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LETTER: Ad libitum and Canadian politics

Reader Ron Robinson: "It happens in business; why not in the business of managing the country?"
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When replying to a request for proposals, the proponent submits a very clear declaration of how they would deliver all the elements described.

Currently, in a political context, the people are not organized enough to develop the details of an RFP for the purpose of managing their country.  For that purpose, they are willing to adopt the model of ad libitum — at one’s pleasure, where the proponent is free to state and revise any and all deliverables in response to the offerings from other proponents.

What would happen if the public was able to organize enough to develop an RFP and accepted only sealed tenders from all proponents? Once the tenders were opened, the public could compare applications and determine who would be hired. There would have to be another process by which the public could engage in the development of an RFP. It happens in business; why not in the business of managing the country?

Ron Robinson

Nelson