PoliBlog

15 September marks International Day of Democracy, and kicks off Democracy Week in Canada. It’s about time I post the week’s events taking place in Waterloo Region. Up-to-date info will be on the Fair Vote Waterloo Region page.

Cooperate for Canada Event

I’ve just returned from a panel discussion on Cooperate for Canada. It was very interesting indeed, and I’ve learned a lot. More on Cooperation in another blog post, soon.

Exploring Why and How the Liberal, NDP and Green Parties Should Work Together to Replace the Harper Conservatives with a Majority Government that Reflects the Shared Vision of the Majority of Canadians, with an Immediate Commitment to Electoral Reform

Speakers to be followed by Q+A and Town Hall Style Discussion.

Featuring:
Liberal – David Merner, prospective Liberal Party of Canada cooperation leadership candidate, former President of the B.C. Liberal Party

NDP – James Gordon, past provincial Guelph NDP candidate, well known singer-songwriter, entrepreneur and community activist

Green – Cathy Maclellan, Energy Critic for the Green Party of Canada, past Green Party federal candidate for Kitchener-Waterloo

Democracy Fair on the Square

Fair Vote Waterloo is hosting a Democracy Fair on Waterloo Square on Sunday afternoon. Community groups, political parties and local businesses with an interest in democratic, sustainable communities are invited to participate with an information booth or table.
When: Sunday, 16 September from 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Where: Waterloo Square, Waterloo, Ontario (map)

Electoral Reform 101

Wondering what the talk of electoral reform is all about? Why do we need it? What does proportional representation mean? Come learn the basics with this presentation and bring your questions!
When: Monday, 17 September 2012 at 7:00pm
Where: Rm 108, Hallman School of Social Work, 120 Duke St W, Kitchener, Ontario (map)
Hosted by: Fair Vote Waterloo Region
More info: Anita Nickerson lanickerson@b2b2c.ca

Inaugural Pub Night

Come have a drink and talk about electoral reform and democracy!
When: Tuesday, 18 September 2012 starting at 7:00pm
Where: Huether Hotel, 59 King Street North, Waterloo, Ontario (map)
Hosted by: Fair Vote Waterloo Region
More info: Sharon Sommerville sharonsommerville@gmail.com

Screening: “The Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story”

A 2008 documentary about the Bush campaign tactics that changed election campaigns forever.
When: Thursdday, September 20 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Where: Waterloo Public Library, Harper Branch, 500 Fischer Hallman Blvd. Waterloo, Ontario (map)
Hosted by: Kitchener-Waterloo Federal Liberal Association
More info: Sharon Sommerville sharonsommerville@gmail.com

During last year’s provincial election the Waterloo Region Chapter of Fair Vote Canada hosted a very successful all candidate’s meet & greet called Politics on the Patio. It’s election time again in K/W so we are reprising Politics on the Patio!

You are invited to meet with Eric Davis of the Liberal Party, Stacey Danckert of the Green Party, Elizabeth Rowley of the Communist Party, Allan Dettweiler of the Ontario Libertarian Party, John Turmel of the Paupers Party, Catherine Fife of the NDP and Garnet Bruce, Independent for an informal opportunity to enjoy a beer and have a chat with the candidates on Saturday, 1 September 2012 starting at 8:00pm at the Huether Hotel (map) in the Malt Room (ground floor at the back). We invited all the candidates so we may have some surprise last minute guests as well!

It was a great event last year and we expect it to be great this year as well. So, hope to see you at the Huether on the 1st!

Fair Vote Waterloo Region is planning two new events for 2012: A movie night, and an evening with Dennis Pilon:

Movie Night: Menocracy

Fair Vote Waterloo may be showing the entire movie Menocracy (1h22m), or maybe just some recommended clips with plenty of time for discussion.Email waterlooregion@fairvote.ca if you have a preference!

Menocracy website: http://www.menocracy.ca/

Voting Reform in Canada: Where Do We Go Now?

Dennis Pilon is one of the leading experts in the electoral reform movement in Canada. He’s going to share some of the lessons learned through four failed referendums (how the politicians outsmarted us:) and what he thinks the movement needs to do to from here to succeed. His timeline for change was few decades (one needs more patience than me to stay in this thing for 20 years) but he also has an optimistic side and can hopefully give us some valuable insight, hope and motivation… 

Here’s his bio:

http://people.laps.yorku.ca/people.nsf/researcherprofile?readform&shortname=dpilon