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March 4, 2010

How to strengthen Alberta’s democracy

Our democratic institutions have lost their lustre. Dreadfully low voter turnout, a disengaged public and an unhealthy apathy are now considered the norm.

Albertans need to take back our democracy from our politicians and demand access to the legislatively protected, democratic tools necessary to stay engaged, informed and effective. Moreover, we need to feel relevant as participants, rather than mere spectators.

To accomplish this, Alberta needs to embrace the further enfranchisement of its citizens with tools such as citizens’ initiative, fixed-election dates, recall and, perhaps, complete voting reform.

Democracy is like a penny: to someone who holds them in abundance, it can seem tarnished and easily discarded. To someone who has access to none, it seems like a pot of gold. However, no longer should Albertans simply be satisfied with the status quo in our democracy simply because others around the world do without.

To be sure, Albertans have been blessed to live in a society that holds regular elections without the fear of physical threat. Yet practices need to be refurbished. We didn’t stop when only white, male landowners had the vote. It was rightfully extended to women, then aboriginals.

As it currently stands, the extent of our democratic action for most involves spending five minutes to drive to your local school or community hall once every 1,460 days to mark a ballot. “Participants” for one day, “spectators” for the next four years.

Undoubtedly, some will suggest that if people can’t be bothered even to do that one simple act, why should we consider empowering apathetic, uninformed people to make more important decisions?

The question becomes one of the chicken and the egg. Did apathy break the current system, or did a broken system cause the apathy? Will people become more engaged if they are allowed to recall their MLAs, launch and participate in referendums or know their vote will count?

Of course, other options have been attempted around the world to increase voter turnout, including mandatory voting (Australia, Brazil, etc.) or paying citizens to vote (no country does, but in 2006 a ballot initiative was soundly rejected in Arizona that would have created a $1 million lottery for anyone who voted). Simply increasing voter turnout should not be the only goal. Citizens need to know their participation matters.

Few politicians want to give up the power to make decisions, despite polls showing the vast majority of Albertans want access to both the citizens’ initiative and recall. A 2001 Environics poll indicated 79 per cent of Albertans wanted the right to be able to petition for and receive a referendum on an issue important to them. A 2006 Ipsos-Reid poll indicated 77 per cent of Albertans wanted the right to recall their politicians.

Alberta once had a citizens’ initiative law. From 1913 to ‘58, Alberta had the Direct Legislation Act, where 20 per cent of the voters could petition the legislature to pass a proposed law. Unfortunately, the excessively high signature threshold ensured no referendums took place. According to Barry Cooper of the University of Calgary, the act was repealed after a handful of Albertans started asking questions on how the law could be used.

A similar story graces Alberta’s history books when it comes to recall. Premier Aberhart’s government passed the Recall Act in April 1936 and promptly rescinded the legislation in October 1937, retroactively, when he became a target.

The lesson to be learned here is that it’s not Albertans who are the impediment to greater democracy, but rather our politicians. They are both the gatekeepers of reform, and the ones who have the most to lose.

Even implementing a simple democratic reform such as fixed-election dates has been like pulling teeth in Canada, because it removes a power the government enjoys to wield. Only B.C., Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador and the Northwest Territories have taken even this minor step.

And while changing the entire voting system has largely been rejected in the few provinces that have attempted it (B.C., Ontario and P.E.I.), at least they have had the discussion. In both B.C. and Ontario, citizens’ assemblies were held to take status-quo-loving politicians out of the mix.

While the results may also be rejected in Alberta, holding a citizens’ assembly on democratic reform would be an exercise worth attempting.

Systemic democratic reform would not cure all ills, nor would it create perfect voter turnout, but it could breathe a whole lot of life back into Alberta’s moribund democracy.

Scott Hennig
Alberta Director
Canadian Taxpayers Federation

February 25, 2010

What about option C?

At the town hall meeting about the school, (was it a year ago, already?), GYPSD had an option for the new school to be built along the Geikie side of their leasehold. The town people attending the meeting suggested another site, along the other side of the GYPSD leasehold - ie in the vicinity of the walk way. Either of these two sites would be on the GYPSD leasehold, and therefore would not require any rezoning. Kids would not have to be bused and the dog park is left alone. Why are these options not being considered?

Sheila Couture,
Jasper, AB

Take care of dogs and children

This is in response to, “School should sit on dog park.” After reading both articles, I was thinking about this article, are dogs more important than children? I don’t think that was the inference of the article, “ Dog park must be saved.” I recently became a dog owner over the last year. I don’t have children but love them, taught them and believe in their potential and am mesmerized by their wonder and innocence. I started thinking that we; dogs, cats, birds, elk, humans, are all mammals. We are higher up on the food chain but we are all a part of this world, sharing and growing. Just as we become more conscious of the environment and the impact we have on it. Why not conceive of the impact we have on a smaller scale; each other. Just as we search for human contact, friendship bonds, mates in life, so do animals. Elk travel in herds, wolves in packs, geese in flocks. We, mammals, strive for this, and have this instinctual need to be with others. This is why I believe it is so important for the dogs to have a space of their own, where they can be supervised, relationships nurtured and needs can be met. What I inferred from the article was, why couldn’t we have a place for both in Jasper? Jasper is a place for nature to be natural. If the dog park is used as the school site please assign another plot of land, which will be appropriate for the dog park. Children are more important than dogs but why can’t importance be placed on both. Both seen as significant, innocent and mesmerizing. If the dog park is taken away before a replacement is set, we may lose it for years, or never get it back.

Rachele Peever,
Jasper, AB

Sidewalks or skating rinks?

To the Municipality of Jasper,

Recently, I was enjoying a morning walk with a friend and my dogs when I came upon a huge patch of ice that covers one of our town’s sidewalks. No sooner had I told my elderly friend to watch his step did I find myself lying on my back in a tremendous amount of pain.

Normally I’m not one to complain, nor do I generally get involved in community issues. However, I am sick and tired of all the rules that have been instilled by the Municipality of Jasper, who cannot even conform to their own regulations. Why is it that people can be handed fines for an extension cord laying on the sidewalk, or fined for wearing the wrong color of jacket in the wrong season? But the town need not clear the municipal sidewalks of shear ice, which is in excess of 2.5” thick? How am I supposed to want to follow rules or have any respect for a town that has no respect for the people that live in it? Am I to follow these guidelines which have been set out for me by the ones who supposedly know how to run things, while the responsibilities they have can just fall by the wayside with no kind of consequence?

What if that had been a mother with a ten-month-old baby walking alone? What if it had been my five-year-old daughter who fell and hit her head? What if it was the Mayor? Would consequences happen then? Doubtfully, the town seems to be above its own law. The sidewalk I am referring to runs past Aspen Gardens on Bon Homme Street. Is this public sidewalk to be maintained by the Municipality, or is this sidewalk the responsibility of Urban Life Management? Either way something needs to be done and done now.

On another note, initially the gigantic piles of snow dumped by the Municipality out front of Aspen Gardens were a good idea, I’m sure the kids really appreciated the gesture. However the snow piles have since turned into a cesspool of garbage, glass and pieces of shredded lumber. So whose responsibility is this to clean now?

I’m not sure if it’s the piece of bone missing from my elbow or the lump on my head that bothers me so much, or the fact that I am just plainly tired of the municipality slacking off. The ice problem needs to be taken care of, as I am sure the sidewalk in front of my house is not the only one in the town that is icy. But wouldn’t it make sense to deal with the ice now instead of waiting for it to snow again and be even worse? I mean the weather has been nice for how long? Where are the workers? I am sure that this letter will upset a few people who work for the town and I mean no disrespect, but seriously this town really needs to follow its own rules and get in the game.

Kris Beeby,
Jasper, AB

A dog’s lament

I appreciate that dogs can be a problem; unleashed ones more so. And, yes, I like to chase things, though mostly, I stand and watch as the bigger animals frighten me. My mom is working hard to teach me to come no matter what, and I’m pretty good; I like being bribed to do things and I like the praise. My owners are very good at taking me out twice a day, and I’m a big dog, so I need that exercise. I admit I’m a bit aloof with other dogs, but that is a breed characteristic; that’s just me. So, I don’t tend to chase other dogs or play with them. But, walking around and around the small fenced dog park is too boring day-in and day-out for me. The dog park is too small for big dogs. I can’t run (or don’t run) there. My favourite spots to run are open areas, where we go because my mom doesn’t much like to run into wildlife either. In those places, we can see what’s around and I can run and run. If wild animals are already there, we go elsewhere. And so, I’m a better, happier dog for my runs and off-leash exercise. Please don’t fence me in, or at least in such a small area where I’ll cease to enjoy my outings.

Little Miss Figgs,
(Jillian Stafford), Jasper, AB

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