DO WE NEED A MINISTRY OF COMMON SENSE?

 DO WE NEED A MINISTRY OF COMMON SENSE?

Yesterday was a busy day for Alberta politics. Premier Jason Kenney announced that he would be shuffling his cabinet to improve government performance. In anticipation, I fully expected Education Minister Adriana LaGrange, who was responsible for the ludicrous curriculum revision that prescribed for meaningful lessons on the Mongol invasions and Islamic religion in Grade one, to be bounced from cabinet. She was not. I also expected Health Minister Tyler Shandro, who has unilaterally proposed major revisions to the working conditions and contracts of provincial doctors and nurses, to be seeking employment elsewhere. He is not. So, if the two major bungling ministers of the past year and half were not removed, what happened?

Basically, there were several lateral shuffles among minor ministries, one expulsion from cabinet and the addition of one major new minister. Now, unfortunate MLA Tanya Fir, has been saddled with the dubious title of Associate Minister of Red Tape Reduction! Of course, my first reaction was that Kenney was just introducing a little levity into the boring exercise of shuffling the deck. But no, this appointment was for real. My second reaction was what the hell is a Ministry of Red Tape Reduction? And thirdly, what did Kenney have against Fir?

I thought that the admission by the government that there was obviously too much red tape in government procedures and practise was a brave admission. It is equally remarkable that a ministry has to be organized to reduce the red tape that binds the hands of people on so many fronts. Why operational practises and inefficiencies are not monitored and dealt with on a continuous basis is another mystery to me. It just seems like normal and good business practice to always strive towards better service and performance. But perhaps that is just another example of my own naivety  

If Red Tape Reduction is a basis for a ministerial department (I am certain employing dozens of staff) then there are a number of other possible new ministries that I would propose . How about a Ministry of Common Sense! Before the government decides on some expensive project or initiative, poll a few people on the street to see if common sense can help clarify the issue. For example, the finance minister’s announcement that Alberta nurses should face a five percent wage DECREASE after they have spent eighteen months working feverishly during the pandemic, is an outrageous example of government insensitivity and poor judgement!

How about forming a Stop the Bullshit Department that would allow it to attach oral or written comments regarding the truth or lack of truth to every government speech or dispatch that comes out of Edmonton. It would be similar to the infamous Fact Checker system imposed on Trump’s rantings. How about a Legislative Performance Department that hosts a website recording the attendance and voting records of each MLA on a continuous basis, as well as updates on their expense account claims. After all, they are representatives of the electorate and those who elected them should be able to monitor their performance daily if they wish.

If red tape reduction can rate a ministerial department than I think my suggestions are just as valid. What do you think?