Re-enfranchise voters

The community is the most powerful tier in Green governmental philosophy. Not the feds; not the province; not even the city; but the community. It is one of the six tenets that makes a person Green. We call this tenet Participatory Democracy.

Well, I remembered an old post I made a while ago, after the 2006 federal election, where the election turnout was noted to be remarkably low in Calgary. I wrote:

What three things would I most like to see which can re-enfranchise the residents of Calgary East?

• 75% of gross municipal revenue pro-rated, per capita to each community;
• Alter immigration to be family-oriented ... away from economic orientation; and
• Publically-funded, yet consumer-driven education and health care; for responsiveness to demand.

This would see the end of "downtown" business prioritization and the beginning of community living. It would re-introduce family and extended family and social re-enforcement. It would see the end of monopoly health delivery and the end of publically-owned schools and corporate-driven education.

Well, after this 2008 Alberta provincial election, to re-enfranchise the residents of Calgary-Fort (a subset of Calgary-East) I would ADD:

• Municipal funding (provincial portion) set to a fixed percent of provincial revenue; and
• Electoral Officer pays $40 to each voter at time of voting.

Communities like the idea of receiving funding. They are always searching for government grants for one thing or another. Communities do good work. They should be empowered and let go. Seniors' groups (clubs) are always looking here there and everywhere for grant funding. If they are viable the community will fund them. Hundreds and hundreds of clubs should not have to beg funding for community-service projects from a cold, distant and seemingly corrupt central government. The community knows where to best allocate its resources, and with what emphasis; and, disparate community groups will be eager to join the community for funding as opposed to being isolated as they are now.


.