Referendum Election Process

[Hookset]

Had this email sent to me.

As with most email, I have questions about authenticity.

Wondering if any members have heard or can validate this, and what your thoughts might be.

If it's true methinks we are being railroaded. Though if true I would have expected to have heard more about it.

 

Here's the scoop,

 

 

On October 10, 2007, as part of the next Provincial election, the people of Ontario will be asked if they want to replace the current electoral system. In essence, they will be asked if they want to shift the power from the people of Ontario (local voters and ridings) to the politicians at Queens Park. There has been no education on this referendum and its timing, coinciding with the October 10 Ontario election, may allow for an easy pass by sheer overshadowing.

 

What is being proposed and how does it impact all of us?

 

1. Decrease the current number of ELECTED MPPs from 103 to 90.

2. Incorporate a new NON-ELECTED number of MPPS

3. Enlarge the number of MPPS to 129.

4. 90 MPPs will be Elected by us the people

5. 39 MPPs to be Selected or Appointed by the politicians.

6 Not democratically elected and Party elites

7. Decreased accessibility to government

8. 17 fewer local ridings and decreased accessibility

9. Elected members will have local riding issues to manage

10. Directly accountable to constituents

11. Appointed MPPs have no such responsibilities

12. Brokerage Politics may make positive change more difficult

 

Did you ask for this referendum and the associated costs?

 

This proposed two-tier government system called 'M ixed M ember P roportional' (MMP) is the government's solution to reduced voter turnout in the current electoral system. There is a risk that this referendum question will be overshadowed by the debate of who will form the next provincial government and could result in the people giving up their historic power in the way we govern ourselves.

 

The government spent millions of our dollars on a Citizens Assembly on Electoral Reform. Purportedly, the members of the Citizens Assembly were chosen randomly but no one can establish which database or what information was used to determine such random participation, or history making participants. Has anyone actually seen a report directly authored by these people?

 

The people of Ontario did not ask for this referendum. The people of Ontario want more accountability. They do not want paid MPPs that have no accountability: not to ridings or constituents or any other defined entity or channel. The people of Ontario want more transparency of their various tax dollars, at all levels of government. They want to eliminate misuse,

abuse and squandering of their money and will not tolerate monies provided for apparent immoral means. Shifting the people's power will not help suppress scandals such as the most recent Cricket club affair. ($100,000 requested and $1,000,000 one million paid for no apparent benefit to the people of Ontario).

 

1. A more elite legislature

2. Reward for faithful service

3. Delivery of votes

4. Financial help

5. Decreased accessibility to politicians

6. Less Democracy

 

If people of Ontario are to make an informed decision, they must have the opportunity to hear more than one side of the debate on electoral change.

 

Using our tax dollars to pay for 22 more politicians and their staff at Queens Park, and without any sense of what the additional 22 will be doing or to whom they will be accountable, suggests that the people of Ontario are weak, indecisive and need decisions made for them or are basically ignorant and will give up their power .

[BITEME]

i like it just the way it is

[aniceguy]

first to the post as it is now works best. MMP will never allow an elected party to have a clear majority and mandate to push forward

[Oktravis]

I don’t like the idea of unelected politicians running the province or in cabinet positions so I will be voting no. The way it is, is just fine for me

Travis

[spanky]

i do like the idea of being able to vote for a candidate in the riding plus an additional vote for the party... i know in a riding close to me some people don't want NDP elected, yet Peter Kormos takes care of the people in his riding like no other and they always elect him...

 

The only thing we got regarding the referendum was a pamphlet that explained pretty much everything, except HOW/WHO is chosen by the elected party...

[Garyv]

Since I work for Elections Ontario and Elections Canada I'm not allowed to give my opinion on the referendum but what I can do is give you the link to all the info regarding it. Hope this will help clear up any questions anyone will have.

 

http://www.yourbigdecision.ca/

Edited October 1, 2007 by Garyv

[bigfish1965]

I understand the logic to the plan. It is possible for 20% of the population to vote for a party, yet they acquire no seats. This is supposed to bring about more representational governance. Needless to say the big parties are against it and the small parties for it.

I can't see it not being a giant costly monster and I can't see it making much difference.

[douG]

It's also possible in the current situation to have one party with only 40% of the votes, but all of the seats. There has got to be some way to fix that. I'd also like to see the Green Party get a voice at some time other than election time.

[Headhunter]

I can't see how adding more "piggy's" to the already over stuffed trough will help anyone other then politicians! We already have to pay them, plus their pensions (that are indexed to inflation) forever and a day... just another money grab from the folks accustomed to eating up all OUR money!

HH

[OhioFisherman]

LOL a house of Lords? How can politicians electing other politicians be a good idea? Politicians appointed by other politicians? the buddy system? I have no idea how your system works, ours is messed up enough for a simple man. You don`t have to count with an electoral college.