Claudette Bradshaw - – l'héritage d'un leader

de Shawn Graham et Chris Baker

Dans la vie politique, on rencontre des gens remarquables. Au moment où je suis devenu député provincial, Claudette Bradshaw avait été élue deux fois députée représentant Moncton et siégeait au cabinet fédéral. Bien sûr, ayant grandi dans le comté de Kent, j'avais déjà connu Claudette en tant qu'activiste sociale axée sur les résultats derrière Moncton Headstart et d'autres bonnes causes.

J'ai eu la grande chance que Claudette soit venue me voir alors que notre équipe se préparait pour une éventuelle élection en 2006. Elle a offert ses services et ceux de son mari Doug pour faire partie de la campagne. J'avais hâte d'avoir une aide politique expérimentée et une militante au QG de Fredericton, mais elle avait une idée différente. Claudette et Doug voulaient être dans l’autobus de la campagne.

Avec de longues heures sur la route, la précipitation pour respecter un horaire toujours en retard, de nombreux événements, des sièges serrés, des routes folles - la vie dans l’autobus de campagne n'est pas pour les âmes sensibles. Pourtant, elle s'engageait dans cette tâche ardue.

Ce fut une campagne mémorable. J'ai vite vu l'avantage d'avoir Claudette et Doug dans l’autobus avec moi-même, ma femme Roxanne et ma jeune équipe de tournée. À chaque arrêt au Nouveau-Brunswick, Claudette a reçu un accueil aussi chaleureux que moi. Les gens étaient impatients d'avoir un mot avec elle. Son étreinte accueillante était sa marque de fabrique, englobante et inconditionnelle. Elle me présentait à ses amis et collègues; son support était un puissant sceau d’endossement.

Plus important encore, Claudette avait un aperçu des différentes communautés que nous allions visiter. Son travail social, en plus d'être la ministre fédérale régionale, l'amenait aux quatre coins de la province. Elle a exercé une influence constante sur notre jeune équipe de tournée de campagne et une source immédiate de conseils et d'orientation.

Au fil des heures de voyage entre les événements, Claudette et moi avons eu l'occasion de parler de beaucoup de choses. Dans plusieurs de ces conversations, nous avons parlé de l'état des organisations à but non lucratif au service de nos communautés. Elle n'était pas préoccupée par Amnistie internationale ou Greenpeace, elle était préoccupée par les banques alimentaires locales, les Clubs Garçons et Filles et les bénévoles de la patinoire locale. En tant que province, nous devenions de plus en plus dépendants des services fournis par ces groupes, mais ces groupes faisaient face à leurs propres défis.

Nous envisageons généralement notre économie comme une économie dirigée par le secteur public d'une part et le secteur privé d'autre part. En tant que source d'emploi et fournisseurs de services, les organismes communautaires sans but lucratif émergeaient comme un « troisième secteur » de notre économie. Claudette s'inquiétait du fait que le Nouveau-Brunswick ne profitait pas pleinement des atouts offerts par ces organismes. Elle craignait également que le partenariat entre le gouvernement provincial et les groupes qu'il finance pour fournir des services ne se soit détérioré à un point dangereux.

Nous avons convenu que l'état de ces organismes communautaires sans but lucratif nécessitait une enquête et qu'une nouvelle approche politique était nécessaire de toute urgence. Mais comment cela serait-il réalisé ? Vers qui nous tournerions-nous pour obtenir des informations et des conseils sur la meilleure façon de soutenir les organisations communautaires à but non lucratif ?

Pour Claudette, la réponse était simple. Nous avions besoin d'obtenir des informations et des conseils de la communauté sans but lucratif eux-mêmes. Et pas seulement les plus connus ou ceux des grandes villes, pour être efficace, cette consultation devrait englober autant d'organismes communautaires sans but lucratif que possible et dans tous les coins et communautés du Nouveau-Brunswick.

Elle savait également que de nombreux organismes à but non lucratif en avaient assez des consultations gouvernementales typiques, que beaucoup considéraient comme chronophages, mises en scène et superficielles. Tout nouveau processus de consultation serait considéré avec scepticisme. Le leadership de ce nouveau processus d'élaboration des politiques devrait être crédible, non seulement auprès des groupes sans but lucratif, mais aussi auprès du gouvernement provincial. Les nouvelles politiques qui émergeraient du processus de consultation devraient être élaborées et mises en œuvre dans le cadre d'un exercice « pangouvernemental ».

Il était clair pour moi que Claudette était celle qui dirigeait ce processus. Elle avait été dans les tranchées avec bon nombre de ces groupes. Ils la connaissaient et elle les connaissait. Et elle a insisté sur le fait que tout processus qu'elle dirigerait serait fait à sa manière, indépendamment du gouvernement du Nouveau-Brunswick.

En tant qu'ancienne ministre, elle savait que de nombreuses propositions de politiques valables peuvent être déroutées par des processus internes et que la concurrence pour le temps du Cabinet est féroce. Claudette était une opératrice avisée; elle savait comment réduire les obstacles à l'acceptation et communiquer efficacement avec les décideurs (dans les deux langues).

J'avais confiance que ses conclusions seraient fondées sur les preuves fournies par les organismes sans but lucratif et sur ses réflexions sur l'environnement politique du secteur. Il fallait un plan d'action, et Claudette était la bonne pour porter la voix du secteur sans but lucratif à la table du Cabinet.

Bien sûr, ce n'étaient que des spéculations de fin de soirée alors que l'autobus de la campagne contournait le chemin Salmon River ou remontait l'autoroute 7. Ma première décision a été d'inclure une référence à nos discussions sur le secteur sans but lucratif dans le discours du Parti libéral. Charte pour le changement. Cet ajout tardif n'a pas plu aux imprimeurs, mais nous devions signaler nos intentions en tant que parti cherchant à gouverner. C'est bref mais c'est là (page 32).

Je croyais qu'un nouveau gouvernement devait se mettre sur les rails. La victoire des libéraux aux élections signifiait qu'il n'y aurait pas de temps à perdre pour agir sur nos priorités . Parmi les nombreuses initiatives que nous avons entreprises, une commission au nom du premier ministre a été nommée pour enquêter sur l'état des organismes communautaires sans but lucratif et faire des recommandations pour améliorer les relations entre ces organismes et le gouvernement provincial. J'ai été honoré que Claudette assume cette tâche.

Elle était aussi bonne que sa parole. Après le processus de consultation le plus approfondi jamais entrepris, elle et son équipe ont élaboré le Plan d'action. Il y avait un véritable intérêt et enthousiasme dans le secteur à but non lucratif pour cet ambitieux programme politique. Elle a appelé à la création d'une agence unique qui faciliterait les relations entre les groupes communautaires et le gouvernement. Cet organisme serait le champion interne du Plan directeur et donnerait suite aux recommandations formulées dans le rapport.

Les quatre piliers de son rapport ont cristallisé les préoccupations du secteur sans but lucratif et ont guidé notre gouvernement sur la nécessité d'offrir un financement pluriannuel, de renouveler la relation entre les organismes sans but lucratif et leurs partenaires provinciaux et d'encourager une culture du bénévolat. Par-dessus tout, les organismes sans but lucratif voulaient être reconnus pour le travail qu'ils accomplissaient et respectés par leurs pairs du gouvernement provincial.

Il est à noter que des éléments tels que la reconnaissance et le respect ne coûtent rien au gouvernement. Ils pourraient même économiser de l'argent. En fait, les recommandations les plus importantes de son rapport étaient basées sur un changement d'attitude plus que sur n'importe quel poste budgétaire. Une nouvelle approche, basée sur le respect et les objectifs mutuels, était nécessaire pour réaliser le Plan directeur. Toujours optimiste, c'était la voie de Claudette.

Le Plan d'action , souvent appelé le rapport Bradshaw, a créé une nouvelle conversation entre le gouvernement provincial et les organismes communautaires sans but lucratif. Nous avons été en mesure d'atteindre bon nombre des objectifs stratégiques énoncés dans le rapport, comme la création de l'organisme à « porte unique » qui serait le défenseur interne des organismes sans but lucratif, l'établissement d'ententes de financement pluriannuelles et l'apport de modifications législatives et réglementaires qui soutenir ces organisations.

Claudette a veillé à ce que la voix des OSBL soit entendue haut et fort. Le Plan d'action n'est qu'un des nombreux legs que Claudette nous a légués. Elle a travaillé sans relâche pour un changement positif au Nouveau-Brunswick.

Une chose est sûre, il y a plus de câlins au paradis maintenant.

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Shawn Graham était le 31 ^e premier ministre du Nouveau-Brunswick. Chris Baker a été le sous-ministre fondateur du Secrétariat aux organismes communautaires sans but lucratif.

Publier dans l'Acadie Nouvelle dimanche 3 avril 2022.

Claudette Bradshaw - The Legacy of a Leader

by Shawn Graham and Chris Baker

In political life, you meet some remarkable people. By the time I became an MLA, Claudette Bradshaw had been elected twice as an MP representing Moncton and was serving in the federal cabinet. Of course, growing up in Kent County, I had already known Claudette as the results-oriented social activist behind Moncton Headstart and other worthy causes.

It was my great good fortune that Claudette came to me as our team was getting ready for a possible election in 2006. She volunteered the services of herself and her husband Doug to be part of the campaign. I was eager to have an experienced policy hand and campaigner in the Fredericton HQ, but she had a different idea. Claudette and Doug wanted to be on the campaign bus.

With long hours on the road, the rushing to meet a schedule always falling behind, many events, tight seats, crazy roads – life on the campaign bus is not for the faint of heart. Yet she was signing up for this arduous task.

It was a memorable campaign. I quickly saw the advantage of having Claudette and Doug on the bus with myself, my wife Roxanne, and my young tour team. At every stop across New Brunswick, Claudette received as warm a welcome as I did. People were eager to have a word with her. Her welcoming hug was a trademark, encompassing and unconditional. She would introduce me to her friends and colleagues; her endorsement was a powerful seal of approval.     

More importantly, Claudette had insights into the various communities we would visit. Her social work, as well as being the regional federal minister, brought her to every corner of the province. She was a steadying influence on our young campaign tour team and a ready source of advice and guidance.

Over the hours travelling between events, Claudette and I had the opportunity to talk about many things. In several of these conversations, we talked about the state of the non-profit organizations serving our communities. She was not concerned about Amnesty International or Greenpeace, she was concerned about local food banks, the Boys and Girls Clubs, and the volunteers at the local rink. As a province, we were becoming more dependent on the services provided by these groups, but these groups were facing their own challenges.

We typically envision our economy as one driven by the public sector on one hand and the private sector on the other. As a source of employment and as service providers, community non-profit organizations were emerging as a “third sector” of our economy. Claudette was concerned that New Brunswick was not taking full advantage of the strengths offered by these organizations. She was also worried that the partnership between the provincial government and the groups they fund to provide services had deteriorated to a dangerous point.

We were agreed that the state of these community non-profit organizations required investigation and that a new policy approach was needed urgently. But how would this be achieved? Who would we turn to for information and guidance on how we could best support community non-profits?

For Claudette, the answer was straight forward. We needed to get information and guidance from the community non-profits themselves. And not just the best known or those in the major cities, to be effective this consultation would need to take in as many community non-profits as possible and in every corner and community of New Brunswick.

She also knew that many non-profit organizations were sick of typical government consultations, which many saw as time-consuming, staged and superficial. Any new consultation process would be viewed with scepticism. The leadership of this new policy process would need to have credibility, not only with the non-profit groups but with the provincial government. The new policies that would emerge from the consultation process would need development and implementation as a “whole of government” exercise.

It was clear to me that Claudette was the one to lead this process. She had been in the trenches with many of these groups. They knew her and she knew them. And she was insistent that any process she would lead would be done her way, independent from the Government of New Brunswick.

As former minister, she knew that many worthy policy proposals can be derailed by internal processes and that competition for Cabinet’s time is fierce. Claudette was a savvy operator; she knew how to lower barriers to acceptance and communicate effectively with policy makers (in both languages).

I had confidence that her conclusions would be based squarely on the evidence provided by the non-profits and her reflections on the policy environment of the sector. A plan of action was needed, and Claudette was the right one to bring the voice of the non-profit sector to the Cabinet table.

Of course, this was just late-night speculation as the campaign bus wound its way around the Salmon River Road or driving up Route 7. My first decision was to have a reference to our discussions on the non-profit sector included in the Liberal Party’s Charter for Change. This late addition did not please the printers, but we needed to signal our intentions as a party seeking to govern. It’s brief but its there (page 32).    

It was my belief that a new government needs to hit the ground running. The Liberal win in the election meant there would be no time to waste in acting on our priorities. As one of the many initiatives we undertook, a commission in the Premier’s name was appointed to investigate the state of Community Non-Profit Organizations and make recommendations to improve the relationship between these organizations and the provincial government. I was honoured that Claudette took on this task.

She was as good as her word. After the most extensive consultation process ever undertaken, she and her team put together The Blueprint for Action. There was genuine interest and excitement in the non-profit sector for this ambitious policy agenda. She called for the creation of a single agency that would facilitate relations between the community groups and the government. This agency would be the internal champion for the Blueprint and would deliver on the recommendations made in the report.

The four pillars of her report crystallized the concerns of the non-profit sector and gave guidance to our government on the necessity of providing multi-year funding, renewing the relationship between non-profits and their provincial partners, and encouraging a culture of volunteering. Most of all, non-profits wanted to be recognized for the work that they do and respected by their provincial government peers.

It is notable that items, such as recognition and respect, do not cost the government any money. They could even save money. In fact, the most important recommendations in her report were based on attitudinal change more than any budget line item. A fresh approach, based on respect and mutual goals, was needed to deliver on the Blueprint. Ever the optimist, this was Claudette’s way.

The Blueprint for Action, often called the Bradshaw Report, created a new conversation between the provincial government and the community non-profits. We were able to achieve many of the policy objectives set out in the report, such as creating the “single door” agency that would be the internal advocate for non-profits, establishing multi-year funding agreements, and providing legislative and regulatory changes that support these organizations.

Claudette made sure that the voice of non-profits was heard loud and clear. The Blueprint for Action is just one of the many legacies given to us by Claudette. She worked tirelessly for positive change in New Brunswick.

One thing for sure, there are more hugs in heaven now.

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Shawn Graham was New Brunswick’s 31^st Premier. Chris Baker was the founding Deputy Minister for the Secretariat for Community Non-Profit Organizations.

This article appeared in the April 1, 2022 edition of the Telegraph-Journal, New Brunswick's major English daily newspaper.

 

 

 

 

A fresh source of policy ideas

The most challenging issues we face today are not found in the realm of political philosophy but in the area of public administration. While disputes over issues like official bilingualism, universal health care or poverty reduction continue, the debate is focussed on how these policies are administered, funded and delivered rather than on their necessity. 

With this in mind, it is no surprise that our public debates have shifted from the “big ideas” – like national unity, the state of the federation, or the relationship between the citizen and the state – to the more mundane issues of management, service delivery and good governance. Although these issues may lack zing or intellectual excitement, they are no less important to the people of New Brunswick.

Successful public administration still requires the ability to evaluate, develop and propose policy. Without this capacity, governments lose their means to independently determine the best courses of action, adequately respond to the concerns of citizens, or resist the lobbying of pressure groups or industry. They become policy-takers, not policy-makers.

Of course, in this era where crisis, real or imagined, has become the main driver of government action, you still need resources but there is little need for a plan. But letting the “crisis junkies” run government is the public administration equivalent of letting the lunatics run the asylum. 

If our government has abandoned its requirement for policy analysis and development, where can we look for policy development, analysis and evaluation?

In New Brunswick, the Not-for-Profit sector is trying to fill the policy vacuum. Many of the new ideas for retooling our economy or enhancing social justice are being developed by community organizations across the Province. Although their focus may be on their areas of particular concern, many of these exciting new policy concepts have broader application in the world of public policy.

The Saint John Human Development Council, for example, collects and publicizes needed statistics on the state of our society. But their work does not end there. The HDC leads a number of important research projects that look to the future of social policy.

One key project is looking into SROI – or “Social Return on Investment.” Determining the “Return on Investment” or ROI is an economic principle that is common to the world of business. How much “return” – revenue or profit – can be expected from an investment? Determining the ROI is a critical factor in the decision-making process.

Economic decisions may have positive or negative social implications. Using the concept of ROI, the HDC is examining how the social impacts of investment could be defined and quantified. The resulting SROI – Social Return on Investment – can then be included in the decision-making process.

This tool will be particularly useful for businesses and public bodies that demonstrate a strong sense of corporate social responsibility. A business decision or investment that might have minimal ROI might have a significant “social return.” Likewise, a decision that might have a negative SROI can be identified and re-examined in the light of this finding.

The Not-for-Profit Sector also creates community-building opportunities for discussion and consensus. Vibrant Communities Saint John is a valuable example how the Not-for-Profit Sector, in this case those working on poverty reduction can come together to determine and act on a common agenda towards an important goal.

In November 2012, a diverse group of stakeholders, ranging in age from 16 to 94 years of age, gathered in Fredericton to participate in a provincial Summit on Ageing. In addition to individuals engaged in this field, this Summit brought the nursing homes, home care workers, health care professionals and others together to discuss the pressing concerns of demographic change in New Brunswick and the need for policy renewal in an area of provincial responsibility.

Some of these groups had an uneasy or non-existent relationship with others in the sector. However, as the Summit progressed, the realization of the common cause overcame the difference. In fact, the realization that a new consensus around senior care was in the process of forming created the momentum to continue working in collaboration with each other.

In fact, the genesis of the new Home First strategy, recently announced by Social Development Minister Madeleine Dubé, can be traced back to the work that first began at this Summit. The policy thrust that emerged from this Summit, and can be interpreted as the basic principle, is best described by the Minister herself, to “provide the right care, in the right place at the right price.”

This is a clear example how New Brunswick’s Not-for-Profit Sector is rising to the occasion. While we can be justifiably concerned that governments are courting danger, or general lack of direction, by reducing their own policy capacity, we can take heart that publically-minded citizens and groups are stepping forward to fill this policy vacuum. If the Government of New Brunswick is determined to be a policy-taker rather than a policy-maker, we can hope that they will take further cues from the Not-for-Profit Sector.

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This article was originally published in the June 18, 2014 edition of the Telegraph-Journal.   

Moving Beyond Bake Sales

No one holds a bake sale for the Government of New Brunswick. But bake sales, along with fundraising activities such as dinners, yard sales and raffles, are a major source of funding for New Brunswick’s Not-For-Profit Sector.

Of course, the Government has the ability to levy taxes and raise revenues from many other sources, from licence fees to resource royalties. Although projections haven fallen far short of the mark in recent years (and deficits are always a concern), the Government has a dependable source of revenue to ensure the continuity of services, keep the lights on and meet payroll every two weeks.

Many organizations in the Not-For-Profit Sector do not have this guarantee. To make ends meet, they rely on a variety fundraising activities, including bake sales, to raise the additional funds needed deliver their services. As anyone who volunteers with recreational programs in their communities can attest, there are many out-of-pocket expenses that must be covered if these programs are to continue.

Assuring stable funding was one of the key recommendations of Claudette Bradshaw’s ground-breaking report on the state of Community Non-Profit Organizations in New Brunswick. While no one would turn down increased funding, giving the Not-For-Profit sector predictability in terms of provincial financing was deemed to be critical in supporting the work done by this sector.

The need for stable funding is even more critical for those Community Not-for-Profit Organizations who provide services on behalf of the Provincial Government. While some organizations receive funding because they have worthy objectives, there are many organizations that provide needed public services that the Provincial Government cannot deliver.

In the latter instance, the Province buys these services from these organizations. It does not provide grants for altruistic or charitable reasons; it purchases services because the not-for-profit organization can do a better job, often at a better price, than the public service.

Two examples immediately spring to mind that illustrate the need for this partnership between the Provincial Government and Non-Profits.

Working with youth-at-risk, those who have unstable living arrangements, who may have mental health or substance abuse issues, or who are fleeing abusive or violent situations, can not be done from government offices during regular business hours. With high levels of distrust and alienation, these youth are suspicious of authority and bureaucracy.

To help these youth, for which it has clear jurisdictional responsibility, the Province needs to rely on those that have legitimacy and understanding with the youth they are trying to reach. Those who undertake this challenge are not found in institutional settings or work regular hours. Often, these groups are led by former youth who have survived the experience and feel a personal mission to provide street-level help to their peers.

The other example is nursing homes. These community-based facilities serve the most vulnerable and highest-need residents in the Province. These homes are governed by volunteer boards and benefit from hundreds of volunteer hours and significant community support. Not only do nursing home residents receive better and more appropriate care than seniors who occupy hospital beds, this care is provided at significantly lesser cost.

In both cases, working with youth-at-risk or the care provided by nursing homes, the Provincial Government benefits from having partners who can deliver better services to target groups at a lower cost. On a value-for-money basis alone, maintaining a stable and respectful partnership with these not-for-profit organizations is a wise use of tax dollars.

There will continue to be bake sales and community fundraisers to support the activities of groups like these. It would be a significant step forward, for both the Government and Community Non-Profit Organizations, if both government policy and funding would function in a more sustained and predictable way.

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This article was originally published in the June 9, 2014 edition of the Telegraph-Journal. 

Non-profits deserve better respect

With governments at all levels looking for ways to deliver services in the most cost-effective way possible, it is surprising that the not-for-profit sector has been largely ignored in this soul-searching. Although much could be achieved by streamlining arcane government processes or a stronger focus on client service, the reality is that some of the best program delivery is not done by governments at all. Instead, this necessary work is done by organizations in the not-for-profit sector who deliver services on behalf of government.

The success of our not-for profit sector, from serving our most frail citizens in nursing homes to working with youth-at-risk, is often achieved despite the way these organizations are viewed by their public sector partners. Rather than being treated with respect, organizations in the not-for-profit sector are often seen as competitors rather than partners or, in the worst case scenario, as unreliable dependents that are more a nuisance than a help.

This perspective is not helpful. It ignores the very real strengths of the not-for-profit sector in New Brunswick. It also denies that there are some needed tasks that can only be done by community-based, volunteer-driven organizations.

There was hope that not-for-profit organizations would get the respect and recognition from the public sector that they deserve.

In 2007, former federal minister and Moncton MP Claudette Bradshaw undertook one of the most extensive public consultation processes ever conducted in New Brunswick. Community non-profit groups and interested individuals were invited to discuss the state of the sector, provide their advice and identify opportunities for further progress.

Unlike most consultation processes, where a few sessions are held in a central location, there was a meeting in each of the 55 provincial ridings. The resulting report, Blueprint for Action, was possibly the most anticipated government publication in the history of the Province.

There were many recommendations in this groundbreaking publication. Some were very practical and targeted; others were more sweeping in their scope. However, there were four key recommendations that were intended to drive policy on a go-forward basis – stable funding, respect and recognition, promoting a culture of volunteering, and revitalizing the relationship between the Government and its non-profit partners.

While stable funding is always welcomed, it is in the areas of respect and recognition, as well as revitalizing the partnership, where a positive response from Government is most needed.

These recommendations were not calling on Government to make token efforts to show respect or recognize the work of community non-profit groups. The Bradshaw Task Force was asking the Government of New Brunswick to make a deep cultural change – to treat their not-for-profit partners with real respect and to recognize the value and unique nature of the work that they do.

Respect can be a difficult concept to get your head around. It is not deference or a desire to accommodate. It is not excessive praise, hero worship or servitude.

Respect is more than good etiquette or courtesy, although these may be its outward signs. When we truly respect others, we are careful to always speak the truth, even (or especially) when it is difficult to do so. We try to understand their situation, their challenges and their aspirations. We prefer frankness over empty gestures. While respect can be given, it is most often earned.

Respect is also recognition. How can we respect an organization if we do not acknowledge the work that it does?

Perhaps that is part of the problem. Many public-sector decision-makers do not have a solid understanding of the work that is accomplished on a daily basis – often by staff who are underpaid (or volunteers who are not paid at all) in facilities that are underfunded serving those who are the most vulnerable or most in need.

Like day follows night, a new partnership between the Government and the not-for-profit sector can only come when there is respect and recognition. Even the effective promotion of a culture of volunteering can only be achieved when there is respect and recognition for this activity.

Respect is the key. Without respect for the not-for-profit sector, and the mutually beneficial relationship that follows from this respect, Governments cannot achieve the goal of social and economic inclusion that we need. With respect, better outcomes can be achieved even though challenges will remain.

And, as New Brunswick struggles with a difficult fiscal situation, it is good to remind ourselves that respect is not allocated by the Department of Finance or a line item in a Provincial Budget.

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This article was originally published in the May 16, 2014 edition of the Telegraph-Journal.

Blueprint for Action can be found at http://www.gnb.ca/cnb/promos/nptf/index-e.asp .

 

Welcome to "nothing but zeros"

I would like to welcome a new blog to the TQP blog roll. "Nothing but zeros - absurdities and hypocrisies in the age of assurance" joins the rather select group of social media sites featured on this blog. The mandate of this new site is, in the words of Rick Baker, scholar and cousin, is:

"We live in an age of assurance. Everywhere we turn, we are confronted with assertions of certainty. Government leaders, economic elites, religious figures, academics, news outlets, even celebrities – they all clamour to affirm their authority and proclaim their infallibility. And in providing us with their assurances, these figures of authority acquire more and more power over us.

But claims of certainty can only go so far before they start to reveal awkward inconsistencies. After a point, the more absolute the claim, the more numerous the resulting contradictions. This is the way forward. We critique the accumulation and exercise of undue power by exposing the inevitable absurdities and hypocrisies that emerge in its wake."

Enjoy.

A Middle Class State of Mind

It seems that everyone is interested in the Middle Class these days. In Canada, the group of people called “the Middle Class” is seen to be under duress – higher taxes, higher prices, stagnant wages, and decreasing opportunities. Politicians of all stripes are saying that the Middle Class is neglected – and that this class will be the new focus of their policies and their programs.

This begs the question – who are the Middle Class?

The answer can be elusive. If we try to define this group in strictly quantitative terms – levels of income, wealth, education and so on – we quickly find ourselves tied up in knots. Is a person who has less than $20,000 a year income but who owns a house without a mortgage in an area with a low cost of living Middle Class or not? How about a couple who has an annual income of $120,000 but is falling behind on monthly payments and an increasingly unsustainable debt load?

Much like attempts to define poverty levels or what constitutes the Working Poor, a strictly quantitative definition of who is, or who is not, Middle Class continues to elude us.

We know that the Middle Class exists. Further, we are told that this class constitutes a significant portion of the population and will determine the success or failure of the parties contesting the next election. Again the question needs to be asked, who are they and, of importance to political strategists, where can they be found?

More than any quantitative measure, being Middle Class is a state of mind. It does have some attributes, like home ownership for example, that can be quantified but it is an attitudinal posture more than a demographic bracket.

If you were to conduct a survey, you would find that most Canadians self-identify as members of the Middle Class. Despite dramatic differences in income, place of residence, education levels, this belief encompasses a broad swath of the population. A retiree with a secure pension is as likely to see themselves as Middle Class as a young entrepreneur trying to keep body and soul together. Likewise, an affluent suburban household anxious about impending tuition costs is as likely as an apprentice tradesperson to see themselves as part of this group.

While the amorphous nature of the Middle Class can be a source of frustration to those who believe in micro-targeting campaign strategies, “class consciousness” or neat social paradigms, our society benefits from an ecumenical and inclusive definition of this key population group.

As students of political behaviour can tell you, the Middle Class is also the democratic class. Adherence to democratic virtues, such as the belief in individual equality, the rule of law, the fair administration of justice and participation in the electoral process, is strongest among those who see themselves as Middle Class. They see themselves as neither dependant (as the poor may see themselves) nor independent (as might the wealthy) from society as a whole. Instead, they have a vested interest in maintaining a society that provides ongoing prosperity, security and opportunity.

The Middle Class is also an aspirational class. Home ownership, or the desire to be a home owner, is a defining characteristic of this group. An upward career path, or at least the belief that economic security is personally achievable, is also a key attribute of this class.

Given the close correlation between higher levels of education and economic security, it is no surprise that the Middle Class is obsessed with the quality and accessibility of the education system. Affordable post-secondary education, along with quality primary and secondary schools, is the bedrock of their public policy belief system.

Aspiration also has its anxieties. Illness and age lurk in the shadows for those in the Middle Class. This is why those in the Middle Class are strong supporters of a universal health care system and why they are equally suspicious of “means testing” or user fees, which might restrict their access to care, and two-tier health care, which would advantage wealthier Canadians. They are also strong believers in secure and adequate pensions and, when they grow more frail, quality affordable elder care. 

The Middle Class in Canada can only be defined by their qualities, not their quantities. Those seeking to appeal to the majority of voters, who are in this class, would do well to remember this.

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This article was originally published in the April 21, 2014 edition of the Winnipeg Free Press