Fair Vote Canada
NEWSLETTER
Nov. 11, 2002
CONTENTS:
1)FVC to Mark 2nd Anniversary of Federal Election
2)Labour for Fair Voting Meets in Ottawa
3)The Gap in Martin's Attack on the Democratic Deficit
4)Yukon Election Misrepresents Voters
5)Law Commission Hearings to Begin
6)Chapter and Caucus News
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1) November 27: Recruit a Frustrated Voter
On Nov. 27, 2000, at the last federal election, approximately 10 million eligible voters didn't vote. Of those who did vote, more than 6 million cast wasted votes that produced no representation for their points of view.
Nov. 27, 2002, is the second anniversary of this democratic travesty. What better time to talk to a friend or colleague about joining the Fair Vote Canada campaign?
While Fair Vote Canada will be working, as usual, to take our message to the media on November 27, we urge every member to use this anniversary to help recruit just one more member to our campaign.
As we have noted from Day One of our "Make Every Vote Count" campaign, we can only bring true democracy to Canada if citizens demand it. If you need Fair Vote Canada membership brochures, contact us today. Membership forms and petitions are available online.
www.fairvotecanada.org
info@fairvotecanada.org
416-4104034
2)Labour for Fair Voting Meets in Ottawa
Labour for Fair Voting, the labour caucus of Fair Vote Canada, met in Ottawa in mid- October to discuss its plans for building the Make Every Vote Count campaign in the labour community.
The meeting was attended by senior representatives from the Canadian Labour Congress, the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the National Union of Public and General Employees, the Communications Energy and Paperworkers union, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers and the Canadian Union of Public Employees. The group will continue to meet every two or three months.
3) Martin Inadvertently Draws Attention to Voting Reform
Paul Martin chose the subject of the "democratic deficit" for the first policy announcement of his Liberal leadership bid. Various commentators noted Martin's narrow focus on internal parliamentary reform avoids the serious problems with the voting system.
Globe and Mail columnist John Ibbitson wrote on Oct. 21 that "proportional representation has the feel of an idea on the move."
Richard Gwyn wrote on Oct. 23 in the Toronto Star, "Martin is also trailing the crop of voluntary reform organizations that have suddenly emerged, such as Fair Vote Canada, which advocates proportional representation, and also the B.C. provincial government, which has just appointed political commentator Gordon Gibson to organize a citizens' assembly on electoral reform."
Liberal MP Dennis Mills wrote in the Hill Times on Nov. 4, " We must address issues about the reform of the Senate and the idea of a national debate on proportional representation versus the first-past-the-post system."
4) Yukon Election Misrepresents Voters
"The result of Monday's election in the Yukon is a textbook case on how Canada's first-past-the-post voting system distorts what voters say at the ballot box." says Larry Gordon, executive director of Fair Vote Canada.
News reports highlighted a "stunning victory" in which the Yukon Party captured two-thirds of the 18 seat legislature to form a new majority government. Newly elected premier Dennis Fentie claimed a "huge mandate." Yet, the Yukon Party attracted only 40% of the popular vote.
"It's absolutely ludicrous when the voting system hands two-thirds of the seats to a party that was rejected by 60% of the voters," says Gordon. "But that type of distorted outcome is business as usual with winner-take-all voting systems."
The Yukon NDP and Yukon Liberal Party were virtually tied in the popular vote (27% and 29% respectively), but the NDP won five seats and the Liberals were nearly obliterated, winning just one seat.
5) Please Attend the Law Commission Hearings!
The Law Commission of Canada has released its discussion paper, Renewing Democracy: Debating Electoral Reform in Canada, which reflects on various aspects of the electoral reform debate.
The Commission is planning a series of public hearings where Canadians may express their ideas on this important issue.
A strong turn-out by supporters of voting reform will help demonstrate public interest in this issue.
-- Toronto -- Tuesday, November 12, 2002, the Law Commission will hold a public consultation in the Auditorium of the Metro-Central YMCA, 20 Grosvenor Street, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
-- Ottawa -- Tuesday, November 19, 2002, the Law Commission, in partnership with the Canadian Study of Parliament Group, will hold a public consultation at the Government Conference Centre, 2 Rideau Street, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
-- Vancouver -- Thursday, November 21, 2002, the Law Commission will hold a public consultation in the Alice MacKay room at the Vancouver Public Library, 350 West Georgia Street, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
The discussion paper is available at http://www.lcc.gc.ca/en/themes/gr/er/er_main.asp.
6)Chapter and Caucus News
For information about activities of the Fair Vote Canada chapter in your area check the Chapters and Caucus page of the website www.fairvotecanada.org.
If you are interested in helping start a local chapter in your area, please contact info@fairvotecanada.org or phone 416-410-4034.