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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Bryn</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>"Controversial"?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>George Burrett</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=Bryn.ossington@wlusp.com href="mailto:Bryn.ossington@wlusp.com">Bryn
Ossington</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=fvc-wat-disc@listserv.thinkers.org
href="mailto:fvc-wat-disc@listserv.thinkers.org">FVC Waterloo Region
Discussion</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, May 30, 2011 9:42 AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [fvc-wat-disc] Lobbying
avaaz.org</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Hi Kevin and everyone,
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>I think this is a great idea. Avaaz can be controversial at times but I
think getting them to trumpet our cause is a great way to bring some serious
exposure. </DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><BR clear=all>Bryn Ossington<BR><BR>
<DIV class=gmail_quote>On 29 May 2011 22:53, Kevin Smith <SPAN dir=ltr><<A
href="mailto:kevedsmith@gmail.com">kevedsmith@gmail.com</A>></SPAN>
wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=gmail_quote
style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">Hi
folks:<BR><BR>I recently contacted <A href="http://avaaz.org"
target=_blank>avaaz.org</A> about the proportional representation issue in
Canada.<BR>This is a powerful online advocacy organization. If we
could get their numbers<BR>trumpeting our cause, that would be a big boost
to us.<BR><BR>They can be reached at:<BR><BR><A
href="http://www.avaaz.org/en/contact/"
target=_blank>http://www.avaaz.org/en/contact/</A><BR><BR>And here is the
message I sent them:<BR><BR>Dear Avaaz:<BR><BR>Canada has recently elected
another "false majority" government -- one that has a majority of seats in
the House of Commons, and 100% of the executive and legislative power, with
the support of only 40% of those who actually voted, and about 25% of
eligible voters.<BR><BR>Many of us feel this is wrong, and that it is time
that Canada joins most modern democracies by switching to a system of
proportional representation. Then, no party could have a majority
government without appealing to at least 50% of the voting public.
<BR><BR>It would also give smaller parties more of a voice. For
instance, the Green party got almost 4% of the vote in the last election,
and won its first seat, but it would receive 12 seats under a proportional
system. (There are currently 308 seats in the House of
Commons.)<BR><BR>I imagine that the current government would resist this
change, even though their leader has supported it in the past. They're
benefiting too much from the current system.<BR><BR>However, opposition
parties and civil society groups might be convinced to work together and
launch a national dialogue around a new system that most parties could get
behind, and hopefully implement it in four years' time.<BR><BR>It's a long
process to decide on a new system, but if we had a campaign to kickstart the
discussion now, it might be achievable.<BR><BR>In the days after the
election, Fair Vote Canada received 2000 e-mails from people interested in
joining, so I think this is definitely the right time to give this issue a
big push.<BR><BR>Thanks,<BR><FONT color=#888888>Kevin
Smith<BR>Canada<BR></FONT><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>This
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