by Megan Ardyche | Nov 3, 2018 | News and Events, Newsletters
Must Reads from Last Week BC Electoral Reform Referendum Proportional Representation lawn signs Members of Fair Vote Comox Valley are getting a lot of questions about why there aren’t pro-PR signs around the Valley. The No side has lots of signs – and a lot of very large signs – and supporters of PR are getting upset that the Yes side isn’t putting out signs. So, here’s the answer: Fair Vote Comox Valley HAS been putting out signs, and they are being stolen. As far as we know, signs in people’s yards are being left alone, but virtually all the pro-PR signs on public land have been removed. I say “removed,” but really I mean stolen. Barb Berger of FV Comox Valley has a letter to the editor in the Comox Valley Record. What is astonishing is a comment in the online version from Darryl Pippin, who is involved with WiseVoteBC, which is directly connected to Bill Tieleman and Suzanne Anton’s official opponent group. Pippin accuses Barb Berger of “making widely (sic) inappropriate accusations without some backup.” He then proceeds to make WiseVoteBC the victim by talking about how one of their signs was defaced. He then proceeds to threaten RCMP investigation – of the defacement of their sign, NOT of the theft of FV signs. Lest you think this referendum is an interesting side-show and you don’t really need to get involved, watch the video on the goose-stepping soldiers. Read this article about how wealthy BC Liberal donors are bankrolling the opposition to proportional representation. Remember that the Independent Contractors of Businesses Association of BC actually went...
by Megan Ardyche | Oct 27, 2018 | News and Events, Newsletters
Must Reads from Last Week BC Electoral Reform Referendum Understanding the referendum – information sessions Courtenay DATE/TIME: November 12, 4:30 pm LOCATION: Courtenay Public Library DATE/TIME: November 15, 2:30 pm LOCATION: Courtenay Public Library DATE/TIME: November 17, 2:30 pm LOCATION: Courtenay Public Library The death of governing whiplash “Imagine, if you will, elected officials from one party cooperating with the elected officials of another party in order to develop long-lasting legislative priorities that stand the test of time. And then imagine, if you will, how many taxpayer dollars are wisely spent if legislative priorities are developed based on the best ideas from all parties.” Read more. “Thanks but no thanks” to a challenge to Fair Vote Kamloops to publish articles in support of first past the post This is a great rebuttal to the accusation that Fair Vote Canada/BC is ‘biased’ and ‘partisan’ because it doesn’t publish the perspective of the opponents of proportional representation. Read more. This could be the most progressive country on earth New Zealand uses proportional representation to elect their politicians. Now they’re setting a great example of how politics can be done differently. Read more. Excerpt: “Watched by her partner and their then 4-month-old daughter, [Prime Minister] Ardern pledged New Zealand would be “a kind and equitable nation where children thrive, and success is measured not only by the nation’s GDP but by better lives lived by its people.” Locally The air we breathe The SAGE (Sustainability Action Group for the Environment) cordially invites you to join us for an informational evening. Our guest speaker will be Jennell Ellis of Breathe Clean Air...
by Megan Ardyche | Oct 20, 2018 | News and Events, Newsletters
Must Reads from Last Week BC Electoral Reform Referendum Fair Vote Canada/BC is buying some major newspaper ad space Monday October 23: We’re buying the front page of the Province - it’s a wrapper like Jim Shepard did so we get the inside page, too. (We were hoping for a day a bit later than that but were told it was all booked - maybe the Liberals have their pictures of Nazis and party hacks on the other days, who knows). Wed or Friday Oct 24 and 26: We will have a 4 page insert in 39 local papers across interior/northern BC. These things cost more money than FVC has ever spent on anything. But we just couldn’t say NO to reaching that many people in their communities! Click here and donate to this hugely important effort from Fair Vote Canada/BC, or donate to some other pro-PR group in BC. It’s getting down to the wire and groups across BC are working incredibly hard to reach all possible voters. Andrew Coyne in Vancouver: Why Pro Rep won’t turn BC into a dystopian hellhole DATE/TIME: October 25, 7-8:30 pm LOCATION: SFU Harbour Centre Campus, Vancouver …and it will be live streamed on Facebook. If you’ve never listened to Andrew Coyne on proportional representation, now is a good time. He’s an incredible advocate. Understanding the referendum – information sessions Courtenay DATE/TIME: October 27, 1:30-3:30 LOCATION: Rotary Room, Florence Filberg Centre DATE/TIME: November 12, 4:30 pm LOCATION: Courtenay Public Library DATE/TIME: November 15, 2:30 pm LOCATION: Courtenay Public Library DATE/TIME: November 17, 2:30 pm LOCATION: Courtenay Public Library Campbell River DATE/TIME: October 25, 7-9 pm...
by Megan Ardyche | Oct 13, 2018 | News and Events, Newsletters
Must Reads from Last Week BC Electoral Reform Referendum Understanding the referendum – upcoming information sessions DATE/TIME: October 15, 7-9 pm LOCATION: Fanny Bay Hall, 7793 Old Island Hwy DATE/TIME: October 27, 1:30-3:30 LOCATION: Rotary Room, Florence Filberg Centre DATE/TIME: November 12, 4:30 pm LOCATION: Courtenay Public Library DATE/TIME: November 15, 2:30 pm LOCATION: Courtenay Public Library DATE/TIME: November 17, 2:30 pm LOCATION: Courtenay Public Library Jamie Deith, a systems designer, extremely knowledge on electoral systems, has created a quiz which leads you through an enlightening questionnaire to help determine what you value in a voting system, and identifies if you lean toward FPTP or PR. If you lean toward PR, this quiz will identify which of the three proportional systems in this referendum most resonates with your values. Be forewarned, you will have to do a simple math equation to prove you are human before you can access the site. This is because the opponents to proportional representation seem to be attacking proponent sites. Sample ballots for PR systems If you would like to check out sample ballots for the three PR systems in BC’s referendum, check them out here. Fact checker for proportional representation Check out myths, misconceptions and untruths at this fact checker. This site was hacked twice, shortly after it first went up in June and again in September; check out that article here. How first-past-the-post distorted New Brunswick’s election results One journalist’s take on the New Brunswick election outcome. …but hopes are dashed for another minority government No deal: Green Party won’t formally side with Liberals or PCs in N.B. Read more. Locally Women...
by Megan Ardyche | Oct 6, 2018 | News and Events, Newsletters
Must Reads from Last Week BC Electoral Reform Referendum New video explaining the three systems The BC Conservative Party comes out on the side of clarity and honest discourse Here’s an absolutely stellar video from Justin Greenwood, Deputy Leader of the BC Conservative Party. Greenwood calls out the BC Liberals and their leader, Andrew Wilkinson, for the fear tactics they are using to defeat proportional representation. Greenwood goes through the ballot, demonstrating how simple it is, and he ends with a call for honest debate and discussion on the issue rather than the negative campaign the No side is waging. …meanwhile, PR opponents are now in full-blown fear-mongering mode Read more. Democracy in 2018 In this CBC Ideas program, Michael Enright explores the state and practice of democracy in 2018. Among others he interviews Christopher Cochrane, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto. Cochrane proposes that what we need to do is to actually put forward policies that aren’t necessarily deeply ideological but that take seriously our commitment to making people’s lives better. Understanding the referendum – information nights DATE/TIME: October 13, 4-6 pm LOCATION: United Church, Cumberland (at Penrith & First) DATE/TIME: October 15, 7-9 pm LOCATION: Fanny Bay Hall, 7793 Old Island Hwy DATE/TIME: October 27, 1:30-3:30 LOCATION: Rotary Room, Florence Filberg Centre Each of these information nights includes the “Would You Rather” exercise, which will help you discover what matters to YOU - what YOU value - in a voting system. Of course attending in person and participating in the exercise is best, but now you can also do the same exercise...
by Megan Ardyche | Sep 22, 2018 | News and Events, Newsletters
Must Reads from Last Week There will be no Must Reads next week as much of the NIPR Executive will be at the Green Party of Canada biennial general meeting in Vancouver. BC Electoral Reform Referendum Who do you trust in the electoral reform debate? Take this week’s poll in the Tyee. You are able to see the results so far, and it’s clear at least Tyee readers do not trust the BC Liberals or local business leaders/lobbyists. PR Fact Checker With so many questionable claims flying around in the context of the upcoming BC referendum, how can voters separate the beef from the baloney? In the heat of the debate over voting systems, passion often trumps accuracy, yet voters need access to reliable information to make good decisions. To fill this gap, Fair Vote Canada BC is pleased to offer BC voters a proportional representation Fact Checker. This new website subjects claims made in the context of the referendum debate to scrutiny by a duo of academics with expert knowledge on the subject, Dr. Dennis Pilon and Dr. Brian Tanguay. Women and the vote Elections BC is investigating a right-wing group running anonymous ads attacking electoral reform This blog has previously included articles from the Independent Contractors Business Association (ICBA) and their fight against electoral reform, and about the money that is arrayed against proportional representation in BC. Now Elections BC is investigating a group called Wake Up Vancouver which has not registered with Elections BC as a third-party advertiser but which is nevertheless running ads. Read more. In fact, one of their Facebook posts references a...
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