[fvc-wat-disc] Invite Bob Hepburn to talk?

Sun Jun 24 13:03:29 EDT 2018

Minutes after I sent the message to The Record and Star, I got an e-mail from Ron at The Record saying they published my letter yesterday.
I checked with my neighbour’s hard copy and it was there but hasn’t been added online.
Interestingly, they went ahead and removed my first two sentences on their own.
I guess it was a bit too much.
Maybe it will appear online tomorrow.
We’ll see about The Star.
Dave

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: Catherine Campbell
Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2018 11:31 AM
To: FVC Waterloo Region Discussion
Subject: Re: [fvc-wat-disc] Invite Bob Hepburn to talk?

Hi, Dave, Send this to the new editor in chief of the Waterloo Record. It printed an article about him. It seems he wants to try to deliver better local coverage. Try to contact him three days later to enquirer if he has read them. Regards, Cathe Campbell 

On Jun 24, 2018, at 11:26 AM, Catherine Campbell <cdcampbell9 at gmail.com> wrote:
Hi, Dave

On Jun 24, 2018, at 9:59 AM, Dave Arthur <arthurd23 at bell.net> wrote:
Since my letter has not been published by either the Record or Star, I sent the following followup letter to both of them this morning.
We’ll see but I’m not holding my breath.

I recently submitted the letter below, the purpose of which was to point out misinformation in Bob Hepburn’s column. The five risks he listed are not true and need to be challenged. They were clearly shown to be untrue throughout the testimony to the government’s ERRE proceedings last year. That should be a major purpose of journalism. It seems we can call out Doug Ford and Donald Trump for rejecting facts and truth, but not a columnist. You followed up Hepburn’s column with a letter from John Fessenden that made the same false claims that also need to be challenged. If my first two sentences are too offensive, then remove them. Hepburn’s ‘alternative’ facts need to be challenged. This is particularly important because the NO forces are attempting to prevent Canadians from adopting PR, used by 90% of other developed democracies, by putting out the same false and distorted claims.

More misinformation against electoral reform.
Chrystia Freeland says “Facts and truth matter.” Bob Hepburn’s column ‘Rejecting  the siren call for electoral reform’ rejects both. 
Bob Hepburn points to five risks, all as distorted as the election results under our current system.
First, minority governments have served Canada well and tiny parties do not get enough votes to meet the threshold required in most of the 90% of developed democracies using proportional systems. Pointing to atypical countries like Israel and Italy is misleading.
Second, Canada has one of the lowest voter turnouts in the world while most countries using PR where all votes count and strategic voting is not a factor have significantly higher voter turnouts.
Third, extreme right-wing parties are unlikely to gain oversized influence. Research shows governments elected under PR systems have more cooperation, consensus, and better long-range planning.
Fourth, PR systems, including MMP, have various methods of awarding, not appointing, MPs that can give voters more choice, more representation, and better balance of urban and rural interests.
Fifth, B.C.’s 2005 referendum approved change to PR with 58% but was denied by the government that had won its election under FPTP with 39% of votes and required 60%. PEI’s referendum voted 52% for MMP but had voter turnout too low to be accepted. Ontario’s 2007 referendum, due to poor preparation by the government, was a fiasco. 70% of Ontarians did not know what the referendum was about and only 10% understood the proposed MMP system.

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: Catherine Campbell
Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2018 3:07 PM
To: FVC Waterloo Region Discussion
Subject: Re: [fvc-wat-disc] Invite Bob Hepburn to talk?

The Records letters editor. I’m just going into WLU Co-op Program to beg for a Co-op student for September to work for the company my husband and I own. I’ll try to remember to give you Rons number later

On Jun 21, 2018, at 2:07 PM, Dave Arthur <arthurd23 at bell.net> wrote:
Hi Cathy
I always include my name, address, phone and e-mail.
Is Ron at The Star or The Record?
Dave

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: Catherine Campbell
Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2018 12:00 PM
To: FVC Waterloo Region Discussion
Subject: Re: [fvc-wat-disc] Invite Bob Hepburn to talk?

Resubmit it with your phone number, Dave. And call Ron DeRuyter and innocently ask if he’s planning on printing it. 

On Jun 21, 2018, at 10:06 AM, Dave Arthur <arthurd23 at bell.net> wrote:
Doesn’t look promising for my letter.
Nothing from The Star.
The Record called and it sounded like they were planning to print it but haven’t yet.
I am suspicious that criticism of their columnists facts and truth spells no.
Dave

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: Catherine Campbell
Sent: Monday, June 18, 2018 1:17 AM
To: FVC Waterloo Region Discussion
Subject: Re: [fvc-wat-disc] Invite Bob Hepburn to talk?

Excellent letter, Dave

On Jun 17, 2018, at 10:35 PM, Sharon Sommerville <sharonsommerville at gmail.com> wrote:
Thanks Dave, it is very good.   Hope that the Star prints it, you could also send it to The Record.

Cheers,
S.

On Sun, Jun 17, 2018 at 10:23 PM, Dave Arthur <arthurd23 at bell.net> wrote:
I sent out this letter to The Star earlier today for comments but maybe sent it to the wrong group address.
Let me know your thoughts.
I know it’s over the 150 word limit but couldn’t pare it down any more.
Maybe they’ll let it go.
Dave A

More misinformation against electoral reform.
Chrystia Freeland says “Facts and truth matter.” Bob Hepburn’s column ‘Rejecting  the siren call for electoral reform’ rejects both. 
Hepburn points to five risks, all as distorted as the election results under our current system.
First, minority governments have served Canada well and tiny parties do not get enough votes to meet the threshold required in most of the 90% of developed democracies using proportional systems. Pointing to atypical countries like Israel and Italy is misleading.
Second, Canada has one of the lowest voter turnouts in the world while most countries using PR where all votes count and strategic voting is not a factor have significantly higher voter turnouts.
Third, extreme right-wing parties are unlikely to gain oversized influence. Research shows governments elected under PR systems have more cooperation, consensus, and better long-range planning.
Fourth, PR systems, including MMP, have various methods of awarding, not appointing, MMPs that can give voters more choice, more representation, and better balance of urban and rural interests.
Fifth, B.C.’s 2005 referendum approved change to PR with 58% but was denied by the government that had won its election under FPTP with 39% of votes and required 60%. PEI’s referendum voted 52% for MMP but had voter turnout too low to be accepted. Ontario’s 2007 referendum, due to poor preparation by the government, was a fiasco. 70% of Ontarians did not know what the referendum was about and only 10% understood the proposed MMP system.

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: Sharon Sommerville
Sent: Sunday, June 17, 2018 1:13 PM
To: FVC Waterloo Region Discussion
Subject: [fvc-wat-disc] Invite Bob Hepburn to talk?

Hello All,

Would it be of interest to invite Bob Hepburn to discuss PR with Dennis Pilon or the journalist that wrote that supportive article in the Star?

It would be interesting.

Cheers,
S.

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