[fvc-wat-announce] Consider getting involved in local nomination races to put the strongest pro-PR candidates on the ballot in 2015

Tue Feb 17 10:22:54 EST 2015

Dear Fair Vote Canada Waterloo Region supporter,

With the federal election just around the corner, momentum is building for Make
Every Vote Count 2015
<https://secure.fairvote.ca/sites/secure.fairvote.ca/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=194146&qid=3454968>!
We need 170 YES votes after 2015 to implement a proportional system in
Canada. This election is critical.

On December 3, 2014, every NDP, Green and Bloc MP, 3 Independents and 16/31
Liberal MPs voted YES to an NDP motion for PR. We are building the
cross-partisan consensus needed to make 2015 the last unfair election.

To help us elect 170 pro-PR MPs, the *first important step is to make sure
as many strong PR supporters win the local party nominations as possible.* We
all know what happens when another commission/assembly/study recommends PR
but most of the politicians elected personally oppose it. The next vote in
the House of Commons - the one which could really bring proportional
representation to Canada - will very likely be a free vote.

In our local ridings of of Kitchener-Centre and Waterloo, party
nomination races
are now in various stages. *Please consider joining the party of your
choice now, and show up at the nomination meeting to vote *to help us
ensure that the candidates vying to replace Stephen Woodworth have the
strongest convictions possible on making every vote count. *Your
involvement at this stage could make all the difference.*

The NDP party position on proportional representation is here
<https://secure.fairvote.ca/sites/secure.fairvote.ca/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=194154&qid=3454968>,
the Liberal position here
<https://secure.fairvote.ca/sites/secure.fairvote.ca/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=194155&qid=3454968>,
and the Green position here
<https://secure.fairvote.ca/sites/secure.fairvote.ca/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=194156&qid=3454968>
.

*Find below information and statements from candidates in Kitchener-Centre.
 *

Check our local website - http://www.fairvotewrc.ca/ - for information
about more candidates, and candidates in other local ridings, such as
Waterloo, which will be updated as we receive it.

Thanks for supporting Make Every Vote Count 2015.

Sharon Sommerville, Coordinator, FVC Waterloo
Anita Nickerson, FVC Action Coordinator

*Kitchener-Centre*

*NDP*

 No candidates have been announced yet.

*Green*

Nicholas Wendler is planning to seek the nomination for the Greens. There
is no nomination meeting set yet.

*Nicholas's statement on PR:*

"I do support Proportional Representation.  As a person with a physical
disability which is a form of diversity with which I live, I feel everyone
should count in Canada and therefore be represented in the House of
Commons.  In order to speak to the various issues Canadians face, we need
representation from the various voices in Canada to reach a full
understanding of, and response to the issues.  If buildings are designed by
people who go through life on their two legs instead of including people
who have visual or hearing impairments or people who roll around via
wheelchairs, you're going to have very different results between the two
alternatives.  One would likely include a few more staircases.  Depending
on needs, people of other forms of diversity may have varying designs due
to the way they would use features of the building.  The best design is one
that includes the input of all involved to achieve the best from each
perspective.

In terms of the electoral system, proportional representation allows each
party to be represented as a reflection of how the voters cast their
ballot.  The current system allows only the person with the most votes (and
the party they represent) to gain voice in the House of Commons.  Issues
addressed by the other parties and candidates in a given riding may gain
votes, but if the votes for those issues and candidates are fewer than
another, they do not have a voice unless the winning candidate also
addresses those issues.  Elected members of Parliament need to work
together to move toward a system of proportional representation and allow
all voices to be heard and counted in future elections."

*Liberal*

The date for the nomination meeting has not been set, but we expect it will
be announced anytime. You need to be a member for 14 days before the
meeting to vote.

*Raj Saini - www.rajsaini.ca
<https://secure.fairvote.ca/sites/secure.fairvote.ca/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=194157&qid=3454968>*

Raj is known to oppose PR. He did not respond to an invitation from FVC-WR
to give a statement.

*Tony Maas - www.tonymaas.ca
<https://secure.fairvote.ca/sites/secure.fairvote.ca/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=194158&qid=3454968>**
(see
note at bottom of this email)*

*Tony's statement on PR:*

I would like to express my personal thanks to you and to Fair Vote Canada
for reaching out regarding my position on proportional representation, and
for the important work you are doing to raise awareness about and advocate
for electoral reform in Canada.

I have long believed that Canada’s electoral system is out of date. It is
troubling to me, as it is to a growing number of people, that 37% of the
popular vote can return a majority government: this, in my view, is not a
reflection of a modern democracy.

I am happy to share with you that I fully support moving to an electoral
system based on proportional representation. I support the Liberal Party of
Canada’s policy resolution on the issue, which indicates that, immediately
following the next election an all-party process will be initiated to
engage experts and citizens to report to Parliament with recommendations on
voting system reform, including consideration of proportional
representation.

I commit, personally, that if elected to Parliament I will advocate for
electoral reform and a system of proportional representation both within
the Liberal Party caucus and in Parliament. It is time for a federal
government in Canada to show leadership and to take action on rebuilding
trust in our democracy; that must include bringing our voting system into
the 21st century. I believe that for us to flourish as a country –
economically, social, culturally and environmentally – we need revitalize
our democracy through electoral reform and proportional representation.

Please feel free to share my perspective, in whole or in part, with your
organization’s supporters and others. And thanks again for the amazing work
you are doing on this issue.

Sincerely,

Tony Maas

Qualified Nomination Contestant for

Liberal Party of Canada in Kitchener Centre

tony at tonymaas.ca
@TonyMaas

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
***Tony Maas:* Note from Liberals for Fair Voting:

Liberals for Fair Voting are pleased to announce that Kitchener Centre has
a strong PR supporter running for the nomination. That person is Tony Maas
- www.tonymaas.ca
<https://secure.fairvote.ca/sites/secure.fairvote.ca/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=194158&qid=3454968>.
There is still time for Kitchener Centre residents to join the Liberal
Party to help Tony win the nomination. The cut off date can happen at any
time, so if you are not currently a Liberal member, we urge you to consider
joining the party soon in order to vote for Tony. - Jennifer Ross, on
behalf of Liberals for Fair Voting.
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