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| image courtesy of Pixabay |
Just in time, the garden had been put to bed, pumpkins and squash harvested. Compost and leaves covered the soil, protecting and nourishing it for the winter.
They felt cozy with the Autumn wind howling outside and the smell of pumpkin pie lingering in the air.
Per was pouring cups of chamomile tea.
*******
PER (sipping tea): I wonder how people are doing who don't have a home? We're so lucky to be indoors in this weather.
MR. PIPELINE: Who cares! There've always been homeless people. They have places they can go. Anyways, they're not our problem. (taking a sip of tea) This is bland, but if it helps me get a better sleep I'll tolerate it.
PER: Chamomile should do the trick. When it comes to homeless people, it depends on the way you look at it, Mr. Pipeline. To some of us, what happens to people in our society is everybody's responsibility.
MR. PIPELINE: Fools!
PER: And the kind of world we leave future generations is important to many of us too.
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| image courtesy of Pixabay |
NOWCA (entering the room, and sitting at the table): Per, since you're concerned about others, are you going to vote in the municipal elections?
PER: I find politics so confusing...and I don't think it does any good anyways. Tea?
NOWCA: I'd love some! Thanks, Per. (accepting a cup)
GOOD TIME: And voting is so boring.
MR. PIPELINE: Now you're talking! It's boring and it doesn't make any difference -- so why bother?!
NOWCA: There, now you're all on the same page. How do you feel about that Per and Good Time?
PER: It makes me think maybe I should vote.
GOOD TIME: Actually, voting itself doesn't sound too bad -- just marking a ballot. But how do we know who to vote for?
NOWCA: There are two elections coming up where we can make a big difference in the world -- the municipal elections and the referendum on proportional representation in BC -- and I can find the resources to help you make up your minds. Here's what Fair Vote Canada has to say about proportional representation in BC.
Hey, Good Time and Per, would you mind giving me a hand folding these pamphlets? I need them for a proportional representation event tomorrow.
GOOD TIME (sitting across from NOWCA at the table): I'll help. Tell me about proportional representation, NOWCA. I keep hearing different things about it, but it's confusing to me.
NOWCA (folding): Basically it makes every vote count. The proportion of votes cast reflects the proportion of political representatives. It makes for a more stable government too, getting rid of what's called 'policy lurch'. That's where a party gets a majority and undoes all the work of the previous administration. With proportional representation, people have to work together instead of opposing each other all the time.
MR. PIPELINE: There's nothing wrong with our current system and, as a matter of fact, proportional representation is scary!
PER (joining the others at the table, folding pamphlets): What's so scary about it to you, Mr. Pipeline? I've seen some really slick ads and brochures that say how bad it is, but everyone I talk to seems to want it.
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| image courtesy of Pixabay |
MR. PIPELINE: It's complicated; it's some new fangled thing we don't need; it's anti-democratic.
NOWCA: Anti-democratic! How so?
MR. PIPELINE: It's not what we have now! There's nothing wrong with our democratic system of electing governments. Why change what we have?
NOWCA: Because what we have now isn't very democratic. Countries around the world are moving to proportional representation and away from first past the post, the system we have now. We have a chance to implement it here in BC.
MR. PIPELINE: Oh ya? What countries?
NOWCA: Lets see: Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg and Switzerland to name a few. And none of them have reverted back to first past the post. Why do you think that might be?
PER: Maybe they like the fact that everyone's vote counts.
GOOD TIME: Or maybe it's more fun working collaboratively and not fighting so much.
PER: And I bet they get a lot more done that way too.
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| image courtesy of Pixabay |
MR. PIPELINE: What would politics be without drama?! It's about dominating one's opponent, and ramming through an agenda. Proportional representation might get in the way of industry.
NOWCA: Maybe it's time for politicians to stand up to industry, and protect our environment more. Remember our smoky summer? That's nothing compared to what could come. What's it going to take to start addressing climate change?
PER: A lot of people running for City Council are talking about climate change.
NOWCA: Yes, that's another arena where we citizens can use our power to change society's direction.
MR. PIPELINE: Why change direction? Our society isn't perfect, but it's what we've got. And, besides, there is no alternative.
GOOD TIME: Sure there is! People who like to have a good time know that the alternatives are way more fun. Going to an outdoor market or even a food co-op or a locally owned coffee shop is way more fun than going to a chain anything. Clothing swaps are free and super fun. And the gift economy just feels good.
PER: I think of Bruce Cockburn's song: "The trouble with normal is it always gets worse."
MR. PIPELINE: Those are small potatoes! They're not what our society's all about.
NOWCA: Maybe they're a stepping stone. Maybe they're just a taste of what a fairer, greener economy might feel like. It sounds like more fun to me too.
PER: Back to the municipal election, I find it easier to figure out who to vote for, since lots of the people running are ordinary people in the community. I know what they're involved with, and what kinds of people they are.
GOOD TIME: I know some of them too, and the ones I know do a lot of really good things. They seem to care about our community. I don't know any of the people running for Mayor though.
NOWCA: Even if you only vote for the ones you know and respect, you're helping to determine the kind of future our city gets. You don't have to vote for all six; you can just vote for the ones you support. In our community, we'll have lots of resources letting us know where all the candidates -- councillors and mayoral -- stand. So you'll be able to pick the ones who share your views. I'll be sure to get those materials to you. Maybe we can even go to some all candidates meetings. Then you can ask them questions.
MR. PIPELINE: Right now, smarter people than you -- experts in their fields -- run things. You don't need to vote: just leave it to them.
NOWCA: Mr. Pipeline, that's not a very democratic attitude. We should choose who represents us and what direction we want for our community. And in the age of climate change, we need to start paying attention to which candidates are committed to a greener, fairer future. In many ways, it's people not taking the time to pay attention and vote who've allowed the pollution to build up. If we were paying attention, we'd have made the polluters stop long ago.
GOOD TIME: Gee, I hadn't thought of that. Taking a bit of time to pay attention could have prevented a lot of the problems we have now, maybe even our smoky summer...
NOWCA (looking at all the folded brochures): Thanks for your help folding, Per and Good Time. I hope you'll all come to the proportional representation event tomorrow. You'll probably get to meet some of the candidates for the municipal elections there too. There'll be food and speakers, and even sign making!
GOOD TIME: Could be fun! I think I will.
PER: Me too. I want to learn more about proportional representation and the candidates.
MR. PIPELINE: I've got better things to do than waste my time with this silliness: money to make, people to see, officials to bribe...
NOWCA, GOOD TIME and PER all stare at MR. PIPELINE
PER: Officials to bribe?!
MR. PIPELINE (squirming in his chair): Come on -- I was just kidding...
GOOD TIME: No wonder you don't want us to vote! I'm going to the event tomorrow and I'm bringing friends.
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| image courtesy of Pixabay |
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