"On the Campaign Trail"

This morning was my second time "door-knocking". This is a very time consuming exercise, but worthwhile in that it brings you face to face with the voting public, and it is on "their turf". When campaign dollars have to be measured out, this can be an economical exercise as well. For women candidates, it is an opportunity to meet the public, and personally respond to questions they have about issues relating to their Party, and listen to problems, and address them when possible, and get back to them with answers when you can't. Many of the issues to-day related to Health care. Others to what is seen as an inequitable property tax system in Rural Saskatchewan. Walking up and down streets on this very "crisp" Saturday morning, you become aware of the nature of the neighborhood, where the schools are, and the parks. One area was where a shooting had occurred, the windows and doors boarded up. The closeness of this building to the school was surprising, and one can readily understand the concerns voiced at the time, yet no one I talked to in this area mentioned this. At the Women's shelter, the exchange between another volunteer and a resident there was conducted through an open window. All were reminders of the difficult problems faced by people in communities all over the province. All were reminders that life is not often defined by the issues that most political parties are talking about on the radio, T.V. or in the newspapers. In this very humbling experience of encouraging people to share their problems with government or party policies with you, the reality of the lives of ordinary citizens is very much uppermost in one's mind when the canvassing is finished for the day.

Saskatchewan Election

There is not much evidence in rural Saskatchewan that an election is taking place. There are no Liberal signs up along the highway, or anywhere else that I have travelled in the last week. There are a few Sask. Party signs, very big ones; and more N.D.P. signs, very small ones. The local paper is out and only the Sask.Party has an ad in it. I received my second mail drop from the Sask.Party, but none from any other parties. Either money is very tight, or rural Saskatchewan doesn't matter very much in this election. I am campaigning for Corinne Pauliuk, N.D.P. candidate for Indian Head-Milestone. Corinne has a lot of experience in Agriculture, Health, Justice and Education, which is very valuable in door to door campaigning, explaining issues and policies, and answering questions. Corinne's campaign is being run in a "positive" way, not in "taking the other person down" according to her Campaign Manager, Jane Whyte. Corinne wants to be a "Voice for Rural Saskatchewan". This will be a challenge, as the recent school closures in the southern part of the riding, have created bitter feelings and a lot of anger. Corinne's message is better received in other areas of this very large rural riding. One evening on the job and I can see the challenges. It is interesting to be on the "inside, looking out".

Profile of a Woman Candidate in Sask. Election

October 22nd and the Leader Post has a featured article on Women candidates in the Nov. 7th election. Entitled: "More women on ballot, but barriers remain", by Veronica Rhodes, the article gives a positive spin to the idea of women being encouraged to become candidates by their respective parties. The numbers given in the article are higher than those given to me by the Sask. Party and the N.D.P., when I inquired earlier. The Sask. Party has 13 female candidates, the N.D.P. has 13, and the Liberals have 15. No numbers are given for The Green Party, which is unfortunate, as their numbers are important to the voting public as well. With the suggestion that technology is partly to blame for the low numbers of women candidates, another deterrant is addressed by Doug Still, Provincial Secretary for the N.D.P. who gave this statement in the article "It is this modern day and age- with instant research on people on the Internet, blogging when someone can be very, very unkind- I think everybody is having a longer second look at getting involved and I think women do that maybe more so than men, weighing whether they want to take that plunge. It is very adversarial, it is very difficult." This points out the bias that women would be targeted in a way that would be intolerable to them, which adds to the biases that are already out there in the way women candidates are often targeted. It would seem that after todays' attack on Brad Wall on a (I think) Blog/Web site, and the resulting resignation of the N.D.P. candidate that posted the remarks, would tell us that this is not going to go unnoticed, that it will be unacceptable to the parties and the public. Nevertheless we did get a profile on an energetic woman candidate for the Liberals, Zeba Ahmad, who acknowledged the challenge of running, but had positive views on being a woman candidate. There has been excellent coverage of election topics on the radio, which helps me a lot (being a commuter), and it was hear that I learned that the N.D.P. are going to look into Electoral Reform. Anyone interested in one of two informational pamphlets that were sent out to the voting Ontario public ontheir MMP referendum, I will have some copies in class. I start working in the campaign trail this week. I don't expect it to be easy, but I am sure it will be interesting.

Saskatchewan Election

For the next assignment in our Poli-Sci Class, I plan to work on the campaign for Corinne Pauliuk, New Democratic Candidate for Indian Head- Milestone Constituency. By spending some time knocking on doors, and observing how the campaign is going, I expect to learn more about the challenges that face women candidates, especially in the support given to them by their party. So far I have noticed that Corinne's election signs are small, but numerous. Her main opponent in this riding is Don McMorris, a very popular Sask. Party Candidate, and our current M.L.A. Don McMorris's signs are very, very large, and while not that numerous, they are in very prominent places. The only mail drop has been from the Sask. Party. Campaigning in our rural riding will be interesting as I have not been active in politics, although I have always been very interested in what happens on the political scene. I do know that Corinne has been in an uphill battle in this campaign, and strong party support has not been there for her in what I have observed so far. In our Indian Head- Wolseley News, October 16th issue, there is a small, but front page comment; MCMORRIS STARTS FAST. Inside there is a large election ad, half page at least, listing some of the present governments faults. It finishes up asking for support. The paper has apparently not received any ads for the N.D.P. or Liberal, or any other party. Having the funds to advertise one's position certainly helps. I understand that Corinne has been doing "door to door" campaigning throughout the riding for some time, and plans to continue. I will keep you posted. Jean Kurbis

B.C.'s Citizen Assembly

This is almost my last word on Proportional Representation. On Friday October 12th, Mark E. Warren was a guest of the Philosophy and Political Science Depts. and spoke on the B.C.'s Citizen Assembly. This group of 160 citizens were chosen almost at random to participate in a study on electoral reform, specifically the STV, or Single Transferable Vote. This all took place in 2005. Two very interesting points: 1. The process was set up because of citizen discontent after several "screwy" Provincial elections in B.C. ; and after an "atmosphere" developed over the electoral process. To quote Dr. Warren, "it seemed to be wise for the government to do something about this". (If you want more information on the how this process worked, get in touch with me). 2. after three months of a) a learning about electoral systems; b) three months of public hearings and submissions; and c) three months of deliberation; the Citizens Representatives issued a recommendation for S.T.V. In a referendum held in 2005, 57% of the voters, voted YES, but 60% was needed. Nevertheless, the process has continued, and in 2009, it will likely come up in another referendum. Please note that STV is not a "party friendly system"; whereas the Ontario MMP (Mixed Member Proportional) was considered to be a "party friendly system". It would seem that Canadians do not like change all that much, and an extensive awareness and education campaign needs to take place all along the process. The B.C. process seems to have worked well, but it has its drawbacks. People who understood the process, were quite likely to vote in favor of it, those who did not, voted NO. Proportional representation would seem to be a "work in progress", driven by the voters and government. The end result should be a system the Canadian citizens trust, one that will work to get the issues that need to be brought up, brought up, and fairly debated, with resulting policies that serve the people.

Ontario Referendum

The Referendum on a form of Proportional representation was defeated soundly in Ontario's October 10th Provincial Election. Comments were few, but the general opinion seemed to be that the voting public really did not understand what it meant, so they voted for the "status quo". Here are some figures sent to me by a transplanted Saskatchewanian, now living in Ottawa. "In the current 'First Past the Post' System, Liberals were awarded 66% of the available seats with only 42% of the popular vote. The Tories were awarded 24% of the available seats with 32% of the popular vote: the NDP were awarded 9% of the available seats with 17% of the popular vote; the Green Party received 0% of the available seats with 8% of the popular vote". The observation is made that the greatest number of seats go to the winning party; a number not indicated by the number of people voting for them. Consider this further observation, " If all votes were considered equal, and the seats were divided according to the number of people voting for each party, the new Ontario Legislature would look like this: Liberals: 45 seats; Tories: 34 seats; NDP: 18 seats; Green: 9 seats; Other: 1 seat". The observation is made that this new legislature does not accurately represent the voting population. It will take time and effort by more than a few knowledgable committed people to change the system, and come up with a representative system that "accurately reflects the way people vote". With a Saskatchewan election now a reality, it is interesting that you never hear proportional representation mentioned here. It would be a good question to ask those candidates who will be knocking on your door soon!!! P.S. Thanks David in Ottawa.

Pizza with the Premier

Thursday Oct. 4th and Premier Lorne Calvert's visit to U of R. was an opportunity for me to get my question answered re How many women candidates does the N'D.P. have running in the next Provincial Election? I had never received an answer to my question when I placed a call with our local candidate. Well. Premier Lorne was kept busy with enthusiastic students, so I asked the quiet fellow that was hovering in the background. Derek Froese, Ministerial Assistant to the Premier, listened to my queston, and admitted that he didn't know offhand!!! To give him credit, he made a call on his cell phone, and came back with the answer, "Ten Women Candidates". Finally I have an answer. I am finding it frustrating to get "timely" replies from the numbers given for my local candidates. It would seem that this topic is not of very great importance now that all the candidates have been chosen. I will try and think of another way to come up this info. Meanwhile, perhaps one of the other Party Leaders will offer their time and some lunch from the "always interested" and "always hungry" students. How about "Free Wraps withBrad Wall". Sounds good to me.

women in Canadian politics

Good Morning Fellow Poli-Sci Classmates. Well, NO elections have been called, and there have been no door to door politicians calling around. Calls this morning to The Saskatchewan Party Member for my Constituency, Don McMorris, tell me that they have five sitting members who are women, and eight others who are running in the next election. Vonni, at Don's office, is getting back to me about the Sask. Party policy on Electoral Reform. Vonni said there are discussions about more women running for office. The biggest drawback for women and men candidates is not just the time it takes to run for office, but the four year time committment needed if the person running for office was elected. I am waiting for a call from Corinne Pauliuk, the N.D.P. candidate for my constituency. Don has a toll free number, 1-877-337-3366 and an e-mail address; Corinne has an e-mail address. No links this time around. Jean Kurbis