Democracy Needs More Women in the Room

 The documentary Pray the Devil Back to Hell chronicles how Liberian women used nonviolent protest to end 14 years of civil war. After pressuring the male president and male rebels into peace talks, they blocked the exits when negotiations stalled, forcing the men to stay until an agreement was reached. Having endured years of restriction, often without basic necessities, the women wanted the men in the room to taste that same hardship. 

Screengrab from Pray the Devil Back to Hell

What the documentary does not show are the countless hours the women spent after each protest, reflecting and strategizing. One organizer reflected, “If we had not had different women from different walks of life banding together, we may not have been able to solve the problem.” At its core, democracy exists to address the problems of its people. It flourishes when diverse voices are heard, and inclusive decision-making fosters policies that are both equitable and responsive to all.

Countries with proportional representation (PR) elect more women to the legislature, bringing a shift in legislative priorities. Research shows that women in government are more likely to champion policies that support education, healthcare, family well-being, and social equity. They also prioritize collaboration and long-term solutions over partisan conflict. With more women in the room, diverse problem-solving approaches lead to stronger, more equitable policies—this is, in essence, real democracy.

This federal election, ask you candidates if they support electoral reform with proportional representation. Visit FairVote.ca and/or CharterChallenge.ca to learn more.

Rising Billionaires and Receding Democracy

Have you lived a billion seconds? Hint: You’ve lived a million seconds if you are 12 days old. If you’ve lived a billion seconds, you are almost 32.

Now, imagine if dollars were seconds and your lifetime earnings were $2.2 million. How many days is that? About 26 days. But billionaires? They’ve got 32 years' worth of dollars to burn. They only need to spend 12 days' worth to flood election campaigns with donations, channel lobbyists into key positions, and submerge politicians in a tide of influence. With just a 0.00094 of their fortune, they shape policies, cut themselves tax breaks, and rig the system in their favor.

Under first-past-the-post (FPTP), winning isn’t about representing the most people; it’s about gaming the system. A party can win total control with just 39% of the vote, leaving the majority without a voice. And who benefits? The ultra-rich.

Modified mage by Alex Yomare from Pixabay

Proportional representation (PR) is a remedy. PR ensures seats match votes, making it harder for wealthy donors to buy governments. More diverse voices in the legislature mean fewer policies to benefit the wealthy and more policies that serve people and the planet.

If you’re tired of a democracy that prioritizes profit over people and our planet, support PR. It’s time to reclaim our democracy for everyone. With electoral reform through PR, we can take the next step—transforming our economy from a linear system of extraction and exploitation to a circular one centered on sustainability and justice. Visit FairVote.ca and/or CharterChallenge.ca.

Stability and Harmony

 

"PICTURE IT" #7 STABILITY AND HARMONY: CANADA WITH PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION 

Picture it— Canada 2016. There is no need for a third all-party committee on electoral reform nor do the Liberals break Canadian hearts when they break their promise of electoral reform. There is no need because 1921 was the last election using the undemocratic, unfair, first-past-the-post system. Since 1925, our proportional representation system has promoted stability for harmony inside and outside Canada.

The last 100 years has seen the United Kingdom's policies lurching from left to right. In recent decades, the Conservative Party wins a majority and policy lurches to the right. Then the Labour Party wins a majority and policy lurches to the left. Meanwhile, in Canada, proportional representation minimizes policy lurch. Because the distribution of votes between parties is relatively stable election to election, the proportion of power between parties is stable. Parties collaborate with each other to produce thoughtful, long-term legislation. During elections, parties focus on honouring and winning voters, not humiliating and beating opponents.

Elections in Canada have high voter turnouts and between elections there is high civic participation. Rather than negative protesting, citizens find positive ways of engaging with their representatives. One of these was a national citizens assembly on peace. A Nobel Peace Prize winning outcome was that the government must prove to Canadians that it has exhausted all non-violent alternatives to war. 

Like other countries with proportional representation, Canada enjoys human security. Human security is a product of our political stability and diversity, social justice and safety nets, and environmental stewardship. However, Canada is aware that no one is safe until all are safe. It is leading a global security initiative based in nonviolent action which the Canadian military has embraced.

Canadian voters trust proportional representation to secure stability and harmony because it fosters stability and harmony within the political process.

If you wish this picture were true, help make it true. Support electoral reform with proportional representation. 

Environmental Stewardship

"PICTURE IT" #6 ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP: CANADA WITH PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

Picture it— Canada 2015. There is no need for Justin Trudeau and Liberal candidates to promise electoral reform 1,813 times during the election campaign. There is no need because 1921 was the last election using the undemocratic, unfair, first-past-the-post system. Since 1925, our proportional representation system has ensured that our environmental policies are determined by scientific evidence, not political ideology.

After the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was established in 1988, Canada used it to guide our response to climate change. We consistently meet and exceed our Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement greenhouse gas reduction targets. This is largely due to the active youth vote that prioritizes planetary care over corporate profit.

We experienced a fair and just transition to renewable energy unlike the United States. It fell prey to climate change denial lobbying powered by a coalition of well-funded fossil fuel companies and industry groups. Canada's basic annual income supported fossil fuel workers as they retrained for jobs in the renewable energy sector. Canada is currently a world leader in renewable energy innovation and usage.

Canada immediately signed the "4 per 1000" initiative and committed to implementing its regenerative agriculture strategy to mitigate climate change and increase food security. Regenerative agriculture not only sequesters carbon dioxide reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but it increases soil health while creating sustainable incomes.

Canadian voters trust proportional representation to secure environmental stewardship through social justice.

If you wish this picture were true, help make it true. Support electoral reform with proportional representation.

View the video at #6 Environmental Stewardship.

Strong Economy

 "PICTURE IT" #5 Strong Economy: CANADA WITH PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

Picture it— Canada 2005. There is no need for a report on electoral reform to the House of Commons because 1921 was the last election using the undemocratic, unfair, first-past-the-post system. Since 1925, our proportional representation system has been a positive economic force in our lives.

With proportional representation, Canada has enjoyed a balanced and inclusive economic policy framework for decades including a national energy policy. Our electoral system ensures our fiscal and economic policy is strongly rooted in the economic and social realities experienced by Canadians. Our policy does not lurch from right to left as it does in winner-take-all systems. Progress is made on issues like labour relations, corporate regulation, poverty reduction, and tax reform. Progress that is inclusive, informed, and long term. Progress that is good for business, labour, and the environment. And like other countries using proportional representation, Canada enjoys stronger economic growth than countries using plurality-majority electoral systems.

Canadian voters trust proportional representation to ensure that strong budget, trade, fiscal, and tax policies serve all of us.

If you wish this picture were true, help make it true. Support electoral reform with proportional representation.

View the video at #5 Strong Economy.

Social Trust

 "PICTURE IT" #4 SOCIAL TRUST: CANADA WITH PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

Picture it— Canada 2004. There is no need for the independent Law Commission of Canada to conduct a three-year study on electoral reform and recommend proportional representation. There is no need because 1921 was the last election using the undemocratic, unfair, first-past-the-post system. Like other countries using proportional representation, Canada ranks high for income equality and other indicators of well-being.

Canadians enjoy a host of benefits linked to income equality. The benefits include higher life satisfaction, better physical and mental health, better social mobility, fewer children in poverty, fewer teenage pregnancies, less crime, and less incarceration. Central to all these is a sense of trust that is commonly low in winner-take-all electoral systems. People in more equal societies trust each other more. Trust leads to goodwill, compassion, and connectedness. These in turn lead to more community involvement and civic participation. Community involvement and civic participation generates more trust creating a virtuous cycle.

Canadian voters trust proportional representation to distribute power fairly so no one income group has power over the others.

If you wish this picture were true, help make it true. Support electoral reform with proportional representation.

View the video at #4 Social Trust.

Ontario Liberal Karma: What Goes Around, Comes Around

The Ontario Liberal Party experienced its own form of Karma last week by losing not only the election, but official party status.

In 2007, the McGuinty Liberals promised a referendum on electoral reform. They held the referendum but posed a question that few would understand, including myself. They also did not provide funding or an educational program in inform people the importance of ER; it was designed to fail.

In the Ontario election, 52% of the votes casted were ineffective or wasted as result of our first-past-the-post electoral system. The Liberal suffered the most of the four main parties with 89% of their supporters’ votes being wasted.

Comparison of Ontario Election 2018

Ontario is now saddled by another false majority government, this time it’s the PCs that won the brass ring. Ontario has not had a true majority government supported by the voters since 1937 when Hepburn’s Liberals won a majority with 51.6% of the popular vote.

“The case for proportional representation is fundamentally the same as that for representative democracy. Only if an assembly represents the full diversity of opinion within a nation can its decisions be regarded as the decisions of the nation itself." ‒ Encyclopedia Britannica 

The Ford’s Conservatives enjoy a false majority via an outdated electoral system, therefore it is unlikely we will see any initiative to make the next election fairer to voters. 

Guest Blogger Dan Desson

Reducing Policy Lurch

John Thorton and Todd McKay wrote about the Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC) issue in the May 12 Shellbrook Chronicle. Together they provide an educational contrast.

 

John's letter presents a history of the STC under the Sask Party. Initially, a decrease in fares produced an increase in revenue. Yet, fare increases made it "too expensive for nearly 100,000 riders in five short years." John emphasizes that the STC is and should remain a public service.

 

Todd's article presents the case that the STC "didn't serve everyone even though we all subsidized it through our taxes."  He gives the example of the AV Transit company.  It may offer more timely and less expensive service between Martensville and Saskatoon. Todd concludes the STC is best privatized.

 

John's and Todd's writing reveal the potential policy lurches possible in our first-past-the-post electoral system. Imagine the next Saskatchewan government is pro-public services. We could lurch back to a public bus service.

 

 

 

When the seats in government are in proportion to the way people voted, there are fewer policy lurches. Proportional representation (PR) creates a cooperative decision-making process.  PR produces sustainable and durable policy outcomes. This is why over 80 democracies have evolved to some form of PR.

 

Evidence heard by the all-party electoral reform committee (ERRE) overwhelmingly favoured PR. Find your MP at http://tinyurl.com/memberbypostalcode.  Ask them to be a democracy hero by voting to accept the ERRE report at the end of May. Let's make every vote count federally, then provincially.

 

Nancy Carswell, Co-spokesperson Fair Vote Saskatchewan

Shellbrook, Saskatchewan

Proportional Representation and Environmental Protection

Prince Albert, Saskatchewan – March 9, 2017 – Prime Minster Justin Trudeau repeatedly stated he would make 2015 the last federal election using first-past-the-post.  Fair Vote Saskatchewan (FVSK) intends to hold him to his promise. 

Canada uses first-past-the-post to elect members to the House of Commons.  This system works when only two parties are on the ballot.  With more than two parties, the winner does not need a majority of votes.  Since 1921, Canadian governments have been told that using first-past-the-post is undemocratic.

Trudeau's Electoral Reform Committee (ERRE) heard over 80% of its expert witnesses and open mic speakers endorse proportional representation to make every vote count. In September 2016, the Qu’Appelle Valley Environmental Association (QVEA) presented a brief to the ERRE.  It was titled "Protecting Canada's Environment Requires a Voting System Based on Proportional Representation (PR)."

The QVEA brief states that countries with proportional representation are stable and robust.  When a coalition government is formed, it is not as easy to lobby for or ram through a particular agenda.  For example, in 2012 the Harper government's phony majority easily gutted the Navigable Waters Protection Act. 

If the 2011 election had used proportional representation, the seats in the House of Commons would reflect how people voted.  The Conservatives would have had 127 seats not 166.  The 97 New Democrats, 56 Liberals, 17 Bloc Québécois, and 11 Greens seats could have voted down all or any of the omnibus bills.

The QVEA brief observes, "Environmental protection and ecological sustainability is less likely to be marginalized with [proportional representation], including when it involves a coalition government, than under a government like that of Harper which got majority power from minority support."

Co-chair of QVEA Jim Harding emphasizes, “Prime Minister to be, Trudeau, promised that we’d never again use the slanted, unfair, first-past-the-post voting system. We believed him. The all-party Standing Committee came together as non-partisans and did their work. Thousands of us presented and it became clear that it was time for Canadian democracy to grow-up and adopt a proportional system specifically designed to work for us. Such a system is more likely to bring the issues about which Canadians care, including environmental ones, into mainstream discussions. It would depolarize regional politics and better serve the country moving forward. Perhaps Trudeau wanted another outcome, but the Liberals are now making poor excuses for ignoring what Canadians said. There can be no excuses for Canada maintaining an unfair voting system.”

Co-spokesperson of FVSK Nancy Carswell said, "I had this naïve idea that if I told my MP about an environment issue based in evidence, then they would act.  I've realized we don't have government regulated industry but industry regulated government.  For example, documents obtained through the Access to Information Act show that the pipeline industry influenced the changes to Navigable Waters Protection Act.  The fossil fuel industry wants to hold us hostage.  Proportional representation is the best way to free ourselves and foster renewable energy."

FVSK encourages people call their MP daily (http://www.parl.gc.ca/Parliamentarians/en/members) and/or visit their MP monthly to hold them to their promise of electoral reform that makes every vote count.

Also, Leadnow is running a Vote Better campaign asking people to lobby their MP to be a "Democracy Hero" at >https://www.votebetter.ca/. 

Fair Vote Saskatchewan (FVSK) and the Qu’Appelle Valley Environmental Association (QVEA) believe that electoral reform with proportional representation would result in a fairer government and better environmental protection.  As shown here, although the Liberals could have formed the government in 2015, they would not have the majority of seats requiring them to collaborate.

FVSK Press Release

Dorito Democracy

The book The Dorito Effect proposes that the cause of our obesity epidemic lies in the food industry's fixation on mouth taste. Why do I specify mouth taste? Apparently other parts of our digestion system have "tastes" too. If these other tastes are not satisfied, we experience the Dorito effect and one Dorito becomes countless Doritos.

There is a parallel here to voting When we vote, we get a taste of power. Sadly, first-past-the-post voting is the equivalent of "mouth taste. It does not satisfy the needs of our democratic system. We can vote countless times and never count.

In 2016, the Electoral Reform Committee heard 88% of its expert witnesses and 87% of the people who stepped up to the mic say they believed a system of proportional representation would satisfy our democratic system.

In 2017, let's give our democratic system the proportional representation it needs to be healthy. Connect with our new Minister of Democratic Reform Karina Gould and tell her you want to experience how democracy tastes with a Canadian-made system of proportional representation. Email Karina.Gould@parl.gc.ca or phone 613-995-0881.

After experiencing a healthy democracy for a few elections, we could ask ourselves then if we wanted to return to a Dorito democracy.

Nancy Carswell, Saskatchewan Chapter Fair Vote Canada Co-spokesperson
Shellbrook, Saskatchewan

Finding a Better Electoral System

Imagine you are living in the age of cavepersons with a constant supply of water and food in your cave. Would you ever risk venturing outside? Brain research reveals there is a demographic in our cave that has a brain designed to venture outside—teens. Ironically, it is our teens' drive for reward that has become the foundation of our existence as they enthusiastically ignore consequences. Sometimes they take themselves out of the gene pool and sometimes they succeed in a "better way" that benefits all of us.

Our government has promised to replace our first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system with a better way. While some think keeping FPTP is keeping us safe, among other severe problems, it favours survival of the richest.

  The Electoral Reform Committee (ERRE) is reporting in December on two options; ranked ballots and proportional representation (PR). Ranked ballots would not meet the requirements of effectiveness and legitimacy, engagement, accessibility and inclusiveness, and integrity. PR meets all of these plus we can customize it for the requirement of local representation. No constitutional changes needed.

The "teen" brain found PR is a better way in 35 other robust democracies including Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. In our Canadian cave, let's replace adversarial first-past-the-post with consensual proportional representation. Tell your MP and/or tell the Committee (http://tinyurl.com/tellerre) that PR is the better way to make every vote count.Nancy Carswell, Co-spokesperson Fair Vote Canada Saskatchewan Chapter

Electoral Reform Committee Not Looking at Status Quo

I jokingly say I prefer being on a committee of one—me or someone else. Imagine you are the committee responsible for electoral reform in Canada. Your Liberal party campaign promise was that the 2015 federal election would be the last using our first-past-the-post (FPTP) winner-take-all-losers-get-nothing plurality-majority electoral system. Your committee must report by December 2016 on reforms that include ranked ballots and proportional representation.

The Conservative Party has vowed to block any electoral reform without a referendum. Perhaps though it would be wiser for the Conservatives to support proportional representation rather than counting on a referendum to keep the status quo. If your committee report recommends proportional representation, the Conservatives would get seats proportional to how voters voted—9 more than FPTP gave in 2015.

If your committee report recommends ranked ballots (which is still winner take all), it could give the Liberals a perpetual advantage. What advantage? In experiments, voters on the right rank Conservatives #1 and Liberals #2. Voters on the left rank NDPs #1 and Liberals #2. All the Liberal #2s plus their own #1s rank them into first place.

Proportional representation is not just fair for the Conservatives; it is fair for all Canadians. It is the system that over 80 countries have progressed to because it is consensus based rather than majoritarian oppositional so parliamentarians can focus on policy rather than politics.

The committee wants to hear from you at http://www.parl.gc.ca/Committees/en/ERRE "PARTICIPATE in the study" or ask your MP about their electoral reform town hall.

Nancy Carswell, Co-spokesperson Fair Vote Canada Saskatchewan Chapter

Electoral Reform Need Not Be Like First-Past-the-Post on Steroids

There was dancing in the streets—or at least in the offices across Canada of non-profit organizations when the Liberals announced a committee on electoral reform that will be looking at systems to replace first-past-the-post (FPTP). Why would non-profits be dancing? Their hope is that the 2019 federal election will use a system of proportional representation (PR); one where seats in the House of Commons will be in proportion to the way people voted.

Community-serving non-profits recognize that FPTP serves the rich community as the rich can bet their money on a party and influence the election. Then, post-election, they have their hands on the reins.

Ominously, as well as PR, the Liberals are considering a ranked voting system called preferential-balloting or alternative voting (AV). Analysis show that Liberals would win with AV because being in the middle of the Conservatives and NDP, people would rank them as a second choice. Enough second choices makes you a winner. Ed Broadbent says, "Simply put, ranked ballots in a federal election would be like First Past the Post on steroids – even larger false majorities, results even more outrageously torqued and even more unrepresentative of the popular will."

The electoral reform committee is charged with finding a system that is effective and legitimate, engaging, accessible and inclusive, and has integrity and local representation. The committee is setting up consultations; written, online, and face-to-face. Visit FairVote.ca to compare PR and AV then let the committee know which you think is best for all Canadians.

Nancy Carswell
Co-spokesperson Saskatchewan Chapter Fair Vote Canada

Mercer Rants on PR's Change from Fantasy to Possibility

"If it's never going to happen in my lifetime, why should I even think about it?" "I" being Rick Mercer and "it" being proportional representation (PR). In his Rant, he explains that PR was for him a leftist fantasy that would change our electoral system "so the number of seats a political party has in the House of Commons reflects the percentage of the vote the party received."

That was, it was a fantasy until a giant from the right, Stephen Harper's former Chief of Staff Guy Giorno, joined the Every Voter Counts Alliance. Mercer says for him it was the equivalent of "Darth Vader sitting down with the Ewoks to fight climate change." Mercer concludes the Alliance is "Smart people, political rivals, coming together with one goal—to improve our democracy."

How would PR improve our democracy? Research shows that PR countries have significantly fewer wasted votes, higher voter turnout, better economies and environmental outcomes, more diversity in their elected representatives, and lower income inequality.

Above all, Fair Vote Canada's Kelly Carmichael says, "Proportional representation is not about parties. It's about giving every voter an equal say, and creating a Parliament that represents us."

The Trudeau government has promised to convene an all-party Parliamentary committee within 18 months of forming the government. Let's hold them to that promise and let your MP know that a whole bunch of smart people say that PR is the best system to make every one of our votes count.

Nancy Carswell Fair Vote Canada Saskatchewan Co-spokesperson