Moving the Overton Window

| Ian Hanna

I’d completely forgotten about Pastor Jeremiah Wright until reminded of him this morning while reading about Ben Rhodes’ new book on famous political speeches.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/may/28/ben-rhodes-all-we-say-book?CMP=share_btn_url Obama’s former speechwriter Ben Rhodes examines America through its 15 most defining speeches

Wright sparked controversy during the 2008 Democratic Primary for his connection with Barack Obama and some polarizing comments on race. As Rhodes points out, what was divisive and controversial in 2008 now seems like conventional wisdom. It’s an interesting observation.

https://www.mackinac.org/OvertonWindow

As I look at this week’s headlines on an Alberta referendum on separation, I can’t help wonder what the long term consequences of the rhetoric will be. Will the end result be anger and division or a newly refined definition of what it means to be Canada and Canadian. We will be moving our collective sense of things. But in which direction?

Hard to say. All I know for sure is the end product of political movements and their associated discourse is profoundly unpredictable and beyond the control of those who launch such events for their own, narrow purposes.

This is why, in politics, you have to be careful with your words.

They mean something and can change things, but you can never be certain of your direction of travel.

Suspicion and Confusion: The Alberta Separation Vote.

| Ian Hanna

According to Angus Reid, three-in-five say Albertans say they would vote to stay in Canada. Perhaps more significantly, just over half say they are confused by the question and 56 percent say Premier Danielle Smith has handled the issue poorly.

Early confusion over a poorly worded question is to be expected. Those numbers may fall over time, with increased engagement. As for cynicism over a Premier’s motivations? Perhaps a harder nut to crack.

Older Government = More Leaks

| Ian Hanna

It’s one of the inevitable truths in politics. The older an administration, the more confident they get in their abilities and skills. More often than not, that confidence is unwarranted.

Length of service in any government narrows perceptions, changes attitudes and reinforces the belief there is a single way of doing business—the way we have been doing things so far. This was all explored fully by the organizational theorist Karl E. Weick. Old governments are overconfident in the inadequacy of current practices. Opposing points of view and expert advice are no longer accepted.

The bureaucracy and even the general public responds with the tool it has available: leaks. We saw it a lot on the last session of the Saskatchewan Legislature: leaks about weapons in hospitals. Leaks about closures and short staffing. Leaks about SaskPower’s costing of extending coal powered electrical generation.

The same thing happened in Saskatchewan during the lead-up to the 2007 provincial general election. The political climate changed. People became less tolerant of government mistakes and incompetence.

Back in those days, the leaks came in brown envelopes.

Now there are secure drops and websites that assure the anonymity of the sender.

Today, the Saskatchewan NDP launched just such a site: openthebooks.ca

This is where the public can provide tips, attach documents and reqeust call backs from MLAs.

All information provided to the site is kept confidential, and is only released publicly with the approval of the sender.

This is what happens when the normal transmission lines of democratic discourse break down. This is what happens when governments use their authority to shut down questions in the Assembly and in Committee.

People find a way.