Mr Miller missed yet another chance to tell voters how the Conservatives would improve our democratic deficit by skipping out of a public forum on proportional representation in Flesherton on August 12.
Briefly stated, PR is simply a way of voting that more accurately reflects the wishes of all voters than does our current 'First Past the Post' (FPTP) system.
Some form of proportional representation is currently is use in 85% of OECD countries (countries with mature democracies and modern economies). There are different forms, and the form that Mr Miller described in a letter to the SunTimes is known as 'closed Mixed Member Proportional' (MMP). He's right, voters cannot see who will represent them, and I agree that method is open to abuse.
That is precisely why the NDP rejects that method and supports Open MMP or an Open Ballot. On an open ballot you get to vote for your MP just as you do now.
By Cathy Hird
In each of the four bible stories of Jesus, we read of a time when he fed a huge crowd. When the writer John thought about the meaning of the miracle, he argued that this sharing of bread pushed people to look for what gives life to the spirit as well as what feeds the body.
As John tells it, this happened on the eve of the passover. That festival made many restless as they squirmed under the thumb of Rome and remembered the exodus from Egypt. This miracle echoes Moses' story as Jesus led the people out into the wilderness and up onto a moutain. Then, he fed them bread.
For those who looked for a liberator, the parallels were perfect. "Make him king right now, and we'll take back our land," they declared.
Jesus slipped away. He cared that they were hungry. He cared about the poor in Galilee, suffering because of the rich landlords and the invaders. But making him king was the way to bring done the brutal fist of Rome on the land. He disappeared with
Dear Editor,
Larry Miller's letter (August 12) includes a false statement. The proposal for Proportional Representation for Ontario never included unelected representatives. It was an extremely intelligent proposal arrived at by a "Citizens Assembly" in a process which was admired worldwide. Their proposal for an MMP system (Mixed member proportional) required that the process used by the parties to select candidates for the list had to be "transparent." And remember: Larry Miller and the three candidates of the other parties were chosen by their own riding associations, not by citizens. During the actual election the citizens decide which of the parties' chosen candidates to vote for. A similar method would be used to select candidates for the list--with the rank-and-file members of the party selecting the most attractive candidates.
-by Sandra J. Howe
"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play and pray, where Nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike. In every walk with Nature one receives far more than one seeks."-John Muir
Ron Savage spends abundant time in Nature on the Bruce Trail, Sydenham Section, in his Trail Director role. He has been a dedicated volunteer for many years, and has rendered great service to the local hiking community by building and maintaining trails. Now he has brought a new gift to light in the form of a fascinating book about Silent Valley Nature Reserve. Whether you are an armchair adventurer or active hiker, this easy read with lots of Ron's lovely photos will entertain and educate. It highlights geology, cultural history, flora and fauna, and the unique connection Ron has felt in developing trails on this land. It is a story of learning and loving a place.
Silent Valley Nature Reserve is one of...
-by Anne Fnlay-Stewart, and friends
Facebook is an interesting phenomenon. In its relatively short life it has been the source of joy, cruelty, information, connection and deception.
Today I read an interchange that demonstrated the role Facebook can play in civil discourse. It is edited only for length and clarity, and those involved in the conversation are not identified so that you, dear reader, are not distracted.
We at the Hub look forward to your thoughts on this exchange about "Placemaking" as it applies to our own city.
Person A -I just picked up a copy of arguably the most popular, highly distributed and well read regionally developed, full colour magazine in Southern Georgian Bay. That includes Owen Sound.
The awesome article about Placemaking: creating power of place in Southern Georgian Bay has 10 pages in the magazine, including two full pages devoted to map of Southern Georgian Bay region.
Stayner, Meaford, Wasaga, Collingwood, Craigleith, Eugenia, Creemore, Thornbury, Kimberley, etc. -- all appear on the map and in the article.
Guess which city doesn't exist on the map or anywhere in the article?
Owen Sound.
Could it be that those of us who have been heralding the importance of place in culture and tourism building have actually been on to something?
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