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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.
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.
Dear Editor,
I would like to respond to recent comments by Patrick Mullin regarding a meeting on proportional representation. Mr. Mullin first contacted my office in late spring regarding two possible dates that he was planning meetings at the Owen Sound Library. I could not attend as Parliament was in session.
In July I was invited to a meeting on Aug 12th on the same subject. I was already committed to a number of events in the riding on that day but as a courtesy I agreed to send one of my staff. Not to participate, but to simply gather information from the meeting on my behalf. By his actions of mentioning my staff by name in media advisories etc., it was clear that Mr. Mullin's expectations of my staff's participation were much more than just being there to take notes. It would appear that Mr. Mullin was attempting to have my staff fill my spot when that was never the intention. He knew full well that was never the intention. No one "speaks" on my behalf.
Dear Editor,
Canada is a crack addict and has been since day one. As with all addicts we will have to wait until we hit bottom before we agree to go into rehab. The crack I am refering to is our natural resources. When things get tough we flail around to find another resource to exploit. In this area we brag to tourists (and ourselves) about all the barrels of fish that were caught and processed and sent someplace else. We brag about...
Dear Editor
The Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW), Owen Sound and Area, took the time and made the effort to bring to our M.P.'s attention that the 2015 Federal Budget did not have much content that addressed the needs of women.
CFUW's mandate is to improve the lives of women and girls, especially through making education, job opportunities, contraception and child care financially and physically accessible.
Concerning education, CFUW explained the need for more Transfer Payments to the Provinces, earmarked for post-secondary education, resulting in lower fees for students. The M.P.'s office did not reply to this request but skirted the issue by describing the amount of money that the federal government is transferring to the provinces and that 'it will continue to grow moving forward.'. Not a satisfactory or relevant reply. The other measures, including the Red Seal and Blue Seal Apprenticeship Certification deal with heavy equipment training, the trades, and are mostly male oriented. Not a good example.
There was no specificity in the reply to our request for measures to ensure the economic security of women.
We had a very specific request concerning public housing, that Housing First's (a program to provide housing for homeless people) financial support not decrease funding for Women's Shelters. The response was ...
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