democracy

A view over Saint John Harbour from the Harbour Passage, featuring a cruise ship on one side of the harbour and the port cranes on the other, against a clear blue sky.

Saint John Harbour’s Returning Officer talks about democratic rights and the importance of voting

October 17, 2024 by Iona Coe

The Saint John Harbour riding had the lowest turnout in the last provincial election, despite the fact that in the 2018 election the winning margin was just 10 votes.

With the New Brunswick provincial election just days away, Local 107.3FM spoke with Carl Killen, the returning officer for Saint John Harbour riding to talk about some of the factors that influence whether or not people turn out to vote.

The returning officer spoke about the importance of exercising people’s democratic rights, and some of the efforts his office is engaged in to encourage people to go to the polls. He also addressed the question of the democratic rights of the unhoused population, of whom there are a growing number in the riding.

The election takes place on Monday, October 21st. More information can be found at electionsnb.ca.

Four people holding up a multi-coloured ChromaNB banner, with more people behind them, and another person lying on the ground in front of the banner, and in the background is a black and blue shipping container

National Coming Out Day and the ongoing process of self-disclosure

October 9, 2024 by Iona Coe

With Coming Out Day on Friday October 11th, Local 107.3FM met up with Alex Ash of Saint John 2SLGBTQIA+ advocacy and education organization, Chroma NB to find out a little more about what coming out can mean to the community.

Alex explores many of the difficulties and joys that can be involved in the continual process of coming out and expressing one’s true self, as well as the importance of allyship. And, with the New Brunswick Provincial election just days away, they emphasize the importance of the use of people’s democratic rights, to ensure their voices are heard, whichever party people choose to vote for.

You can find more information about ChromaNB at their website, chromanb.ca.

A bald man, with mustache and goatee, and glasses perched on top of his head, wearing a dark suit and a white shirt, sits in front of a Township of Russell crest.

Russell Township appoints mayor, forgoes by-election

May 7, 2024 by Candice Vetter

The Township of Russell, just east of Ottawa, will have a new mayor on May 27, after the council chose to appoint sitting Councilor Mike Tarnowski this week.

Couns. Marc Lalonde, Lisa Deacon and Mike Tarnowski gave speeches at Monday’s council meeting saying they believed it would be the right choice because they “did not want to lose the momentum” of projects that have been started.

Acting Mayor Jamie Laurin said he would have voted against it, but because the majority of the four-person council agreed to the appointment he would not vote (the mayor only votes in case of a tie or a registered vote).

Tarnowski will act as mayor until the next municipal election, about two and a half years away.

CJRO has more on the story.

An image with a black background and 2 pie charts. At the top in white text "Canada Votes 2019". The pie chart on the right is labelled 'Proportional Representation. The other is labeled 'First Past the Post'.

Voter led reform revisited in House of Commons last week with motion to establish ‘citizens assembly’

November 14, 2023 by Dan Kellar

A motion for electoral reform which builds on the work of Mike Morrice, Green Party MP for Kitchener Centre, had its first debate in the House of Commons on November 7th.

Motion 86 seeks to establish a national “Citizens’ Assembly” which would investigate alternatives to Canada’s first past the post electoral system, and inform the government on which proportional systems would best reflect the needs and preferences of the people in Canada.

The motion was brought forward by NDP MP Lisa Marie Barron (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) and built on the work of Mike Morrice, Green Party MP for Kitchener Centre who was the first to second the motion back in June. Morrice’s second was followed by 18 other seconders from the NDP, Liberal, and Conservative parties, including Bardish Chagger of the Waterloo riding.

This cross party collaboration is exactly what Fair Vote Canada, one of the grassroots organizations which contributed to the motion, hopes will become standard operations in governments under an electoral system based on proportional representation.

The radio show features interviews with Kitchener Centre MP Mike Morrice, and Evan Rosamond, the co-chair of the Fair Vote Canada chapter for Waterloo Region.

Saint John Harbour’s Returning Officer talks about democratic rights and the importance of voting

National Coming Out Day and the ongoing process of self-disclosure

Russell Township appoints mayor, forgoes by-election

Voter led reform revisited in House of Commons last week with motion to establish ‘citizens assembly’

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