Fair Voting BC, News Letter, February 2005
Help Fund Campaign
An effective Yes campaign needs funding. Your help makes it possible. Donations great and small are needed. With just 100 days till Referendum, now is the time to make your donation. Do it today!
What is Needed?
Full-time organizer to mobilize volunteers in 79 ridings $5,000
Provincial speaking tour by competent spokespersons, travel $3,000
Election-style, plastic lawn signs, 10,000 to cover the province $30,000
Banners and buttons $2,000
Polling $5,000
Multi media advertising $1.75 million
Without an advertising campaign many British Columbians will go into the polling booth on May 17 not knowing there is a referendum, and most will be clueless about the issues. That must not be allowed to happen. It would taint a process that has so far been a model of democracy.
If you wish to discuss your funding participation, the cooperation among the Yes groups, and what exactly is planned call Nick Loenen 604-274-3868.
Please make your contribution by cheque payable to Fair Voting BC, and mail to Fair Voting BC c/o John Vegt 123 Queens Ave., New Westminster, BC V3L 1J4. Because FVBC is deemed to be political it cannot issue tax receipts. FVBC is registered under the BC Societies Act as a non-profit organization since 1998. Receipts and financial statements are available upon request.
Directors thank all who have already supported.
Upcoming Events
With May 17 just over 3 months away, several community groups are planning educational opportunities.
Victoria Valentine Fundraiser Feb 19th, 3 pm to 5 pm.4683 Deerwood Terrace Victoria. Hors d'ourves and no host bar. Hosts Gary Lunn MP and NIls Jensen Oak Bay Councilor. rsvp to: Bruce Hallsor { HYPERLINK "mailto:hallsor@creaseharman.com" }hallsor@creaseharman.com
Lower Mainland February 24 AssemblyEducator, UBC ProfessorKen Carty speaks at Trinity Western University, Langley, BC; 7:00 p.m., Northwest Lecture Hall on TWU campus. Entitled "Turning Voters into Citizens: The Citizens' Assembly and Reforming Democratic Politics", Dr. Carty explores what happens when ordinary voters are trusted to make an important decision about democratic politics. Admission is free, and lecture is followed by a reception. For info: Inga Warnock { HYPERLINK "mailto:warnock@twu.ca" }warnock@twu.ca
Vancouver February 25, Civic Education Society, a non-partisan group that promotes civicawareness with particular focus on theChinese community presents: Understanding BC's Electoral Reform - Educational Workshop on BC-STV. Time: 7:30 - 9:30 pm. Place: Board Room, Kensington Community Centre, 2/F, 5171 Dumfries Street, Vancouver (near Knight and E. 33rd). Note: workshop is in Cantonese only. Contact: Michael Yue { HYPERLINK "mailto:myue@infinet.net" }myue@infinet.net or 604-771-7227.
Vancouver Fundraiser with radio personality Rafe Mair. For info. Daniel Grice { HYPERLINK "mailto:daniel.grice@stvforbc.com" }daniel.grice@stvforbc.com
Prince George February 28 – March 3 Nick Loenen will be in Prince George and neighbouring communities. Active Voice Coalition is planning a number of events. Contact: Peter Ewart Coordinator, Active Voice Coalition. { HYPERLINK "mailto
eter.ewart@shaw.ca" }peter.ewart@shaw.ca
For many, many additional events see Events Calendar of the Assembly Alumni { HYPERLINK "http://bc-stv.ca/" }http://bc-stv.ca/
If It Ain’t Broke Why Fix It?
The present voting system is broke and needs fixing.
In the last election the Liberals took all but two seats on 58% of the vote and the legislature is limping along without an opposition.
The two elections before the last, produced majority governments on just 40% of the vote. Sixty percent of us did not want that party, that leader, those policies, yet that is what we got for ten years straight.
In the 1996 election the party with the most votes lost. What kind of democracy is that?
Should people not get the government they vote for? True, for most places in the world but not in BC.
Under first-past-the-post, in a typical election the majority of votes are wasted, wasted in that they have no effect on the outcome. The majority of voters, just over 50%, could stay home and it would make no difference to the outcome. How democratic is that? No wonder more and more voters do stay home.
First-past-the-post encourages excessive party discipline. The result is this: when it comes to public policies, your MLA has all the clout of a wet noodle. When your MLA has no power, you have no power. When MLAs are more beholden to their party than their voters, the legislature is incapable of putting a check on the powers of premier and cabinet. Lack of accountability abounds. Just think of the Quebec sponsorship scandal, or the fast ferry fiasco. The Citizens Assembly believes British Columbia can do better!
Study Shows Canada-wide Support For Voting Reform
A survey released on November 4, 2004 by the Centre for Research and Information on Canada (CRIC) illustrates strong support for far-reaching democratic reforms. Regarding fair representation, 71% of respondents supported “distributing legislative seats proportionally according to the share of votes received”; 71% supported “forming coalition governments when no party has a majority of seats”; 74% supported “allowing smaller parties to win representation in legislatures”. The campaign for electoral reform is also boosted by strong support for more diversity in parliaments: 90% “support increasing the number of women in elected office” and 66% “increasing the number of minority representatives”. For more information: www.cric.ca.
New Brunswick is Next
The Final Report of the New Brunswick Commission on Legislative Democracy is available online: { HYPERLINK "http://www.gnb.ca/cnb/Promos/Leg-Dem/index-e.asp" }http://www.gnb.ca/cnb/Promos/Leg-Dem/index-e.asp The Commission's Report includes 89 recommendations including adoption of a mixed member proportional electoral system. Premier Bernard Lord has promised to respond to the Commission's recommendations in short order.
Iraq, Afghanistan, Join World of Democratic Representation
It is noteworthy that Iraq and Afghanistan’s newly minted voting systems promote democratic values and fairness much better than our system. In 1992 Canada signed a UN declaration stipulating voting rights for the then new democracies emerging from the former Soviet Union. How hypocritical! Every election in Canada is in violation of democratic values we want others to uphold. In the meantime, Prime Minster Paul Martin prattles about the democratic deficit but has yet to do anything about it.
On May 17, vote Yes in support of democracy.
Help Fund Campaign
An effective Yes campaign needs funding. Your help makes it possible. Donations great and small are needed. With just 100 days till Referendum, now is the time to make your donation. Do it today!
What is Needed?
Full-time organizer to mobilize volunteers in 79 ridings $5,000
Provincial speaking tour by competent spokespersons, travel $3,000
Election-style, plastic lawn signs, 10,000 to cover the province $30,000
Banners and buttons $2,000
Polling $5,000
Multi media advertising $1.75 million
Without an advertising campaign many British Columbians will go into the polling booth on May 17 not knowing there is a referendum, and most will be clueless about the issues. That must not be allowed to happen. It would taint a process that has so far been a model of democracy.
If you wish to discuss your funding participation, the cooperation among the Yes groups, and what exactly is planned call Nick Loenen 604-274-3868.
Please make your contribution by cheque payable to Fair Voting BC, and mail to Fair Voting BC c/o John Vegt 123 Queens Ave., New Westminster, BC V3L 1J4. Because FVBC is deemed to be political it cannot issue tax receipts. FVBC is registered under the BC Societies Act as a non-profit organization since 1998. Receipts and financial statements are available upon request.
Directors thank all who have already supported.
Upcoming Events
With May 17 just over 3 months away, several community groups are planning educational opportunities.
Victoria Valentine Fundraiser Feb 19th, 3 pm to 5 pm.4683 Deerwood Terrace Victoria. Hors d'ourves and no host bar. Hosts Gary Lunn MP and NIls Jensen Oak Bay Councilor. rsvp to: Bruce Hallsor { HYPERLINK "mailto:hallsor@creaseharman.com" }hallsor@creaseharman.com
Lower Mainland February 24 AssemblyEducator, UBC ProfessorKen Carty speaks at Trinity Western University, Langley, BC; 7:00 p.m., Northwest Lecture Hall on TWU campus. Entitled "Turning Voters into Citizens: The Citizens' Assembly and Reforming Democratic Politics", Dr. Carty explores what happens when ordinary voters are trusted to make an important decision about democratic politics. Admission is free, and lecture is followed by a reception. For info: Inga Warnock { HYPERLINK "mailto:warnock@twu.ca" }warnock@twu.ca
Vancouver February 25, Civic Education Society, a non-partisan group that promotes civicawareness with particular focus on theChinese community presents: Understanding BC's Electoral Reform - Educational Workshop on BC-STV. Time: 7:30 - 9:30 pm. Place: Board Room, Kensington Community Centre, 2/F, 5171 Dumfries Street, Vancouver (near Knight and E. 33rd). Note: workshop is in Cantonese only. Contact: Michael Yue { HYPERLINK "mailto:myue@infinet.net" }myue@infinet.net or 604-771-7227.
Vancouver Fundraiser with radio personality Rafe Mair. For info. Daniel Grice { HYPERLINK "mailto:daniel.grice@stvforbc.com" }daniel.grice@stvforbc.com
Prince George February 28 – March 3 Nick Loenen will be in Prince George and neighbouring communities. Active Voice Coalition is planning a number of events. Contact: Peter Ewart Coordinator, Active Voice Coalition. { HYPERLINK "mailto
eter.ewart@shaw.ca" }peter.ewart@shaw.caFor many, many additional events see Events Calendar of the Assembly Alumni { HYPERLINK "http://bc-stv.ca/" }http://bc-stv.ca/
If It Ain’t Broke Why Fix It?
The present voting system is broke and needs fixing.
In the last election the Liberals took all but two seats on 58% of the vote and the legislature is limping along without an opposition.
The two elections before the last, produced majority governments on just 40% of the vote. Sixty percent of us did not want that party, that leader, those policies, yet that is what we got for ten years straight.
In the 1996 election the party with the most votes lost. What kind of democracy is that?
Should people not get the government they vote for? True, for most places in the world but not in BC.
Under first-past-the-post, in a typical election the majority of votes are wasted, wasted in that they have no effect on the outcome. The majority of voters, just over 50%, could stay home and it would make no difference to the outcome. How democratic is that? No wonder more and more voters do stay home.
First-past-the-post encourages excessive party discipline. The result is this: when it comes to public policies, your MLA has all the clout of a wet noodle. When your MLA has no power, you have no power. When MLAs are more beholden to their party than their voters, the legislature is incapable of putting a check on the powers of premier and cabinet. Lack of accountability abounds. Just think of the Quebec sponsorship scandal, or the fast ferry fiasco. The Citizens Assembly believes British Columbia can do better!
Study Shows Canada-wide Support For Voting Reform
A survey released on November 4, 2004 by the Centre for Research and Information on Canada (CRIC) illustrates strong support for far-reaching democratic reforms. Regarding fair representation, 71% of respondents supported “distributing legislative seats proportionally according to the share of votes received”; 71% supported “forming coalition governments when no party has a majority of seats”; 74% supported “allowing smaller parties to win representation in legislatures”. The campaign for electoral reform is also boosted by strong support for more diversity in parliaments: 90% “support increasing the number of women in elected office” and 66% “increasing the number of minority representatives”. For more information: www.cric.ca.
New Brunswick is Next
The Final Report of the New Brunswick Commission on Legislative Democracy is available online: { HYPERLINK "http://www.gnb.ca/cnb/Promos/Leg-Dem/index-e.asp" }http://www.gnb.ca/cnb/Promos/Leg-Dem/index-e.asp The Commission's Report includes 89 recommendations including adoption of a mixed member proportional electoral system. Premier Bernard Lord has promised to respond to the Commission's recommendations in short order.
Iraq, Afghanistan, Join World of Democratic Representation
It is noteworthy that Iraq and Afghanistan’s newly minted voting systems promote democratic values and fairness much better than our system. In 1992 Canada signed a UN declaration stipulating voting rights for the then new democracies emerging from the former Soviet Union. How hypocritical! Every election in Canada is in violation of democratic values we want others to uphold. In the meantime, Prime Minster Paul Martin prattles about the democratic deficit but has yet to do anything about it.
On May 17, vote Yes in support of democracy.