[fvc-wat-disc] Discussion Night, 7pm, Wed 25 April 2018 at Bread & Roses Community Room

Sun Apr 29 21:52:20 EDT 2018

Hi again: So it turns out we *did* have a particular topic, that of
setting questions to ask the candidates at any upcoming All Candidate
Meetings.  Here are the notes I took, which are also available on our
website at
http://www.fairvotewrc.ca/meetings/2018-april-discussion-night-questions-for-candidates/

=====

Held Wednesday, 25 April 2018 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
<http://www.fairvotewrc.ca/event/fairvotewrc-discussion-night/?instance_id=58885>

Location Community Room at Bread And Roses Cooperative, 307 Queen Street
South, Kitchener Map <https://osm.org/go/ZXnwTLMg--?m=>

 Today's topic: Questions for candidates at ACMs

 Other business
* FairvoteWRC will be participating in the *Yes Cambridge!* event to
celebrate and encourage a vote in favour of ranked ballots in the
referendum during the fall municipal election.
** There will be a meeting in mid-May, to be held at Sharon
Sommerville's house.

* There was an article in The Record on Kitchener South--Hespeler PCO
candidate Amy Fee's husband Craig Fee's improper use of his position as
a radio announcer to make election commentary
** The Record: Kitchener DJ's political antics prompt complaints
<https://www.therecord.com/news-story/8565195-kitchener-dj-s-political-antics-prompt-complaints/>
** Sharon Sommerville and others are vigorously pursuing this with
complaints to Elections Ontario, and working on getting equal time on
radio station 107.5 Dave Rocks

 Questions for Candidates
* Are you going to support Electoral Reform?
** Separate your opinion from the party line
*** Will the candidates only quote from their party policy?

* What is your party's platform on Electoral Reform?
** What is /your/ position?

* What's the plan?
** How do you plan to work towards Proportional Representation?

* If your party holds the balance of power in a minority government,
will you make Electoral Reform a condition for forming a coalition or
agreement?

* Debates? Do you favour including Green Party leader Mike Schreiner in
the televised leaders debates?
** Andrea Horwarth has recently endorsed https://fairdebates.ca and Mike
Schreiner
** Kathleen Wynne endorsed https://fairdebates.ca and Mike Schreiner
right after the media consortium announced they would exclude Green Pary
leader Mike Schreiner

* How would you increase the youth vote?
** Should 16 year olds have the right to vote?
** Ask about beefing up the citizenship curriculum
*** The high school Civics course is only a 1/2 credit, make it a full
credit?
*** Include educational material in all curricula, eg. math and literature

* Is Democratic Representation a central Canadian value?
** How "Canadian" are you if you oppose that?
** Does your platform reflect that?
** Is Proportional Representation democratic enough?

* Is it right that all 42 Atlantic province (federal) seats are Liberal?
** Democracy is not just "everybody gets to vote"
** Start with "What is Democracy?"
** 1/2 of the electorate did not vote Liberal but still deserve a place
at the table

* Campaign Financing
** Threshold for spending for political activities
*** eg. Canadian Unitarian Council and Cambridge Naturalists
** Third-party regulations
*** Third parties provide education, for a more informed decision
*** Rich organizations have more influence than poor ones
**** They can afford to register and hire a CFO, and pay for an audit

* Candidates (Elected representatives) are not held accountable for
election promises
** Excuses:
*** "The financial books were worse than I thought"
*** "The job is more complicated than I thought"
*** "The previous government made a commitment, we now have a
contractual obligation" (to follow through with their bad choices)
** Electoral Reform gives us more confidence that these promises will be
fulfilled
** More cooperation between parties
** Proportional Representation prevents hijacking the conversation
** Ask about this issue as a question, how would you solve it?
*** The correct answer is Proportional Representation, of course!

* Increase the civics course to a full semester/credit
** Include political philosophy, nuances between Conservatives and
Liberals, Neo-Cons and Neo-Libs.
** Add a civics component to all courses: math, language
** Study differnt Electoral systems and their consequences, eg. voting
in Russia with 120% voter turnout

* Look at the mandate of Elections Ontario to teach electoral awareness
in schools
** Municipalities: More controls from Elections Ontario
*** Consistency for municipalities, eg. ranked ballots; electronic
voting; require by-elections, not appointments to fill vacancies
** Voting is a community activity, a learning experience
** Voting publicly is a statement

Bob Jonkman <bjonkman at sobac.com>          Phone: +1-519-635-9413
SOBAC Microcomputer Services             http://sobac.com/sobac/
Software   ---   Office & Business Automation   ---   Consulting
GnuPG Fngrprnt:04F7 742B 8F54 C40A E115 26C2 B912 89B0 D2CC E5EA

On 2018-04-23 06:18 PM, Bob Jonkman wrote:
> Hi everyone: This week marks the last Wednesday of the month, and time
> for another Fair Vote Discussion Night.
> 
> There's no particular topic this time, but there's an election coming
> up and we'll surely find something to discuss. Among other things,
> FairvoteWRC is participating in at least two All Candidate Meetings;
> what could we possibly ask them about?
> 
> *What*: FairvoteWRC Discussion Night
> *When*: Wednesday, 25 April 2018 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
> *Where*: Community Meeting Room, Bread & Roses Co-op
> *Location*: 307 Queen Street South, Kitchener
> *Map*: https://osm.org/go/ZXnwTLMg--?m=
> 
> PARKING:
> 
> If you're driving to Discussion Night at Bread And Roses, place a note
> on the dashboard of your vehicle:
> 
> *Meeting in Community Room re: Apt 107 from 7-9pm*
> 
> and park in the north lot, on the other side of the Morrison-Reist
> building (Map: https://osm.org/go/ZXnwTL0rw--?m= )
> 
> 
> For the curious, here are the details for the All Candidate Meetings:
> 
> *What*: Meet The Candidates: Kitchener Centre
> *When*: Wednesday, 23 May 2018 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm
> *Where*: St. John the Evangelist Church
> *Location*: 23 Water St. North, Kitchener
> *Map*: https://osm.org/go/ZXnwWMOA--?m=
> *Event*:
> http://www.fairvotewrc.ca/event/meet-the-candidates-kitchener-centre/
> 
> 
> *What*: Meet The Candidates: Waterloo
> *When*: Tuesday, 29 May 2018 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm
> *Where*: First United Church
> *Location*: 16 William Street West, Waterloo
> *Map*: https://osm.org/go/ZXna93hQ--?m=
> *Event*: http://www.fairvotewrc.ca/event/meet-the-candidates-waterloo/
> 
> 
> 
> See you Wednesday!
> 
> --Bob.
> 
> 
> 

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