Aggressively neutral is a term they applied to Ralph Klein when it comes to provincial politics after he retired. It may very well be the term applied to CivicCamp and what it does in the future. Unlike Klein though, CivicCamp in Calgary will be able to inspire other organizations and inspire like-minded citizens to come together.
This is no change though. This is no transition. This is, in my opinion, a revolution.
Before I continue my assertion that this may be a revolution, we have to look back in history on what has happened.
In 1932, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was formed in Calgary. You might know them now as the NDP. Yes, a left-wing political party took its roots in Calgary.
In 1935, the United Farmers of Alberta were ousted from power by the Social Credit Party in Alberta. They would lead the third Albertan dynasty.
In 1971, a new dynasty came into power under the leadership of Peter Lougheed and the Progressive Conservatives.
In 1989, Deborah Grey wins the first Reform seat in Beaver River, Alberta.
No mathematical model could be used to calculate or predict when something major would occur within the province of Alberta. However, once in a while a small event can lead to a much bigger event that no one could hypothesize. In the case of the Wildrose Alliance, it may just be the story.
However, history above has shown us that major upheavals are only found within the provincial and federal realm. What about the civic realm?
The biggest upheaval in Calgary civic politics was when Ralph Klein became mayor. That was in the 1980s. 20-25 years later, are we seeing something more than just a council change?
A new council is not the concern. The major concern is what happens on the level of non-government associations and interactions.
PGIB back in the 1990s was just a fringe group. Now they are much more of a force. They have forced new groups to spawn which want to counter everything the PGIB would stand for. "Everything."
The Better Calgary Campaign and CivicCamp are very much examples of that. These new groups are tired of the same old policies that have flooded city hall.
The Calgary Leadership Forum is another new one, except it a citizen-based organization founded upon goals and ideas similar to the PGIB.
Voters for Taxis seems like a big hit with the news media and their drive for deregulation and hands off approach to the industry.
A revolution in civil society will not stem from the Better Calgary Campaign or the PGIB. It will begin with CivicCamp.
Even if it takes 50 years, this is a fundamental shift. Why? I point to the Urban CSA as an example.
This is a group dedicated to seeing a vibrant city and wanted the original Plan It document which saw denser communities and less subsidization of suburbs. 50 years from now, the baby boomers will have passed the torch of responsibility to the young people who formed the Urban CSA. These 20-30 year olds will look beyond right-left politics and implement the lifestyles that Europe and Hong Kong have to offer. Busy markets. Convenience. And yes, even central parks for everyone rather than their own backyards.
Sure Plan It passed, but this legacy of status quo and inching forward will be erased in 50 years.
In 50 years, and history has proven it so, our council will be much more progressive.
Our most conservative council member in 50 years will be the so-called "left wing nuts" we have on council today.
We will have realized that Earth is the only place we've ever called home (even if we can make it to Mars), and that even if we didn't cause global warming, we didn't blatantly destroy nature.
We could keep sprawling, or we could be a little nicer to the environment. CivicCamp sees that.
Those in CivicCamp aren't afraid of other Calgarians telling them their plan is wrong, because in 50 years it'll be a whole different story.
If I don't speak up today about the importance of CivicCamp, 50 years from now I may look back and shake my head in shame at the things I didn't do.
One alderman asked a speaker during the Plan It debates if he wanted his children or grandchildren to enjoy their own backyard.
Sure we all do, but that backyard used to be farmland. That backyard, contrary to our own terrible conception of private property, can be shared. That backyard is not for my children or grandchildren, but for my friends' grandchildren and a nice gathering of friends.
We love to give in Calgary, yet we don't want to share the land. Who said you owned this land? It belongs to all of us.
CivicCamp may be neutral, but it's starting something and I can feel it.
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