Waging a War for Talent

Renewing the One Party State today has a post entitled "You'd think Dave would do something."

Reading through the post I came to realize that the post itself was an attack against Ken Chapman and what rights he has to express his opinions freely on his own blog. Well, being a blogger myself, I think Ken's personal blog is Ken's personal blog - where he writes about his own opinions and thoughts like any of us do on our blogs - and he has enough guts to express himself under his own name, therefore actively engaging and encouraging the dialogue that we party members need during this Leadership Race.

To clear up a big misconceptions central in this attack, Ken Chapman is "not on staff" as is suggested – rather Ken is a volunteer with an opinion and a high regard for free speech (he has already clearly expressed on his personal blog that his ideas are NOT the ideas of Dave or of his Campaign. It's a personal blog).

Freedom of speech is both a powerful right and a powerful tool. People are allowed to have a different opinion or point of view than others and I know that Dave Hancock is more than able to develop his own policy that falls well within his own values and convictions regardless of the personal opinions of his volunteers.

I am slightly disturbed/shocked by the suggestion that Dave should muzzle his volunteers/supporters or even dictate what their publicly expressed opinions should or could be. What kind of leader would that make Dave Hancock? What kind of party would that result in?

The fact of the matter is that Dave Hancock IS an inclusive guy. He believes that EVERY Albertan has a valuable place in the diverse future of OUR province. He has an amazing sense of integrity and everything he does, including his very real loyalties, comes from his own strong moral code of values. That's the kind of guy Dave Hancock is.

Yes Dave is a leader for everyone, even Ken Chapman.

If the other candidates are allowing someone else to create their policies for them - then shame on them. Dave Hancock has an honest vision for the Alberta he wants to live in and it is from that passion that his policy comes - not from anyone else.