by Pieter Vorster | May 29, 2020 | News and Events, Newsletters
What’s happening with NIPR? The Electoral District Association (EDA) will be holding its AGM sometime this summer or fall. It will, in all likelihood, be an online event and we are in the process of figuring that out. Now is the time to start thinking about whether you want to contribute to your local Green Party by being on the Executive Committee. In fact, we’re looking for new members all the time. Members can join now and be “interim” until whenever the AGM happens. We need help with: Planning events (currently all events have to be virtual) with supporters/volunteers; connecting with new members; creating the newsletter; Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; studying the 2019 platform and GPC policies in general; writing press releases/articles/policy statements; and much more. Write to us at northislandgreens@gmail.com and we can explore options. Leadership Race A Green Party EDA must neutral in the leadership race. We are not allowed to endorse any one candidate.* Therefore, NIPR is inviting all the Green Party leadership contestants to an online event. If there is any candidate who is unable to attend our event on June 29, we will make every effort to host that candidate at another time. (See below for details on leadership contestants.) Members and Green-curious are invited to RSVP here. When: June 29, 5:30-7:30 pm Pacific TimeWhere: Zoom link to be announced after you RSVPRSVP: https://vote.greenparty.ca/rsvp/eve_7a4cb8a5d * Of course, as individuals any of us can endorse the candidate of our choosing. 2019 election data analysis AFP PHOTO / Don MACKINNON (Photo credit should read Don MacKinnon/AFP/Getty Images) Two NIPR Executive...
by Pieter Vorster | May 26, 2020 | Member Submitted Articles, News and Events
by Pat Carl We cast our votes. The votes were counted. The Green Party of Canada announced the results on May 8. GPC has a partially new Federal Council and Young Greens Council. That’s because elections are held every year but only for a portion of the seats on the two Councils. You can imagine what the theory is behind staggering elections, right? That way, the collective memory of one year’s Council isn’t totally lost by replacing the entire shebang of Council representatives. Of note: the proportional representation system of Single Transferable Vote was used to determine seat winners in each region with a seat available, each non-provincial seat available (in this case, VIP-English and Fund Manager), and in the two seats up for grabs in connection with the Young Greens, those people under the age of 30 who will represent the Young Greens Council at the big table (a bit of a disparaging reference made by the Young Greens themselves), that is, at the Federal Council table. A further note: 19.7% of all GPC members voted in this election as compared to around 14% who voted in the 2019 elections. Out of the 23,288 active GPC members able to cast ballots, 4,596 chose to do so. A bit low, don’t ya think? Or said a different way, some 18,692 GPC members did not vote. Kind of embarrassing when one of our Green Principles is – wait for it – participatory democracy. Now, one person I know said she wouldn’t have cast a ballot at all had it not been for the 7 candidate forums tirelessly organized by a few...
by Pieter Vorster | Mar 30, 2020 | News and Events, Newsletters
2020 Federal Council Election This is an exciting year of renewal for the Green Party of Canada – a new Leader, a new Executive Director, and a new Federal Council. We hope to make it even more interesting for you through a series of online events. The election for representatives to the Green Party of Canada (GPC) Federal Council is taking place in April. The voting period is April 1 to May 1. You can see the names of the candidates running this year here. There are also a number of Young Greens running for Federal Council, and you can see all those listed here. But, you might want to hold off on voting early because … A group of GPC members are inviting all the candidates to attend a series of Zoom town hall-style meetings. These town halls will provide an opportunity for GPC members to meet the candidates in a virtual meeting room. Every candidate will be given equal time in these meetings to introduce themselves and to answer questions. Meetings will be organized to showcase candidates from each region across Canada. (The Quebec wing of the Green Party will be organizing their own Zoom sessions.) Go to our Facebook event page as well. You can indicate your intention to attend there, or RSVP here. These town hall meetings will be recorded. The format of the Zoom calls will be as follows: All contestants will have 3 minutes at the beginning to introduce themselves. Then, the moderator will present questions. (See next paragraph re questions.) There will also be someone monitoring the chat for questions that...
by Pieter Vorster | 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 Pieter Vorster | Sep 1, 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’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 Part 1: Sierra Club BC endorses proportional representation Sierra Club BC has posted an essay by Maria Dobrinskaya, from Make Every Voter Count Society, which is the official proponent in BC’s referendum. Locally, Fair Vote Comox Valley (as part of Fair Vote Canada/BC) is the most active group. It’s great to see different groups all working for the same end – an improvement to our democracy and hopefully an end to situations like Site C and LNG. Part 2: BCGEU … now has a campaign for proportional representation! You can sign the petition to take back control of our democracy. “The age of...
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