Dear editor,
Whether it is the sabotaging of international climate talks, the labeling of environmental organizations as “foreign” enemies, the contempt for Parliament, the not-so-surprising assault on our pensions and health care, this one year of Conservative majority government convinces me that we must do everything possible to ensure the 60 per cent of Canadians who voted for a decent, just, sustaining and sustainable Canada are represented in the next Canadian government.
For this reason I am actively supporting Nathan Cullen in his NDP leadership bid because he is the only candidate suggesting that we can no longer afford to think only of narrowly defined party politics that fractures our progressive voice and leaves the well being of our nation, our citizens and our environment to the destructive actions of a Conservative majority government elected by a minority of Canadians.
The thing I especially like about Nathan’s approach is it is both visionary and practical. He isn’t calling for a merger or even coalition that would be so easily subverted by wrangling over small details.
Instead, he is suggesting a small change with incredibly important benefits for the Canada we have come to believe in. Nathan suggests that where Conservatives won a seat solely because the alternative was divided — in those ridings only — the three parties hold a joint nominating convention where the jointly nominated candidate — be they NDP, Liberal, Green — becomes the only representative challenging the Conservative candidate.
It’s simple, it’s fair, it’s much more democratic than what we have and it would ensure that the next government of Canada reflects the good will and majority of electors.
It isn’t changing the voting system (a great idea that has proven difficult to implement); it isn’t a coalition (though it might lead to a parliamentary coalition as common in almost all democratic countries); it means none of the opposition would run candidates in all the ridings (but it also means that the NDP, Liberal, Green Candidate that is chosen to run will get elected) and it would ensure that the values of a decent, representative, just, sustaining, sustainable Canada will be represented in our next government.
It won’t be perfect (it will be immeasurably better than what we have).
For more information, e-mail nreynolds@shaw.ca.
Norm Reynolds,
Courtenay