Time to Vote for Our Vision

It was a sparkling, Autumn day, the colourful leaves evenly distributed between the tree branches and the ground below.

The giant puppets had been attending all candidates meetings earlier in the week and the next day was voting day.

How do you think they'll vote?

image courtesy of Pixabay

*******

After cleaning up the breakfast dishes, Good Time, Per and NOWCA sat around the kitchen table talking about the municipal election, and how they were going to vote the following day.

PER: Does anyone know where we vote tomorrow?

NOWCA: According to the City of Nelson website, it'll be from 8am - 8pm tomorrow, October 20th, at Central School, 811 Stanley Street.

GOOD TIME: Do I need to bring ID?

NOWCA: According to that site, you need two pieces of ID, such as a driver's license, passport, SIN card or BC ID that prove who you are and where you live. One piece needs to have your signature on it.

PER: Shall we all walk up to the school tomorrow after breakfast? Now that we have that

image courtesy of Pixabay

information, all we have to do is figure out who to vote for. The hard part.

NOWCA: Maybe the best way to figure that out is to think hard about the kind of community you want, and then see which candidates' visions best match yours.

GOOD TIME: Here's something that might help us with that -- did you hear that Sesame Street will be celebrating its fiftieth anniversary next year? I'd like Nelson to feel even more like Sesame Street than it does now.

PER: Wow! Fifty years! That's a long time. What a great show! I'd like Nelson to be more like that too.

GOOD TIME: Don't we all want to live on a street like that? Caring, fun, safe: somehow, those days feel so far away.

PER: Ya, I know what you mean. It seems like the world is meaner and nastier now, don't you think?

image courtesy of Pixabay

NOWCA: It seems like that to me too, Per.

Actually, I saw an initiative that would make our streets kinder and friendlier. It's called Delivering Community Power, and it would transform sleepy old Canada Post into a hub of green innovation and community.

It would expand door to door services, and not just deliver mail, but parcels, groceries, and people's medications with a fleet of electric vehicles. Canada Post staff would check in on seniors, and even provide postal banking which would be wonderful for small communities.

PER: That sounds amazing, NOWCA! I sure hope we do this in Canada.

NOWCA: Canadian citizens will have to urge our federal politicians to. Maybe if enough people sign the petition on their site, our government can be persuaded.

PER: Anyways, back to the task at hand: voting in our municipal election. After listening to the candidates, I get a sense of the kind of future each of them envisions. So maybe the thing to do is get really clear about our visions for the future.

Here are some of the things I want: I want them to address the defining issue of our time, climate change. I also want everyone to have enough food, money and shelter, since that would make it much easier for all of us to be kind, gentle and able to focus on broader issues than day to day survival.

And I want people on Council who will ask tough questions, look at what other jurisdictions are doing, and involve Nelson's citizens in decision making.

What about you, Good Time and NOWCA?

GOOD TIME: I like the idea of having more fun, chatting with friends and learning neat stuff while walking down the street. Just that feeling of congeniality and warmth is so nice. And I don't want our summers to be smoky, so I want our politicians to address climate change too.

image courtesy of Pixabay

NOWCA: I want it to be easier for people to trust each other and work together for the common good. I want a feeling of generosity, abundance and security, knowing that there's a strong social safety net. And I want to see us working together to mitigate climate change. There's no time to lose!

It was great to see the emergency debate in our Canadian Parliament over the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report earlier this week. But will it make a difference?! I'm terrified, and need more than talk. And I'm tired of the partisan bickering!

I wish our federal politicians would present a vision of a green country, and then create a credible plan to get us there.

There's a petition going around urging Minister McKenna to take immediate climate action. I've signed, and hope it'll do some good.

GOOD TIME: Back to the municipal elections, the candidates I like all take climate change seriously.

PER: Me too, Good Time. And I like the ones who show that they've listened closely to what voters want. And the ones looking for ways of mitigating climate change that will make us an example for other communities, and that solve other problems too like poverty and lack of housing.

NOWCA: I'd like to see us develop new ideas that help prevent forest fires, and reduce our emissions from housing and travel while putting people to work and making our community more caring and liveable.

image courtesy of Pixabay

PER: I wonder why we're not doing that now?

NOWCA: I think part of it is the bully boy mentality of the fossil fuel industry.

MR. PIPELINE (walking into the kitchen): What, no breakfast?

NOWCA: We just finished the dishes. If you'd gotten up earlier, you could have joined us.

MR. PIPELINE (grunts, and opens the fridge door gazing inside): What? No bacon and eggs?

PER: We've been cutting out the meat and dairy, Mr. Pipeline. There's some tempeh and broccoli, if you're interested. And there's oatmeal.

MR. PIPELINE: Forget it. I'm going out for breakfast. (slamming the door behind him)

The three remaining puppets sat in silence for a moment.

PER: NOWCA, what were you saying about the bully boy mentality?

NOWCA: You know, the politicians who will do anything to win, including lie, cheat and slander others. The ones who don't really listen, and just try to push their agenda through. When you suddenly hear unsubstantiated horrible things about good candidates, that's bully boy stuff.

GOOD TIME: If that's what they're willing to do to get elected, imagine what they'd be like in office?

PER: Not what I'd envision for a Sesame Street like future. I like it when people talk respectfully and solve problems together.

NOWCA: Me too.

Hey, you know what would take us to the kind of future we want? Applying the same transformative thinking Delivering Community Power uses for Canada Post to other issues. I wonder how that kind of thinking could be applied to things like transportation or housing?

image courtesy of Pixabay

GOOD TIME (jumping up): Here's what I can picture for housing: make sure all new buildings are energy efficient, fuelled with electricity from clean sources. And make sure there are programs to help fix up older homes to be more energy efficient.

PER: Kind like the EcoSave Program here in Nelson?

GOOD TIME: For sure!

Also, what if we had little pods like co-housing communities where people had smaller dwellings, but lots of great shared spaces? Gardens, libraries, playgrounds, studios and a big kitchen and gathering space.

Older people could sometimes babysit kids, and everyone would have more time on their hands since so much of the gardening and yard work would be shared; and if people were sick or injured they'd have community support readily available.

There could be lots of units, enough so that no one would be homeless. Life would be so much more fun, and so much easier, don't you think?

PER: That sounds like such a great way to live, Good Time!

Here's an example I can imagine for the transportation sector. Instead of uncomfortable buses for long distance travel, I'd make them all electric, and make sure the seating could easily fold out into comfortable beds.

They'd stop at restaurants that sold great meals showcasing locally grown produce, and buses and restaurants all would have wifi. That would bring down our greenhouse gas emissions and would make travelling by bus so enjoyable!

NOWCA: That sounds great, Per!

I'd like to transform the energy sector too. I'd hire unemployed oil workers restoring the boreal forests where the tar sands are now and creating wind and solar farms in place of abandoned mines. And I'd get the oil companies who've profited from this mess to pay.

I'd stop fracking and pipeline development and use the funds that were going to those projects to invest in wind, solar, geothermal and tidal power. That way Canada could become a leader in tomorrow's technology instead of throwing money into fossil fuels, which are becoming stranded assets. The whole world is turning away from oil and gas. Why is Canada still subsidizing and promoting this industry?

PER: That sounds great, NOWCA! I hope we can create the kind of future that Sesame Street helped us envision. When all is said and done, We're just one big family. All we need to do is learn to live together in a way that helps, and doesn't harm, the beautiful planet that sustains us.

GOOD TIME: I'm looking forward to casting my ballot tomorrow.

PER: So am I, right after breakfast.

NOWCA: Thanks for talking this through, Per and Good Time. I'm looking forward to it!

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.