Taking a Stand for Proportional Representation

The giant puppets were recovering from a busy day they'd had earlier in the week. They had joined friends who were raising awareness about proportional representation on Vernon Street in Nelson.

Bumped and bruised, the puppets were enjoying some quiet time to relax and heal while the November rain splashed on the ground outside.

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NOWCA, Per and Good Time with Diana
 photo courtesy of Sjeng Derkx

PER: Well, it's nice to get out now and again, but I sure pay for it. I have so many aches and pains, it's hard to sit comfortably.

GOOD TIME: I know what you mean, Per. I have such a stiff neck! But it was fun to spend time with friends and bring some attention to pro rep. Geez -- I hope people get their ballots in.

NOWCA (yawning and stretching): Oh, but isn't it nice to be taking it easy today?

At this point, I hope people bring their ballots to their nearest Service BC office instead of putting them in the mail. It's getting close to the deadline.

PER: And I hope if they're still not sure how to vote they'll take the quiz at referendumguide.ca.

NOWCA: How are you doing, Mr. Pipeline?

MR. PIPELINE: Much like the rest of you.

I hope I convinced a few people not to vote in this silly referendum. Why change a perfectly good system?

PER: To make it more democratic.

GOOD TIME: To make it more collaborative and responsive to voters.

NOWCA: To make it easier to address climate change and to get big money out of politics.

MR. PIPELINE: Let's face it. People are pretty stupid, and all these options are too much for them to handle. And they wouldn't know what to do with the extra power they'd gain through pro rep.

PER: It's not people who are stupid Mr. Pipeline, it's this crazy system that has something wrong with it. A lot of ordinary people are doing everything they can to make the world a more caring and liveable place.

NOWCA, Good Time, Mr. Pipeline and Ron in front of the credit union 
in Nelson - photo courtesy of Ann Remnant

GOOD TIME: The voting system is a good example of that, Mr. Pipeline. How can people make good choices when a system forces them to vote strategically?

And how can politicians make good choices when the voting system forces them into adversarial roles?

With proportional representation, we'll all have a much better time. We'll have a system that helps our representatives to collaborate, and our votes will mean something.

NOWCA: And frankly, Mr. Pipeline, I'm so sick of oil and gas companies treating our province like garbage. Fracking is poisoning our water, air and land -- even wilderness and agricultural land. Fish farms are killing our wild salmon and the life that depends upon them. Our province is investing in destructive industries at the expense of future generations. What are we leaving them? Don't we have a responsibility to leave them a liveable future?

MR. PIPELINE: NOWCA, you're so emotional! You and other environmentalists don't understand that what you aspire to impacts our profits! And what about the workers in the fracking industry and the fish farms who'll be out of work if you get your way?

NOWCA: Mr. Pipeline, workers can and should be retrained to work in industries that are cleaner and that have a future. Fossil fuel industries are laying people off -- they're being phased out. It's time for a meaningful transition plan.

And as far as emotions go, we all have them. What kinds of emotions do you experience, Mr. Pipeline?

MR. PIPELINE: Why bother with emotions when there's work to be done. I experience as few of them as possible, NOWCA. They're just troublesome.

Per and Bill canvassing across the street from the Hume Hotel 
in Nelson - photo courtesy of Ann Remnant

NOWCA: They may be hard to feel, but they're valuable. They're an important part of life that gives us perspective. Emotions contribute a lot to relationships, values, and art and music appreciation. They are a normal part of life and give us valuable information.

PER: I felt a lot of joy and solidarity with others when we were all canvassing, and like I was doing something to benefit the world we live in. Making one small part of it a bit more fair is a big contribution.

But, Mr. Pipeline and NOWCA, I had to get away from your arguing. Mr. Pipeline, you kept telling people not to vote and, NOWCA, you kept telling people not to listen to him. It was just too stressful for me, so I crossed the street and canvassed on the other corner.

GOOD TIME: I know what you mean, Per. I eventually gave them some distance too. It was fun hanging around with other people. We don't get out much these days and it's nice to see them.

NOWCA: Even though I'm stiff and sore, and even though we argued, and even though there are no guarantees that we'll be successful, I'm glad we went out and helped the people working so hard to get proportional representation in BC. A society's only as healthy as its citizens are engaged, so the more we engage the better.

Sometimes it's messy, sometimes we don't feel like it, often there are differences of opinions but that's the only way we're going to create a better future together. It's a slog, and it's got to be done.

GOOD TIME: And, even though you're right, NOWCA, it's fun to be with others who care. Even if you and Mr. Pipeline were arguing, and even if we're stiff and sore why are we here anyways? I love having a good time, but this kind of fun has an extra element of meaning to it.

PER: I agree, Good Time. Being active is so meaningful right now. The more of us who act, the better our future will be. I hope more people will join us.

MR. PIPELINE: Well, I hope a few people listened to me and didn't get their ballot in.

PER: Maybe they did. I don't agree with you, but I respect your right to have a different opinion. At least you came out.

MR. PIPELINE (sniffing the air): Is that garlic I smell?

PER: Yes it is. I have spaghetti sauce on the stove. Anyone hungry?

*******

For the moment, as their appetites took over, the puppets forgot about proportional representation. They would enjoy this interlude that would help to fuel their future actions.

image courtesy of Pixabay

Getting Through the Grey

The sky was grey; the deafening rain pounded the street. Brightly coloured leaves fell from the trees.

NOWCA stepped out of the rain and onto the porch, umbrella in hand, and left it open to dry in the mudroom. After taking off boots and rain jacket, NOWCA entered the living room, finding GOOD TIME lying face up on the wooden floor.

*******

NOWCA: Hey, Good Time, what's up?

GOOD TIME (heaving a sigh): This rain is endless. And I'm not having a very good time these days.

image courtesy of Pixabay

NOWCA (kneeling beside and stroking GOOD TIME's arm): Sorry to hear you're feeling down. Is there anything else besides the rain that's bothering you?

GOOD TIME (sighing again): Well, that proportional representation meeting you brought me to was fun. I met some new people and we painted signs. But I feel so out of my element! They all seem to know each other, and know so much about different issues.

And they kept talking about the IPCC Report and the upcoming municipal elections, and I hardly know anything about either of them.

NOWCA: My friends and I have been working on things like that for a long time, and can't help but learn as we go. Were they welcoming?

GOOD TIME: Ya, they were friendly, and really nice, but I felt so far behind them. How can I learn all the stuff they know?

NOWCA (lying down on the floor beside GOOD TIME): I guess if you keep showing up, you'll keep learning more. About the municipal elections, here's some information about the candidates, and here's information about voting in Nelson. Just make sure you're registered to vote, OK?

Oh, and here's a good article on proportional representation.

I'm feeling kind of down too, actually, about that report you mentioned. The International Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC, Report released last week was clear. The world's leading climate scientists say we urgently need to address climate change.

Yet our Prime Minister's been pushing pipelines, fracking plants and oil sands, and, as far as I know, hasn't even mentioned this report. He ran as a climate champion, but is behaving like a climate denier. I wish there was a way we could keep him accountable.

GOOD TIME: That's pretty depressing.

NOWCA (sighing): Ya, sometimes all the bad news gets to me. I feel sad about the new fracking development in Kitimat...

GOOD TIME: That's the problem, isn't it? Sometimes there's so much bad news. The friends I brought liked the event, but talking with them about it afterwards they say I'm turning into a downer. I want to have fun just like them, but I'm learning about so much depressing stuff. I guess I'm feeling overwhelmed.

PER (walking through the door): Boy, it's a wet one out there! Why are you both lying on the floor?

GOOD TIME: Hi Per. We're just feeling kind of down.

image courtesy of Pixabay

PER: How about a cup of tea? And, look! I bought a zucchini loaf. It was on sale.

GOOD TIME and NOWCA slowly got up off the floor and sat down at the kitchen table. PER made a pot of tea and brought over plates and cutlery.

PER: I'm just warming the loaf up in the oven. Nice to see you both semi vertical.

NOWCA: Did you enjoy the proportional representation meeting, Per?

PER: Yes, I did. I felt empowered afterwards, like there's something I can do to improve the state of the world by voting in the municipal elections and for pro rep. It gave me a sense of purpose. As a matter of fact, I volunteered to do more.

GOOD TIME: Really? You didn't find it kind of overwhelming?

PER: Kind of, but I can learn. It was like opening a door to a new perspective; one that's a lot more inspiring than a lot of the news I take in. I like the idea of making our society more democratic, peaceful, and stable, and that's what pro rep will do.

NOWCA: Your enthusiasm's contagious, Per. Thanks for cheering us up. Is that a bit of sunshine peeking through the clouds?

image courtesy of Pixabay

PER (getting up): I think the loaf's warmed up by now.

GOOD TIME: And thanks for bringing us zucchini loaf! What did you volunteer to do?

PER (bringing the loaf to the table): Well, remember those signs we made? We're going to do something with them before the referendum. So I'm helping to organize a planning meeting. Wanna come?

GOOD TIME: How can I say no? I'm bubbling with enthusiasm now. And a few minutes ago I was lying on the floor. I'll see if some of my other friends want to come too.

NOWCA: I'll be there. Per, you're such a catalyst for change! You're so inspiring and up lifting.

PER: Thanks, Nowca. It made me realize how much power I actually have to make positive changes in the world, and how much those changes are needed. I wish I'd gotten involved sooner, but better late than never. We don't have to just sit there feeling scared and helpless, we can change things together. It's really exciting!

MR. PIPELINE (walking through the door): Blast this weather! I hope it hasn't ruined my hat.

PER: You're just in time for zucchini loaf, Mr. Pipeline.

MR. PIPELINE (joining them at the table, helping himself to a piece of zucchini loaf): Don't mind if

I do!

GOOD TIME: That was nice of Per to pick up zucchini loaf for us, wasn't it?

MR. PIPELINE: Yes, it was.

NOWCA: We were just talking about the latest IPCC Report, proportional representation and the municipal elections.

MR. PIPELINE: I don't see the connection between those things.

NOWCA: Well, voting for climate champions municipally and bringing in pro rep provincially will make it easier for our political representatives to make our province more environmentally friendly, and keep money out of politics. We were talking about going to an event in support of pro rep.

MR. PIPELINE: I'd like to come and present a different perspective.

GOOD TIME: That's part of what pro rep is all about; allowing all voices to be heard. So we'd welcome what you have to say too.

MR. PIPELINE: You think so, do you? I'm not a fan of pro rep or the IPCC.

NOWCA: That's hard for me to understand, Mr. Pipeline. Don't you have any concern about what kind of future we're creating? What makes you happy, anyways?

MR. PIPELINE: The simple things in life make me happy: a big fat bank account and watching my opponents squirm. Isn't that what we all want?

PER: I think it's fair to say we all want enough money to get by, but why would we want to watch our opponents squirm?

MR. PIPELINE: It's part of feeling like a winner, knowing you've defeated someone.

NOWCA: So the idea of compromising and collaborating encouraged by pro rep isn't your cup of tea.

MR. PIPELINE: No, it's not.

GOOD TIME: And the future? What about it? What about climate change? Do you want more smoky summers -- and worse?

MR. PIPELINE: I don't concern myself with things like that.

NOWCA: Some of us believe we're the place of power between generations. Don't you feel a sense of responsibility for the kind of world we'll be leaving?

MR. PIPELINE: Why should I? I'll leave it to the do gooders among us, and keep my eye on the bottom line.

PER: You know what, Mr. Pipeline, I feel sorry for you.

MR. PIPELINE: Why?

PER: Because you're missing out. Sure you might have a big fat bank account, but I can tell you making people happy is much more fun than making them squirm. And there's joy to be had in helping the world to become a better place that you'll never know.

MR. PIPELINE: I'll believe it when I see it.

PER: Maybe you'll get your chance to see it at our pro rep event.