Fair Vote Canada
NEWSLETTER
Oct. 16, 2001
CONTENTS:
1) CEP Union Endorses FVC
2) Labour for Fair Voting
3) Model Presentations Will Help Get the Message Out
4) Democracy Gear: FVC T-Shirts and Mugs
5) Local Chapter Updates
6) PC/DR Caucus to Examine Voting System
7) Voting Reform Emphasized in NDP Report
8) More Calls for PR in Quebec
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1) CEP Union Endorses FVC
The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP) has endorsed the FVC campaign and donated $2,000.
CEP president Brian Payne stated in a letter to FVC that "our union stands strongly in favour of an electoral system that will better represent the views of the citizens in our society. We believe that your actions will contribute to bringing about the necessary changes."
Previously, FVC received endorsements from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and the Southern Ontario Newspaper Guild.
2) Labour for Fair Voting
The FVC executive committee appointed John Deverell to initiate a fair voting program with organized labour. The mandate of the FVC labour program or caucus will be to advance the FVC mission in labour organizations, promoting individual memberships, gaining organization support and donations.
John Deverell is the president of the Sourthern Ontario Newspaper Guild.
3) Model Presentations Will Help Get the Message Out
Model FVC presentations and workshops will be available by the end of October. The presentations will include short 5 to 10 minute versions, as well as a 20-30 minute Powerpoint version. Several workshop models will also be available.
FVC spokespersons will use the model presentations and workshops to increase public awareness of voting system reform in meeting with various community groups and the general public.
4) Democracy Gear: FVC T-Shirts and Mugs
FVC t-shirts and coffee mugs are now available for purchase. The t- shirts are available in French or English and cost $15 each. Mugs are $6 each. Shipping costs are $3 for a t-shirt, $6 for a coffee mug, or $6 for a coffee mug and t-shirt. Send your orders to info@fairvotecanada.org, or use the address and phone number below.
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FVC memberships are payable by cheque, VISA or Mastercard. Membership forms are available on the "Join Fair Vote" page of our website: http://www.fairvotecanada.org/eng/join/enter.html
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5) Local Chapter Updates
-- Toronto -- The Toronto chapter has become the first to be formally recognized by FVC's National Council. A chapter meeting on Sept. 25 adopted a set of by-laws and elected the first executive. On Oct. 10, the National Council voted in favour of accepting the chapter's application.
The executive was elected by a single transferable vote. Ballots were written out by hand and then entered into a laptop computer for tabulation. Wayne Smith was elected as the chapter's Chair.
For more info on the Toronto chapter, contact Wayne Smith: 416-407- 7009, toronto@fairvotecanada.org.
-- Calgary -- An informal meeting in Calgary of members and supporters of Fair Vote Canada will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the downtown Hyatt Regency. Meet Larry Gordon, FVC president, and other participants near the registration desk.
Anyone interested in helping to form a local FVC chapter in Calgary, or other FVC initiatives in the region, is welcome.
-- Edmonton -- The organizing committee of the Edmonton chapter is planning the chapter's first formal general meeting in November. The purpose of the meeting will be to establish the chapter's by-laws and elect the executive. The date and place will be announced on the Fair Vote Canada calendar page and in the next issue of this newsletter. Contact Doug Bailie at .
-- Vancouver -- If you are interested in participating in a Vancouver FVC chapter, please contact Arn Keeling at vancouver@fairvotecanada.org.
-- Victoria -- A meeting of FVC supporters in Victoria is currently being planned. If you would like to participate, please contact Bruce Hallsor at Hallsor@creaseharman.com.
-- Peterborough -- FVC supporters will meet in Peterborough, Ontario, in mid-October to discuss formation of a local chapter. Interested people should contact Mark Finnan at mwf@nexicom.net for more details.
-- Ottawa -- For information on the Ottawa chapter, contact Dan Biocchi at dan@fvco.net.
If you are interested in helping start a local chapter in your area, please contact info@fairvotecanada.org or phone 416-410-4034.
6) PC/DR Caucus to Examine Voting System
The PC/DR Coalition announced the establishment of a Task Force on Democratic Reform which will consider, among other things, changes to the voting system.
Joe Clark, leader of the Progressive Conservatives, and Chuck Strahl, leader of the Democratic Representative Caucus, announced the Task Force's terms of reference on Sept. 10 along with other details of the PC/DR coalition agreement.
The announcement stated that the Task Force will consider "reform of the electoral system, to provide better representation and accountability in the House of Commons and the Senate."
For more details: www.democraticrepresentativesonline.ca and
www.pcparty.ca
7) Voting Reform Emphasized in NDP Report
A report on the future of the NDP suggests the party put more emphasis on its support for proportional representation.
The report recommends the party "make proportional representation the focal point of an examination of a broad range of electoral reforms, and appoint a committee to conduct consultations to develop a preferred model of proportional representation."
The report is intended to steer discussion on the party's future rather than recommend policy. But the committee which wrote the report stated that because members and supporters of the party repeatedly raised proportional representation, it merits special attention.
For more info: www.ndp.ca
8) More Calls for PR in Quebec
During public hearings in September convened to discuss changes to Quebec's electoral map, the Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ) -- the third party in Quebec's National Assembly -- called for the adoption of some form of proportional representation.
The ADQ's brief argues that without proportional representation the boundary commission will not be able to fulfill its mandate to give the citizens of Quebec the best possible representation in the National Assembly.
The ADQ also called on the National Assembly to establish a commission to consult the population at large about what changes they would like to make to the voting system.
The brief was presented by Brian Gibb, who is also a member of FVC's National Council, and Sean Walker, the ADQ spokesperson for the anglophone community. Other presentations by André Larocque, also a member of FVC's National Council, and the Mouvement pour la democratie nouvelle (MDN) also called for the adoption of some form of proportional representation.
All the major parties in Quebec support proportional representation, although the governing Parti Québecois has not recently made any move to change the current voting system.
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