Considering the extent of ideological differences between the right-wing Wildrose official Opposition and the governing left-wing NDP, the chances of either party striking some kind of common ground are slim to nil.
Headlines highlighting conflicting points of views that illustrate the political chasm between the two parties are all too frequent.
We are more likely to read about the discovery of live leprechauns and unicorns frolicking through fields than we are to read about either party praising or even supporting one another's efforts.
The Wildrose tends to accuse the NDP of pursuing a left-wing ideological agenda of tax and spend. Of course if the Opposition were in power, that party would also embark upon its own right-wing ideological agenda of tax breaks and austerity measures.
That said, hearing the Opposition ceaselessly beat the NDP-is-on-an-ideological-crusade drum gets tiresome. Perhaps the Wildrose hopes to win an award for stating the obvious. We all know that whichever party is elected will endeavour to make reality the policies upon which it was elected.
Protesting over the majority governing party's attempt to fulfill its promises under accusations of ideological agendas is not only pointless but counter productive.
Albertans know what the NDP campaigned on — if anything, the Opposition's focus should be to hold the governing party to account on the promises it outlined, calling foul when those pledges go unaddressed, rather than attempting to block just about everything the Notley government promised during its campaign.
So when elements within the parties finally demonstrate an ability to put their differences aside and work together for the common good of all Albertans, a ray of hope for progress shines through the storm clouds of petty partisan politics.
Such an example can be found in the Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre riding with Wildrose MLA Jason Nixon. The Opposition MLA's efforts to collaborate with the NDP's Health Minister Sarah Hoffman to address his constituents' concerns demonstrate the extent to which working together always triumphs over pointless partisan bickering.
Credit is of course also due to the minister herself — which Nixon has recognized — who has, since the whole debacle with the Sundre Hospital and Care Centre's long-term care beds, shown a remarkable willingness not only to work with the community but to even visit and hear concerns. More recently, the two met at the Rocky Mountain House hospital.
“Our community has worked for a long time to get a health minister to visit our hospital and we are thankful for Minister Hoffman's time,” Nixon said. “The province needed to hear our community's concerns and that is exactly what we facilitated today.”
This is not only what Albertans deserve but should actually expect from their elected officials. The search for common ground as we progress should far outweigh the seemingly unrelenting pursuit of political platitudes.
Let's hope the example set by Nixon and Hoffman promises the potential for more similar collaboration as the majority NDP government continues into the second year of its first term in office.
Who knows, perhaps at this rate it's just a matter of time before a leprechaun seen riding a unicorn makes headlines.
— Simon Ducatel, editor of the Sundre Round Up
