The resignation of Alison Redford in Alberta has caused me to once again to cast my mind to a brew in this country I will call the caldron of entitlement. It is clearly a witch’s brew that I hope will boil dry before I finally manage to shake my head right off.
Where did it come from, this indignant mindset that seems to think there is a right to abuse the resources of a job? Be it a sense of entitlement by fudging a time sheet at work, stepping ahead at a grocery store, falling a tree in a park. The Redford story glitters because of the profile, and could only have happened by starting out as a much smaller transgression.
Many years ago, as my sons were growing up, they found that cutting across our neighbours yard was a quicker way to the buddy down the street. When I spotted the behaviour, I put a stop to it and impressed upon them that such a small transgression would only lead to a larger one later on, perhaps using his barbecue. To this day, I am often reminded by at least one of them what an important lesson it was to become in their life. While not all of my life lessons received such acclaim,this one did.
When it comes to public office, the idea is to serve. To be in service not to serve yourself first. But the culture of entitlement, without justification, is growing by leaps and bounds and a reader hopefully will flash to their own dustbin of the mind checking to see if they may be hiding one of their own. Ask where did it manifest? Don’t be to quick to judge Alison Redford if you have put your hands and feet on the serving tray of false entitlement.
There is another lesson in this event. It should be a reminder to every organization out there, bar none, that if you abuse your position as an officer, or director, the membership can and will come to get you. If you are so arrogant as to think you are above your authority, and fail to seek transparency and fairness to all of those you serve, you will be accountable. That is no more clearly in evidence than in the action the elected members of the power party in Alberta demonstrated.
Where did it come from, I asked. Well perhaps it was started with the concept that no matter how outstanding, or not, if you are on the team, everyone shall get a trophy. Everyone is entitled to the same recognition. Just participation is enough. Maybe that is where is started with the now extinguished premier of Alberta. That sense of entitlement, that arrogant behaviour, that bully mentality.
The lesson here is to reflect and learn from it.
Barry Montgomery
Coldstream
