CanadaPolitics

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/31690333

Canada, the US and the UK all suffer the consequences of winner-take-all voting systems that distort election results, polarize politics and shut voters out.

In this webinar, leading experts and campaigners for proportional representation from Canada, the US, and the UK, discuss the issues each country has with their winner-take-all elections, how transitioning to proportional representation can help address these issues, and what the routes to reform in each country look like.

Co-sponsored by:

Fair Vote Canada: https://www.fairvote.ca/ ProRep Coalition (California): https://www.prorepcoalition.org/ Make Votes Matter (UK): https://makevotesmatter.org.uk/

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/31487063

While British Columbians wait with baited breath for the final results from BC’s provincial election, one thing is clear: First-past-the-post has robbed voters of choice, deeply polarized communities, and when it comes to the biggest issues facing British Columbia, resolved absolutely nothing.

BC Conservative leader John Rustad’s election night speech captured the sorry state of affairs:

“If we are in that situation of the NDP forming a minority government, we will look at every single opportunity from day one to bring them down …and get back to the polls.”

A leader whose party received 44% of the popular vote vowing to do everything in his power to ensure the legislature doesn’t work for the majority, gunning for the next chance to seize all the power with less than half of the vote, is a brutal, yet predictable outcome of first-past-the-post.

If the supposed advantages of our winner-take-all system are its ability to cater to the centrist voter, ensure “strong, stable majority governments”, prevent “backroom deals”, deliver fast results on election night, and keep out extremists, it has failed utterly on all counts―all at once.

BC’s election has exposed these claims for what they are: at best, misleading talking points from those who haven’t reviewed the evidence, and at worst, deliberately dishonest assertions from shallow politicians who consistently put their own ambitions of power ahead of the public interest when it comes to electoral reform...

CBC is complicit in Israel's genocide of Palestine.

From CTV News (Bell Media):

"It might seem pretty rare to find a house with an elevator, but chances are higher you might find one in Calgary these days."

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/30385203

BACKGROUND

Joanna Berry is a Canadian immigration and refugee lawyer in Ontario, Canada. On October 2, two Niagara Police Officers, one of them a sergeant detective, paid her a visit to her home. They told her they were there on behalf of the Ottawa Police Department because of her "personal social media." They begin to tell her that "10 lawyers who are of the Jewish faith" have filed a complaint with the police about her social media. As you can tell from the video, Joanna Berry, is outraged by the visit and clearly distraught. I reached out to the Niagara Regional Police for comment but they did not respond to my inquiry. I spoke with Joanna Berry also and she gave OTL Media permission to publish the video. She told us that she wants Canadians to see it and for the video to be a warning.

"This is very Orwellian"

On The Line Media is run by Samira Mohyeddin, a multi-award-winning journalist, documentary maker, and producer at CBC Radio One’s The Current.

As opposed to Bill C-63, which pushes [age verification bullshit] far into the future and behind closed doors through an opaque regulatory process, our new Conservative legislation will directly legislate [age verification bullshit] that online operators must adhere to.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/28858201

The 219 Corrupt MPs Who Voted Against Advancing Electoral Reform

Results of Motion M-86:

❌219 MPs: 🔴107 🔵111

✅103 MPs: 🔴40 🔵4 ⚪️30 🟠24 ⚫️3 🟢2

❓14 MPs: 🔴9 ⚪️2 🔵2 🟠1

Use Control-F to find your MP:

🔵Conservative:

Poilievre, Hon. Pierre (Carleton)

Aboultaif, Ziad (Edmonton Manning)

Aitchison, Scott (Parry Sound—Muskoka)

Albas, Dan (Central—Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola)

Allison, Dean (Niagara West)

Arnold, Mel (North Okanagan—Shuswap)

Baldinelli, Tony (Niagara Falls)

Barlow, John (Foothills)

Barrett, Michael (Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes)

Berthold, Luc (Mégantic—L'Érable)

Bezan, James (Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman)

Block, Kelly (Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek)

Bragdon, Richard (Tobique—Mactaquac)

Brassard, John (Barrie—Innisfil)

Brock, Larry (Brantford—Brant)

Calkins, Blaine (Red Deer—Lacombe)

Caputo, Frank (Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo)

Carrie, Colin (Oshawa)

Chong, Hon. Michael D. (Wellington–Halton Hills)

Cooper, Michael (St. Albert–Edmonton)

Dalton, Marc (Pitt Meadows–Maple Ridge)

Dancho, Raquel (Kildonan–St. Paul)

Davidson, Scot (York–Simcoe)

Deltell, Gérard (Louis-Saint-Laurent)

Doherty, Todd (Cariboo—Prince George)

Dowdall, Terry (Burnaby North-Seymour)

Dreeshen, Earl (Red Deer—Mountain View)

Duncan, Eric (Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry)

Ellis, Stephen (Cumberland—Colchester)

Epp, Dave (Chatham-Kent—Leamington)

Falk, Rosemarie (Battlefords—Lloydminster)

Falk, Ted (Provencher)

Fast, Hon. Ed (Abbotsford)

Ferreri, Michelle (Petersborough—Kawartha)

Findlay, Hon. Kerry-Lynne D. (South Surrey–White Rock)

Gallant, Cheryl (Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke)

Généreux, Bernard (Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup)

Genuis, Garnett (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan)

Gladu, Marilyn (Sarnia—Lambton)

Godin, Joël (Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier)

Goodridge, Laila (Fort McMurray—Cold Lake)

Gourde, Jacques (Lévis—Lotbinière)

Gray, Tracy (Kelowna—Lake Country)

Hallan, Jasraj Singh (Calgary Forest Lawn)

Hoback, Randy (Prince Albert)

Jeneroux, Matt (Edmonton Riverbend)

Kelly, Pat (Calgary Rocky Ridge)

Khanna, Arpan (Oxford)

Kitchen, Robert (Souris—Moose Mountain)

Kmiec, Tom (Calgary Shepard)

Kram, Michael (Regina—Wascana)

Kramp-Neuman, Shelby (Hastings—Lennox and Addington)

Kurek, Damien C. (Battle River—Crowfoot)

Kusie, Stephanie (Calgary Midnapore)

Lake, Hon. Mike (Edmonton—Wetaskiwin)

Lantsman, Melissa (Thornhill)

Lawrence, Philip (Northumberland—Peterborough South)

Lehoux, Richard (Beauce)

Leslie, Branden (Portage—Lisgar)

Lewis, Chris (Essex)

Lewis, Leslyn (Haldimand—Norfolk)

Liepert, Ron (Calgary Signal Hill)

Lloyd, Dane (Sturgeon River—Parkland)

Maguire, Larry (Brandon—Souris)

Majumdar, Shuvaloy (Calgary Heritage)

Martel, Richard (Chicoutimi—Le Fjord)

Mazier, Dan (Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa)

McCauley, Kelly (Edmonton West)

McLean, Greg (Calgary Centre)

Melillo, Eric (Kenora)

Moore, Hon. Rob (Fundy Royal)

Morantz, Marty (Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley)

Morrison, Rob (Kootenay—Columbia)

Motz, Glen (Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner)

Muys, Dan (Flamborough—Glanbrook)

Patzer, Jeremy (Cypress Hills—Grasslands)

Paul-Hus, Pierre (Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles)

Perkins, Rick (South Shore—St. Margarets)

Redekopp, Brad (Saskatoon West)

Reid, Scott (Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston)

Rempel Garner, Hon. Michelle (Calgary Nose Hill)

Richards, Blake (Banff—Airdrie)

Roberts, Anna (King—Vaughan)

Rood, Lianne (Lambton—Kent—Middlesex)

Scheer, Hon. Andrew (Regina—Qu'Appelle)

Schmale, Jamie (Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock)

Seeback, Kyle (Dufferin—Caledon)

Shields, Martin (Bow River)

Shipley, Doug (Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte)

Small, Clifford (Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame)

Soroka, Gerald (Yellowhead)

Steinley, Warren (Regina—Lewvan)

Stewart, Jake (Miramichi—Grand Lake)

Strahl, Mark (Chilliwack—Hope)

Stubbs, Shannon (Lakeland)

Thomas, Rachael (Lethbridge)

Tochor, Corey (Saskatoon—University)

Tolmie, Fraser (Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan)

Uppal, Hon. Tim (Edmonton Mill Woods)

Van Popta, Tako (Langley—Aldergrove)

Vecchio, Karen (Elgin—Middlesex—London)

Vidal, Gary (Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River)

Vien, Dominique (Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis)

Viersen, Arnold (Peace River—Westlock)

Vis, Brad (Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon)

Wagantall, Cathay (Yorkton—Melville)

Warkentin, Chris (Grande Prairie—Mackenzie)

Waugh, Kevin (Saskatoon—Grasswood)

Webber, Len (Calgary Confederation)

Williams, Ryan (Bay of Quinte)

Williamson, John (New Brunswick Southwest)

Zimmer, Bob (Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies)

🔴Liberal:

Trudeau, Right Hon. Justin (Papineau)

Freeland, Hon. Chrystia (University—Rosedale)

Joly, Hon. Mélanie (Ahuntsic-Cartierville)

Ali, Shafqat (Brampton Centre)

Anand, Hon. Anita (Oakville)

Beech, Hon. Terry (Burnaby North—Seymour)

Guilbeault, Hon. Steven (Laurier—Sainte-Marie)

Anandasangaree, Hon. Gary (Scarborough—Rouge Park)

Arseneault, René (Madawaska—Restigouche)

Arya, Chandra (Nepean)

Bains, Parm (Steveston—Richmond East)

Battiste, Jaime (Sydney—Victoria)

Aldag, John (Cloverdale—Langley City)

Bibeau, Hon. Marie-Claude (Compton—Stanstead)

Bittle, Chris (St. Catharines)

Blair, Hon. Bill (Scarborough Southwest)

Boissonnault, Hon. Randy (Edmonton Centre)

Bradford, Valerie (Kitchener South—Hespeler)

Brière, Élisabeth (Sherbrooke)

Chahal, George (Calgary Skyview)

Champagne, Hon. François-Philippe (Saint-Maurice—Champlain)

Chatel, Sophie (Pontiac)

Chiang, Paul (Markham—Unionville)

Cormier, Serge (Acadie—Bathurst)

Damoff, Pam (Oakville North—Burlington)

Dhaliwal, Sukh (Surrey—Newton)

Dhillon, Anju (Dorval-Lachine-LaSalle)

Diab, Lena Metlege (Halifax West)

Drouin, Francis (Glengarry-Prescott-Russell)

Dubourg, Emmanuel (Bourassa)

Duclos, Hon. Jean-Yves (Québec)

Duguid, Terry (Winnipeg South)

Ehsassi, Ali (Willowdale)

El-Khoury, Fayçal (Laval—Les Îles)

Fraser, Hon. Sean (Central Nova)

Fry, Hon. Hedy (Vancouver Centre)

Gaheer, Iqwinder (Misssissauga—Malton)

Gould, Hon. Karina (Burlington)

Hajdu, Hon. Patty (Thunder Bay—Superior North)

Hardie, Ken (Fleetwood—Port Kells)

Hepfner, Lisa (Hamilton Mountain)

Holland, Hon. Mark (Ajax)

Hussen, Hon. Ahmed (York South—Weston)

Hutchings, Hon. Gudie (Long Range Mountains)

Iacono, Angelo (Alfred-Pellan)

Ien, Hon. Marci (Toronto Centre)

Jaczek, Hon. Helena (Markham—Stouffville)

Jones, Yvonne (Labrador)

Khalid, Iqra (Mississauga—Erin Mills)

Khera, Hon. Kamal (Brampton West)

Koutrakis, Annie (Vimy)

Lambropoulos, Emmanuella (Saint-Laurent)

Lamoureux, Kevin (Winnipeg North)

Lapointe, Viviane (Sudbury)

Lattanzio, Patricia (Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel)

Lauzon, Stéphane (Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation)

LeBlanc, Hon. Dominic (Beauséjour)

Lebouthillier, Hon. Diane (Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine)

Longfield, Lloyd (Guelph)

MacAulay, Hon. Lawrence (Cardigan)

MacKinnon, Hon. Steven (Gatineau)

Maloney, James (Etobicoke—Lakeshore)

Martinez Ferrada, Hon. Soraya (Hochelaga)

May, Bryan (Cambridge)

McDonald, Ken (Avalon)

McGuinty, Hon. David J. (Ottawa South)

McKay, Hon. John (Scarborough—Guildwood)

McKinnon, Ron (Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam)

Miao, Wilson (Richmond Centre)

Miller, Hon. Marc (Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs)

Morrissey, Robert J. (Egmont)

Ng, Hon. Mary (Markham—Thornhill)

O'Connell, Jennifer (Pickering—Uxbridge)

Oliphant, Hon. Robert (Don Valley West)

Petitpas Taylor, Hon. Ginette (Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe)

Powlowski, Marcus (Thunder Bay—Rainy River)

Qualtrough, Hon. Carla (Delta)

Robillard, Yves (Marc-Aurèle-Fortin)

Rodriguez, Hon. Pablo (Honoré-Mercier)

Rogers, Churence (Bonavista—Burin—Trinity)

Romanado, Sherry (Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne)

Sahota, Hon. Ruby (Brampton North)

Sajjan, Hon. Harjit S. (Vancouver South)

Saks, Hon. Ya'ara (York Centre)

Samson, Darrell (Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook)

Sarai, Randeep (Surrey Centre)

Scarpaleggia, Francis (Lac-Saint-Louis)

Schiefke, Peter (Vaudreuil—Soulanges)

Sgro, Hon. Judy A. (Humber River—Black Creek)

Shanahan, Brenda (Châteauguay—Lacolle)

Sheehan, Terry (Sault Ste. Marie)

Sidhu, Maninder (Brampton East)

Sidhu, Sonia (Brampton South)

Sorbara, Francesco (Vaughan—Woodbridge)

St-Onge, Hon. Pascale (Brome—Missisquoi)

Sudds, Hon. Jenna (Kanata—Carleton)

Tassi, Hon. Filomena (Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas)

Thompson, Joanne (St. John's East)

Valdez, Hon. Rechie (Mississauga—Streetsville)

Vandal, Hon. Dan (Saint Boniface—Saint Vital)

Virani, Hon. Arif (Parkdale—High Park)

Yip, Jean (Scarborough—Agincourt)

Zuberni, Sameer (Pierrefonds—Dollard)

Fonseca, Peter (Mississauga East—Cooksville)

Kusmierczyk, Irek (Windsor—Tecumseh)

O'Regan, Hon. Seamus (St. John's South—Mount Pearl)

Wilkinson, Hon. Jonathan (North Vancouver)

Statement:

Canadians are done with the first-past-the post system as it favours the powerful few over the needs of the many, forcing folks to often choose between 2 bad choices at the ballot or their vote is spoiled. We cannot continue with first-past-the-post as it enables corrupt politicians to vote against a fairer electoral system that would represent 95% of the vote instead of 40%. Canadians deserve a electoral system that will allow them to vote for their favourite candidate and to hold the government accountable without having to vote for the most popular opposition in order to fire the corrupt MPs of the government.

We need to build up the pressure and force the corrupt MPs to listen to the voices of everyday Canadians.

Here's what you can do:

Send a letter to your MP and demand they support proportional representation and advance electoral reform immediately. (Letters do not require stamps)

Use Open Parliament to watch their next moves.

Use 338Canada to watch the polls.

Protest against them on the streets.

Hold strikes demanding proportional representation be passed without a referendum, try to push for a national general strike.

Vote them out.

Bring the topic of proportional representation up when meeting with them in person.

Talk to your family, friends and neighbours about proportional representation.

We have more than a year to pass proportional representation, so lets get it done before the next election and force the corrupt MPs to do the right thing and make our democracy fairer.

Sources:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1REoZ89VAqdcT2eqoGrkQpBOyxUWB9Dioc_-mpgvGZ9g/edit#heading=h.wcvuwdkfukli

https://www.fairvote.ca/21/02/2024/vote-result-mps-from-all-parties-vote-for-motion-m-86-for-a-citizens-assembly-but-not-enough-to-win/

VP candidate and MP Jamil Jivani bonded over being outsiders at a top U.S. law school

Obligatory mention of proportional representation, which is the most important improvement that we could make to our democracy, but this article describes another issue - that the Prime Minister most likely has too much power in this country.

Canadian prime ministerial powers fall into two main categories. The first is the ability of the prime minister, backed by their staff in the Prime Minister’s Office—the PMO—and the Privy Council Office—the PCO—to direct and control what happens in government and in Parliament. The second is the astonishing unchecked power of patronage Canadians give their prime minister to appoint all the leading figures in the country’s public life, judiciary, and administration.

Backbenchers in the House of Commons no longer see themselves primarily as representatives of the people who elected them and therefore owing prime loyalty to the interests of their constituents. Canadian MPs see loyalty to their party and its leader as their duty beyond any other. A 2020 study by the Samara Centre for Democracy found that Canadian MPs vote as they are instructed by their party whips 99.6 percent of the time.

I have become convinced that the key to unlocking the barriers to repairing our democracy is to dismantle this electoral system that revolves around the celebrity and curb appeal of a handful of individuals. If Ottawa worked as it should—if it worked as a representative system based on discussion and resolution of communal issues—then the other problems with the Canadian polity and federation can be overcome. In a country of immense diversity, no other democratic model will work. Fundamentally, the overriding problem for Canadian democracy is the unaccountable power that has gathered into the hands of the prime minister. Until that problem is addressed and redressed, until a sustainable working relationship between the prime minister and Parliament is restored, no tinkering with the other levels of our institutions will work.

Amendments to the Competition Act that became law last month under Bill C-59 require companies to be able to prove environmental claims made to promote a product or business interest.

Schulz said the changes caused "a lot of concern for industry."

Source

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe both often draw links between their NDP opponents provincially, and Trudeau’s decisions in Ottawa, many of which have been backed by Singh and the federal NDP. Smith and Moe contend Trudeau is overstepping into provincial jurisdiction including in health care, energy and the environment.

“Naheed Nenshi, Trudeau’s choice for Alberta.”

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/23546146

His common sense vision for public safety involves a big increase in addiction treatment programs, most of them private and some of them involuntary, meaning during incarceration. He wants indefinite apprehension of permanently brain-damaged habitual offenders now wandering the streets, on mental health grounds. That could involve invoking the notwithstanding clause in the charter of rights to bypass constitutional concerns if need be, he said.

Hospitals now cut services to meet their budget because they look at patients as a cost, he said. “We actually need to reverse that, we need to look at patients as revenue generators.”