by Megan Ardyche | Jun 16, 2018 | News and Events, Newsletters
Must Reads from Last Week Have Your Say About Did You Know… If you’d like to respond to an article here, go to NIPR’s website and leave a comment. If you have ideas for future editions – remember, Did You Know… is weekly – go to NIPR’s website and leave a comment. If you have general feedback, go to NIPR’s website and leave a comment. BC Electoral Reform Referendum Referendum Ballot Questions BALLOT QUESTION #1: Which should British Columbia use for elections to the Legislative Assembly? (Vote for only one.) The current First Past the Post voting system. A proportional representation voting system. BALLOT QUESTION #2: (You don’t have to answer this question. If you do wish to answer, you can vote for only one choice, or you can rank your choices.) If British Columbia adopts a proportional representation voting system, which of the following voting systems do you prefer? (Vote for the voting systems you wish to support by ranking them in order of preference. You may choose to support one, two or all three of the systems.) Dual Member Proportional (DMP) Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) Rural-Urban PR Locally Courtenay Transportation Plan Open House DATE/TIME: June 19, 2018, 5-7 p.m. LOCATION: Florence Filberg Centre Conference Hall Public input wanted. “When complete, ‘Connecting Courtenay’ will include long-term plans for all modes of transportation over the next 20 years, as well as five and 10 year investment strategies.” Based on the City’s past and current mass transit service (or lack thereof) and the paving of roads but not shoulders for cyclists, public input is needed. Read more. K’omoks...
by Megan Ardyche | Jun 10, 2018 | News and Events, Newsletters
Must Reads from Last Week BC Electoral Reform Referendum New Zealand gives B.C. a lesson on proportional representation How refreshing to see a thoughtful, informative piece in the Vancouver Sun. It actually addresses some of the concerns raised by PR opponents in B.C. and comments on how those same concerns were laid to rest by the New Zealand experience. And from young voters… “Young people are cut out of the political process by the vested interests who have a lot at stake in the upcoming referendum on electoral reform. It’s time to change that.” Read more. And from the Comox Valley Record… An editorial that truly does provide a balanced viewpoint on the referendum. Excerpt: “The universality of the message shows those [Liberal] MLAs are neither representing the views of their constituents or even their personal views. Instead, they are representing the views of their party, to us.” Read more. Fair Vote Canada’s AGM Here’s a panel discussion video from Fair Vote Canada’s AGM: “Panel discussion on how to make an end of PR in 2019 with Ed Broadbent, training NDP leader, Paul Gregory, green party director and Ryan Campbell, liberal activist for PR. Discussion on how to ensure that electoral reform is a challenge in 2019, with Ed Broadbent, former leader of the NDP, Paul Gregory, director of the Green Party of Canada, and Ryan Campbell, liberal activist for Reform Election.” On June 7 we got the Premier’s statement on recommendations for PR referendum Excerpt: “Today, cabinet accepted the recommendations of the Attorney General on how the referendum on a new voting system will take place. Regulations are...
by Megan Ardyche | Jun 7, 2018 | News and Events, Newsletters
June 16, 2018, 2:00-4:30 pm, Campbell River Community Centre 2:00 – 2:30 Registration open, refreshments, and socializing Pick up your name tag and copy of the agenda Determine your membership status Enjoy yourself! 2:30 – 2:40 Welcome and CEO’s remarks (Mark de Bruijn) Additions to Agenda / Approval of Agenda Introduce current Directors Introduce Guest Speakers: Sonia Theroux, Sonia Furstenau Introduce Sonia Theroux as MC 2:40 – 2:50 Sonia Theroux – Why are EDAs and the work they do important? Business portion of meeting (MC - Sonia Theroux) 2:50 – 2:52 Adoption of previous AGM meeting minutes (Mark de Bruijn) 2:52 – 3:00 Annual Report (Mark de Bruijn) 3:00 – 3:05 Financial Report (Jay Van Oostdam) 3:05 – 3:20 Election of CEO, Financial Agent, and Directors Nominations from the floor Presentations from Nominees Voting Business portion of Meeting adjourned 3:20 – 3:35 ***Refreshment Break*** Please use part of this time to consider issues in our riding that are important to you, and indicate these on the flip charts posted on the wall. 3:35 – 4:00 Keynote: Sonia Furstenau, MLA for Cowichan Valley; Deputy Leader of the BC Green Party 4:00 – 4:25 • Presentation of Survey Results and wall flip charts Greenstorming: how can we use the survey results and flip chart ideas? (Sonia Theroux) 4:25 – 4:30 Photos – if you have one, be sure to wear your Green T-shirt! (Doug Cowell) 4:30 Adjournment (Mark de Bruijn) More...
by Megan Ardyche | Jun 2, 2018 | News and Events, Newsletters
Must Reads from Last Week BC Electoral Reform Referendum The referendum questions are out From NDP Government (includes a summary): Read more. From CBC: Read more. Fair Vote Comox Valley and Fair Vote Canada/BC applaud clear referendum question A press release from Fair Vote Comox Valley and from Fair Vote Canada/BC. Read more. Having said that, Fair Vote Comox Valley feels the descriptions of the three systems are somewhat unclear and the larger Fair Vote Canada group is working to get clarification from the BC NDP government on this. PR in the US? Check out this New York Times article on PR and how it could make the US a more functional country. The piece is written by David Brooks, a self-declared Republican. Mr. Brooks is on the KCTS News Hour most Friday nights as part of a political panel and he is always a voice of reason who despairs what the Republicans are currently doing in/to the US. Excerpt: “Now the two-party system has rigidified and ossified. The two parties no longer bend to the center. They push to the extremes, where the donor bases and their media propaganda arms are. More and more people feel politically homeless, alienated from both parties and without any say in how the country is run.” Locally READ THIS: Leadnow National Day of Action against KM Buyout DATE: Monday, June 4: 11:00 a.m.: Hornby Island Co-Op Store, 5875 Central Rd., Hornby Island 12:00 p.m.: Gord Johns/Ronna Rae Leonard office, 437-5th, Courtenay: Leadnow is looking for Greens to attend. 12:00 p.m.: Rachel Blaney’s Office, 908 Island Hwy, Campbell River 2:00 p.m.:...
by Megan Ardyche | May 26, 2018 | News and Events, Newsletters
Must Reads from Last Week BC Electoral Reform Referendum Is Fairness Enough of a Reason for Proportional Representation? Excerpt: “My friends and I want to know what the question is going to be,” she said. “I get that proportional representation is fairer than first-past-the-post. But that’s not enough for me and my friends. We like things the way they are. Some of my friends are Conservatives, but I’m not. But I agree with them. Just because first-past-the-post isn’t fair, well that’s not enough.” Read more. Letters to the Editor on PR Read more and more and more. Locally Learn About Solar Energy at Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) Open House DATE: May 29, 2018, 7-9 p.m. LOCATION: CVRD boardroom, 550 Comox Road, Courtenay As part of its commitment to community sustainability, the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) will be hosting a solar power and energy efficiency open house from 7 to 9 pm on Tuesday, May 29 at the CVRD boardroom, 550 Comox Road in Courtenay. This is a great opportunity to learn more about solar energy and how it may work for you and your home. This is also a great opportunity to learn about other home heating and energy efficiency incentives available from the CVRD. Read more. Elevate the Rainbow Intersection DATE: June 2, 2018, 7-11 p.m. LOCATION: 5th Street & Duncan Avenue, Courtenay The Comox Valley is coming together in the heart of Courtenay to celebrate diversity and community! Join Elevate, Downtown Courtenay, Comox Valley Pride, Atlas Cafe and a host of other friends and allies from across the Valley to ‘Elevate the Intersection‘ and launch...
by Megan Ardyche | May 19, 2018 | News and Events, Newsletters
Must Reads from Last Week Spreading the Word If you have friends who are interested in any of the content of this blog, please feel free to share it far and wide. The fact that it comes from the Greens of North Island-Powell River (NIPR) doesn’t mean it is only relevant to people in that riding. Because all Greens are part of the Global Greens, we need to think outside our riding boundaries and connect with each other. Encourage your friends to subscribe to NIPR communications. Let’s connect across this vast riding, this vast country, and this vast but ultimately tiny planet. Have Your Say About Did You Know… If you feel we’re taking up too much space on any one topic, or that we’re omitting an essential topic, go to NIPR’s website and leave a comment. If you have ideas for future editions – remember, Did You Know… is weekly – go to NIPR’s website and leave a comment. If you have general feedback, go to NIPR’s website and leave a comment. BC Electoral Reform Referendum Whipping the Vote This documentary reveals the downside of MLAs’ and MPs’ votes being whipped, and how that undermines democracy. While Mr. Holman’s focus on his blog is transparency of information, his documentary on how votes are whipped in B.C. (and elsewhere in Canada) demonstrates that there really isn’t democracy, there really isn’t transparency, and our MLAs don’t really represent us. They represent the party, and that is exactly what first-past-the-post reinforces – the Party. While there would still be parties in a proportional system, the Party would no longer be the...
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