Changing Canadas electoral system

Details: Published on Thursday, 12 May 2016 17:00; Written by editor

12 May 2016

Hey rabble readers!

This week Karl Nerenberg reported the big news about Trudeau's overdue electoral reform plans. Changing Canada's electoral system before the 2019 federal election is one of the Liberal Party's biggest promises. Should all the skeptics eat their hats? Which voting systems are on the table? Will we really bid adieu to our first-past-the-post system? Karl scrutinizes the situation right here.

And the latest in rabble's ongoing electoral reform series investigates Indigenous perspectives on proportional representation. Too many assume that electoral reform can solve lack of representation and participation by Indigenous peoples in elections. So what can be done? Jennifer E. Dalton makes the case for nation-to-nation recognition as the solution in her analysis.

Keeping tabs on Trudeau and all his election promises is expensive work. We have Karl Nerenberg on the Hill and more series coming up but we need your help to do more. Become a monthly donor here and help us put our editorial plans into action. You can also follow Karl Nerenberg directly and read about our parliamentary bureau expansion over on our Patreon page here.

We're hiring! Join the rabble team and make social change happen. We're looking for a B.C. news junkie who knows the keyboard is more powerful than the sword. If you understand the power of media in making political and social change, you might be our next B.C. Editor! Learn more about this position here. Deadline for applications is May 20, 2016.

Check out Indie Inside feature artist LAL, whose latest album, Find Safety, offers a compellingly danceable and provocative political statement. Watch their new video here and for a chance to win a copy of their new album, retweet @rabbleca with hashtag #indieinside or answer the following question: what colour toque is the person wearing at mid-point? Email answers to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. First winner will be announced online May 14!

This week's top news

Nation-to-nation recognition, not electoral reform, key to increasing Indigenous voter turnout
Indigenous electoral disengagement is rooted in discrimination and marginalization, which have perpetuated alienation and discouraged Indigenous people from participating in Canadian elections.
By Jennifer Dalton

Attack on Canada's only surgery clinic for trans people elicits 'zero reaction'
Last Monday, an arsonist attacked Canada's only sex reassignment surgery provider, and no one is talking about it.
By Laura Brightwell

Pierre Karl Péladeau and the party that can't be saved
Pierre Karl Péladeau resigned abruptly last week from the Parti québécois. Mathieu Murphy-Perron addresses what this means for Quebec politics, and he does not mince his words.
By Mathieu Murphy-Perron

Solidarity Across Borders occupies Montreal CBSA, demands status for all
Solidarity Across Borders staged an occupation of the Montreal office of the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) on Tuesday, May 3 to demand status for all.
By Sophia Reuss

The refugee issue: The clash of two worlds
Nikolaos Gryspolakis gives his first-hand account of participating in the refugee solidarity movement in Greece. Here he shares refugees' stories and his experience during this time.
By Nikolaos Gryspolakis

#BlackLivesMatter: Beyond Tent City part 1
An interview with Janaya Khan, an organizer with BLMTO, about how they address criticism, how activism differs in Canada vs. the U.S. and how diverse tactics are necessary to achieve Black liberation.
By A. Splawinski

Suncor Energy ceases operations due to Fort McMurray fires
Suncor Energy has ceased operations due to safety concerns for employees and has begun demobilizing non-critical staff.
By Teuila Fuatai

This week's top blogs

What we need to know about neoliberalism (before it's too late)
This is Part 1 of a three-part series that examines the ideology of neoliberalism and the enormous harm its implementation imposes on people and the planet.
By Ed Finn

If Ottawa wants more women in politics, there's an easy solution
Canada has a terrible record with electing women to the House of Commons. This fairly simple tool ought to fix that immediately.
By Jeanette Ashe, Marjorie Griffin Cohen

Panama Papers confirm Canada's tax system is in desperate need of repair
Investment in the public sphere is needed more than ever. Yet many citizens are understandably skeptical about supporting a tax system that lets the wealthiest off the hook for their fair share.
By Alex Hemingway

Don't let the Fort Mac fire turn into feel-good boosterism for the extractive industry. They knew this was coming.
Remember the workers: the ones who have lost everything and the ones who haven't but who sleep on cots in camps tonight.
By Nora Loreto, Sarah Beuhler

McGill's handling of sexual assault a bureaucratic nightmare
A brave McGill student has recounted the countless ways she was re-victimized by a heartless university bureaucracy and the nuts and bolts of rape culture.
By Paniz Khosroshahy

This week's top columns

In Canada's concentrated banking industry, what we need is a public bank
While the Trudeau government's review of Canada Post is primarily focused on the issue of reinstating home delivery, the prospect of postal banking may be the more far-reaching and intriguing idea.
By Linda McQuaig

A bad month for phonies and plagiarists
Recent revelations of the misuse and alteration of images and plagiarism were enabled by journalists, photographers and academics using the search and collaboration capacities of the web.
By Wayne MacPhail

Pope Francis challenges Europe to live up to a great humanist heritage
Pope Francis was this year's recipient of the Charlemagne Prize for contributions to European unity, and the papal message addressed to the faithful offered a lesson on inclusion to all.
By Duncan Cameron

Four ways to prove Canada is serious about ending torture
Is Canada ready to distance itself from torture, forcefully denounce it, and prosecute those who practice it? Here are four issues that serve as a litmus test for genuine change.
By Monia Mazigh

MORE FROM...
Naomi Klein, Linda McQuaig, Rick Salutin, Duncan Cameron, Wayne MacPhail, Murray Dobbin and others! Read columns...

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This week's top podcasts

Solidarity from Atlantic Canada to Latin and Central America
Jackie McVicar talks about the work of the Atlantic Regional Solidarity Network.
By Scott Neigh

Common Notions: A film about the Purple Thistle Centre
The Purple Thistle operated for years as a youth-run space for arts and activism in Vancouver's East Side. The film, Common Notions, explores what made the Purple Thistle work for young people.
By Redeye Collective

The limits of capitalism
Discussing capitalism, and the idea that our system seems to be based on a faulty belief that we have infinite resources.
By Daryn Caister

Indefinite detention, deaths of refugees spark hunger strike
Advocates say that Canada's practice of detaining refugees indefinitely runs counter to both international law and the Charter of Rights of Freedoms. They're calling for a 90-day limit.
By Redeye Collective

This week's top rabbletv

Not Rex: Elegy for Fort Mac (and humanity)
Humberto "Not Rex" DaSilva decides to ask the big questions about the Fort McMurray fire be it "too soon" or not.
By Humberto DaSilva

This week's top books

Rise up! 'Drawn to Change' illustrates Canadian labour's stories and struggles
The Graphic History Collective illustrates an informative and illuminating timeline of Canada's complicated labour history. Consider this your call to arms.
By Haseena Manek

In this issue

Upcoming events

Guelph Speed River Project Community Tree Planting Day at Howitt Park
Tree planting, river-land restoration, refreshments and community connections.
By OPIRG Guelph

VancouverRape is Real and Everywhere: A National Comedy Tour Launch
Stand-up comedians who are survivors use humour as a celebration of resiliency.
By Rape is Real and Everywhere

MontrealMutual Aid Night For Migrants
Come out to this free mutual aid night to discuss options, share strategies, gather information, learn about resources, and break the isolation.
By Solidarity Across Borders

This week's top in cahoots

Governments and Canadian Blood Services must act to prevent another tainted-blood crisis
NUPGE calls on the federal and all provincial and territorial governments to join the provinces of Quebec and Ontario in prohibiting for-profit corporations that pay for blood and plasma donations.
By National Union of Public and General Employees

Ontario's social assistance poverty gap
The Ontario Liberals' poverty reduction strategy comes under fire from the CCPA in their latest report that shows the poverty gap has widened substantially since 1993.
By Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

PSAC donates to Alberta fire victims, encourages members to do the same
The efforts of the Alberta government, coupled with the tireless dedication of thousands of volunteers from all sectors of society, has made this relief effort an example for all Canadian society.
By Public Service Alliance of Canada

Active babble topics

Travelling in this Canadian forest fire era
By NorthReport

Nuit Debout
By epaulo13

B.C. changes conflict of interest law?
By quizzical

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This week's top tool

People are standing up for Attawapiskat
We need to demand more and get involved if we want to see real change.

Poll

How can the government fix the Temporary Foreign Worker Program?

The federal review of the controversial Temporary Foreign Worker Program began this week with the committee chair noting that there will be significant changes or the program may be scrapped entirely.

Justin Trudeau released a five-point plan wherein he details how he plans to fix this "broken" system and refocus it on its original purpose of filling jobs on a limited basis.

Many view the current system as a "band-aid" solution and that Canada's current immigration system, specifically the lack of pathways to permanent residency for temporary foreign workers, is a huge problem.

How can the government fix the Temporary Foreign Workers Program?

Choices It is far too flawed and needs to be scrapped entirely and rebuilt, especially to include rights for workers. It needs to be overhauled to include paths for permanent residency for workers and increased oversight measures for employers who exploit the program. How can this program really be altered when our immigration laws remain deeply flawed? First, get rid of the 4X4 rule and worker deportations -- it is harmful to workers and businesses! The problem is with how the employers treat the workers, not with the program altogether. I don't know really, and I don't really care. None of the above.