Government Transformation
- Geographic decentralization of provincial ministries
- Multi-stakeholder consensus committees for policy development
- Sector-appropriate ministry locations across Alberta
- Inclusive governance beyond partisan divisions
The NPA proposes two complementary reforms to improve government effectiveness and democratic legitimacy: geographic decentralization of ministries to relevant communities and consensus-based committees incorporating diverse stakeholder perspectives.
Ministry Decentralization
| Ministry | Proposed Location | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | Vegreville | Agricultural community with direct sector connections |
| Forestry | Whitecourt | Centre of provincial forestry operations |
Decentralization Benefits
Relocating ministries to communities connected to their mandates produces multiple advantages:
- Economic Distribution: Government employment and spending dispersed beyond Edmonton
- Sector Knowledge: Staff and leadership with direct understanding of industries they regulate
- Regional Development: Government presence supports economic activity in smaller communities
- Capital Relief: Reduced pressure on Edmonton housing and infrastructure
- Local Recruitment: Access to workforce with relevant regional and sector expertise
Implementation Approach
Ministry placement would align responsibilities with community expertise. Agricultural policy development would occur in farming communities; forestry regulation would be administered from forestry regions. This proximity enhances both policy relevance and stakeholder accessibility.
Consensus-Based Committees
Multi-stakeholder committees would develop policy through collaborative deliberation rather than partisan competition:
Committee Composition
- Government Representatives: MLAs from the governing party
- Opposition Representatives: MLAs from opposition parties
- Citizen Participants: Albertans selected through random or deliberative processes
- Indigenous Stakeholders: First Nations, Métis, and Inuit community representatives
Consensus Governance Benefits
- Cross-Partisan Agreement: Multi-party participation produces policies with broader support
- Citizen Perspective: Random selection brings non-political viewpoints to deliberation
- Indigenous Voice: Structural inclusion ensures Indigenous perspectives inform policy development
- Decision Quality: Diverse input produces more comprehensive policy analysis
- Democratic Legitimacy: Inclusive processes strengthen public confidence in governance
Together, decentralization and consensus governance represent the NPA's vision for government that is both geographically connected to communities and procedurally inclusive of diverse perspectives.