<div dir="ltr">Hi Eleanor,<div><br><div>This article appeared in yesterday's Toronto Stat, it is reason for hopeful.</div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/12/02/trudeau-insists-election-reform-still-on-table.html" style="line-height:1.22em;font-family:georgia;font-size:13px" target="_blank">https://www.<span id="gmail-m_809946938385265421m_5668998765314756793:2hu.1">thestar</span>.com/news/<span id="gmail-m_809946938385265421m_5668998765314756793:2hu.2">c<wbr>anada</span>/2016/12/02/<span id="gmail-m_809946938385265421m_5668998765314756793:2hu.3">trudeau</span>-insis<wbr>ts-election-reform-still-on-ta<wbr>ble.html</a></div><div><br></div><div>In it Trudeau is clear and unequivocal again as he has said this a number of times since the <span id="gmail-m_809946938385265421m_5668998765314756793:2hu.5">LeDevoir</span> <span id="gmail-m_809946938385265421m_5668998765314756793:2hu.6">interview</span>: he will keep his promise, the government will introduce a fair electoral system for 2019. </div><div><br></div><div>The situation is very confusing. To have the minister melt down in Parliament and blame the ERRE for not delivering a specific electoral system, to have the Liberal committee members say well maybe change, we aren't sure and certainly not in time for 2019 and the prime minister states (many times) that actually we are going to do this. It is impossible to understand what is going or who is in charge but the recommendations will be on the cabinet's table in January so I believe there are still many reasons to push on. Perhaps JT heard from his Jesuit teachers who told him to keep his promise. Who knows, but until the government introduces legislation in the spring we have reason to hope.</div><div><br></div><div>There is also this from yesterday as well:</div><div><br class="gmail-Apple-interchange-newline"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-family:georgia;font-size:13px;text-decoration:underline"><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/">http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/</a></span><wbr style="line-height:1.22em;color:rgb(17,85,204);font-family:georgia;font-size:13px"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-family:georgia;font-size:13px;text-decoration:underline">822967875632/</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Kind regards,</div><div>Sharon</div><div><br></div>
<div><br></div></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Dec 3, 2016 at 1:06 PM, Eleanor Grant <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:eleanor7000@gmail.com" target="_blank">eleanor7000@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><p dir="ltr">I meant to add to the above: When the Libs end up in Opposition in 2019, they'll *wish* they had supported PR!</p>
<p dir="ltr">If only they could be made to see that now. PR is actually in the Liberals' best interest too.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Eleanor <br></p><span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888">
<p dir="ltr">Eleanor </p></font></span><div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5">
<div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On 3 Dec 2016 12:59, "Eleanor Grant" <<a href="mailto:eleanor7000@gmail.com" target="_blank">eleanor7000@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><p dir="ltr">I don't see why Trudeau and Monsef have to do anything. The Libs on ERRE carried out their *unofficial but actual* mandate: to kill electoral reform. Why will anything further happen?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Eleanor </p>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On 3 Dec 2016 12:00, <<a href="mailto:fvc-wat-disc-request@listserv.thinkers.org" target="_blank">fvc-wat-disc-request@listserv<wbr>.thinkers.org</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution"><blockquote class="m_3303023506815197076m_616800552166982921quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Send fvc-wat-disc mailing list submissions to<br>
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<br>Today's Topics:<br>
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1. Re: So, what happened today with ERRE ? (Sharon Sommerville)<br>
<br><br>---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: Sharon Sommerville <<a href="mailto:sharonsommerville@gmail.com" target="_blank">sharonsommerville@gmail.com</a>><br>To: FVC Waterloo Region Discussion <<a href="mailto:fvc-wat-disc@listserv.thinkers.org" target="_blank">fvc-wat-disc@listserv.thinker<wbr>s.org</a>><br>Cc: <br>Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2016 18:49:26 -0500<br>Subject: Re: [fvc-wat-disc] So, what happened today with ERRE ?<br><div dir="ltr">That was really well said Anita. <div><br></div><div>And, now it is all about leadership. Does Trudeau have the strength that his father had when his father pushed through abolishing capital punishment? Something that Justin Trudeau said just after he won the election, "People have always underestimated me." It really is up to him. This is one place that we should focus our message, the need for <span id="m_3303023506815197076m_616800552166982921m_-7118393444675850691:2q5.1">foresightful</span> leadership to do what is right and set the country up for the next hundred years. That last phrase, "Set the country up for the next 100 years" is a quote from Tim Louis, Liberal candidate for Kitchener-Conestoga. Tim indicated that Trudeau said this to him during the 2015 election & Tim found it very inspiring. Also from Trudeau, "Better is always possible". </div><div><br></div><div>Sharon</div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Dec 2, 2016 at 12:52 PM, Anita Nickerson <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:anitann88@gmail.com" target="_blank">anitann88@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr">Here's my assessment that I put on facebook last night:<div><br></div><div><p style="margin:0px 0px 6px;color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">I understand why Maryam Monsef was frustrated today.</p><p style="margin:6px 0px;color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">It doesn't excuse her behaviour. And yes, she lied. Technically, the committee fulfilled their mandate. They presented alternatives to FPTP in a paper that describes them thoroughly.</p><p style="margin:6px 0px;color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">They even did what else Monsef requested - produced a majority report.</p><p style="margin:6px 0px;color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">The problem is that there are already textbooks and textbooks written about the options for Canada aside from FPTP. This expertise is not lacking and this conversation is not new.</p><p style="margin:6px 0px;color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">What Monsef was really looking for, and no, it wasn't in the mandate, was to find out what the Liberals were actually willing to do. What kind of system they could get behind, based on what evidence and values. That recommendation would have given her a springboard. Something to point to and stand behind.</p><p style="margin:6px 0px;color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">Instead she got a phony majority report - a majority that was manufactured by an awful deal between the Cons, Greens and NDP for a referendum that only the Cons want. Because otherwise, there would have been five reports, a "failure" and no way to move forward (even if a referendum moves us backward).</p><p style="margin:6px 0px;color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">The problem is that the majority was so obviously manufactured and it left out the governing party. Who then made sure everybody knew it in their supplemental report.</p><p style="margin:6px 0px;color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">A majority want PR - oh, except the Liberals don't want it, because they didn't hear consensus, it's "radical", and they recommend breaking the promise.</p><p style="margin:6px 0px;color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">A majority want a referendum - oh, except the NDP and Greens don't want one, they just said that so there would be a majority report and the whole thing wasn't dead.</p><p style="margin:6px 0px;color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">I am not impressed with Monsef's performance today - blaming the committee because she is angry was the wrong thing to do, mocking them was the wrong thing to do - what embarrassing behaviour.</p><p style="margin:6px 0px;color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">But I do understand one of the reasons why she is frustrated because it's the exact same reason I am frustrated: The Liberals on ERRE may have worked hard but in the end they endorsed nothing, are willing to do nothing, and just recommended the gov't kill the promise Monsef has been charged with finding a way to fulfill.</p><p style="margin:6px 0px;color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">Essentially, they just made her job harder.</p><p style="margin:6px 0px;color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">She's finding out what people who have been involved in this for decades have always known: That MPs will never willingly recommend themselves into an electoral system which may put them out a job by a simple act of legislation, no matter how much evidence you put in front of them and no matter how passionate you are.</p><p style="margin:6px 0px;color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">It would be really nice if they would. This last committee was a really sincere effort to get there. We all tried hard.</p><p style="margin:6px 0px;color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">Now Monsef and Trudeau will have to lead. It's not going to be much fun for them. If they follow through without a referendum they're going to get screamed at not just by the Conservatives (who cares) but by most of their Liberal colleagues who mildly to viciously oppose what they want to do.</p><p style="margin:6px 0px;color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">But first-past-the-post is not much fun for us. And this change is long overdue.</p><p style="margin:6px 0px 0px;display:inline;color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">If they can tolerate the short term pain from the current group of MPs and implement PR, one day Canadians will look back on this and know which individuals had the courage and fortitude to get us there.</p><br></div></div><div class="m_3303023506815197076m_616800552166982921m_-7118393444675850691HOEnZb"><div class="m_3303023506815197076m_616800552166982921m_-7118393444675850691h5"><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Dec 2, 2016 at 10:05 AM, Donald Fraser <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:donaldafraser@gmail.com" target="_blank">donaldafraser@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr">I was puzzled ... NOW I'm thoroughly confused<div><br></div><div>the minister chastises the committee under her own jurisdiction ... </div><div><br></div><div>her government got elected partly on a promise to consult on everything, a new style of governing ... that's what a committee is for ... it consulted and reported its findings and recommendations </div><div><br></div><div>I can understand the Party's reasons for not wanting PR now; that is,disagreeing with the result</div><div><br></div><div>BUT what you say publicly is a big thank you and we'll take the recommendations under consideration</div><div><br></div><div>Berating the committee in Parliament just announces that </div><div><br></div><div>(a) we didn't really want to consult </div><div>(b) we wanted our sham consultation to agree with us </div><div>(c) it didn't ... damn those little !@#$%^&* committee members!</div></div><div class="m_3303023506815197076m_616800552166982921m_-7118393444675850691m_5450044794162378788HOEnZb"><div class="m_3303023506815197076m_616800552166982921m_-7118393444675850691m_5450044794162378788h5"><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On 2 December 2016 at 08:03, Jon Bathmaker <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:jon.bathmaker@gmail.com" target="_blank">jon.bathmaker@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
<p>S'truth Jenn. <br>
</p>
<p>This is precisely why Big Tent parties are problematic. Which of
course leads to internal contradictions such as one faction of the
Libs being big on the climate and native rights, both of which
have to be sacrificed if you want to support the Alberta
Oil/pipeline Bidniz. You vote for them and then the 99 internal
groups in the "big tent" fight it out for whose position gets
implemented.</p>
<p>OTOH, if we put up a ton of pressure/demonstrations/action<wbr>s then
the climate/native faction will have a lot of ammo to fire at the
tar sands/Alberta faction. And we can just sit back and watch the
knives come out. :-)<br>
</p>
<div class="m_3303023506815197076m_616800552166982921m_-7118393444675850691m_5450044794162378788m_-4538161977613891981m_-8288043084903739053moz-signature">
<div class="m_3303023506815197076m_616800552166982921m_-7118393444675850691m_5450044794162378788m_-4538161977613891981m_-8288043084903739053Section1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Best<span class="m_3303023506815197076m_616800552166982921m_-7118393444675850691m_5450044794162378788m_-4538161977613891981m_-8288043084903739053GramE">,</span><br>
Jon<br>
<u></u><u></u><b>The Climate is no longer just a Crisis . .
. it's a
FREAKING EMERGENCY</b></span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
</div><div><div class="m_3303023506815197076m_616800552166982921m_-7118393444675850691m_5450044794162378788m_-4538161977613891981h5">
<div class="m_3303023506815197076m_616800552166982921m_-7118393444675850691m_5450044794162378788m_-4538161977613891981m_-8288043084903739053moz-cite-prefix">On 12/1/2016 11:27 PM, Jennifer Ross
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div>You couldn't plan anything to make your own party look this
bad if you tried.<br>
<br>
</div>
Platform promises are just a means of engagement? A public,
written mandate letter that DOESN'T say what you, the author,
says it says? The only ones not on board are the ones that
campaigned to get elected on it? A party that prides itself on
evidence-based decision making (also, that was a campaign
promise but they mean nothing now) making fun of MATH? How
shall they ever defend Climate Change is a thing if math is off
the table? Or unmuzzling scientists? Kind of hard to be both
unmuzzled and unable to use math in your scientific arguments.<br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Dec 1, 2016 at 9:47 PM, Eleanor
Grant <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:eleanor7000@gmail.com" target="_blank">eleanor7000@gmail.com</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<p dir="ltr">What a day!</p>
<p dir="ltr">The 333-page report from ERRE came out around
noon Dec 1: <a href="https://t.co/3dXxV2FMLi" target="_blank">https://t.co/3dXxV2FMLi</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">The key pages are: <br>
- 95, where PR is clearly recommended (tho in kind of
obscure terminology),<br>
- 319 (in which govt response is urged), and <br>
- 321 to the end: the "Supplemental Reports" by Lib
members of ERRE and NDP & Green members.</p>
<p dir="ltr">It feels (to me anyway) like a team of horses
pulling in opposite directions. The Liberal mbrs' report
denies that a consensus on PR was reached, that Cdns were
engaged, and that there is enough time to put a new system
in place and familiarize the population with the issues by
2019.</p>
<p dir="ltr">All afternoon, in the House and in media
scrums, Minister Monsef repeated the same
misrepresentations, in the very same words - plus
insulting the committee and claiming they hadn't carried
out their mandate. (Their mandate never had been to call
for a specific voting system.)</p>
<p dir="ltr">So a day of elation mixed with shock that the
governing party would twist themselves into such pretzels
to deny the obvious and doable recommendation of the
committee.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Anyone else get the feeling that this was
planned all along, from the day they agreed to add members
to ERRE to make it proportional? Cdns have been taken for
a big ride.</p>
<span class="m_3303023506815197076m_616800552166982921m_-7118393444675850691m_5450044794162378788m_-4538161977613891981m_-8288043084903739053HOEnZb"><font color="#888888">
<p dir="ltr">Eleanor <br>
</p>
</font></span><br>
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concentrates as much political power </span></span></font><font size="1"><span style="font-family:tahoma,new york,times,serif"><span style="line-height:10.909090995788574px">in
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