conservative because, y’know, we have to.” Others have said they don’t agree with how the PCs do things but they just keep their mouths shut about it because “in this province” one can only be “conservative” or silent.

Thankfully people are coming to realize they have other options. But having today heard someone say this for the nth time, I couldn’t help but wonder how we let democracy slip away from us this way. When I hear stories of how people through the ages and across the world have suffered and died and fought for democracy, I am grieved that it’s come to this.

Yes, the Paul Brandt song was running through my head today as the Alberta Partyreleased its first ever platform, entitled “We Can Dream Bigger”.

Out here in rurban/rural Alberta, we know all about Big Dreams. Small communities work hard to maintain their business base, schools, hospitals, and quality of life.