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The message below was posted to a Yahoo group to which I belong. It is written by Ron Brydges, a St. Catharines, Ontario resident and long time NDP supporter. He is very concerned about the health of democracy in Canada and would appreciate hearing responses to his letter. I too am interested in hearing your responses and will forward such to Ron (without your name or email address unless otherwise requested). <BR>
Brian<BR>
<BR>
P.S. Ron's writings have appeared in the Niagara Falls Review (<A href="http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1342724">http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1342724</A>) and elsewhere. A recent letter appeared in the St. Catharines Standard (<A href="http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2982918">http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2982918</A>) and the Toronto Star (<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma;FONT-SIZE: 10pt;"><A href="http://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters/article/939412--democracy-2-0-coming-to-a-country-near-you"><FONT color="#800080">http://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters/article/939412--democracy-2-0-coming-to-a-country-near-you</FONT></A>).</SPAN><BR>
<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma;FONT-SIZE: 10pt;"></SPAN> <BR>
<BR>
Posted by: "Ron Brydges" <A href="mailto:gardcity@sympatico.ca">gardcity@sympatico.ca</A> <BR>Sun Mar 13, 2011 <BR>
<BR>This was sent to all sitting members of the Federal NDP<BR>
<BR>
Open Letter to Jack Layton and the NDP<BR>
<BR>
Remembering with appreciation the words of Federal NDP leadership candidate<BR>Pierre Déclassé's signature campaign refrain "To have the result you have<BR>never had, you must do what you have never done", the following election<BR>proposal offers a way for putting his thought into play.<BR>
<BR>
Democratic reform deserves serious consideration as a lead issue in the<BR>upcoming federal NDP election campaign. There can be little argument that<BR>our democracy is broken, especially so when a good number of political<BR>pundits such as Andrew Coyne and the esteemed CBC political panel have<BR>emphatically and repeatedly declared that to be so.<BR>
<BR>
Fixing our democracy by way of electoral reform is a ready made issue for<BR>Jack Layton and the NDP. Jack has already laid the groundwork in declaring<BR>the need for election reform (proportional representation) and the need to<BR>Abolish the Senate for which he would have a national referendum. There are<BR>already strong currents and active citizen involvement - Fair Vote Canada -<BR>to bring forward some form of P.R. The Harper Conservatives have themselves<BR>laid the groundwork for a referendum on Abolition stating that Abolition<BR>would be preferable to the status quoi, if the idea (awful) of an elected<BR>triple E Senate cannot be achieved. It is obvious Harper has abandoned that<BR>project and has made his Senate appointments and Senate abuses a strong<BR>point for Abolition.<BR>
<BR>
The NDP could take ownership of the Democracy issue as the Liberals have<BR>been absent or obstructive to P.R. and Senate Abolition. They can step over<BR>the Liberals while they play a weaker hand of campaigning against the<BR>Conservative record of abusing democracy and lack of ethics while the<BR>Conservatives attempt to fight back with a rerun of the sponsorship<BR>scandal. All this will simply serve to aid and abet the need for electoral<BR>reform which would bring more women, aboriginal and other minority<BR>representation into the House. The electoral play with the Greens whose 7 to<BR>10% voter share is critically important to the NDP because there is a vote<BR>tradeoff between these two parties. The NDP carrying the Democracy issue<BR>could appeal for Green support on the basis that significant growth of the<BR>Green Party will not materialize without the adoption of a PR voting system<BR>and only a strengthened NDP being elected to government or forming a<BR>coalition government can or will deliver Election Reform. Absolutely true.<BR>
Senate Abolition is a necessary part of Election Reform. The appointed<BR>Senate is a significant part of what is undemocratic and unfair with the<BR>Canadian electoral and governing system. The Senate is used, between and<BR>during elections, as a publicly paid repository for Conservative and Liberal<BR>fundraisers and campaign organizers. It is decidedly unbalanced in<BR>representing the societal makeup of the Canadian public, especially with<BR>regards to the poor and disadvantaged. It is a primary instrument in<BR>maintaining a status-quoi neo-liberal globalist view at a time when real<BR>change is recognizably needed. Prior to the financial meltdown and<BR>accompanying economic disaster, a Senator declared to the<BR>sitting Senate Chamber "we are all de-regulators now". The history of the<BR>financial crisis has shown the lack of wisdom in that approach but that<BR>mentality still pervades the Chamber. All this put into a strong narrative<BR>will play well with the electorate.<BR>
<BR>
The NDP is historically the party of the working class and poor, which we<BR>now call ordinary Canadians. It is the party that, at its best, most<BR>embodies revolutionary change. This party of change does not have a single<BR>Senator in the 105 seat appointed Senate. Neither does the Green Party or,<BR>of course, the Bloc. This is untenable in a real democracy where the people<BR>are to make the decision of who shall govern and may someday soon choose<BR>real change. It has to be reformed or eliminated.<BR>
<BR>
Just recently, the appointed Senate, in a total affront to democracy, was<BR>used by the Conservatives, with Liberal Senate support, as a means to<BR>summarily, without debate, kill the NDP sponsored Climate Change Bill which<BR>had passed through the democratically elected House of Commons. This bill<BR>was meant to address the greatest peril facing our planet and humanity. In<BR>the recent past, the Senate was stacked by Brian Mulroney to pass the GST<BR>legislation and earlier the Canada U.S. Free Trade Agreement both opposed by<BR>a majority of Canadians.<BR>
<BR>
Oft stated is the constitutional barrier concern to Senate Abolition but<BR>there is much reason to believe that barrier can be overcome with a<BR>referendum victory for Abolition which could not be ignored at a time when<BR>we are applauding the popular democratic uprisings in other lands that are<BR>democratizing their constitutions. There is expressed concern that Quebec<BR>would oppose Senate Abolition but even there the public, given an informed<BR>choice between electing and empowering the Senate or abolishing the Senate<BR>would vote for Abolition. Our Ballet Box Revolution with a cry for<BR>Democratic Reform will be hard to dismiss. The Conservatives, Liberals or<BR>the Provinces ignoring the people's election decision would be seen as<BR>opposing the voice of the people. Not good politics.<BR>
<BR>
Most Canadians would not have a clue as to who is even one of their<BR>regionally appointed Senators but are aware of their atrocious attendance<BR>records and their inflated salaries and pensions relative to the ordinary<BR>worker. Most see it as a waste of money. This is great election fodder for<BR>an elections style advertising campaign and, of course, fund raising.<BR>
A preferential voting system, P.R., could be part of the alternative to an<BR>Abolished Senate by replacing the appointed Senate with additional<BR>regionally elected representatives to the House. These elected<BR>representatives will provide the regional representation which is a stated<BR>purpose for having a Senate. A process of legislative House hearings, as is<BR>utilized at the provincial level, rather than Senate deliberations would<BR>provide the supposed need for second sober thought. This is in line with<BR>what Ed Broadbent espoused a generation ago.<BR>
<BR>
Having an election platform calling for election reform by way of Abolition<BR>of the Senate and the adoption of a P.R. fair voting system could excite the<BR>nation and provide a real incentive for youth engagement bringing to bear<BR>their political clout of social media. It might even appeal to the right who<BR>want smaller government and less government expenditure. Well executed, it<BR>would influence voter turnout which is good for the NDP and democracy.<BR>
The political landscape has never been more favorable for an NDP<BR>breakthrough. To do what we have never done before with a bold stroke for<BR>democracy could tip the balance. There can be no more important election<BR>issue than fixing our broken democracy. It is through an improved democracy<BR>we can then better address other great societal needs. An unplugged Jack<BR>Layton could make this the political fight of his life.<BR>
<BR>
My thoughts, welcome yours,<BR>
Ron Brydges<BR>
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