The Alberta Teachers’ Association

David Flower

Ralph Could Have Been a Superstar: Tales of the Klein Era
Rich Vivone
Pages: 278
Patricia Publishing, 2009
ISBN 978-0-9812954-0-4
Vivone.com

Dear Rich:

Congratulations on your book Ralph Could Have Been a Superstar: Tales of the Klein Era.

Rather than write a straightforward book review, I decided to write a personal letter and share my thoughts with you and teachers about your book on the Klein era.

I’d encourage teachers to read your book for three reasons. First, many teachers may not remember the antics of the Klein government in the 1990s and therefore need to be reminded, and many new and young teachers will have little knowledge of what occurred. Second, teachers need to understand that today, as in the 1990s, education and teachers’ lives are affected by politicians’ decisions. Third, teachers need to realize how “politically apathetic” the majority of Albertans are, particularly when it comes to provincial politics and elections. For these reasons alone (and many more) your book is a valuable resource.

We first met when you were the executive assistant to David King, then minister of education in the Lougheed government. I have valued your comments and opinions ever since, even when they were contrary to mine or those of the Alberta Teachers’ Association. Your collection of 12 tales, or essays, about the Klein era is a clinical exposure of Alberta politics, revealing the little good that Klein did. It’s an exposé of elected people with “an exaggerated view of themselves and their positions,” people who believed themselves to be “supreme” and possessing “magical power” and “wisdom in all endeavours [that] automatically came with the job.” It’s about politicians who answered not to voters (except once every four years or so) but “only to the Premier.”

Your impartiality is commendable and your analysis of the era impressive. You distanced yourself from the people and the events during Klein’s “reign.” Your observation of the media mirrors a statement in Paul Theroux’s Ghost Train to the Eastern Star. “I distrusted politicians, and avoided making friends with politically powerful people, because (I said) the nearer you are to such people, the more morally blind you become.” Your comment that “politicians should be treated as business acquaintances rather than friends” shows that you had the same concerns.

Your assessment of Klein himself is interesting. He was definitely an enigma. He skilfully manufactured a crisis to deal with the deficit he inherited from his predecessor could have easily been dealt with differently. But Klein chose to buy into the popular right wing philosophy of the day that urged governments to privatize whatever they could, thereby ridding themselves of responsibility. The way to achieve such an end was to destroy the system wherever possible. You wrote that “Rebuilding a province requires foresight, imagination, thought, intelligent allocation of resources, and achievable goals; destroying meant hunting where the ducks are, shooting straight and reloading quickly.” The right-wing lionized Klein for his destructive abilities.

Readers will find the tales titled “Media,” “Apathy” and “Fear” particularly interesting. The complicity of the media in supporting Klein and his carefully constructed media strategy was masterful politically and damning journalistically. It was easy for reporters to simply report what came from the premier’s office rather than research the issue for themselves. Klein, as a former reporter, had the skill to provide the one-liners or the images that would entertain. His staff used maxims from right wing mentors like Britain’s Margaret Thatcher (“Never admit anything unless you have to”) and New Zealand’s Sir Roger Douglas (“Never blink,” and when restructuring, “Speed is essential”). The Klein government’s arrogance in handling the media peaked in 1997 when Steve West (then MLA for Vermilion-Lloydminster and a cabinet minister) publicly outlined his rules on how to succeed in privatization. That approach leads directly into the tales of “Apathy” and “Fear,” both of which are still evident in Alberta today. Rich, you’re absolutely correct that political bullying still goes on. Organizations that depend on government funding are wise to keep their mouths shut for fear of reprisal.

However, from a personal perspective, I was a bit disappointed with the essay on education. I believe there was more of a fight over education and education funding than you give credit. Also, I don’t believe that you give then Finance Minister Jim Dinning sufficient credit for his “Fiscal Realities” document, which was intended to solve the “unholy fiscal mess” created by the Getty government.

The vignettes of politicians and bureaucrats provide interesting personal views and reflections that add colour. Although politicians are usually reluctant to take advice, I hope they consider your advice to the current premier and the opposition parties.

The reviews and comments about the book from many respected Albertans are a testament to your honesty, integrity and skill in telling the truth about the Klein years.

Thank you for the book, Rich. It is highly readable, relevant, and as honest and fair an account that only someone close to the system could have written.

David Flower served as the ATA’s coordinator of communications from 1983 to 2001.