Skills matter, not where you are from

There is wisdom in the long-standing advice about offering unsolicited advice, which is independent of whether the advice given is good, bad or petty. This is because it’s difficult to offer unsolicited advice without actively joining, or appearing to join, a busybody club. Publicly given “advice” always begs the question of intentions, agendas and ambitions. Brian Jean likely knew this when he addressed his recent public advise to Jason Kenney, the Alberta premier.

The mention of how the premier ought to eat and sleep seems unfortunate. It falls into the busybody column, risking the valuable part of Jean’s critique to be dismissed. Governments listen to advice arising from a field of competency and expertise, not from gossip.

However, the suggestion that Alberta ministers should surround themselves with the mature counsel of people who understand their constituents is exceptionally good advice. Alas, the implications and underlying assumptions in Jean’s argument are terrible. They seem…