It's that time of year again: time for Fair Vote Canada, Canada's multi-partisan, citizen-based campaign for voting system reform, to hold its elections for its National Council. Those of you who have been members for more than a year already know how this works--you get a paper ballot in the mail, you rank the names on the ballot in the order in which you support them, and you mail it back in to the office.
In the past, maybe you've taken a cursory glance at the names on the list and shrugged. You don't know any of these people anyway, so why bother voting? Well, I guarantee you, this year is different--this year, a certain idealistic pragmatist you all know and...well, know, anyway...has tossed her hat into the ring. And while I don't really have it in me to be all "vote for me!" about this, I did want to be sure to give people a heads-up that even if you don't recognize the name on the ballot, there is someone there you know!
Also, since I'm already shamelessly turning this post into a commercial, let me add that if you support electoral reform and you're not a member of Fair Vote Canada, you should really think about joining. I've never been a big joiner, and I've harboured major reservations about pretty much every organization I've ever been a part of, but Fair Vote Canada is the exception. I stand behind everything they support, and every individual I've met through FVC has been smart and interesting and worthy of respect. You won't be able to vote if you sign up now, but there are plenty of other reasons to join!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Confidential to Fair Vote Canada members
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14 comments:
That's awesome! Good for you and good luck! :D
You've got my vote.
Also, are you coming out to Victoria for the next BC chapter meeting?
Deanna,
Thanks! That means a lot.
I won't be in Victoria, I'm afraid--this is the silly season for me, and I'll be out of the country again. I'll be missing the spring conference and the dinner with Andrew Coyne, too! I'll definitely be at the fall conference, though.
IP:
Glad to see your name up in lights!
"Queerie" for you, though: Is membership open only to "citizens" as stated in the "Join Us Today" page?
Fair Vote Canada is a national organization and campaign comprised of voters from all regions, all parties, all points of view and all walks of life. We are helping Canadians learn about the problems with our voting system and the availability of better alternatives, such as those based on proportional representation.
We are calling on all levels of government (federal, provincial and municipal) to initiate citizen-driven electoral reform - i.e., processes and programs through which citizens can learn about fair and proportional voting systems and then choose their preferred alternative.
Fair Vote Canada needs the support of every citizen who believes in democracy. Become a member today.
Some of us Permanent Residents aren't able to vote yet . . . . sniff, sniff.
Bob,
'Citizen' in this case means 'not an institution', I suspect--if you read my bio, you'll see that I was a member of Fair Vote Canada before I was a Canadian, myself. I think you should definitely join!
That's what I figured.
When you get to run the outfit, I'll expect that to be clarified on the website . . . . ;-)
The spring conference is rather unfortunately timed, what with it being Mother's Day and all. I'm trying to figure out how I can do both. :)
Bob,
Heh! Unfortunately, it seems that this is the most competitive this national council election has ever been, and my chances aren't great. But if I do beat the odds, I'll be sure to look into it. ;-)
Deanna,
Well, the location is right, anyway! Could you go to the conference only on the Saturday?
You and Greenan got my initial two thumbs up from blogosphere.
mushroom,
Wow, thanks so much.
You should run, you know. Next year?
"You should run, you know. Next year?"
Went to the MMP post-mortem and frankly Fair Vote Toronto is a strange organization. It means corroborating with fringe groups such as the Communists, Marxist-Leninists, and Social Worker Party. There is definitely a difference regards to being a cultural neo-Marxists and crude Marxists.
Because of this, I have decided to seek the friendly confines of centrist politics. So three cheers to Starbucks and winning elections for the sake of preserving the Gramscian global regime of accumulation.
Best of luck IP. I think the organization needs a bit of a shaking up.
Yay! That's good news for the organization.
I am a member, but not for a full year, so I guess that means I won't get a ballot. Good luck!
L-girl,
No, no, I just meant that if you were a member this time last year, you've already been through this exercise, and so you know how it goes. I think you need to have been a member by the end of March to vote. In any case, I'm sure you'll get a ballot.
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