So the news is that David Swann won the leadership of the Alberta Liberal Party on the first ballot yesterday. Congratulations to David and his supporters.As some of you may recall, in the aftermath of the last provincial election I came to the opinion that what the Alberta Liberal Party needs to do is start from scratch. Get rid of the name, get rid of the policy, get rid of the structure, and start again from the grassroots at square one.I had a brief conversation with David Swann back then, before he had announced his candidacy for the leadership of the ALP, and he seemed open to the idea. Later, in his leadership campaign, he was the candidate most willing to consider making hamburger out of sacred cows like the Liberal moniker, mergers with other left-wing parties, and electoral reform.  In his acceptance speech, he said everything is on the table: principles, values, name, everything.But it’s hard to know whether that is what gained him the support that he received. He is also a tireless advocate for public health care and environmental sustainability. It’s hard to believe that Alberta Liberal members think themselves engaged in anything other than electing a party boss. Hard, but not impossible. Hope springs eternal. And if they did, and if David Swann gives them what they wanted, they will have placed themselves so far outside of the Alberta political mainstream as to eliminate any real chance of progress.I'm hoping that's not the case.  I'm hoping he's going to do what no one expects, and become the Black Swann of Alberta politics.If Swann was asking for my advice, and I know he's not, this is what I would tell him:

1. The ultimate arbiter of right and wrong in a democracy is voters. That’s not “populism.” It’s reality. Say so, and you can’t go wrong with voters. It also provides you with a strong argument for party reform.
2. You are not a Premier-in-waiting. Pick someone you respect to manage the legislative aspects of the party, focus your own efforts on renewal. Alternatively, hire an outsider as executive director with responsibility for renewal, pay them what they’re worth, give them this list, and leave them alone.
3. Draft a minimalist constitution for a new party designed for openness, democracy, cost efficiency, scalability, and flexibility.  Include a simple principles section that sets out the principles of the new party as: maximizing equitable and accountable democratic participation, adherence to the rule of law, individual freedom and responsibility, and the highest sustainable quality of life in the long run.
4. Above all, the structure should make membership and nomination valuable. The nomination and leadership processes should empower the members. And the nomination and leadership processes should be your policy process. Un-elected candidates should be with the MLAs in your policy meetings.
5. Call a party-wide vote with only two orders of business: a new name, and the new constitution.
6. Promise to resign the leadership if the party fails to adopt either. Then, campaign like you mean it.
7. When you win, people will leave. Let them.  That helps cement the impression that the party has changed in the public's mind.
8. Get all of your MLAs to call one person every day and ask them for $10,000. I’m not kidding. If it works 1% of the time, you will have paid off the party debt in a year.
9. Take the money, and spend it on professional fundraising, professional field organization, professional market research and professional communications. In that professional order. Professional.
10. Adopt a short platform, each plank of which is Popular, Practical, and Progressive