Author: Laurel L. Russwurm

March With Mike!

Laurel L. Russwurm event , , , , , , , ,

Mike Schreiner at the Jobs Justice Climate March in Toronto, 20152016 International Plowing Match Opening Parade

March with Mike Schreiner & fellow Greens at the 2016 International Plowing Match Opening Parade in Wellington County!

The parade will take place on Tuesday, September 20 in the town of Minto (Harriston), Ontario.

The parade will begin at 10:00 am sharp and Green supporters will be gathering at 9:00 am in the parade assembly area.

We would love to have you come out to show your support for the GPO, and join us in celebrating Ontario’s farmland and rural communities. Everyone is welcome!

If you plan on attending, please RSVP using our webform

or email samanthabird@gpo.ca for more information.

We look forward to seeing you there!

P.S. Please remember to wear your Green Party t-shirts!

The #ERRE #Q Committee will Consult in Toronto

Laurel L. Russwurm electoral reform, event, Waterloo Region , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Excerpt from HOUSE OF COMMONS SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ELECTORAL REFORM TO HOLD HEARINGS IN REGINA, ST-PIERRE-JOLYS, WINNIPEG, TORONTO, QUÉBEC AND JOLIETTE


September 21st, 2016

ERRE Committee in Toronto

Chelsea Hotel
Churchill Ballroom
33 Gerrard St W,
Toronto, ON
→ map ← 

1:30—4:15 pm
Witness Panel(s)
√
13 h 30—16 h 15
Panel(s) de témoins

4:15—5:00 pm
Open mic
√
16 h 15—17 h 00*
séance micro ouvert

6:30—9:30 pm
Open mic
√
18 h 30—21 h 30*
séance micro ouvert

*Please note that the end time for the open mic sessions are approximate

This month is just flying by!  Before this event, don’t forget The Honourable Maryam Monself will be consulting with Waterloo Region at the Liberal Town Hall on Wednesday Sept. 14th, and and our own Community Dialogue will be the following Saturday.  It would be tremendous if you could print a poster or two to hang on local bulletin boards or hydro poles.

And remember, you can keep up with Waterloo Greens events in our Calendar, or by subscribing to this blog!

Electoral Reform Events!

Laurel L. Russwurm electoral reform, event , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Kitchener Public Library

September 8th ~ Kitchener Public Library Special Event on Electoral Reform #ERRE

Understanding Electoral Reform

TONIGHT 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ~ September 8th, 2016

Kitchener Public Library
Meeting Room C ~ Central Branch ~ 85 Queen St N, Kitchener, ON N2H 2H1 map
REGISTER here

September 14th, 2016

monsef-wr

“You’re invited to join the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of Democratic Institutions, at a series of federal electoral reform community dialogue events across Canada. These events, which complement the work of the Special Committee on Electoral Reform, are intended to raise awareness of electoral reform and provide an opportunity for you to engage in discussion with others about the future of Canada’s democracy.

These events will be hosted in English and French in physically accessible venues. No pre-registration is required, but note that seats will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

Can’t make it to one of these events? Find out about other electoral reform events happening across Canada on our calendar of events. You may also wish to learn more about federal electoral reform or check out resources to help you host your own community dialogue.”

— Federal electoral reform community dialogue tour

September 17th @WR_Greens hosts a Community Dialogue on Electoral Reform
Join us for a community dialogue about proportional representation and electoral reform!

Canada’s Voting System is ChangingCarl Zehr Square ~ Kitchener City Hall

3:00pm – 4:30pm ~ Saturday September 17th, 2016

Carl Zehr Square, in front of Kitchener City Hall
200 King St W, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada map

RSVP on the Facebook Event:
Community Dialogue: Proportional Representation

September 21, 2016
Waterloo Region Library
& Fair Vote Waterloo presentElmira Library

Understanding Electoral Reform
6:30 – 8:00 pm ~ WEDNESDAY September 21st, 2016

Elmira Library
65 Arthur St S, Elmira, ON N3B 2M6, Canada  map

September 28th, 2016
Waterloo Region Library
& Fair Vote Waterloo presentlibrary card catalogue

Understanding Electoral Reform
6:30 – 8:00 pm ~ Wednesday September 28th, 2016

New Hamburg Library
145 Huron St, New Hamburg, ON N3A 1S3, Canada map

September 29th, 2016
Waterloo Region Library
& Fair Vote Waterloo presentlibrary shelves

Understanding Electoral Reform
6:30pm – 8:00 pm ~ Thursday, September 29th, 2016

Ayr Library
137 Stanley St, Ayr, ON N0B 1E0, Canada map

 

Image Credits

All images © copyright Laurel L. Russwurm are released under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) license

Waterloo Region Climate Consultation

Laurel L. Russwurm Cambridge, environment, event, Kitchener Centre, Kitchener South-Hespeler, Kitchener-Conestoga, Waterloo , , , , , ,

Climate Consultation Waterloo Region - Thursday, August 18, 7:00 PM~ Kitchener City Hall Rotunda

Waterloo Region Climate Consultation

Thursday, August 18, 7:00 PM

Kitchener City Hall Rotunda
200 King St. W., Kitchener
Kitchener, N2G 4G7, Canada

All five MPs in Waterloo Region are teaming up for this multi-constituency consultation.  We need you to commit now to attend this most important of consultations!

We’ll show our support for the People’s Climate Plan. Organizers with the People’s Climate Plan are calling for the national climate strategy that respects climate science and Canada’s commitments in the Paris Agreement, ensures a plan to transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050, and enshrines justice for all workers and Indigenous communities.

Get directions to this event ~ due to LRT construction, out of towners should try to come early in case of detours

EVERYONE needs to come to this important event.

This is a multipartisan event that is the result of collaboration of many different groups. Both Liberal and Conservative MPs will be in attendance, with GPC and likely NDP folk helping to facilitate.

Standing up for Social Justice

Laurel L. Russwurm event

As previously mentioned, two very contentious resolutions were put forward at the 2016 Green Party of Canada Convention. Even if you were unable to attend, you can watch recordings of The Real News Network’s livestream in a convenient WRGreens YouTube playlist.

For me, the choice was summed up by what Lisa Barrett said in this quotation [found in this video]:

"The Green party supports social justice and human rights, and those should never be compromised. And if they had been when we were boycotting South Afruca, Nelson mandela would have died in jail. It worked, and I think iof we hold string, we will be leaders among Canadian political parties in showing the courage to say, we did it once, we can do it again. Let's stand up or social justice." - Lisa Barrett - GPC Shadow Cabinet international Affairs Critic

During the resolution workshop on Saturday, a proposed amendment to the “Revoking the Charitable Status of the Jewish National Fund Canada (JNF)” resolution that would remove any mention of the JNF, making it generic was put forward, but voted down because it substantively changed the original intent of the amendment. The workshop voted to pass the original resolution and send it on to a plenary vote, where the amendment was reintroduced and pushed through.  The Palestinian Self-Determination and the Movement for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions resolution was indeed grounds for spirited debate, both in the workshop and the plenary.
Because both resolutions dealt with Isreal, the chief arguments against them were accusation of antisemitism.  As I understand it, since they were announced there was a strong campaign to stop both resolutions.  The idea that any Canadians should be prevented from even discussing human rights is reprehensible to me, personally.
What it boils down to is that sanctioning a nation that uses its power to commit human rights violations against a captive population is a defense of human rights, not an antisemitic attack.  This is a human rights issue, a sphere in which Canadians used to aspire to lead the world.   Foreign policy does not enter into it.

On Sunday, August 7th, at the 2016 Green Party of Canada 2016 Convention, the Green Party leader of Quebec, Alex Tyrrell reported:

“The Green Party of Canada delegates have just voted to endorse Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against the Israeli government at the federal convention in Ottawa!

Congratulations to all the party members, who worked hard to advocate for human rights in the face of harsh criticism, intimidation and smear campaigns carried out by the Israel lobby.

There is no excuse, justification or reason to permit the Israeli government to continue their reign of terror against the Palestinian people in the occupied territories.”

The National Post article  offers a reasonably balanced view of the issue. (Although the comments below make up or it.)

The way [Green Party president, Ken] Melamed sees it, the fact the issue was being debated at all was a sign of how democratic the Green Party is. Other political parties don’t even touch topics like these, he suggested.

If grassroots within the Green Party of Canada membership want to debate something and bring it into the policy book — no matter how controversial — there’s nothing stopping them.

—”Greens add support for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel to official party policies“

Haaretz reports: “Canadian Green Party Votes to Support Boycott of Israel: The resolution was opposed by party leader Elizabeth May, who said the vote was ‘a position that I can’t support.’

Unlike an actual anti-Semitic attack, this resolution is not forever, instead it will last only “until such time as Israel implements a permanent ban on further settlement construction in the OPT, and enters into good faith negotiations.”

BE IT RESOLVED that the GPC supports the use of divestment, boycott and sanctions (“BDS”) that are targeted to those sectors of Israel’s economy and society which profit from the ongoing occupation of the [Occupied Palestinian Territories] OPT;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the GPC will support such a form of BDS until such time as Israel implements a permanent ban on further settlement construction in the OPT, and enters into good faith negotiations with representatives of the Palestinian people for the purpose of establishing a viable, contiguous and truly sovereign Palestinian state.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the GPC opposes all efforts to prohibit, punish or otherwise deter expressions of support for BDS.

— Palestinian Self-Determination and the Movement for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions

The article CJPME: GREEN PARTY BDS RESOLUTION SUPPORTS HUMAN RIGHTS makes no secret that Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East supports this outcome.

While Canada does indeed need to clean our own house and really truly address our own truth and reconciliation process, that does not preclude standing up for civil rights elsewhere.

I am proud to be a member of the only major Canadian political party to stand up for social justice in Israel.

GPC Convention 2016

Laurel L. Russwurm democracy, event, Green Party of Canada, Green Party Policy , , , , , , ,
Shadow Cabinet Justice Critic, Dimitri Lascaris at the GPC Candidate's Lunch in Guelph, 2015
Green Party of Canada’s Shadow Cabinet Justice Critic, Dimitri Lascaris

August 5th to 7th, 2016 is the Green Party of Canada’s Convention in Ottawa.

It looks to be a fabulous jam packed weekend of events.  If you haven’t registered, I believe it is still possible to attend the Convention although the Regular registration rate has ended.  If you go, remember to save your receipts as a portion of convention fees are eligible for federal political contribution tax-receipts.

Although I’d love to be there for the keynote speeches and the Proportional Representation workshop, perhaps the thing I will regret missing most will be the debate and the opportunity to vote on the two policy resolutions put forward by our new Shadow Cabinet Justice Critic, Dimitri Lascaris, who wrote the:

Palestinian Self-Determination and the Movement for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions resolution

as well as cosponsoring the Revoking the Charitable Status of the Jewish National Fund Canada (JNF) resolution.

This may well be the first time this contentious issue will be publicly debated in Canada, particularly after the Canadian Parliament’s shameful motion to suppress free speech about BDS has cast even more of a chill over this contentious subject.

“In July 2011, that parliament of Israel voted on a question of whether to condemn calls for boycotts against Israel as a civil wrong. The vote carried, but it was not overwhelming. There were 47 members of the Knesset who voted for it, and 38 members voted against it. The 38 members who voted against it were certainly not hate filled against the State of Israel.” —Elizabeth May

Fortunately those of us unable to attend this year will be able to watch the Convention livestream on The Real News Network.

Since that unfortunately includes me, if you are going, please give my regards to everybody there!

Regards,
Laurel

CbridgeAvatarKitCenAvatarKitConAvatarKitSHAvatarWaterlooAvatarWRGREENS FINALavatar

ERRE: The All Party Electoral Reform Committee

Laurel L. Russwurm democracy, event, Green Party of Canada , ,

The Special Committee on Electoral Reform has been meeting this week.

COMMITTEE CHAIR

Francis Scarpaleggia ~ Liberal
M.P./député Lac-Saint-Louis Chair Liberal Caucus/président caucus libéral
@ScarpaleggiaLSL

MEMBERS

John Aldag ~ Liberal
Member of Parliament for Cloverdale – Langley City
@jwaldag

Matt DeCourcey ~ Liberal
Member of Parliament for Fredericton / Député de Fredericton
@MattDeCourcey

Ruby Sahota ~ Liberal
MP – Brampton North
@MPRubySahota

Sherry Romanado ~ Liberal
Députée féderale pour Longueuil-Charles-Lemoyne / Member of Parliament for Longueuil-Charles-LeMoyne
@SherryRomanado

VICE CHAIR
Scott Reid ~ Conservative
MP for Lanark – Frontenac – Kingston
@ScottReidCPC

Gérard Deltell ~ Conservative
Député de Louis-Saint-Laurent à la Chambre des communes
@gerarddeltell

Hon. Jason Kenney ~ Conservative
Member of Parliament for Calgary Midnapore
@jkenney

VICE CHAIR

Nathan Cullen ~ NDP critic for Democratic Reform and Environment & Climate Change
Member of Parliament for Skeena-Bulkley Valley
@nathancullen

Alexandre Boulerice ~ NDP
Député de Rosemont La Petite-Patrie
@alexboulerice

For the ERRE Committee Meetings I’ve seen,
Daniel Blaikie has been sitting in for Alexandre Boulerice
but I’m not sure if this is temporary or permanent.

Daniel Blaikie ~ NDP
Member of Parliament for Elmwood — Transcona
@Daniel_Blaikie

Elizabeth May ~ Leader of Green Party,
Member of Parliament for Saanich-Gulf Islands
@ElizabethMay

Luc Thériault ~ Bloc Québécois
Député de Montcalm et leader parlementaire du Bloc Québécois
@LucTerjo1

The Committee will present its findings to the MINISTER of Democratic Institutions 
Maryam Monsef ~ Liberal
Member of Parliament for Peterborough—Kawartha
@MaryamMonsef

ERRE Special Committee on Electoral Reform meetings in Ottawa that had been broadcast live by CPAC (on local cable station, Parlvu and still available to watch on CPAC) and some #ERRE #Q questions posed on Twitter by WRGreens by @SamNabi and @laurelrusswurm.  If you use twitter, use the #ERRE #Q hashtag for anything you want the committee to consider.

The Committee will also be travelling throughout Canada to meet with Canadians during the consultation period.  All MPs are encouraged to hold Town Hall meetings with citizens in their respective ridings.  I’ve heard the ERRE Committee will be making a Consultation stop once in Waterloo Region in the third week in August, but as yet nothing official. But should be 5 Electoral Reform Town Halls scheduled in the WRGreens Electoral Districts:

Everyone should contact their local MPs constituency office for details of these events.  Because the time line is so tight, it is important these be scheduled very soon.

We have begun planning a #WRAwesome #PR4PR event to help raise awareness and answer questions about Proportional Representation for people in Waterloo Region.

Mo, David, Sam, Julia, Richard, Bob (and Laurel behind the camera)
Mo, David, Sam, Julia, Richard, Bob (with Laurel behind the camera)

If your MP is not making any move to hold a town hall, or if you are concerned that your MP may not support Proportional Representation, please visit our Push for Proportional Representation Action page (offline).  If you are outside Waterloo Region, please feel free to use our ideas.

[For more info check out PR 4 Canada Resources]

Open Streets ~ July 24, 2016

Laurel L. Russwurm event, Green Party of Canada, Green Party of Ontario, Waterloo , ,

OpenStreets June 2016-1

OpenStreets June 2016-2
Open Streets Table June 2016
Even with the LRT construction, OPEN STREETS Waterloo is going ahead! And we’re glad, too, because we had a great time at our first Open Streets in June!

AND we’re expecting an even better time tomorrow in July (July 24th, 2016).

Drop by and say “hi,” sign the petition, and talk to us about Green issues, including electoral reform!

It’s going to be a hot day so dress appropriately, wear sunscreen and bring a refillable water bottle!

Open Streets_2nd

Tweet A Question #ERRE

Laurel L. Russwurm event

The Electoral Reform Committee Meetings are to be broadcast on CPAC, which we can watch online at http://www.cpac.ca/en/ or on your local cable tv broadcast [find your CPAC channel here]

Every time the Electoral Reform Committee meets they are inviting the public to submit questions on Twitter at #ERRE #Q.
One way we can participate in the process is to tweet questions or comments during the committee meetings.

The #ERRE Committee Schedule for the last week in July

Monday, July 25, 2016 

AFTERNOON: 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (EDT)

As individuals
R. Kenneth Carty, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Colombia
Brian Tanguay, Professor, Political Science, Wilfrid Laurier University
Nelson Wiseman, Director, Canadian Studies Program, Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

MORNING: 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EDT)

As individuals
Michael Marsh, Emeritus Professor, Trinity College Dublin
(by videoconference: Dublin, Ireland)
Michael Gallagher, Professor of Comparative Politics, Trinity College Dublin
(by videoconference: Dublin, Ireland)

AFTERNOON: 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (EDT)

As individuals
Patrice Dutil, Professor, Ryerson University  [https://twitter.com/ryersonresearch/status/746402644311347204]
Peter Russell, Professor Emeritus, Department of Political Science,University of Toronto

EVENING: 7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. (EDT)

As individual
Tom Rogers, Electoral Commissioner, Australian Electoral Commission (by videoconference: Canberra, Australia)

New Zealand Electoral Commission
Robert Peden, Chief Electoral Officer (by videoconference: Wellington, New Zealand)

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

MORNING: 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EDT)

As individuals
Henry Milner, Senior Researcher, Chair in Electoral Studies, Université de Montréal
Alex Himelfarb, Clerk of the Privy Council, 2002-2006
André Blais, Professor, Department of Political Science, Université de Montréal

AFTERNOON 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Institute for Research on Public Policy
Leslie Seidle, Research Director, Canada’s Changing Federal Community

As individuals
Larry LeDuc, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto
Hugo Cyr, Dean, Faculty of Political Science and Law, Université du Québec à Montréal

Thursday, July 28, 2016

MORNING: 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EDT)

As individuals
Dennis Pilon, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, York University

Jonathan Rose, Associate Professor, Department of Policital Studies, Queen’s University

Institute on Governance
Maryantonett Flumian, President

To confirm the schedule and find out when future meetings will be held:
http://www.parl.gc.ca/Committees/en/ERRE/Meetings

WRGREENS ACTION PORTAL

And it doesn’t stop there.  The first WRGreens Action Campaign is the Push for Proportional Representation.  Help us work more effectively together to convince our Members of Parliament of the importance of Proportional Representation.

Our 2015 Kitchener—Conestoga candidate Bob Jonkman (who also happens to be the Fair Vote Waterloo Co-Chair) was so informative during the Electoral Reform Debate during the election, I assembled it into this 7 minute short video:

Since meaningful electoral reform is not a partisan issue, but one of fairness for voters, this information is important for all Canadians, no matter which way their politics lean, so I’ve un-branded this video to make it more universally sharable.

 

GPC Proportional Representation Toolbox

Laurel L. Russwurm Elizabeth May, Green Party of Canada

GPC Proportional Representation Toolbox graphic 39% vote = 55% seats = 100% power

If you’ve read the previous article, Why the Green Party Supports Proportional Representation, you’ll have a pretty good understanding of why adopting a fair voting system is so important.

"The vast majority of modern democracies —including the five most prosperous countries in the world— use one form or another of Proportional Representation. PR gets higher voter turnout, higher levels of women in political office, more diverse ethnicity within Parliaments. " — Elizabeth May Green Party Leader MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands

In order for this to happen, we need to be sure that the Special Committee on Electoral Reform hears us, and that the Government knows Canadians really want this change. And not just the government: MPs from every political party need to hear us.  This is why the Green Party has an excellent array of tools you can use to help encourage the adoption of Proportional Representation!

One of reasons New Zealand was able to replace its First Past The Post system with Mixed Member Proportional Representation was that their main stream media properly informed voters. That is not happening here. Instead, one of our biggest obstacles is that our mainstream media doesn’t really want this change because it benefits from the status quo. This is why it is so important that we understand the issue so we can help others understand it.

And because we don’t have fair representation in Parliament, we will need to be as loud as we can, both online and off.

The GPC Toolbox includes examples of the kind of letter you might send to your local newspaper. If you’re looking for additional examples, our Fair Vote Waterloo Chapter (co-chaired by our own Bob Jonkman) has been keeping track of all the letters they have had published and posted them online.

There are also tips for using social media effectively, and graphics you can use. Since I’ve been learning and writing about the importance of Proportional Representation I’ve been creating graphics you can use as well.

There are plenty of things we can do to pitch in, check them out at the GPC Toolbox
Proportional Representation in 5 points