Honesty and Integrity matters in business and in government. It’s not only about a strong economy, albeit that’s an important part of the equation. This is why I’m so torn about which way to go in the upcoming Alberta election. Is it one or the other? Can we actually have both?

I think the Conservatives needed to be knocked off their throne for a little while, so they could tone down the arrogance that grew from their decades-long reign. I always assumed they would clean up their collective act and return to office in the next election. The longer the NDP has been in power, the more I’ve prayed Albertans will someday restore the “glory days” of the Ralph Klein era.

Honesty and Integrity Matters [Alberta Election]

But Jason Kenney has me concerned. Really concerned, actually. There is a stifling smell of arrogance in the air again, and I don’t like what I’m reading in the newspapers about this man.

I’m not talking about all of the blatant NDP smear campaigns about Jason Kenney’s character here. Any time I see these types of campaigns, I see only fear in the eyes of the people running them. It makes me question their confidence more than the other guy’s character.

I am talking about articles like this one: Kenney, Callaway campaigns collaborated to attack Brian Jean during UCP leadership race, leaked documents show.

UCP executive Janice Harrington says campaign communication was ‘perfectly normal’ and ‘within the rules’ … Following Kenney’s landslide win, it was alleged Kenney’s campaign ran Callaway as a so-called “kamikaze” candidate to attack and undermine Jean, Kenney’s main political rival. Both Kenney and Callaway have denied collaborating in a kamikaze campaign. (CBC News, March 2019)

If this campaign tactic was above board, then why do Kenney and Callaway feel the need to deny it? Why not simply own up to it? If you have to lie about something like this, what else are you lying about? These are the types of character traits I look closely at in other people.

We Need More Leaders Like JWR

ln my opinion, our country was shown honesty and integrity through Jody Wilson-Raybould’s recent actions: JWR has evidence, Trudeau has crumbling stories. We were also shown true courage! I agree 100% with how JWR handled that situation after months of being pressured by Trudeau and his top staffers. She knew she had no other choice but to provide evidence of their ongoing pressure if/when she was ever questioned about it in the future. Because she knew who she was dealing with; she knew they would lie. Without a recording, it would be nothing more than a “he said, she said” scenario. With a recording, she was able to prove her honesty and their lies. She had no other choice in the matter.

All our parents taught us that honesty is the best policy. So, why is this concept so difficult for some people? Here’s another person we can all learn from in this regard: Jane Philpott.

“Without malice, sometimes errors take place, but you need to own up to the people who may have been harmed and you need to find out why it happened and make sure it never happens again.” (CBC News, March 2019)

You need to show integrity, Jason Kenney. If you want my vote, you need to own your words and actions rather than deny, deny like Trudeau. Look where that got him?

Honesty and Integrity Gift-Wrapped in an F-Bomb

Somebody once told me a story about Ralph Klein, and it made me smile. He was seated at a table in front of a roomful of angry constituents who were all yelling at him for one thing or another. He sat there listening to them and couldn’t get a word in edgewise.

Finally, in frustration, Ralph stood up and gave them all the finger—that caught their attention!—and he yelled back at them, “I did was exactly what I said I was going to do, you idiots!” That’s honesty and integrity gift-wrapped in an F-bomb. I have a ton of respect for that man.

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