Uncertainty in Alberta
There’s “good” levels of uncertainty and “bad” levels of uncertainty. An M. Night Shyamalan movie, episode of Murdoch Mysteries, or a John Grisham novel, can be a “good” level of uncertainty. With promises of plot twists and a breadcrumb trail of clues, it’s an adventure for the overstimulated mind; puzzles we are offered the opportunity to solve before the story ends.
This is how I feel about political strategy. I love the twists and turns and it’s an incredible feeling to be able to figure out the ending before it happens. It’s also why I typically enjoy the hour-long whodunit, or the 250-page story, as opposed to the mystery that is eight episodes, or 500 pages, long. In my “downtime”, I prefer to know whether I’m right in a reasonable amount of time.
Then there are the “bad” levels of uncertainty. These are situations where there is almost zero probability of having a “good” outcome and instead can only be measured in terms of “how bad”. Donald Trump’s threat to use enough economic pressure to force Canada to want to become the 51st state (gag) is one. Danielle Smith’s “pressure valve release” of encouraging a referendum on separation is another.
