December 2005 / décembre 2005

For the latest news on voting system reform, visit www.fairvote.ca.

Pour les dernières informations sur la réforme du système électoral, visitez le site Internet www.fairvote.ca.

In this issue:

 FVC petition drive - join prominent Canadians in a call for action
 FVC organizes push for leaders' debate on democratic renewal
 FVC video and leaflet: Electoral Dysfunction - There is a Cure!
 PEI plebiscite results disappointing, but electoral reform drive continues
 FVC campaign: help still needed

FVC PETITION DRIVE - JOIN PROMINENT CANADIANS IN A CALL FOR ACTION

Close to 9,000 people have already signed the FVC petition (both paper and online versions) calling for a national referendum on a more proportional voting system. We intend to boost that number substantially in the coming weeks.

Can you find just five to ten people to sign our petition - people who support our call for a national referendum on a more proportional voting system? Or maybe a few dozen people? If so, contact us today info@fairvotecanada.org indicating whether you can help promote the online and/or paper version.

The FVC petition is also being endorsed by a growing list of prominent Canadians as part of an effort to press the new federal government to act on electoral reform early in its new term.

FVC ORGANIZES PUSH FOR LEADERS TO DEBATE DEMOCRATIC RENEWAL

FVC is also organizing a call on the networks and party leaders to dedicate one segment of the January leaders' debates to the "Democratic Renewal of Canada". The statement, also endorsed by many prominent Canadians, emphasizes "the next Parliament and Government must make Canada's democratic renewal an urgent priority. We can no longer afford to ignore our democracy deficit or postpone substantive reform to our core democratic institutions, including voting system reform."

ELECTORAL DYSFUNCTION: THERE IS A CURE

Comedian Don Ferguson of CBC-TV's Royal Canadian Air Farce is featured in an FVC leaflet and video ad to be launched in the coming days. A take-off on Viagara ads, "Doctor" Don Ferguson explains that electoral dysfunction is "a serious problem if left untreated". Fortunately, it can be cured through a "good dose of proportional representation". The two-minute video will be posted at www.fairvote.ca and publicized widely through the internet and media.

PEI PLEBISCITE RESULTS DISAPPPOINTING, BUT ELECTORAL REFORM DRIVE CONTINUES

With only 36 per cent voting in favour of the proposed mixed member proportional voting system in the November 28 non-binding plebiscite, PEI has apparently lost the opportunity to lead the nation on electoral reform. However, local fair voting supporters will continue to push for provincial reform, with strong encouragement from the national electoral reform movement.

"From a national perspective, we had hoped the Birthplace of Confederation would become the Birthplace of Electoral Reform," said Wayne Smith, President of Fair Vote Canada, the national citizens' campaign for voting system reform. "But the honour of leading the nation will now very likely go to another province. We expect at least one, if not several, other provinces - Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia - to adopt new voting systems within the coming few years, and that will produce a new context for Islanders to reconsider their own options."

"Education remains the great task for the electoral reform movement," said Smith. "We need to help people make the connection between their dissatisfaction with politics and politicians, and our winner-take-all voting system."

FVC CAMPAIGN: HELP STILL NEEDED

Fair Vote Canada (FVC) members and supporters are campaigning across the country to keep the demand for electoral reform in front of politicians, the media and public throughout the election.
Even those with very limited time can help - e.g., by passing around the FVC petition to your friends and co-workers; distributing FVC campaign flyers at your workplace, book group, community centre; or writing just one letter to the editor in the next six weeks.

Other ways of helping include: asking questions at an all-candidate meeting, calling radio or TV phone-in shows, placing newsletter and newspaper articles prepared by FVC, and/or making an extra campaign donation to FVC.

If you can help, contact us today for more information: info@fairvotecanada.org.