Searching for Liberty.. is moving on.

It is with some sadness that I am announcing the end of the journey for "Searching for Liberty".

Why?

Well, I have decided to devote my efforts to my blog, "Collaborative Divorce", and, as the saying goes, "there are only so many hours in a day."

In my brief time in the political blog world, I have made some good online friends, both conservative and other than conservative, and while the commentary was at times terse or even combative, I think it's fair to say that those who populate political blogs are all, in their own way, seeking to improve their community - simply from some very different perspectives from time to time.

I have been flattered to have my blogs printed by the National Post website, in Canada.com, and quoted in the Calgary Herald.

I would also be lying if I didn't say that the more I think about politics and the more I learned about how it works, including some time from the inside of the PC Party of Alberta, the more I became disappointed in what appears to be the failure of democracy to live up to it's promise.

By it's nature, politics responds to those who least deserve attention - and ignores those who do. The average Canadian. The Canadian who doesn't identify with a cause - who may be gay, but doesn't march, who may be aboriginal, but doesn't protest, who may be a woman but doesn't complain. Who goes to work each day, and comes home to do the best they can in a sometimes difficult world.

And while I am, to say the least, disheartened with the remaining crop of contenders in the PC Party leadership race, the fact that I've chosen this weekend to close down my blog is mere coincidence. The fact is that after attending a seminar in Edmonton regarding the improved promotion of collaborative law or collaborative practice, I realized that my time and effort would probably be better spent working harder at helping people learn to avoid the traditional combat of divorce.

So - I'll be blogging, but from a different perspective (which might still, from time to time, dabble into the politics of divorce and our judicial system).

However - this being my last political blog, I will offer the following thoughts.

Alberta has been blessed with an abundance of resources which have allowed us to profit greatly - in spite of what has become a moribund and lack-luster government.

The members of the PC Party appear to be opening their arms to a leadership which is premised upon appeasement, as opposed to any vision in using it's political capital to make difficult, but prudent decisions.

There was a time where this Province prided itself on it's conservative roots and our citizen's independence from government - however, it is now manifestly clear that those days have passed us by.

We have a government which has lost its way - and a content and complacent citizenry which has become accepting of what could fairly be described as a below-average governance.

Will oil revenue continue to allow us continued good fortune in spite of at best mediocre government?

Will royalties be sufficient to continue to allow our Premier-in-waiting, Gary Mar, to feather the nests of his supporters as he did before the big move to Washington?

I suppose time will tell.

And a last comment on Allison Redford.

Collaborative law is a great opportunity to allow Albertans to take control of their own difficulties, without government intervention or expense - a truly "conservative" way to work out problems.

And it was supported by the party.

At a policy conference, the membership of the PC Party fully supported a resolution to have the government provide support to promote the collaborative process.

I met with Allison Redford twice, and both times, she shook my hand, and smiled, and expressed how supportive she was and what a great process collaborative law was.

Yet - she did nothing. As Attorney General, we could barely get collaborative law mentioned on government family law websites.

Which says something, I think.

A process which is expanding all over the world - and in which Medicine Hat was known world-wide as the leader in promoting "out of court" resolution - has been ignored by the Alberta government. Notwithstanding the request of the "grassroots" to have the government recognize and endorse collaborative law - they, and in particular, Allison Redford, has ignored the process completely.

Which is sad. But not surprising.

So. I've given up on this government. I'll promote Collaborative Law on my own with the other many lawyers in Alberta committed to reducing conflict in divorce.

I'll leave political blogging to those who have greater patience and, perhaps, optimism than I have.

So.

Ciao for now.