[fvc-wat-disc] Meeting with Bardish

Tue Nov 14 21:23:40 EST 2017

Merci!
Good points...thanks
h

From: Sharon Sommerville 
Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2017 7:56 AM
To: FVC Waterloo Region Discussion 
Subject: Re: [fvc-wat-disc] Meeting with Bardish

Hi Harold, 

Will put you on the list to meet with Minister Chagger, thank you!

As for a referendum; we don't have a history of using referendum to deal with federal issues, (only prohibition, conscription and Charlottetown in our 150 years), we send Cdn. service people off to kill or be killed without a national referendum, representation is a right & we don't vote on rights, the LPC ran on a promise of changing our electoral system & 68% of Cdns, voted for a party that campaigned for or has electoral reform as a party platform (LPC, NDP & Greens), they have a majority and a mandate to change our electoral system & they are using the referendum issue to justify not changing the system in keeping with what the PM wants which happens to favour the LPC.

Will keep you posted around possible dates and times for an appointment.

With thanks,
Sharon

On Mon, Nov 13, 2017 at 11:24 PM, Harold Remus <hremus at golden.net> wrote:

  Thanks, Sharon.
  500+ signatures is formidable, IMHO.

  I would like to come to the meeting with Bardish, but it depends on transportation and the date and possible scheduling conflicts.

  How to address that pesky qu. of a referendum.   People blindly point to the Ont and BC as negative examples.  Getting into the details glazes people’s eyes over.  And of course, you say you are for “democracy”---well, referendum....

  PM:  the decision his to make.  No. 45: deciding to pull out of the Paris climate agreement.  Expletive!
  hr

  From: Sharon Sommerville 
  Sent: Monday, November 13, 2017 7:37 AM
  To: FVC Waterloo Region Discussion 
  Subject: Re: [fvc-wat-disc] Our Meeting With Raj Saini

  Thank you Cathy.

  On Sun, Nov 12, 2017 at 10:50 PM, Cathy Scott <cathy.scottfree at gmail.com> wrote:

    HI, Sharon

    Thanks for the information about the meeting with Raj.

    It sounds like it went well.  I’m glad there were enough people to fill the room.

    See you soon

    Cathy

    From: fvc-wat-disc [mailto:fvc-wat-disc-bounces at listserv.thinkers.org] On Behalf Of Sharon Sommerville
    Sent: Sunday, November 12, 2017 9:27 AM
    To: fvc-wat-announce at listserv.thinkers.org; fvc-wat-disc at listserv.thinkers.org
    Subject: [fvc-wat-disc] Our Meeting With Raj Saini

    Hello Fairvoting Friends,

    On Friday afternoon, a group of nine of us meet with Raj Saini, (L) MP for Kitchener Centre. Nine folks pretty much fills Raj's office!  We presented Raj with this summer's petition which asked that his party keep their campaign promise and enact legislation to change our electoral system in time for 2019.  There were well over 500 signatures on the petition.

    Our message was strong, clear, passionate and respectful. Each of us had time to speak directly to Raj about why they care about electoral reform. Those comments were very powerful. 

    People spoke about the inevitability of electoral reform as our own experience and recent polls (In late Oct. Insights West found that 67% of Cdns. want the Liberal government to keep its promise on electoral reform, in early Oct. Angus Reid found the same) & the evidence that supports change, one of us emphasized that this is a legacy issue as his father before him established by patriating our Constitution and raised the question of what side of history do you and your party want to be on?, one of us asked him, "I know, that you know that PR is the way to go to establish a fair electoral system, what happen?".  One of us asked, what can we do to help you support PR?.  One wanted to finally, after 40 years of voting, to be represented by someone they voted for.  

    We addressed Trudeau's statement that the decision to renege on the promise of electoral reform was his to make and he made it because they weren't going to be able to institute Alternative Vote (June 2017, Iqaluit, Nunavut).  We raised the anti-democratic nature of that statement. Raj spoke about the threat of a referendum being the justification for not moving forward with electoral reform. We knew that because the Liberals were unwilling to negotiate with the NDP & Greens to bring about the ERRE recommendations, the NDP & Greens brokered a deal with the Conservatives. To bring in a majority report from the ERRE committee, the price was a referendum.

    Raj promised to present our petition to the House and speak with the Minister of Democratic Institutions about our concerns.  We thank Raj for taking those actions and for the respectful conversation we had on Friday.

    There is interest in putting a group together to speak with Bardish Chagger (L) Waterloo. If anyone is interested in going to meet with Minister Chagger, please let me know and we will arrange a meeting.  You can reach me at:

    sharonsommerville at gmail.com 

    A sincere thank you to the eight fair voting supporters who attended Friday's meeting.  Everyone's passion, honesty and determination is inspiring. 

    Attached is a wonderful video of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come", just in case you need a little inspiration right now.  And, you can see a photo of our team outside Raj's office at FVC-WR's website.  The link is also attached.

    With thanks to all our supporters for your continued support as we work toward building a better Canada.

    Best wishes,

    Sharon

    for FVC-WR

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEBlaMOmKV4

    http://www.fairvotewrc.ca/reminding-raj-saini-about-electoral-reform/?t=1&cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjcw%3D%3D&refsrc=email&iid=3528e8591d67497a803a18f64ef78a18&uid=756912124761370624&nid=244+272699400

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