by Pieter Vorster | 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 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 | 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 Pieter Vorster | Sep 15, 2018 | News and Events, Newsletters
Must Reads from Last Week BC Electoral Reform Referendum Here’s a brief video on the power of proportional representation Dogwood has weighed in on the referendum Dogwood has put out a blistering post on “Why lying politicians love first-past-the-post.” How do migrant crises in Europe intersect with BC’s referendum on electoral reform? Bill Tieleman, a member of the official opponent group in BC’s referendum, is rubbing his hands with glee at the result in Sweden’s recent election. He’s been posting and tweeting everywhere that the result was caused by a proportional voting system gets us. Of course, the migrant/refugee crises in Europe has nothing to do with their voting systems and everything to do with crises in the Middle East and Africa. Those crises will only be exacerbated as climate change starts adding millions more refugees to the flood. Canada is following in the footsteps of those countries who are ‘strengthening’ their borders because it’s expedient and appeals to voters, rather than acknowledging that more and more migrants will be on the move in the future. Read more. Excerpt: “That both Andrew Scheer and Michelle Rempel supported far-right activists to score points against Justin Trudeau is telling. Canadians like to believe we are exceptionally tolerant. Environics pollster Michael Adams argues that Canada is particularly resistant to xenophobic populism, partly because of our immigration history. But the current situation reveals a different story: Canada’s openness is more about exceptional geography. In a 2017 study, Michael Donnelly from the University of Toronto found that Canada is no more tolerant than similar countries, and argued our resistance to populism is because we’ve been spared migration crises. That’s...
by Pieter Vorster | Sep 8, 2018 | News and Events, Newsletters
Must Reads from Last Week BC Electoral Reform Referendum An information night on proportional representation Feeling confused about the systems on offer in this referendum? Join Barb Berger of Fair Vote Comox Valley and Jamie Deith for what promises to be an interesting and enlightening evening. Jamie Deith has devised an exercise that he will conduct with the audience, an exercise that will clarify what values are most important to YOU in a voting system. You won’t want to miss this event! DATE/TIME: September 12, 7-9 pm LOCATION: Comox United Church, Beach Ave., Comox Meet the big business lobbyists desperately fighting to stop BC’s electoral reform referendum This is what the Independent Business Contractors Association of BC is putting on their Facebook page: This is an important article to help you understand what we’re fighting for in BC. These groups are bringing out the big guns. For anyone to be this hysterical about improving our voting system, you know there’s got to be big money at stake! Read more. Six reasons why electoral reform in B.C. would be good for the climate First Past The Post is a winner-takes-all system that allows a minority of the electorate to empower leaders who disregard existing climate policy, public will, and the burning reality of “Hot House Earth.” Read more. Word of the week: Whiplash /ˈ(h)wipˌlaSH/The feeling in your neck from years of watching hard-fought climate policies, electoral reform promises and international agreements drop to the cutting room floor for political expediency, while court decisions overrule what seemed like inevitable political outcomes. From The Narwhal Locally Rise for climate action Events took place outside Nicholas Simons’ office,...
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