Daily Digest October 24, 2018.

The DAILY DIGEST: INFORMATION and OPINION
https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4894604965445104851#allposts>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>HEADLINES ACROSS CANADA <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>NATIONAL NEWSWATCH<<<<<<<< http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/

NDP Leader Singh downplays another NDP MP’s departure

A Conservative government would not re-criminalize cannabis: Scheer        Trudeau says Canadians expect ‘consequences’ for Khashoggi murderConservatives eye star candidate to defeat PPC Leader Maxime Bernier        Ontario Labour Minister’s office vandalized after PCs freeze minimum wage, unveil workplace reforms

B.C. MP Sheila Malcolmson to leave federal NDP to seek provincial seat        Quebec government wants to take religious symbol ban further, blocking Muslim chador in civil serviceNorman case will only get ‘uglier’ for Liberals already damaged by interference optics: politicos, experts        Bad timing threatens to derail Jagmeet Singh’s efforts to get a seat in the CommonsWhat happened to Trudeau’s plan to fight income inequality?        Sensibly, Legault is a Trudeau ally on carbonJustin Trudeau throws down the gauntlet on climate change        Trudeau’s carbon-tax ‘incentive’ is a bribe to vote LiberalHey, who wants a carbon-tax rebate! Trudeau’s Liberals prepare to find out.        With a federal election looming, it looks like dark days for Trudeau’s sunny ways
Can Justin Trudeau sell skeptical Canadians on a carbon tax?        Political power couple goes head-to-head with publishers in courtThis is why we shouldn’t just chill out over the federal deficit

Bank of Canada hikes rate as economy stays strong, trade uncertainty recedes        ‘Look like you’re doing something’: Canada hosts trade reform talks without the U.S.Canadian Coast Guard to increase focus on Arctic through creation of new branch        With eye to election, senators push Trudeau to fulfil non-partisan Senate vowMinisterial offices saw 15 per cent spike in spending in 2017-18        How the Liberals hope to escape the ‘Green Shift’ curse in 2019Why are so many former prohibitionist politicians entering the marijuana bu$ine$$?        Internal Parks Canada report looks for ways to make money by selling, transferring assetsDoug Ford government cancels funding for three new GTA university campuses        Postal workers hold second day of rotating strikes at plants in Toronto area
Law permitting destruction of LGBT criminal records has seen low uptake so far        Protein Industries Canada still waiting for its supercluster fundingManufacturers, small businesses slam Liberal carbon tax rebate, warn of second tax fight        Trudeau takes on Tory taunts of ‘a tax on everything’ with his rebate for everyoneEthics commissioner scolds NDP MLA over Kenney trip complaint        Kenney, Calgary UCP MLA cleared of conflict of interest allegations stemming from India tripTrudeau minister says François Legault is willing to help convince reluctant premiers to accept carbon pricing        Gallant government says carbon tax on New Brunswickers defies logic

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>LOONIE POLITICS<<<<<<<<<<<<<< http://looniepolitics.com/Carbon tax will cut emissions just dropped dramatically ­ because of California - Maura Forrest, National Post
        How carbon pricing will work, province by province - Ryan Flanagan, CTV News
Trudeau’s First Nations ‘framework’ project looks stalled - John Geddes, Macleans
        New Brunswick Liberals seek ‘common ground’ in throne speech to divided legislature - Kevin Bissett - The Canadian Press, Toronto Star
The fate of Trudeau’s carbon tax is in voters hands now - Macleans
        ‘An election gimmick’: Conservative politicians fire back at Trudeau’s carbon-tax rebate plan - Brian Platt, Calgary Herald
Trudeau takes on Tory taunts of ‘a tax on everything’ with his rebate for everyone - David Akin, Global News
        In a taste of what is to come, Ford and Trudeau are battling on several fronts - Robert Benzie, Toronto Star
Why I don’t trust Trudeau’s carbon tax - Lorrie Goldstein, Toronto Sun
        Trudeau’s carbon plan is so much worse than just a tax - Kevin Libin, Financial Post

N.S. cap-and-trade system for reducing carbon emissions accepted by Ottawa - The Canadian Press, Toronto Star
        First Nations, environment groups say latest energy board pipeline review flawed - Laura Kane, The Canadian Press, CTV News
Canada Post says Toronto walkout will have significant impact on service- The Canadian Press, The Globe & Mail
        Luxury home sales drop 35% in Toronto and Vancouver; high-end condo sales up- Linda Nguyen - The Canadian Press, Toronto Star
Yahoo to pay $50M, other costs for massive security breach- CTV News
        Long-term loans: The fuel that’s powering Canadian car sales- Pete Evans, CBC News
TOUTES LES NOUVELLES PUBLIES DEPUIS 24 HEURES http://fr.canoe.ca/infos/aujourdhui/

L'US Air Force sous pression pour ses tasses à café à 1200 dollarsPlus        Trump place des juges conservateurs dans tous les États-UnisPlusNouveaux retards pour le pont ChamplainPlus        Les migrants honduriens reprennent leur marche vers les États-UnisPlusTrump « cautionne la violence et divise les Américains », accusent des chefs démocratesPlus        Valérie Plante rencontrera François Legault vendrediPlusJean-François Lisée à la direction du Bloc québécois ?Plus        Le quotidien de misère et de violence que fuient les migrants honduriensPlusEntrailles et carcasses d'animaux sur le boulevard Henri-BourassaPlus        Affaire Khashoggi: trois semaines d'une crise majeurePlusLe prince héritier saoudien doit s'exprimer devant un forum en pleine tempête KhashoggiPlus

FOREIGN AFFAIRS & GENERAL INFO

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>LOONIE WORLD<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< http://looniepolitics.com/ Millions Have Voted Early in the Midterms. Here’s What That Means ­ and What It Doesn’t. - Liam Stack, New York Times
        What Could Hold Back a Democratic Wave? Economy, Confidence, Independence - New York Times
Will Democrats Win the Turnout War? - Robert Kuttner, The American Prospect
        Why Are Democrats Trying to Out-Trump Trump? - Rachel Lu, The Week
Trump’s Texas Rally Was a Preview Of 2020 - John Daniel Davidson, The Federalist
        Democrats: Don’t Go High or Low. Go Big and Bold - Robert Reich, Baltimore Sun
Cruz jokes about locking up Beto O’Rourke in ‘double-occupancy cell’ with Clinton - John Bowden, The Hill
        Sorry, Dems: Voters Reject Your Political Correctness - Glenn Reynolds, USA Today
UN panel: France ban on face veil ‘violates’ women’s rights- Al Jazeera
        EU rejects Italy’s draft budget in unprecedented rebuke- France 24

Bolsonaro’s leftist rival warns Brazilians of electing an extremist ‘barbarian’- Tom Phillips, The Guardian
        Vietnam parliament elects Communist Party chief as president- The Associated Press, The Times Of India
Trump and Putin plan Paris meeting- BBC
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>THE LEBANON DAILY STAR<<<<<<<< http://www.dailystar.com

US stocks plunge, sending Dow into the red for 2018        AUB students angry after Israel-tied lecturer hosted Hillary Clinton says 'troubling time' in US after bomb threats        Putin says will respond in kind if US withdraws from INF arms treatyEU mechanism for Iran trade to be symbolically ready Nov. 4        Iran accuses US of imposing more sanctions to "deflect" attention from Khashoggi killingApple CEO backs privacy laws, warns data being 'weaponized'        Saudi crown prince breaks silence on "painful" Khashoggi caseSaudi crown prince says Khashoggi incident unjustified        Erdogan speaks on phone with Saudi crown prince for first time since Khashoggi murder: presidency
Suspicious package addressed to White House intercepted after potential explosives sent to Obamas, Clintons: CNN        Irish govt approves excavation of orphanage mass grave siteRussia and US discussed possible Putin visit to Washington: Kremlin        Rouhani says Saudi Arabia would not have murdered Khashoggi without US protection: IRNAEconomic, social situation is 'dire,' requiring immediate reforms: UN official         Turkey-US joint patrols in Syria's Manbij to start soon: ministerUS complies with arms control treaty, problem is Russia: NATO        Ecuador no longer to intervene with UK for WikiLeaks Assange: foreign ministerChild marriage survivors say U.K. law legitimizes ‘terrible’ abuse

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Away from home computer for several days so may not be able to post to you -
shall post on this site so take a look - Joe
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From: <jfeldsted@shaw.ca>
To: <jfeldsted@shaw.ca>
Subject: Proportional Representation in B. C.

Proportional Representation in B. C.
The basic premise of democracy is governance of the people, by the people for the people. It was conceived to avoid rule by armies, cabals, churches, gentry or kings.

From October 22 to November 30, British Columbia residents will be asked to mail in a ballot in a Referendum on Proportional Representation. They will either vote to maintain the current First-Past-The-Post system or change to one of three proportional systems offered by the government.

Unfortunately, the only proportional systems on the ballot are ‘Party Systems’ in which parties choose some of the MLAs. There are proportional systems in which voters choose all the MLAs. Unfortunately, none of these will be on the ballot.

In 2004, the Citizen's Assembly, a randomly chosen group of voters, looked at all forms of proportional representation. They rejected the systems in which parties choose some of the MLAs and recommended a system called STV in which citizens vote for all their MLAs. The government has chosen to limit choices to proportional systems in which parties choose some of your MLAs for you.

Any proportional representation choice will see a significant shift of power from voters to political parties. This is of grave concern.

Political party executives, governance boards and hirelings are not elected. They are not responsible to the people of British Columbia. No matter how bad their decisions or how inane their influence, they cannot be voted out or replaced.

Our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, embodied in our constitution, states that:

3. Every citizen of Canada has the right to vote in an election of members of the House of Commons or of a legislative assembly and to be qualified for membership therein.  British Columbians have a right to vote for an elect a member of the B. C. Legislature. There is no provision for a political party or any other entity to change the results of an electors’ choice.

Political parties are already infringing on the Charter right to be considered for office. They hold internal contests for the right to run for office in a constituency and can refuse to endorse or allow someone to run for office if they do not adhere to party rules and ideologies. They are controlling the representatives chosen by the people which is a violation of the basic premise of democracy.

Further strengthening their stranglehold over governance is not in the interests of those governed.
Political parties use the excuse that without party discipline, the legislature would be ungovernable. Anyone who has attended a session of the legislature or watched question period on television will confirm that a party disciplined legislature is a cacophony of competing interests devoid of common sense, decorum, ethics, etiquette, politeness and respect. British Columbians deserve much better.

The major proponents of proportional representation are minority political parties who claim that because they achieved 2% or 5% of the popular vote, they are entitled to a similar proportion of the seats in the legislature.

A quick look at the 2017 BC election results shows:

2017 BC RESULTS

PARTYELECT
PROP
Liberal

43
35

NDP

41
35

Green

3
15

Other

-
1

Indep.

-
1
87
87

Redistribution by popular vote would favour the green party, but raises three important questions:

1. Which 12 electoral districts that did not elect a green party member would have their elected representative tossed?
2. How will one person represent the 16 different ‘other’ parties involved?
3. Which independent candidate will be awarded a seat (31 ran) and who will he or she replace?

Political parties are incapable of working out how proportional representation will operate in the best interests of the people they claim to serve. Following an election, the public can look forward to months of party bickering over how the spoils will be divided while the legislature sits empty. If that rocks you boat, vote for a change, but remember:

“Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.”
Abraham Lincoln
John Feldsted

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