Escaping Our Groundhog Day Campaigning Loop

Are you familiar with the movie Groundhog Day? Phil Connors, the main character, realizes that he is trapped in a time loop. It feels like Canadians are stuck in a political version of Groundhog Day with our first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system.

Modified image from Clker-Free-Vector-Images/nathallie_art/Katie White from Pixabay.

FPTP’s permanent campaign loop has become our political alarm clock, waking us up each day to the same hollow promises and slogans. This endless cycle interferes with effective governance. Our leaders are so busy perfecting their campaign smiles that they forget about the real issues – it's like they're stuck in a time loop, determined to look good to maintain or gain power.

How does permanent campaigning disrupt effective governance? It diverts those in power from long-term comprehensive inclusive policy planning to short-term narrow selfish electoral gains. It encourages politicians to prioritize image over substance, neglect complex issues, and fosters a polarized environment. Politicians direct resources towards winning elections rather than securing social justice and environmental stewardship.

The solution? Let's break free from this political Groundhog Day with electoral reform, specifically through proportional representation (PR). It would inject vital variety into our political landscape, ensure that diverse voices are heard, and prevent the same old script from playing on repeat. It's time to ditch the permanent campaign loop of FPTP. Let’s embrace the collaboration of PR that numerous democracies use to produce effective and visionary governance.

Support FairVote.ca, NationalCitizensAssembly.ca, and CharterChallenge.ca and ask your MP to vote for M-86 Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform.

By Nancy Carswell

Our Shared Ecosystem Credit Card

 Are you familiar with layaway plans? Layaway plans are payment by installments and you take possession of the merchandise after you have paid in full. An advantage of layaway over buying on credit is you don’t pay interest. (Not paying interest is good because making only minimum payments, I would pay $38,000 in interest on my latest bill.)

Are fossil fuel-based industries on a layaway plan or are they using a credit card? While their extraction is payment by installments—infrastructure, equipment, and labour, they are charging gigantic sums on our shared ecosystem credit card.

Modified image by Alistair Whyte from Pixabay

Ecosystems are circular. Withdrawing elements like water unbalances the cycle. One example is the Alberta tar sands tailing ponds’ water. Recycling the 1.2 trillion litres of toxic water to rebalance the ecosystem will absorb 50% of the estimated $130 billion total clean up. Less than $2 billion has been secured from industry.

Government issues industry our shared ecosystem credit card. It sets environmental limits and charges interest. Sadly, our first-past-the-post electoral system does not support diversity. Our representatives are mostly wealthy lawyers and executives who prioritize the economy over the environment. Their wealth insulates against environmental devastation. To keep Earth habitable for humans, we need diverse representatives, some who comprehend we depend on balanced circular ecosystems and prioritize the environment over the economy. We need electoral reform with proportional representation (PR). Support FairVote.ca, NationalCitizensAssembly.ca, and/or CharterChallenge.ca. Also, mention to your elected representatives that countries that have evolved to PR get better environmental report cards.

By Nancy Carswell

Cost of Keeping First-Past-the-Post Electoral System

 Are you loath to upgrade to a new cell phone? I was and I regret it. My new cell has upgraded my life. This may sound exaggerated but it is not. My new cell’s space allows for audiobook downloads. Listening to them turns joyless boring chores into joyful interesting experiences. Its software supports a fitness app and its feedback inspires more steps and more sleep.

Image by Bruno from Pixabay

It is impossible to calculate the cost of keeping my old cell. What is possible to calculate is the years Canadians have been cheated out of an upgraded democracy. Before 1921, Canadian elections were between two parties. The 1921 election had three. This made our majoritarian electoral system of first-past-the-post (FPTP) undemocratic. Winning a seat no longer required a majority of votes. As the number of parties increased, our democracy decreased. In the 2021 federal election, the Conservatives won more votes but with FPTP the Liberals won 160 seats to the Conservatives 119. The Bloc won 32 seats with 8% of the vote compared to the NDP’s 25 seats with 18% of the vote. Not upgrading our democracy has cost us over a hundred years of distorted election results.

Since 1921, commissions, reports, politicians, and citizens have consistently and repeatedly recommended electoral reform with proportional representation (PR). Parties have promised it (and reneged after getting 100% of the power with FPTP). Other countries using FPTP have upgraded their democracy with PR. It is time we did the same. Support FairVote.ca, NationalCitizensAssembly.ca, and/or CharterChallenge.ca.

By Nancy Carswell