I'm working on an idea called The Alberta People's Assembly and I'd like your feedback.
The more I travel Alberta, the more I realize we have thousands of people working on similar goals, but very few opportunities to actually sit down together and work through difficult questions in a meaningful way.
Most events are built around speakers.
This one would be built around citizens.
The current concept is a two-day assembly of up to 1,000 Albertans.
Before the event, registrants help determine the topics. The issues people care about most become the focus of the Assembly.
Day One would begin with large moderated forums where difficult questions are explored through panel discussions, audience participation, live polling, and digital engagement.
The forums would then convert into chamber discussions. A small group of active participants would sit at the table while the broader audience observes, contributes questions, and participates through moderators.
The goal is not speeches - The goal is deliberation.
Ideas are challenged. Assumptions are tested. Solutions are explored. Findings, recommendations, and unresolved questions are documented by rapporteurs and recorded for transparency.
Day Two brings everyone back together.
Delegates from each chamber report their findings to the full Assembly. Areas of agreement, disagreement, opportunities, and priorities are discussed before participants identify practical next steps and future initiatives.
A few principles I think are important:
• No paid speakers
• No VIP section
• Everyone enters through the same door
• Independent groups remain independent
• No organization controls the Assembly
• Discussions are heavily moderated so no individual or group dominates the conversation
• Citizen participation is prioritized throughout the process
Politics should not be pay-to-play. We want participation from people who have contributed, regardless of their financial circumstances. Tickets would operate on a sliding scale, including Citizen Access Tickets for people who otherwise could not afford to attend.
The purpose is not to create a new organization.
The purpose is to bring citizens, leaders, organizations, businesses, media personalities, volunteers, and community builders into the same room to identify common issues and explore common solutions.
If we want to govern ourselves, we need to start acting like a government. That means gathering, debating, documenting, deliberating, and creating opportunities for citizens to participate in meaningful discussions about the future.
This is already moving beyond the idea stage.
What am I missing?
What would make this process stronger?
Would you attend?
And if you think Alberta needs something like this, please share it. I'd like as much feedback as possible before we build it.