next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects
Tip: Your message to SUST-MAR must be html-free. So, BEFORE you hit SEND, please go to your "Format" pull-down menu and select "Plain text." Thanks! ____________________________________________________________________________ WANTED: 1000 DEMOCRACY ACTIVISTS FAIR VOTE CANADA www.fairvotecanada.org Reshape Canadian Politics - Volunteers Needed for Federal Election Dear Friends: Can you direct some volunteer time during the upcoming federal election to help reshape the Canadian political system? To help turn electoral politics upside-down, so we can put Canadian democracy right-side-up? The Prime Minister will soon call an election. And Fair Vote Canada will respond with its own call: "Make this the LAST unfair election!" Citizens in a 21st century democracy should not have to tolerate the world's most dysfunctional voting system. Phoney majority governments are not acceptable. Some parties gaining a share of seats (and power), far beyond their share of the popular vote, is not acceptable. Elections that fail to treat all voters equally are not acceptable. The time has come for Canada to adopt a fair voting system, based on proportional representation. Here is why we have an unprecedented opportunity. 1) In the coming days, Parliament will receive a report from the Law Commission of Canada recommending that our first-past-the-post system be replaced with a proportional voting system. 2) Five provinces are now considering reform. The Quebec government is expected to introduce legislation for a proportional system this spring. The BC Citizens Assembly on Electoral Reform is considering proportional representation and about to begin public hearings. The new Liberal government in Ontario has promised a binding referendum on a new voting system. The PEI government is considering a proposal to move to proportional representation and New Brunswick is studying reform options. 3) NDP leader Jack Layton has announced that any minority government requiring NDP support will have to hold a national referendum on proportional representation. The new Conservative Party caucus also supports consideration of proportional representation and other reforms. The Green party is actively campaigning for proportional representation. 4) The media are now directing more attention to electoral reform than ever before. The Prime Minister has already made the "democracy deficit" one of his key platform issues. We have a tremendous opportunity. But we can't do it without your help! Can you volunteer to help Fair Vote Canada with JUST ONE of the following tasks during the upcoming election? Or more, if you have time? You don't need to be an expert - just a concerned citizen: 1) ask a question to candidates at an all-candidates meeting and distribute flyers to the audience; 2) distribute flyers at local conferences, forums, or other public events during the election; or in your neighbourhood, community centres, or local libraries; 3) write letters to the editor of your local papers during the election; 4) place an article (provided by Fair Vote Canada), in a newsletter of an organization in which you are active; or submit an article (prepared by Fair Vote Canada) to your local community paper; 5) call radio or TV phone-in shows during the election to talk about the need for voting reform; and/or; 6) get some of your friends to help with these tasks. Fair Vote Canada is a national multi-partisan citizens' campaign. If we raise our voices together during the upcoming election, we can make our unfair voting system an election issue in itself. Can we count on you? Can you also forward this appeal to your friends? If so, please respond today to info@fairvotecanada.org. Tell us where you live, your riding and on which task/s you can help. You'll become part of our election campaign action network, receive the support materials you require, and regular updates during the campaign. Let's join together and make history! We can do it! Yours for a strong democracy, Larry Gordon Executive Director Fair Vote Canada www.fairvotecanada.org ____________________________________________________________________________ Did a friend forward this to you? Join sust-mar yourself! Just send 'subscribe sust-mar' to mailto:majordomo@chebucto.ca
next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects