Could Brownell Night Go Federal? (What JT could learn from JB)

Trudeau graciously thanked Harper, and promised to work with the Conservative Party in the future.

"Conservatives are not our enemies, they are our neighbours," he said.

Lots of talk lately about Trudeau's commitment to make half of his reduced Cabinet women.  Why that's a good thing is clear to many and, over the coming years, will make sense to most: the things that define us shape our world view, our priorities, our challenges and our opportunities.

The more policy-makers can reflect the general population, the closer we will get to policies that work towards everyone's best interests.

Diversity is strength.  The task of leadership is empowering all these different people, perspectives, sectors and systems to be more than the sum of their parts.  A big piece of that is knowing how to listen, make connections, nurture relationships - the stuff of community building.

This the challenge Justin Trudeau has taken on.

It's a challenge my old boss Jim Brownell and I are familiar with, though on a much smaller scale.

Anyone who worked for the Ontario Liberal Party or its MPPs during Jim's time at Queen's Park will remember him fondly.  Jim was a dedicated constituency guy, a strong advocate for rural Ontario and all things history and heritage.  He was also a great mentor and the kind of boss most people dream of having; a retired teacher, Jim had mastered the art of balancing direction, guidance and space to help his staff become the best public servants they could be.

Jim's legacy is written all over Ontario (some examples can be found here) but what political staff remember him for the most is the community incubator he started - Brownell Night.

On the surface, Brownell Night was a simple concept - once a month, Jim would host a gathering at the Duke of York, a pub not far from the Legislature.  Political staff and friends would come together, have a few drinks, tell a few stories, meet some new faces.

Of course what Brownell Night did was something much more profound.  

There aren't a lot of opportunities for political staff - especially staff for a governing party - to connect beyond the transactional level.  You may attend some meetings, you may attending some briefings, regional caucus roundups and maybe even a training or two, but on the whole there's no real opportunity (or incentive) to build relationships.

Without relationships, you don't have community.  Community is a breeding ground for opportunity, for idea sharing, problem identification and solution-building.

Community is what creates a whole that is more than a sum of its parts - that turns diversity into strength.  Put plainly, community-animating is the number one function of leadership, and is what Justin Trudeau has set out to do.

I didn't realize it at the time, but what we did - what Jim nurtured - was community animation.  

Now that I'm literally writing the book on community animation for CSI Regent Park, I find myself reflecting on the genius of Brownell Night and Jim's unique gift for bringing diverse groups of folk - people from his community, staff at Queen's Park, sector stakeholders, even public servants - together in celebration of the things we have in common.  

As Jim liked to say, no deals were ever struck at Brownell Night - that wasn't the point.  Instead, friendships were formed, ideas were explored and new opportunities emerged.  It still tickles me pink that an introduction I made at Brownell Night led to a marriage (the couple just celebrated eight years together - man, how time flies!)

One thing I always hoped to do with Brownell Night but never quite achieved was to make it more multi-partisan.  I felt then as I do now - that if political staff who were often nudged into viewing their counterparts from other parties as foes could hang out over drinks, chat issues and really get to know each other, we could change the "blood sport" nature of politics into something more collegial.

We never got to the point where Brownell Night was as open as I wanted it to be; if Jim had stayed for one more term or if another MPP had taken up the mantle (believe me, we tried really hard to make that happen), I know we could have gotten there.  

As it stood, I did get to know a couple of amazing folk from the other side of the political spectrum, in particular Megan Boyle and Beth Corbett).  It's no surprise that we disagreed on a lot of issues. 

What shouldn't have been surprising but was - the underlying intent of our positions often turned out to be the same.

Not only did I get to meet and know some amazing people, those two Conservative operatives challenged me and opened me to new perspectives.  I would never have had that opportunity if I'd only looked at them as foes.

To quote another Trudeau: "We can be in total disagreement with someone without denigrating them as a consequence."

Without community, diversity is opposition.  Community is the pot in which different ingredients become a stew of possibility.  Leadership, of course, is what brings it all together.

That's what politics should be and can be - committed public servants, elected representatives and political staff hacking issues and finding the best solutions.

It's totally doable, too.  Jim Brownell proved that.

As the Conservatives and NDP seek to find their footing in our new political reality, there's some consideration being given to Trudeau's sunny ways and what lessons can be learned from his approach.

Trudeau and his team have a long-standing commitment to do politics differently, too, with a clear emphasis on looking at the other parties as neighbours rather than opponents.

There are many ways Team Trudeau can build the bridges of community with their peers, if that's something they mean to follow through on.  

A monthly gathering of political staff from all parties would be a great one.

I bet if he were asked nicely, Jim Brownell would even help out.  He's just that kind of guy.

A community builder.  A leader.  A teacher.

Remind you of anyone?

The Problem with Competitive Politics: Why Position is not the same as Power

It's true, too.  Politics is sort of the opposite of real life.  In the political game, you are measured not so much by the quantity of friends you have, but by the quality of your enemies.  If you want to be adored, and see your name chiseled onto the side of a schoolhouse some day, become an astronaut.  Politics is a vocation for losing besties, not gaining them.

This isn't just Kinsella's opinion - it's common sense in political circles.  I cannot count the number of times I have been told by senior Liberal and Conservative advisers (I don't know any NDP advisers, but have seen them operate this way, too) that to be effective in politics, you need to pick fights.

Not pick your fights, but proactively go out and start fights.  It's the whole "define or be defined" thing - if you wait until foes come at you, as they inevitably will, then their line of attack will shape your public image.  On the other hand, if you go out and pick fights yourself, you will define yourself by making it clear who it is you stand against.

Mike Harris stood against teachers, nurses, First Nations groups.  Vying for a seat in Kitchener-Waterloo, the last iteration of Team McGuinty decided picking a fight against teachers would brand them the right way, too.

People who have been friends and colleagues, when they find themselves in different camps, will burn their bridges and end friendships because that's simply how they see the game being played.  You have to stab a couple people in the back to make it to the top of the heap, right?

After all, in the game of thrones, you win or you die - and there are only so many chairs at the top.

I will argue, as I have always done, that these die-hard political scrappers are mistaking power with position.  

If you want to be Premier, or a right-hand adviser, or a pundit on TV, yeah - you tend to make your name by breaking others.  Attacks make good headlines, etc.  If it's your goal to have the car and driver, the "Honourable" title before your name and access to the most exclusive events, by all means, go be a political warrior.

When you commit to defining yourself by your enemies, though, you've just handed them the keys to your brand.  They will define you in perpetuity, not your own achievements.  

That's not power - that's dependence.

During my time at Queen's Park I worked for a humble, hard-working MPP who was loved and respected by all.

Even when he frustrated people in the Premier's Office or on Opposition benches - which, rest assured, he did - Jim Brownell was always his own man, committed to one clear purpose.

That purpose wasn't power - it was empowering his constituents.

Jim was never a Minister, never had a car and driver, was never a sought-after pundit.  He never worked for those trappings of position and therefore never got them.  In traditional political terms, you could say Jim never amounted to anything.

Yet Jim's record stands head and shoulders above most of his colleagues, whatever their title or position.  His accomplishments aren't a laundry-list of things the Centre decreed for his Riding, as is the case for many pols; these were things he fought, negotiated and charmed his way into delivering for his constituents.

A couple of my favourites:

- Downtown loan forgiveness for every municipality in Ontario that had a loan to pay back

Jim wanted the Province to forgive Cornwall's loan to give them relief after some prominent mill closures; the Province replied they couldn't just do it for one community.  Therefore, Jim personally advocated on each municipality's behalf to get it done.

- Early Works development for the Cornwall Community Hospital

There was a five-year hospital development plan, and the CCH wasn't on it.  Instead of fighting or yielding, Jim found a third-way solution that created wins for everyone.  

- Eastern Ontario Development Fund

Not just Jim's accomplishment, but one he worked on with Eastern colleagues that continues to support economic growth in Eastern Ontario today

- The Premier's Gravesites Program

Jim was ridiculed for thinking history and recognizing Ontario's past leaders mattered, but he did.  Now, there's a program that ensures each burial place is recognized with a plaque and a flag.  Every future Premier of Ontario owes Jim for that.

- Riding Days at Queen's Park

Jim hosted the first Riding Day at Queen's Park by bringing community partners up from Stormont Dundas and South Glengarry for a day of meetings, attendance at Question Period and a reception at the end of the day.  It was a great hit; people at QP really got a sense for the culture and vibrancy of the region at the same time as Jim's stakeholders got to see just how much clout their MPP had at Queen's Park.

It's no surprise that many a Member have since copied Jim's model.

and finally - Brownell Night

This last might seem strange, but to me is none-the-less important.  Jim started a monthly gathering of Liberal staff, the first time such a thing had happened.  Suddenly, people who'd known each other by phone alone got to know each other as individuals.

Brownell Night became an opportunity to build community, cohesion and a sense of team within the Liberal Party of Ontario - something which, from what I hear, doesn't exist any more.  As the man who knew staff in every Ministry, he unsurprisingly became very popular.

Jim never once picked a fight, but he ended several.  My favourite also goes back to John Tory, who was accusing him of inactivity on hospital development in the riding.  Within minutes of Tory blasting Jim in the Legislature, he had a hand-written note from Jim on a picture of the development project at CCH on his desk.

People quickly learned not to misrepresent Jim's activity.  That didn't earn him enemies; it earned him respect.

Maybe Jim's name won't be recorded in the history books or ignite conversations decades hence - but he will be remembered fondly by each and every person he interacted with.  People still seek him out for advise today, and tend to regret it when they don't mind his wisdom.  Not because he attacks them, of course, but because he's got a habit of being right.

Oh - and he does have a road named after him.

This is the lesson that too many political pros don't want to hear because, truth be told, they enjoy the fight.  They see power as something to be held over others and relish bringing others down to increase their own stature.  In their minds, they're front-line soldiers, keeping the other tribe at bay.

Perhaps the most "successful" political people want to be judged by the enemies they have made. That's their choice.

Leaders, however, are judged by what they accomplish.

Note on the picture topping this post - it's taken from a Swerhun consultation.  

Haven't heard of Swerhun? That's probably because they're not big on the self-promotion thing.  They, like a growing number of virtuous schemers, are quietly working behind the scenes, building community, creating partnerships and establishing trust where none previously existed.

These people don't really care if you know who they are - they know they're changing the system regardless.

A Little Opposition Is A Healthy Thing

"I was informed earlier this afternoon that PC HQ prefers followers to leaders & that I am no longer the PC candidate in Essex," Brister tweeted.

What did he expect by openly challenging the leader - when he's not even elected?

I know a story that kinda goes like this, but with a different ending.  

It was the 2003 election, one the Tories were expected to win.  The Liberal Leader, Dalton McGuinty, was wearing the "still not up to the job" brand after a rocky start to his leadership.  McGuinty's ability to gain traction in rural Ontario was far from certain - the Liberals were largely considered to be an urban-centric Party.  

You'd think his core team would have been nervous nellies, knowing full well this was their Leader's last kick at the can.  By rights, they should have felt a compulsion to stamp out any internal opposition especially from a mere candidate so as not to look weak to the masses.

McGuinty did have a candidate that took issue with a Party position and did so publicly.  Like Brister, this candidate got some stern advice from the Party.  Where the story differs, however, is that the Liberal candidate was never told he had to recant or be dropped.

He went on to handily win the riding of Stormont, Dundas and South Glengarry and held it until he retired in 2011.  Even now in his political retirement, people still turn to him as their representative.

That candidate, of course, was Jim Brownell.  

Brownell went on to challenge Party wisdom again and again over the years.  With time and experience McGuinty, his Ministers and the OLP on the whole learned that when Jim had an opinion it was worth listening to; he had a fair bit of wisdom of his own to share.

The collaboration of Jim Brownell and the Ontario Liberal Party went on to do many great things, including the Eastern Ontario Economic Development Fund, closure on Cornwall's Project Truth scandal, new hospitals, downtown loan forgiveness and tourist promotion.  Brownell campaigned on his ability to put Eastern Ontario back on the map - he did, to the OLP's benefit.

By learning to listen to and show respect for a rural candidate, the McGuinty Liberals were demonstrating their commitment to learning from and listening to rural Ontario.  It was something the good folk of SD&G certainly took notice of.

More than being a fine Parliamentarian and a partisan asset, though, Jim brought a lineage of rural courtesy and comradeship with him to Queen's Park.  He was well-respected by Members of all Parties and absolutely adored by staff.  His genuine warmth and compassion led to his becoming an unofficial morale officer for the OLP which again benefited.

Never once did Jim ever support something he didn't believe in.  Never once did he compromise his beliefs.  Instead, he learned to work with the Party as the Party learned to work with him.  Which is how government is supposed to work.

All of this says a lot about Jim.  It says a lot about McGuinty and the people he surrounded himself with, too.

Just as the dismissal of Dave Brister has something to say about Tim Hudak and his team.

Could Dave Brister have become Tim Hudak's version of Jim Brownell, gaining trust externally, building morale internally and helping to usher in more than a decade of Party wins?

I guess we'll never know, will we?  

SDSG PLA

 

 

Local political buzz in Cornwall is whether all things are well in the Provincial Liberal riding association camp after none of the local Grit VIP’s were in attendance for Premier Kathleen Wynne’s visits to the River City including last candidate Mark A MacDonald or former MPP Jim Brownell.

 

 

The devil is in the details - which, of course, gotcha headlines don't have time for.  Of course, people apparently don't have time for substance either, which is why gotcha headlines are needed to sell news (or something approximating it).

 

I don't know the details about what happened here, but here's what I do know:

 

Kathleen Wynne is the real deal.  I first met her back in 2002, when she was just a candidate.  She was sincere, authentic and she listened.  I didn't see her again until long after I'd returned to Queen's Park in 2005.  She was the same person then as she was in 2001.  In fact, in all the interactions I've had with her over the years, she has never changed as a person; whatever duties she accumulated, however "powerful" she became, she has remained the same person all the way through. 

 

I have two favourite memories of now-Premier Wynne:

 

One - a meeting with her and representatives of VOICE for Deaf Children, an organization that supports kids who are deaf/hard-of-hearing and their families.  It was a packed room, but Wynne made a point of engaging every single person in the room - she created an environment that was conducive to contribution, which wasn't easy.  The then-Minister of Education took notes herself.  Later, Wynne was pivotal in VOICE's push to have the province cover bilateral cochlear implants for deaf kids in Ontario. 

 

Two - a random run-in on Front street, not long before former Premier McGuinty stepped down and she threw her at in the ring.  Wynne and her partner Jane were on their way to a show; I was on my way from some event or other to Union station.  In passing, Wynne recognized me, addressed me by name (how she remembered, I have no idea) and stopped for a quick chat about life. 

 

She has, as a person, always embodied the traits a leaders should.  That's still the case today.

 

Nobody knows SDSG like Jim Brownell.  I clearly have a soft spot for Jim, but it's well-earned.  Jim remains, for me, the best example of what a politician should be.  Working for him remains the highlight of my career.

 

Jim was more than just a gentleman and a great boss, though - he was a man of and for his community who found, impossibly as it might seem these days, the perfect balance between empowering his riding, building his brand and supporting his Party. 

 

This was largely due to his approach - Jim had enormous pride in the people and history of his riding and a great deal of hope for what it's future could entail.  Jim could (and often did) tell you the history of every square inch of the three counties.  He loved and was loved by his community, which is why he ran for provincial office in the first place. 

 

I firmly believe that, if Jim were to run again, he would win easily - because people know he has a record of getting things done.  That personal brand, that knowledge of the riding and that political savvy would, I think, be invaluable to a Party looking to win the riding back.

 

James Borer defines leadership.  I got to know James through Jim and because of VOICE.  Today, I'm proud to call him one of my best friends.  James is a rural Ontarian from an old Ontario family (Borer Falls is named after his kin).  He's a hobby farmer with a beautiful family, including two kids who are deaf (but thanks to cochlear implants, can hear and function like any kid).  He understands the value of hard work and knows clearly what that work is for - to support his family and make a better world for them and all other families in the province.

 

James is also a highly-trained and soldier with, shall we say, a rather unique skill set.  He has served overseas and carries a great many combat scars to tell the tales, though you'll never hear them - he does what he does not for glory, but out of a sense of duty. 

 

It would be an error to mistake his causal way of speaking for simplicity.  I have watched him casually deconstruct and tie verbal opponents into knots, helping them back themselves into corners they can't see until it's too late.  James has a highly disciplined, strategic mind; he's good at assessing variables, planning contingencies and achieving victory.  I've seen him do it again and again - leadership just comes naturally to him.

 

More than anything, though, James is a man of honour who puts the mission first.  He is a Liberal because of what he believes, not because of anything he thinks the Party can do for him.  The best example of this is the Rural Roundtable he organized during the OLP leadership race - it was an event that helped the candidates connect with his community and vice-versa.  It was also an innovative format that focused on solutions, not gripes, that was widely praised by all who participated.

 

Like Jim, James is an invaluable resource in Stormont, Dundas and South Glengarry.

 

I like Bernadette Clement.  She's got a good soul, a friendly demeanour and a positive outlook.  In an ideal world, there'd be more people like her in politics.  However, ours is not an ideal world and politics is not focused on vision - it's focused on tearing opponents to shreds.  During her federal bid, Bernadette kept to the high road, worked tirelessly, but was faced with a machine that put the win before anything else. 

 

Bernadette is a natural communicator and facilitator, which was clearly evident during her role as Leadership Campaign Co-Chair.  She shined in that role - it gave me great pride to see her up there, representing my home town and embodying everything Liberals are supposed to stand for.  From speaking with her personally and interviews she's given in the past, I think it's that kind of role that suits her best and that she enjoys the most.

 

Political Staff do the best they can with what they have.  This goes for all Parties.  Unless you've spent time inside the political machine, it's hard to fathom just how frenetic the pace can be - everything is a crisis, tens thousands of stakeholders are making different and often competing demands daily, every minute is a draught from a firehose.  You simply don't get the time to wade into details on anything, nor have the time to carefully record institutional memory for whoever succeeds you.  This is one of the key reasons all Parties go through boom-and-bust cycles; what worked before gets lost in the churn, meaning it simply isn't there for future staff to draw on.

 

I have been (and continue to be) a big advocate for comprehensive political staff training and a conscious effort to develop and maintain institutional memory - I think it'd be better for the people involved and better for politics as a whole.  A key part of this process is two-way communication with those that came before and those on the front lines.  This was a key part of what Jim Brownell worked hard to accomplish, building bridges between Queen's Park and his stakeholders on the ground in SDSG and across Eastern Ontario. 

 

Without the right training, the right support and the right connections, duplication, gaps and overlaps develop.  Questions that should be asked, aren't; resources that should be tapped get ignored.  Systematic inefficiency and failure can result.

 

To me, what matters most is for the amazing people of Stormont, Dundas and South Glengarry to have the tools and support they need to reach their full potential.  The Hudak Tories seem to be about throwing people into the deep end; I fully believe their stated approach of cutting supports, reducing communication and coordination would be deeply harmful to Eastern Ontario.  The NDP has yet to put forward any kind of sustainable plan that would benefit SDSG. 

 

That leaves the Liberals, who have had many successes over the years.  The Liberal Party has stuck by the mantra of "move forward together" - an implication that success means leaving nobody behind.  That means engaging with all your partners, empowering them to support the process. 

 

There's no way to know what happened and didn't happen with the planning of this event - I can think of countless variables.  What came before, though, matters only in how it informs what comes next.

  

I still believe that open communication, proactive collaboration and respect are the right way forward - the only way forward.  Hopefully, that's what we'll continue to see.

A Gerard Kennedy Story (3)

 

Political campaigns are full of little stories both positive and negative that never make the news. These random encounters or tactical choices offer windows into the characters of the candidates and their teams. Here's one from Team GK:

 

So technically not a story about Gerard Kennedy, there's an important connection - you'll have to read all the way through to find out what that is.

 

The first politician I worked for is one that I actually campaigned against. 

 

It was 2003; the Liberal MPP for my home riding of Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry (Stormont-Dundas-Charlottenburgh at the time) had retired and the nomination was up for grabs.  My parents were friends with a couple of the candidates; they agreed to help the first one that reached out to them and I offered to help at the nomination.

 

That candidate was Brian Lynch, a capable man who had served as Mayor of Cornwall in a previous political life.  He wasn't much of a risk-taker and that was reflected in his approach.  Opposing him was a former political staffer, Denis Sabourin and a retired school teacher who'd served in municipal politics in the Counties, Jim Brownell.

 

The night of the nomination meeting, a small group of protesters gathered outside the Cornwall Civic Complex.  I went out and asked them about their concerns - they were looking for a provincial response to allegations of historical sexual abuse in the community.  They said they weren't trying to cause a fuss, they just wanted to know that those seeking to represent them cared enough to listen.  I respected their effort to be heard and told them I would go ask Brian, which I did.  The answer he gave me, sadly, was one I have heard too often in politics: "there's no votes outside this room, so it's not worth the time."  Lynch lost my support right there.  He would go on to lose the nomination.  His resentment at this loss caused him to leave the Liberal Party and join the NDP, which was telling.

 

The man who won was the only candidate who took time to listen to those protesters - Jim Brownell.  Jim would go on to win the seat and serve two terms faithfully as MPP for the riding.  Along the way he got those protesters their Inquiry, too.  It was tricky politics, perhaps, but the right thing to do and a necessary healing process for the community.  This is why Jim was so effective as a leader - he never lost sight of his mandate, which was to strengthen his community. 

 

Years later, he invited me to interview for him.  "I know you supported another candidate," Jim said as we chatted. "That doesn't matter.  You're a person of good character and I respect your contribution.  I'd love to have someone with your dedication on my side."  With that, I became a member of Team Brownell, a team that would reach beyond his paid staff and come to include most of the Liberals at Queen's Park.  Jim didn't buy the respect, admiration and loyalty of all these folks; he earned it simply by being himself.  People were willing to help him then and remain loyal to him now because there is never cause to doubt what he stands for. 

 

While Jim is supporting Eric Hoskins for leader this weekend, the candidate who I feel resembles him the most is Gerard Kennedy.  Gerard's a guy of unquestionable integrity who has inspired and retains the loyalty of the staff who have worked with him over the years.  He's also someone that has never lost sight of what he believes in, which is challenging and empowering people to reach their full potential.   Gerard doesn't cut corners and therefore never has to worry about the consequences of doing so.  This unwavering commitment makes him fearless, which can be intimidating to those who don't hold to that standard. 

 

Perhaps most importantly, though, Gerard is a guy who listens.  Gerard will stop and talk to stakeholders in a room, people on the street, even protesters on the line.  He understands that politics isn't about him, or even the Party - it's about us.  All of us.  Gerard gets that the slow erosion of public faith in politics is largely due to the cynical approach taken by many political people, of all partisan stripes, to ignore people they don't feel are useful to them.  As easy as it might be to paint the other - other candidates, Parties or stakeholders with one brush, Gerard knows that's a short-sighted approach.  His end goal isn't to win the Leadership - that's just a step along the journey.  His mission is to nurture a stronger Ontario where everyone has access to the tools they need to succeed.

 

If you've taken the time to read my post, you know why it is I continue to support leaders like Jim Brownell and Gerard Kennedy.  I have faith in what they can achieve, given the opportunity, just as they believe in what we can accomplish when given the chance.

 

With that kind of leadership, we can get Ontario working again.

 

 

 

 

An Oft-Forgot Rule in Politics

It’s hard to say if the smears will ever see the light of day. But in the Internet age — when a lie can travel around the world 10 times before its target is even out of bed — anything is possible. It’s disgusting, of course. It’s dumb, it’s despicable. It’s also bad strategy. Only now emerging from the political burn unit in the “Vikileaks” affair, you’d think Liberal apparatchiks would have learned their lesson about trading in this sort of garbage.

A friend and experienced Liberal operator currently serving as a successful consultant once gave me this piece of advice: "in politics, you have to look out for #1.  Nobody else will and few would think twice about putting a knife in your back."

In a recent campaign, some young candidates went to great lengths to tar-and-feather their opponents, people of their own team, because they were pulling out all the stops to win.  In the end, the result was a much more mixed bag than expected and different teams were forced to merge and find ways to work together.  They're still at it.

Politics, as it generally stands now, is survival-of-the-fittest, which in practice always translates into the one willing to elbow out the competition.  Frequently, aggressiveness is twinned with talent, but that isn't always the case.  When aggressiveness becomes a fallback, there's no question that collaboration and innovation suffers.

I understand this as well as anyone.  Several friends have had their reputations dragged through the mud by their own teams because they stood by their beliefs or had personal challenges that no one was prepared to recognize, while eager political beavers tried to tell them brand should trump belief and personal well-being.  I've watched many a hard-working young be staffer cut loose and be forgotten about after an all-in dedication to the Party they believed in (and that's all Parties).  The wheels of the political bus are stained with the shattered faith of all those staff and politicians who have been thrown under it with nary a shrug from the drivers.  The disillusionment of those left behind stains the windows, obscuring the way forward. 

But it doesn't have to be this way.

I've also seen the best in politics - people who connect with a common vision of what their riding, province or country can look like and work together to achieve it.  Some of the best days of my life were spent working for an MPP, Jim Brownell, who unwaveringly put his constituency and the things he believed in first.  Jim may never have been leader of a Party, but damned if he wasn't one of the best-respected and most-accomplished MPPs at Queen's Park.  Plus, he served as a stone in the soup, bringing together staff and friends, building a family out of a place of work.  It was the Fellowship of the Duke - and it still resonates to this day.

More than once, I've been in the trenches among provincial Liberal staff and run into the Premier, out to meet with his troops.  Across Facebook and Twitter, there are more pictures of him with staff and staff's families than one would expect possible, given how busy he is.  I will never forget the time he took to meet with my grandfather, a Holocaust survivor, or how patient he was with an old man's jokes.  McGuinty never forgets that success stems from hard work - done as a team.

Recently, I've had the opportunity to watch Justin Trudeau and Gerrard Kennedy, both visionary thinkers, in action.  Both are smart, both are engaging, but above all both ascribe to a vision of Canada as a country that is more than the sum of its parts, a place that's internationally-recognized greatness is a product of its people.  All three of these leaders - McGuinty, Trudeau and Kennedy understand it isn't about them, it's about us.  The role of leaders is to empower their teams and empower the people to be at their best so we can continue to excel as a nation.

We do this by setting the example, as human beings first, as Canadians second, only lastly as partisans.  We are not in politics to serve ourselves or to gain glory through tribal affiliation - at least, we shouldn't be.  Parties and Parliaments aren't meant to be tribes, but rather forums.  A nation cannot be built around "the last man standing;" that's a race to the bottom.  It's not what we leave behind that should be our focus, but what we find along the way, what we can build together and what we leave behind for future Canadians - not just after four years, but for generations.

Warren Kinsella, through an unnamed Trudeau friend, says it best:

Said one, who emphasizes his friend has not decided to run yet, and isn’t sure if he will: “Liberals are always good at attacking each other. They should be trying to get to know Canada again — and stop with the smears.”

Any attack you make is now carved into Internet stone, and will be brought back to haunt you time and time again.  Conversely, every thing you do that is right will equally be immortalized for posterity.  That's how social media is changing the game.  But as the face of politics changes, there's one truth that does not waver:

 

If you want to go fast, go alone.

If you want to go far, go together.

Response to Comments on Tammy Hart and Diversity

As a woman in poliltics, Tammy Hart should be proud of what she's done.  There was a time where women were far more marginalized in society than they are today (though we still have a long way to go).  It would be nice to see her equally support other groups in her community that have been marginalized.

My response to a letter by James' Borer about Tammy's position against support the French community, below. 

It is nice to hear that Tammy is making the time to learn French!   As she makes progress, she’s going to find that speaking a second language in no way threatens her original tongue.  It’s the same thing with New Canadians; an influx of new ideas and new traditions doesn’t diminish what came before, but enhances the mix.  Call it social genetics.

While there’s some value in representing the fears of one’s community, politicians have an obligation to balance those concerns with building the local tools needed for success in the future.  That’s why I’m glad to see Jim Brownell’s name raised here, as this is something he was a champion of.

During his time as MPP, Jim Brownell was challenged to support an important cause on behalf of a minority of Canadians – the deaf and hard of hearing – by James Borer (I know this because I was Jim’s Executive Assistant at the time).  Thanks to James’ work and Jim’s commitment, Ontario now funds cochlear implants for both ears deaf kids in Ontario, as well as providing support services.

Now, this is all at the taxpayer’s cost.  You and I, whether we’re deaf or not, are helping deaf kids to hear.  This assistance allows for kids who would otherwise exist at the margins of society to be teachers, athletes, fully-contributing members of our society.  Watch this video to see what a powerful difference your tax dollars are making: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQdz1WAtEuQ.   

As traditional manufacturing jobs leave for emerging economies like Brazil and China; places who don’t accommodate their citizens (to growing civil unrest) and the Stephen Harper government is focusing on other parts of the country to be our economic drivers, it’s up to local politicians to think big and find new ways to strengthen our communities. 

Tammy’s view of keeping diversity at bay, reducing centralized government and focusing on owning land over developing skills is not the answer.  What good is it to have no French in your community, no support for New Canadians, own a big plot of land but have to fly to Alberta every week for work?

SDSG’s growing level of diversity is what will give it an edge, if politicians like Tammy can think outside their traditional box and seize the opportunities of the emerging Knowledge Economy.  There are huge markets out there in the world that speak French.  What opportunities are they looking for?  What online services can we develop and sell to them?  Beyond that, what other emerging global opportunities can solutions be designed for right in the United Counties?

As Tammy really drills down into French, she’ll find herself blessed with not only a new way of expressing herself, but an additional world view.  This is a powerful tool to have.  Diversity, as evolution shows us, is what will keep us moving forward.

Jim Brownell: What a Politician Should Be

"If there has ever been an example of someone who works tirelessly to serve virtually every aspect of his community, Jim Brownell is the guy."

I still remember the way in which Jim invited me to work in his office way back in 2005 - he called me up and asked "want to help me make a difference for the folks back home?"

This wasn't just a line.  Jim made things happen that I would never have thought possible.  He advocated for his community and delivered on an impossibly grand scale; three hospital developments and other additions to local healthcare, school developments, all kinds of infrastructure projects, supports for local businesses, local academic institutions, environmental protections, support for farmers, support for initatives in Akwesasne, etc.  You simply can't tick off a ten best-accomplishments list for Jim, because that's too limiting.

Jim didn't just deliver for his community - in support of his riding, Jim delivered for the whole of Eastern Ontario (pushing for and realizing the Eastern Ontario Development Fund) and for the whole province.  My personal favourite was the forgiveness of Cornwall's Downtown Revitalization loan.  When he pushed for this with the Ministry of Finance, he was told they couldn't do it for just Cornwall, because there were a number of other Ontario communities in the same position.  "So," Jim replied, "let's do it for all of them."  Not only did he make that happen - he convinced the Premier to come down and make the announcement in person.

Some pundits and opposition Members criticized Jim for some of his other pursuits; a Heritage Day (which eventually morphed into Family Day) or the commemoration of the gravesites of former Premiers of Ontario.  These critics missed Jim's subtle genius - by serving as a conduit for the public expression of Ontario's proud, rich history, Jim continuously brought the focus back to his riding and its pivotal role in that story.  In the same vein, Jim's constant invitation of Ministers to the riding and of constituents to Queen's Park literally changed the way people looked at Eastern Ontario.  Few folk in the Legislature could have recalled the riding name of Stormont, Dundas and South Glengarry before Jim - by the time he left, everyone could ryhme it off without hesitation.  Then, there were things he did just because they were the right things to do and someone needed to do them.

His community respects him; his colleagues admire him; staff love him.  There are more people out there who look at Jim as a second father (or grandfather, for some of the young'uns) than are currently working at QP on whole.  How many politicians get their own night named after them?

Jim Brownell's legacy will last for a long time to come - a tribute to the leadership, fellowship and the strength of character he embodies as a politician and as person committed to making a difference.

Of course, legacy is a thing to think about when you're done - Jim's still at it.  We're all better off for his dedication.

What Motivates Political Staff?

“Of course, political consultants are motivated by money and power and sex and all that,” says Paul Begala, who worked for Clinton in 1992.  “But more than most people, they have a need to believe in a cause larger than themselves.”

People who work in politics slug through long, hard hours under incredible strain, are periodically thrown under buses or referred to as “dead wood” – plus, they’re assumed to all be Machiavellian egoists.  Is the trade-off of access (money really not so much) and influence worth it all?  Not really, no.  You can only push yourself that hard if you feel like you are part of something larger than yourself. 

We can tell ourselves it’s about the money, power, whatever.  That’s an accepted line.  What political junkies get off on, however, isn’t what they get back – it’s what they contribute to.

I could explain this to you from an economic perspective, a societal perspective, even a biological perspective.  But I don’t need to.  There’s one phrase that sums it all up neatly:

Move forward together.

The best leaders are the ones who empower us to do just that and never waver from the same vision that inspires their team, or their constituencies - together, we are more than the sum of our parts.

Letter to the Editor on Health Care Reform in Ontario

Published in the Standard Freeholder and Cornwall Daily News:

Reforming Ontario's Health Care System

Health care remains the top priority for the people of Ontario, and rightly so – it’s vital that we have strong, public health services available when we need them. The McGuinty government understands this; they also understand that more rural regions like Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry have different challenges than dense urban communities like Toronto. Thanks in no small part to the proactive leadership of our retired MPP Jim Brownell, SD&G has been experiencing a health care renaissance that’s going to provide local residents with some of the best health care in the country. We’ve seen three hospital redevelopment projects, reduced ER wait times, a new Community Health Centre (CHC), etc.

Having said that, the harsh reality is that the current health care service delivery model is unsustainable. There are too many independent silos within the system, resulting in costly duplication, gaps and overlaps. In his recent report on public service reform, Don Drummond wrote that “we need a broad revamping of the system that makes the parts work better together, so that the whole is greater than – or at the very least equal to – the sum of the parts.”

The McGuinty Government gets this and is already well on its way to fostering an integrated health care system. CHCs, Local Health Integration Networks are all part of that strategy. So too is the Aging at Home initiative and the very notion of proactive health promotion. The idea is promote a tiered system that:

1) Provides people with the tools and understanding to live healthy lifestyles, minimizing the need for health services. This includes helping seniors live in their homes for as long as possible.

2) Make the proactive pieces of health care more readily available. Aging at Home and the return of house calls to Ontario are part of this drive

3) Create collaborative health service models that give one-stop shop for a person’s basic health needs, which includes health education. This is what CHCs and Family Health Teams do

4) Help reduce hospital visitation so that hospital staff can focus on critical care needs.

It’s important to remember that health care isn’t about hospitals; it’s about patients. The McGuinty government spent much of the last two terms ensuring we have strong hospital services and reducing wait times, but were also laying the groundwork for a more preventative, proactive health care system. The future of public services isn’t in pouring more money into silos of delivery – it’s about moving forward together.

Craig Carter-Edwards
North York