The state of our democracy is back in the news with concerns about foreign election interference. We need secure elections. But there's way more to our democratic needs than that.
This: "we ought to take on a massive project of grassroots deep democratization." YES.
Electoral reform is desperately needed, but we need more participation of ordinary citizens at every level of governance and policy development. Citizens' Assemblies are gaining traction around the world -- I hope Canada sees many more of them. I also think this is the most viable path towards electoral reform.
In the 1990’s the then NDP government lead a participatory planning exercise which cleated several Land Resources Management Plans, (LRMP) though out BC. These were meant to be living documents with ongoing active monitoring committees and public input. When the BC Liberals took office in 2002, they gutted the process and turned over the management of the land base to the industry corporations in the name of efficiency.
while the LRMP’s are still referred to, the protections they placed on land use has largely been compromised due to a lack of public consultation, corruption and bullying by industry and the tyranny of a majority. I have been slowly learning about this process of creating the LRMP’s though the work I do and it’s shocking to imagine that the process even happened. tens of thousands of hours of work scrapped by the flip of a government.
The current NDP government seems happy to keep on with the status quo, they make moves towards participatory decision making with out providing the resources for it to be realistic.
I like your take on democracy. Even though Participatory Democracy is slow and clumsy, with out and ongoing participatory process lead and support by the government it is very easy for the public to loss faith in democracy.
Happy fourth birthday for your book, baby! As a lifelong tsundokist, I just purchased it today, so you’re getting rich as we speak, and I’m not even looking for any undue influence over your work.
I am looking forward to hearing your views on how we can improve our democratic system. I’m also quite happy if you leave the five alarm political and punditry emergencies to others for the most part.
Thank you for sharing your insights and knowledge about democracy. We (the public) need to have greater understanding about democracy and the influences and influencers that impact on our government....before elections and after.
With our representatives serving funders over constituents, what can we-the-people do? Our story of who are we are and what we're doing here shapes our behavior and I'm looking at the Universe Story, that Brian Swimme shines in. I'd see a huge coalition getting it in play: "a massive project of grassroots deep democratization."
We have a current Prime Minister who came to office fostering relationships with groups associated with the People's Republic of China (PRC). Like the one before him. China’s meddling in our parliamentary democracy is much more frightening than a bunch of yahoos and rednecks who happen to represent this country more so than central Canada wants to acknowledge. Finally warning Canadians about Tic Toc does not do anything but make us look like sheep. Back to the protest, no one should take points for Rouleau analysis. We are a mess. Downtown Ottawa, as boring as it is, now has roaming police forces showing up randomly, keeping 'peace and order' by tackling those with addictions every now and then. However, some loser can abuse 100s of vulnerable youth with sexual assault in Ontario. All that money going to policing over the past years, and for what? American-style, CBC content-driven racism and violence against innocent civilians? Speaking of police forces, how many PRC police forces are in Brampton and Mississauga? David, I am impressed but a bit frightened as to why don’t you think fair, open, transparent elections are the base of any representative democracy, one that knows how to stand up to dissension. If we can't handle opposition, especially when enflaming it, then that’s an issue. That's an issue of leadership. Something a photo op and never-ending personal image campaign will replace. Anyhoo, be well David.
I do very much care about electoral integrity and threats of internal and external inference. I also care about the deep elite-led challenges that marginalize citizens and the influence of money, lobbyists, etc. -- more mundane but persistent and significant challenges.
This: "we ought to take on a massive project of grassroots deep democratization." YES.
Electoral reform is desperately needed, but we need more participation of ordinary citizens at every level of governance and policy development. Citizens' Assemblies are gaining traction around the world -- I hope Canada sees many more of them. I also think this is the most viable path towards electoral reform.
In the 1990’s the then NDP government lead a participatory planning exercise which cleated several Land Resources Management Plans, (LRMP) though out BC. These were meant to be living documents with ongoing active monitoring committees and public input. When the BC Liberals took office in 2002, they gutted the process and turned over the management of the land base to the industry corporations in the name of efficiency.
while the LRMP’s are still referred to, the protections they placed on land use has largely been compromised due to a lack of public consultation, corruption and bullying by industry and the tyranny of a majority. I have been slowly learning about this process of creating the LRMP’s though the work I do and it’s shocking to imagine that the process even happened. tens of thousands of hours of work scrapped by the flip of a government.
The current NDP government seems happy to keep on with the status quo, they make moves towards participatory decision making with out providing the resources for it to be realistic.
I like your take on democracy. Even though Participatory Democracy is slow and clumsy, with out and ongoing participatory process lead and support by the government it is very easy for the public to loss faith in democracy.
Happy fourth birthday for your book, baby! As a lifelong tsundokist, I just purchased it today, so you’re getting rich as we speak, and I’m not even looking for any undue influence over your work.
I am looking forward to hearing your views on how we can improve our democratic system. I’m also quite happy if you leave the five alarm political and punditry emergencies to others for the most part.
Cheers!
Thank you for sharing your insights and knowledge about democracy. We (the public) need to have greater understanding about democracy and the influences and influencers that impact on our government....before elections and after.
With our representatives serving funders over constituents, what can we-the-people do? Our story of who are we are and what we're doing here shapes our behavior and I'm looking at the Universe Story, that Brian Swimme shines in. I'd see a huge coalition getting it in play: "a massive project of grassroots deep democratization."
We have a current Prime Minister who came to office fostering relationships with groups associated with the People's Republic of China (PRC). Like the one before him. China’s meddling in our parliamentary democracy is much more frightening than a bunch of yahoos and rednecks who happen to represent this country more so than central Canada wants to acknowledge. Finally warning Canadians about Tic Toc does not do anything but make us look like sheep. Back to the protest, no one should take points for Rouleau analysis. We are a mess. Downtown Ottawa, as boring as it is, now has roaming police forces showing up randomly, keeping 'peace and order' by tackling those with addictions every now and then. However, some loser can abuse 100s of vulnerable youth with sexual assault in Ontario. All that money going to policing over the past years, and for what? American-style, CBC content-driven racism and violence against innocent civilians? Speaking of police forces, how many PRC police forces are in Brampton and Mississauga? David, I am impressed but a bit frightened as to why don’t you think fair, open, transparent elections are the base of any representative democracy, one that knows how to stand up to dissension. If we can't handle opposition, especially when enflaming it, then that’s an issue. That's an issue of leadership. Something a photo op and never-ending personal image campaign will replace. Anyhoo, be well David.
I do very much care about electoral integrity and threats of internal and external inference. I also care about the deep elite-led challenges that marginalize citizens and the influence of money, lobbyists, etc. -- more mundane but persistent and significant challenges.