Kaddy did a great job “Liveblogging Day Two of the Manning Centre Networking Conference“. I saw the Manning Centre Democracy Challenge and actually took time to put in a proposal that lost out to the following 5 proposals. Not surprisingly, I think my proposal is better than a few of the pitches but then I am biased in my own assessment. 🙂
In the following excerpt, Kaddy blogged about the 5 pitches live (then) and wrote about the winner. For the record.
“2:21
Alright, the last bit of business is soon to begin, I think — and it sounds like it may be a corker; it’s the Democracy Challenge, wherein a pre-selected series of finalists will pitch their respective projects that will strengthen the conservative movement in Canada. C’mom, doesn’t that sound fun?
2:31
And here we go! The judges, by the way, are Preston Manning, Cliff Fryers, Deborah Grey and Brett Wilson, who is described in the programme as a “Canadian entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den panelist.” He looks like he fancies himself one of those hot air balloon-commandeering billionaires, in a leather jacket with what I’m fairly sure is the third-longest locks I’ve seen over the last two days. Well, on a male, that is.
2:38
And here’s Brett Wilson, who notes that he’s known “of” Preston Manning for years, and he used to live next door to Cliff Fryers, whose car was once stolen by Wilson’s daughter. He then describe himself as “probably the most nonpartisan person in the room” — he doesn’t like the “Communists” that are the NDP in Saskatchewan; he hasn’t thought much about the Liberals since Paul Martin left, and he has no use for the “incompetent” regime that reversed course on income trusts, which is perhaps more familiarly known as the current government. (Insert very awkward laughter here.) He’s also a believer in democracy, and wants to see a two- or even three-party system, which is why he’s glad to see the Wild Rose Alliance in action in Alberta; he believes in the process, and engaging youth — the entire population, even. “Enjoy the day,” he says. Well, thanks — I’m sure we will. The first presentation is the Association of Faith and Service, who I remember from their table in the exhibit hall. Their pitch? The Advance Program, which trains “people of faith” in political engagement, who volunteer more than their non-church-going counterparts, despite the fact that they’re sometimes considered “politically toxic” by political parties.
2:42
The Advance Program can be broadly distributed, and is a “highly engaging” course, with “proven content” and — wait, doesn’t this sound like a business venture? And of what, exactly, does the training consist? Apparently, lessons from history, common good, church and state; strategic positioning and conservative COALITIONS (sic). Also, the internet! It’s over to Nathan Cooper to explain that; apparently, he’s the tech guy, and he’s also the very same youth who served as t-shirt model for the Canada Family Action anti-child-sexual-abuse-images press conference!
2:46
Over to Cliff Fryers, who notes that the Manning Centre also has an interfaith outreach program, but when he read this group’s literature, it was exclusively religiously targeted, which seems to throw off the presenter who isn’t Nathan Hooper for a moment; he recovers, though, and assures Fryers that it can be used by *all* faith-based groups, regardless of denomination — it’s even nonpartisan, when you get right down to it. Wilson, meanwhile, wonders whether there’s any real value in the social networking aspect of the program, since he’s sceptical over those claims. Hooper does his best to make sure usual arguments that people do when confronted by someone who just doesn’t get the Facebook twitter thing.
2:49
Ahhh, the mystery of why this presenter (the older of the two) looked so familiar: he’s former Reform MP Eric Lowther! He also thinks that bringing religious people into politics is the “silver bullet” to strengthening the movement, although the parties “run from it” because of the perception that it is “politically toxic” — when really, it’s a political advantage.
2:54
And on to our second presenter, who begins by confessing/bragging that this is his first political event ever — and his idea is a 3dimensional virtual parliament, which would be a “cost effective” way to test “strategic changes to parliamentary processes,” and advance education of Canadian democracy. Wait, what? He seems to be proposing sort of a Sims! Democracy, and — I honestly am having trouble visualizing this. “Trial runs of new legislation”? But — I honestly don’t even know where to begin. Parliament is made up of human beings, so you can’t really run a predictive model on it. I mean, you can just look at the numbers as far as potential votes, but that’s just math.
2:56
Apparently, the answer to the question of “Who does 3D Now?” is — the US Republican and Democratic Parties, the MacArthur Foundation and an Embassy of Sweden.
3:00
After running down his business plan — apparently, the company is “Serious Worlds”, but he never mentioned his name, alas. Wilson begins by admitting that he doesn’t quite get this — how, exactly, would you “test” parliament? “You’re dressed like a Liberal or an NDPer, and you’re sitting on their bench!” Wilson still doesn’t follow — more specifically, he doesn’t buy it; it’s a game, he understands that. Manning, bless his heart, takes a more diplomatic approach, and wonders how extensive the sim is — does it include the media galleries, committee rooms and all those other areas. “You can get on the bus, or get on the next one,” the presenter says. I — am not convinced that anyone is currently fumbling for a token in their pocket, at least as far as the judges. “Can you prorogue this parliament?” Asks Deb Gray, which prompts a slightly nervous, but heartfelt round of laughter from the audience.
3:03
Oh no, you guys. I think I really, really, really want to play with Sims Parliament. It’s the most ridiculous idea I’ve heard in ages, and I may be the only person on the planet who would meticulously create her own MP sims, and send them to committee, and ooh, maybe argue a contempt of parliament charge in committee of the whole!
3:08
Oh, now it’s the Free Thinking Film Society, which is based on the hypothesis that cultural festivals have a liberal bias, most noteably shown in the lack of conservative books reviewed by the Writers’ Trust, and the overpresence of Michael Moore at repeatory cinemas, which — is a premise I don’t find entirely persuasive without a little more evidence than that, not that I’m not in favour of more cultural festivals in general, of whatever ideological leaning — or, more likely, none at all.
3:13
So, specifically, this group wants to throw a conservative film festival, with panel discussions, workshops and a “gala party” — and yes, it *will* be licenced, so wine and beer would be available for sale. The first night’s proceeds would raise money for the Military Family Resource Centre, and they think they could bring in at least 1500 people, if not more. There is a “huge appetite” for these sorts of events, and he wants to be it — and he wants it to be big enough “the CBC” can’t ignore it. Uh, hi. Am right here! Only media present! Really kind of tired of being used as a shorthand for all things emmessemmiciously evil!
3:13
So, specifically, this group wants to throw a conservative film festival, with panel discussions, workshops and a “gala party” — and yes, it *will* be licenced, so wine and beer would be available for sale. The first night’s proceeds would raise money for the Military Family Resource Centre, and they think they could bring in at least 1500 people, if not more. There is a “huge appetite” for these sorts of events, and he wants to be it — and he wants it to be big enough “the CBC” can’t ignore it. Uh, hi. Am right here! Only media present! Really kind of tired of being used as a shorthand for all things emmessemmiciously evil!
3:17
Fryers wonders why they don’t just hold a film festival in conjunction with the Manning Centre conference, and the presenter sort of vaguely acknowledges that this would probably work out fine; Wilson needles the crowd by wondering whether “conservative culture” is an oxymoron, although in fairness, I can’t tell if he’s joking or not, but the audience isn’t terribly amused. Deb Gray takes a shot at Wilson, noting that speaking of oxymorons, despite his motorcycle jacket, he’s not actually a biker. Preston Manning asks him to give an example of the kind of movie he picks, and I can’t quite hear the title, but it sounds like some sort of anti-Michael Moore expose. This guy is kind of obsessed with Michael Moore, by the way.
3:22
Finally — at least, I think this is the last presenter, it’s a woman who wants to Preach To The Uncoverted, and who has a Quick Market Survey that is basically a series of kind of adorably obvious conservative crowdpleasers — seriously, there’s a “Go Ezra!” slide — and she definitely gets the crowd going with her results, and her jokes, but I can’t actually figure out what her project *is*. Oh, it’s a three-prong campaign — first, a book based on interviews with “high profile conservatives” with a track record of changing minds — like Preston Manning. “He can’t vote now,” she is reminded by the judges. She rather charmingly admits the goof, and points out that it’s good that she didn’t include Deb Gray too.
3:28
Leah Costello — that’s her name, by the way, and she was the producer and host of “Fraser TV” — yes, the Institue — and she’d spend all the money travelling around doing those interviews, and there would eventually be a video and a training manual. Deb Gray notes that she, at least, is the first person to say how she’d spend the money, but wonders what the target audience would be; Costello rather shamelessly flatters Ezra — who I can’t see at the moment, but I suspect is beet red right about now – by pointing out that before he came along, no one realized the scourge of the human rights commission cartel. She thinks this book would be popular not only in Canada, but in the US as well, and she believes that getting speakers like this up on screen — well, that’s a very important aspect. Did I mention that I’m fairly sure she’s the statuesque blonde who so bewitched Bernier in front of his fanboys after yesterday’s session? Because she is, I think. Brett Wilson seems a bit sceptical, as far as the future of the project.
3:29
Fryers thinks it sounds like a “fantastic idea” to create an institutional memory for conservatives — even if she doesn’t get the money, he says, he likes where she’s going. “That was a tough question,” she notes. Okay, I kind of love her for some reason. She’s totally invited to my Sims! Parliament gaming party.
3:33
Oh, it turns out there’s one more presenter — the creator/founder of Charity Intelligence Canada, which investigates and audits charities, in order to ensure transparency and build a better social market for donors and recipients, which will eventually result in lower government investment. And that’s good, yes?
3:42
So basically, she wants the $10 K to fund her group, which seems to be already operational, according to the Globe article on its efforts that she was handing out before the session began. Wilson wonders how she would convince someone like him – a philanthropist – that her rankings and methodology are legitimate, and she assures him that it’s *not* a ranking — he would provide the group with his priorities, as far as issues near and dear to his heart, and she would go out and find a dozen or so charities that meet the requirements, perform the “benchmarking” and give him the results. Fryers wonders if the data would eventually end up on the website, which would act as sort of a social market stock exchange. After admitting that the current website sucks — they’re portfolio analysts, not web designers, she remind the room — and once again explains. Deb Gray wonders how *they* get funded, and the woman — apologies for not using her name, but she didn’t introduce herself, and there’s no list of finalists in the programme – smilingly says it’s because “people like us.” As for what they would do with the money, it would be added to the $200,000 operating budget.
3:47
Asked about proposed changes to the current regulatory regime, which apparently came up during a previous session with Hugh Segal, she responds that she doesn’t know exactly what was put forward, but she “likes sunshine.” That’s it, Fryers wonders — free speech and sunshine? Doesn’t sound so bad, actually. Someone should totally start the Sunshine and Free Speech Film Festival! Okay, that was just mean. Anyway, the judges have fifteen minutes to make their decision, so I’ll be back with the results when they return.
4:00
Yay! Leah Costello won! Okay, now who wants to make Sims! Parliament! Oh, and also, the film fest-ers will be getting “direct support” from the Manning Centre, which sees great potential in the idea, and will work on putting something together with the group in question.”
