Tuesday, April 25, 2006, 03:49 PM - Miscellaneous
The Conservative government has decreed that images of flag draped coffins may not be seen by Canadians and that flags on Parliament Hill may not be flown at half mast in honour of our fallen soldiers.
Shall we sweep the ultimate sacrifice of our soldiers under a rug? Are we ashamed of their mission? Should the sacrifice they make, at the order of our government, on behalf of Canadians, go unnoticed?
There is a price to pay for our freedoms. It has been paid in the past, is being paid in the present and will be paid again in the future.
Canadians need to know that there are still hero’s in our midst: people who give their lives so that we may live free of the tyranny of bullies.
Whether or not individuals support the war in Afghanistan, we as a country…. corporately…. support the war. Our elected officials, acting on our behalf, have committed us.
Canadians should never be allowed to forget the price our soldiers have paid in the past, are paying in the present and will pay in the future.
Let’s honour our fallen soldier by mourning when they return and by flying our flags at half staff.
"Lest We Forget"
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Saturday, April 15, 2006, 12:00 PM - Electoral Reform
ONTARIO CITIZENS' ASSEMBLY ON ELECTORAL REFORM TO BEGIN WORK IN FALL 2006 WITH REFERENDUM EXPECTED IN FALL 2007 (March 27, 2006)
Today’s announcement by the McGuinty government on the formation of an Ontario Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform was commended by Fair Vote Canada (FVC).
Marie Bountrogianni, Minister Responsible for Democratic Renewal, announced a randomly chosen assembly of 103 citizens will begin meeting in Fall 2006. The assembly will report no later than May 15, 2007, on whether they recommend a new voting system for Ontario, with any recommendation going to a referendum to be held no later than October 2007.
“We are very pleased Premier McGuinty is moving forward with electoral reform in this citizen-driven process,” said Joe Murray, chair of Fair Vote Ontario, a provincial reform campaign launched by FVC in 2002. “In particular, we commend the government for noting that 'fairness of representation' and 'proportionality' -- votes compared to seats in the Legislature -- is one of the important principles in assessing voting systems.”
In a November 2004 report, “Dubious Democracy: Ontario Elections from 1980 – 2003”, Fair Vote Canada noted that the current voting system dramatically distorts what voters say, almost always creating phony majority governments in which one party wins a significant majority of seats without winning a majority of the votes cast. Ontarians have not had a legitimate majority government elected by a majority of voters since 1943.
Murray noted, however, that there are several key decisions on the citizens’ assembly and referendum process yet to be determined.
“We are very concerned that the Minister would not commit today to a referendum threshold of 50 percent plus one, and even spoke positively about BC's threshold of 60 percent helping to cancel out the 'noise' of poorly informed voters,” said Murray. “If the traditional majority rule standard is good enough for governments, then it should be good enough when citizens, rather than politicians, are making the decision. We strongly urge Premier McGuinty to announce a simple majority threshold for the electoral reform referendum.”
“Another issue left unclear is whether the citizens’ assembly can present more than one alternative if they fail to reach a strong consensus on a single alternative,” said Murray. “While we believe the assembly should seek to identify a single alternative, we urge the government to allow them to present two alternatives, along with the status quo, if they so choose.”
Fair Vote Canada
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Monday, April 10, 2006, 08:42 PM - Miscellaneous
The Throne Speech
In Sarnia recently, a reporter asked me whether the CHP found the Speech from the Throne encouraging.
“They mentioned both same-sex marriage and child-care. Those were campaign issues for the CHP,” he said. “Are you encouraged to see those included in the Throne Speech?”
The answer is, “No. Because their policies on those issues are weak. But they deserve credit for two other things.”
It was reported to me that the new government opened Parliament with the Lord’s Prayer. Returning that prayer to the House of Commons reflects Canada’s heritage, and it strengthens Canadian culture. Good for them.
The Speech from the Throne also included a reference -- very imprecise -- to electoral and parliamentary reform. We can hope that it will include Mixed Member Proportional Representation and senate reform; it should also include reform of the corrupt election finance regulations imposed by the Liberals’ Bill C-24, and fixed election dates.
What about the new government’s child-care and marriage policies?
Deeply disappointing.
The Conservatives’ child-care plans -- originally a grant of $1,200 a year per child under six; now expanded to a promise to create institutional child-care spaces -- will not benefit families. The increase of $1,200 a year won’t help parents who spend that much in a month or two on child-care. The promises of federal funds for institutional day-care is a step towards spreading the Quebec plan all across Canada. A California study of the Quebec plan was headlined Universal pre-school: a recipe for universal disaster.
The CHP’s “Family-Friendly Tax Credit” -- which would give five or ten times as much as the Tories’ plan to voluntarily participating families -- would be far more beneficial, because it is focused on better care for children and strengthening families -- and it would be revenue-neutral, because it would reduce employment insurance and welfare payouts by as much as the revenue loss from the tax credit.
The Tories’ cynical approach to the definition of marriage will achieve nothing -- unless there is a miracle. Most Liberals will vote against defending the traditional definition; so will most Bloquistes, and all the NDP (Jack Layton gave the boot to Bev Desjarlais for opposing same-sex “marriage”). Even some so-called “Conservatives” will vote against the traditional definition of marriage.
If a bill to defend traditional marriage should somehow pass the House of Commons, it would still face a hostile Liberal-dominated Senate; and if it cleared both houses of Parliament, it would face pro-gay courts -- and Prime Minister Harper has said he would not use Section 33 (the “notwithstanding” clause of the Charter of Rights) to protect the definition of marriage.
In such a situation, protecting the traditional definition of marriage needs real leadership; what’s being offered is just cynical window-dressing.
Ron Gray - Leader of the Christian Heritage Party
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Thursday, April 6, 2006, 06:43 PM - Economy
This release from Finance Canada give you the opportunity to take part in planning the budget.
April 6, 2006
2006-004
Harper Government Launches National Web-Based Pre-Budget Consultations: A First for Canada
For the first time ever, a federal government is encouraging Canadians from coast to coast to coast to participate in the budget process online. Minister of Finance James M. Flaherty today launched an online consultation process on the Department’s website to give Canadians an opportunity to provide their views to the Government during the pre-budget consultation period.
"This approach opens the pre-budget consultations up to all Canadians, giving taxpayers in every corner of this vast country an opportunity to share their views," said Minister Flaherty. "This is another example of how the new government is taking accountability and openness to a higher level."
Making government accountable to Canadians is a key priority, and was outlined in the Speech from the Throne on Tuesday, April 4. This government’s agenda to deliver real results to Canadians includes the following five key priorities:
* Cleaning up government, by passing the Federal Accountability Act;
* Reducing the tax burden of Canadians, starting with a one-percentage-point cut to the goods and services tax;
* Making our streets and communities safer, by cracking down on crime and introducing mandatory minimum sentences;
* Supporting families, by providing a $1,200 per year Choice in Child Care Allowance for each child under six, and providing tax credits to employers who cover the full cost of creating child care spaces; and
* Working with the provinces to improve health care, by establishing a Patient Wait Times Guarantee.
Minister Flaherty is seeking views and advice from all Canadians on how best to implement the Government’s five priorities. He is also asking people to identify areas where the Government can spend less or deliver programs in a more efficient and effective way.
"I hope to gather innovative ideas not just for this year’s budget, but for future budgets," said Minister Flaherty. "We have set priorities that are reasonable and affordable, and with help from Canadian families we will stick by them."
Minister Flaherty and Parliamentary Secretary Diane Ablonczy will also be meeting with stakeholders as part of the pre-budget consultation process, which ends April 19.
The Web consultation page, including a background document, can be found on the Department of Finance Canada website at www.fin.gc.ca/activty/consult_e.html.
Submissions can be made by e-mail at budget2006consult@fin.gc.ca or by fax at (613) 992-0938. As is customary in the traditional face-to-face pre-budget consultations, views submitted via the Web will be provided to the Minister and held confidential.
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Saturday, April 1, 2006, 11:58 AM - Morality
Should you be interested in pushing for the restoration of marriage as one man to one woman...
Restore Marrige Canada
Should you be interested in a petition to withdraw the municipal government in Kitchener from donating to Planned Parenthood a pro-abortion group.
Canada Family Action Coalition sends this...
Petition opposes government funding for Planned Parenthood
A university student in Waterloo, Ontario, has launched a petition in response to a decision by the Waterloo Region to fund Planned Parenthood after the group announced it might have to close its doors due to lack of money. The municipal government decided to hand $20,000 to the pro-abortion group in response to an 864-name petition. Theresa Matters has launched a petition she hopes will attract more signatures urging the region to stop using taxpayers' money to fund the controversial organization. The petition is at http://www.petitiononline.com/stopppwr/petition.html.
In Alberta, taxpayers generously fund Planned Parenthood. In 2002, Planned Parenthood of Edmonton received $279,000 from municipal governments and $34,000 from the provincial government. Its Calgary counterpart, the Calgary Birth Control Association, raked in $236,000 from municipalities and $45,000 from the province. It's tax money like that that helps fund the current crop of radio and TV ads on the theme of "Won't get weird" which urges teens to go to the Planned Parenthood sponsored website, www.wontgetweird.ca , and get information about sex, STDs, and abortion. The ads never identify Planned Parenthood as the sponsor. Check out the website and then decide if you want your tax money supporting this organization. Perhaps Albertans would like to sign a petition to stop our governments from funding PP. You can set up your own petition at www.petitiononline.com.
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Wednesday, March 29, 2006, 10:31 AM - Electoral Reform
GOVERNMENT OF ONTARIO ANNOUNCES CITIZENS’ ASSEMBLY ON ELECTORAL REFORM – REFERENDUM EXPECTED IN OCTOBER 2007
It’s now official – the citizens of Canada’s largest province will soon have an historic and unprecedented opportunity to overhaul their province’s political system by changing the way elections are run.
On Monday, March 27, the Government of Ontario made the long-awaited announcement confirming the formation of an Ontario Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform (OCA). The OCA will recommend whether Ontario should adopt a new voting system. If they recommend a new system, the Government will hold a referendum on that option within the current mandate. Given the cost of a stand-alone referendum and timing, it is expected the referendum will be held with the October 2007 provincial election.
Minister Announces Details
Marie Bountrogianni, Minister Responsible for Democratic Renewal, announced a randomly chosen assembly of 103 citizens – 52 women and 51 men – will begin meeting in Fall 2006. The assembly will report no later than May 15, 2007 on whether they recommend a new voting system for Ontario, with any recommendation for change going to a referendum. The Assembly will be chaired by George Thomson, a former provincial court judge, deputy minister and director of education for the Law Society of Upper Canada.
Fair Vote Ontario – Campaign Activities
Fair Vote Canada launched the Fair Vote Ontario (FVO) campaign in 2002 to press for a citizens’ assembly and referendum process, and to promote adoption of a fair and proportional voting system. Since that time, FVO has organized 100 prominent Ontarians to support those goals, presented detailed proposals to the Ontario government, met with the relevant ministers, launched a 40 Days for Democracy grassroots MPP contact campaign, made a special presentation to the Select Committee of the provincial legislature, and recently co-sponsored a forum with the University of Toronto Faculty of Law on alternative voting system models.
Important Victories in Round One
Thanks to the energetic efforts of Fair Vote Canada volunteers and chapters, the campaign has had a very positive effect. Among the important achievements:
· The Government of Ontario is honouring its pledge to convene a citizens’ assembly and hold a referendum.
· The Government will ask the OCA to consider core values that reflect Fair Vote Canada’s objectives for a new electoral system, including fair representation, voter choice, stable and effective government, and accountability. The wording on fair representation is: “The Legislative Assembly should reflect the population of Ontario in accordance with demographic representation, proportionality and representation by population, among other factors.”
· The Minister also stated the OCA will also have the ability to recommend an increase of seats in the Legislature, which FVO strongly recommended. The Ontario Legislature was downsized in the 1990s. More seats would allow more latitude in designing the best proportional system.
· The final achievement was successfully positioning Fair Vote Canada as a credible and leading voice for electoral reform. The newly appointed chair of the OCA intends to meet with FVO campaign leaders in the near future to discuss our more detailed operational recommendations for the OCA.
One Alternative Only
One key recommendation from FVO was rejected. FVO proposed that the OCA be encouraged to reach a strong consensus on one alternative model, but if the majority did not support a single alternative, they be allowed to bring forward two or more alternatives. The Minister’s office stated the OCA will be instructed to recommend one alternative only.
The Fight for a Simple Majority Threshold
One very important issue is outstanding and requires further attention. Cabinet did not reach a decision on the referendum threshold. The governments of the two other provinces which have had electoral reform referendums applied a super-majority threshold as a means of blocking reform. In B.C., more than 57 per cent voted in favour of reform, but the Government had applied a double super-majority threshold: a 60 per cent of all votes, and a majority in 60 per cent of the ridings. The PEI Premier did the same.
Fair Vote Ontario has pressed for a simply majority threshold – the same threshold that governments and politicians apply to their own decision making. This will be a major focus of FVO efforts until the Government announces its position.
Next Steps – Countdown to the Ontario Referendum
Ontarians are now within 18 months of voting on a new voting system. Before that momentous event, much work remains to be done.
- We need to build a strong, multi-partisan, province-wide grassroots base of support before the referendum campaign begins.
- We need to undertake an extensive public education program to help ensure Ontarians understand the PR alternative.
- We need to ensure that the OCA receives thoughtful, very well presented PR proposals, without being seen as an aggressive interest group that provokes backlash from Assembly members.
- We need to work diligently with the traditional media, where we have some very strong opponents, while taking advantage of web-based strategies that circumvent traditional media.
- And, we need to raise very significant funding for a referendum campaign in mid-2007.
The Fair Vote Ontario council will be meeting in the coming weeks to consider the next steps. Ontario members of Fair Vote Canada will be notified in the coming months when volunteers are needed. In the meantime, any questions can be directed to info@fairvotecanada.org.
We hope you share our excitement with this latest exciting development in our national campaign for fair voting!
Fair Vote Canada
26 Maryland Blvd.
Toronto, ON M4C 5C9
www.fairvote.ca
info@fairvotecanada.org
Ph: 416-410-4034
Fax: 416-686-4929
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