Library
Every published article across all categories.
Stories • 7 min
The most dangerous changes to important systems rarely look like sabotage. They look like streamlining. This story follows a simple safeguard — three keys held by three people — and how “temporary” convenience can quietly replace design.
Stories • 7 min
The kettle hums. The lights come on. The hospital never sleeps. Most days, the system behind it all is invisible — until one winter morning it isn’t. This parable is about the quiet river that serves a town every day, and what it asks of us when we want it to last.
How the System Works • 8 min
Most projects that matter begin with good intentions. But systems do not live at the beginning — they live in time. This article explains why promises and goodwill are not enough to keep important systems true to their purpose, and why only visible structure and deliberate design can protect against quiet drift.
How the System Works • 5 min
The electrical grid is one of the most complex machines ever built, yet it is designed to disappear from daily life. This article explains what the grid actually is, how it stays balanced, and why its quiet reliability matters.
How the System Works • 6 min
Alberta’s electricity system is built around a competitive wholesale market, regulated wires, and retail service that sits between the two. This overview explains the main players, the money flow, and the responsibilities — without assuming you already know the jargon.
How the System Works • 5 min
Prudential security is a quiet but essential safeguard in Alberta’s deregulated energy market. This article explains what it is, why it exists, how it is regulated, and how Guardian acknowledges the role customers play in maintaining system stability.
General • By William J Campbell • 7 min
Some ideas announce themselves and disappear. Others return quietly, again and again, until ignoring them requires more effort than paying attention. This article records one such moment, and the questions that followed.
Governance & Commitments
Not all change is drift. Some changes improve a system. The risk arises when direction shifts without being tested against the core purpose it was designed to serve. This article examines how responsibility can quietly move in healthy systems — and why every change must be examined for fit, not just intent.
Governance & Commitments • 5 min
This article explains why the system is intentionally divided into three distinct roles — operation, allocation, and explanation — and how that separation protects trust, accountability, and long-term stability.
Governance & Commitments • 5 min
A reflective look at the difference between long-lasting initiatives and systems designed to operate over time, and how the idea of permanence applies when thinking about ongoing funding for the Hospital Foundation.
Governance & Commitments • 6 min
Canmore Legacy explains a community funding model—it does not operate it. This article sets out the design principles and long-term commitments intended to keep the model legible, durable, and worthy of trust over time.