[fvc-wat-announce] Positions of Party Nomination candidates on PR - Consider getting involved now

[Anita Nickerson]

Dear Fair Voting Friends,

As you know, we've been asking candidates who are seeking the nominations
for parties in Kitchener-Centre and Waterloo where they stand on
proportional representation and encouraging fair voting supporters to sign
up to vote to help a strong pro-PR candidate win their nominations.  The
candidate statements (at the end of this email)  will give you information
to go on.

A while ago, we sent out an email with the positions of the two candidates
seeking the Liberal nomination in Kitchener Centre - Tony Maas and Raj Saini,
and potential Green Party Kitchener Centre candidate Nicholas Wendler.

Tony Maas sent us a statement clearly in favour of proportional
representation.

At the time of our earlier email, Raj Saini hadn't  responded to our
questionnaire & based on earlier conversations with Raj we stated that he
is "known to be opposed to proportional representation". Recently,  Raj has
been in touch and more fully explained his position on electoral reform.
We would like us to share his statement  to properly recognize Raj's
thinking on electoral reform.  We very much appreciate this clarification
from Raj and the opportunity to interact with all the candidates on this
issue which is critical to the health of our democracy.  Raj's statement is
below.

To put this into context, in February 2014 the Liberal Party of Canada
passed Resolution 31 called "Restoring Trust in Canada's Democracy". It
calls for an all party process involving citizens, experts to study all
voting systems, winner-take-all and proportional, and report back to
Parliament within 12 months of the next Parliament. This was a very
significant and positive development, and we look forward to all Liberal
Party candidates backing Resolution 31. A free vote on PR (16/31 Liberals
voted yes to PR) in the House of Commons on December 3rd  illustrates  that
opinion is changing within the Liberal Party. As the next vote in the House
- the vote that could really deliver PR - will likely be a free vote, the
individuals who fill those seats is of crucial importance.  Let's make sure
that Waterloo Region sends PR supporting MP's back to Ottawa.

We encourage you to get involved now in the nomination races for the party
of your choice in time to vote. As soon as we have statements from NDP
candidates,
we will share them with you.

Green Party candidate Richard Walsh Bowers in Waterloo has also sent us a
statement  which is included in this email.

Sincerely,

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

*Raj Saini - http://www.rajsaini.ca/ <http://www.rajsaini.ca/> - Kitchener
Centre (Liberal)*

Raj's statement on PR:

"First, I wish to disagree with your attribution to me in a recent email to
your organization’s supporters that I am “known to oppose PR.”  I have
never ruled out proportional representation, however, I strongly believe
that we need to consult the public and take an evidence-based approach
before we embark on this profound democratic change.

I am in full agreement with Fair Vote Canada that the current electoral
system must be revised. It is unacceptable that the Harper government can
fundamentally damage our domestic and foreign policies when their changes
are opposed by the strong majority of Canadians, both on Election Day and
later.

I fully support the Liberal Party policy resolution that calls for major
reforms of our electoral system and the creation of an all-party commission
after the next federal election that would be committed to reform. That
reform could be proportional representation or preferential ballots, the
practice currently used in Liberal Party nomination meetings. I personally
pledge to support the recommendation of that commission as I am sure all
Liberals will.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank organizations like Fair Vote
Canada and its many volunteers for keeping the conversation on electoral
reform active."

Best regards,

Raj Saini
Nomination Candidate in Kitchener Centre


*Tony Maas - www.tonymaas.ca <http://www.tonymaas.ca/> - Kitchener Centre
(Liberal)*

*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

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Nicholas Wendler - Kitchener Centre (Green)*

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.

*Richard Walsh Bowers - Waterloo (Green)*

Ever since my first federal election campaign (Fall 2000 when I ran in
Waterloo for the New Democrats) I have explicitly supported democratic
reform and proportional representation in the House of Commons. The Law
Reform Commission of Canada (LRCC), which was rendered defunct early in the
Harper government’s tenure, released a report on Canada’s electoral system
prior to the 2004 election. When I ran in that election in Kitchener Centre
as the NDP candidate, I supported the LRCC’s recommendation that Canada
make the transition from our first-past-the-post (FPTP) system to the mixed
method of proportional representation (MMPR), which is successfully
employed in Germany and many other nations. I reiterated my position during
the 2006 election, when I again was the NDP candidate in Kitchener Centre.
During the last federal election, when I ran as an independent candidate in
Waterloo, I made democratic reform generally and advocacy for MMPR
specifically integral features of my campaign. (My 2011 platform is
available at www.richardwalsh.ca .) My view then – and now – is that the
Canadian parliamentary system is fundamentally undemocratic but its
transformation through MMPR could salvage it. Alas, the need for MMPR is
even more acute, because the Conservative government instituted changes to
the election laws that make detection of voter fraud very unlikely.

So, why do I support MMPR?  The FPTP system rewards political parties for
focusing on particular regions and constituencies, while virtually ignoring
other regions and constituencies, which distorts representation in the
House; furthermore, FPTP diminishes the chances of smaller parties to win
seats. In short, it is blatantly undemocratic. The “preferential ballot”
system has the advantage of reaching across the extant (i.e., narrow)
political spectrum but the decided disadvantage of diminishing the chances
of smaller parties. Thus, it is unacceptable. MMPR, on the other hand,
combines local and party representation. It likely is imperfect, but it’s
the best option to renew and preserve electoral democracy across Canada
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