On November 20th, 2006 I attended a public meeting to give a presentation to the Ontario Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform
I'm please with how well my presentation (below) was received by the panel comprised mostly of the local representatives of the Citizen's Assembly. After the meeting, two members from the assembly came up to me to say that they were going to see that the entire Citizens' Assembly get a copy of my presentation for discussion. It would seem that among other things, I succeeded in challenging (at least these) members to look beyond the immediate /obvious mandate of the assembly.
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Good evening. Thank you for the opportunity of addressing you.
I am Bernie Slepkov, born in St. Catharines, in 1952. For the last 10 years I have been dedicated to sustainability,¶Δ§ and hence, societal transformation¶Δ without which sustainability will never be achieved and the eventual collapse of our society more than likely. I say this because exclusionary governance, decided by the existing system of election, is proving incapable of addressing the issues.
The current system fosters political arrogance, sense of entitlement, ideological confusion and divisiveness. Since our system fails to reflect the principles you have presented, it must change.
I see the fulfillment of 'Voter Choice'-at least my interpretation of it-as key to fostering all the others principles. Conversely, its absence plays a role in compromising the other principles.
The 'Proportional Representative' family seems to me the most likely to offer meaningful reform. It would put the onus of direct accountability upon each elected representative, facilitating intents of replacing them who fail to live up to their campaign promises, or prove politically inept.
Ontario Citizen's Assembly on Electoral Reform - Public Presentation by Bernie Slepkov, November 30, 2006 [Continued]
I am opposed to any system likely to maintain heavy-handed, leader-focused, party elections. Party leadership distracts voters from whomever they are considering to represent them. In past elections I have visited several candidate websites only to redirected to their party's website, not profiling them but their party leader. Since most of us are unable to vote for these leaders, their influence, which actually undermines the kind of democracy most voters want, requires downplaying. Additionally, I posit that party-driven majority governments prevent a flexibility of action, collaboration and cooperation amongst the electorates.
As further evidence to these frustrations I offer 'edited' excerpts from two of my own past writings.
Written for 1999 Provincial Elections
If I AM presently disabled, it is in my ability to decide how to place my vote in this election. I have the understanding that democracy should concern itself with: my safety; my human rights; my ability to be a productive member of society; my health and well-being, my self-sustainment, and my ability to make a difference in my society. I am being asked to place my vote of confidence in a system of representation that inadequately represents me.
I recently attended an all candidates' debate, consciously weighing incumbent candidates from each of the three major parties, as well as a couple of independents. One first-time candidate I knew struck me as worthy of my trust, and therefore, my vote. And yet, when his canvasser later asked for my support I could not give it. I was conflicted with whom I might want to lead the province and the possibility of granting control to a party in which I had no faith. The thought of a party-line or leader preventing my chosen electorate from representing me or his own convictions, stopped me cold.
I felt as torn as I did cheated. No one party appears to me to be in touch with the directions in which we need to head. All to often, they speak 'the speak yet consistently fail to 'walk the talk'. At all levels, our competitive democratic systems prevent parties from working together in adapting to our changing world. If only I could trust party leaders to stand firmly by their convictions. Alas, politics seems more about winning positional stances benefitial mostly for a select few than what is in the best interest of my society.
I truly believe that first-time candidates mean to keep their campaign promises, I just pity them to think of how frustrating it must be when they enter into a system that quickly saps them of their integrity, ambition and enthusiastic drive to make a profound difference.
What I find most difficult to comprehend is how any politician can continue to ignore studies which put politicians on a public trust scale of less than that of used car salesmen - 5 percent. I would think they would want to change that along with all the other major changes they persistently acknowledge are urgently needed.
Excerpt from letter to the Editor, St. Catharines Standard, September 16, 2003
Should I vote for a politically challenged candidate to represent my riding because I want the more politically-savvy leader to become Premier; or should I vote for the politically-savvy candidate for my riding while ignoring that my vote could go towards electing a politically-challenged, or even arrogant Premier?
My concern with our ineffective political systems, provincial and federal, turns to horror when publicly repeated claims like that of Prime Minister Chretien having a mandate from the Canadian people goes unchallenged. His name never appeared on my ballot!
Until such time that we the voters can directly elect our Premier and Prime Minister, and our voter-elected officials can freely represent the issues on which they campaigned, I expect that we will continue to see a decline in voter trust and turnout.
What if our provincial and federal leaders were chosen by our elected officials from amongst those elected? Might we, the public, enjoy more ethical democratic systems in which to place our faith and trust?
In closing I need to express concerns regarding this process intended to result in electoral reform and offer a couple of recommendations.
Recommendations made by the Citizens' Assembly of British Columbia failed at the polls largely because the voter's lacked understanding for what was being proposed. Until the Government of Ontario proves its total commitment to electoral reform, this entire process is suspect. What this process is, and I suspect will continue to lack, are the usual public service announcements our governments, or their parties, are given to run when it most serves their needs. I strongly recommend that you insist that the province undertake a serious public awareness campaign.
Finally, please consider constructing backup recommendations in the event that we voters are left with the existing electoral system. Obviously it is in need of reformation or this process would never have been undertaken.
Thank you again for the opportunity.
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