SPRING 2015 The Council of Canadians www.canadians.org WE #PLEDGE2 PROTECT WATER ALSO INSIDE: CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF ACTING FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE | YOUTH CAN BE ELECTION GAME CHANGERS CANADA’S LAKES AND RIVERS LOSE LEGISLATIVE PROTECTION | NOT A DONE DEAL: EUROPEAN COUNTRIES OPPOSE CETA Letters to the Editor We must increase voter turnout Letters in the Autumn 2014 edition of Canadian Perspectives reflect a hopeful and persisting interest in voter turnout. Members of the Council of Canadians’ Montreal Chapter joined Eau Secours! for a rally and march in Trois-Rivières, Quebec on World Water Day to speak out against TransCanada’s plans for a ma- Fair Vote Canada is actively pursuing the rine terminal for the Energy East pipeline. TransCanada has withdrawn the terminal plan. implementation of various proportional repre- sentation models. Elections Canada focused What Canadians want? necessary government permits, companies its annual “Canada’s Democracy Week” Re: “Why Canadians won’t bother voting,” have to negotiate “social permission.” on increasing voter participation among Autumn 2014 issue of Canadian Perspectives Canada’s youth. Sociologists and political The degree of social licence obtained is strategists have studied declining voter turn- The letter writer states that the current often based on three elements: the proj- out for quite some time and the results have federal government was elected with 38 ect may be acceptable, unacceptable, or not affected voter participation. Awareness per cent of the vote. acceptable with certain conditions. programs for the varied voter demographics in our country have borne similar results. In fact, the government was elected with For social licence to fully take place, the votes from approximately 25 per cent of communities must have clear and adequate While social experimentation can create the eligible voters. knowledge, based on independent scien- change, applying any of the proportional tific research, of the potential risks, the representation models creates problems. The With a 60 per cent turnout of voters, and advantages and the impacts of a project. In progressive selection of subsequent models, 38 per cent voting Conservative, the cur- other words, be able to make an informed educating voters, administering each new rent government has the support of slight- decision based on all of the possible impli- electoral model, and evaluating its results ly less than 25 per cent of eligible voters. cations of the project that will affect their could create hope that a new model might community. They must have an opportunity increase turnout. But the gradual changes, if On this basis, the government has trashed to engage in a meaningful discussion as to they do occur, will accrue over generations science, regulation powers, water resourc- the values of the project and its develop- and only if the political authorities carry a es, and more supposedly because it ment to the society at large. And they must long-term commitment to the issue. “knows what Canadians want.” have the ability to say “no” to a project. Regrettably, time is working against us. Robert Hamm, Steinbach, MB In a sense, social licence is more than a Canada’s democracy, its civil liberties and social moral obligation, it is a social contract to be programs are declining. There is a need now Social licence obtained and respected. Without it, consid- to seriously consider the viability of mandatory A concept that has become a significant part er the project as a hostile take-over. voting which, incidentally, does not eliminate of the popular discourse in most new energy or hinder the added strategies of implement- projects is the notion of “social licence.” Raymond Cusson ing popular representation or addressing the Whether it is fracking in Newfoundland and Shoal Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador factors that affect voter turnout. Labrador, mining or pipelines in Quebec or the Maritimes, or LNG terminals and pipe- The need to increase voter turnout is urgent. lines in northern British Columbia, industry Mandatory voting is not an end in itself. and governments are being asked to obtain Send us your letters! It should be an essential part of effective some level of permission from communities. Canadian Perspectives legislative reform. Perceived as a form of approval and resistance The Council of Canadians for the communities or, at the very least, a 300-251 Bank Street It is time for a full debate on mandatory direct involvement in the decision-making Ottawa, Ontario K2P 1X3 voting. process, it is often viewed as a problem and Email: [email protected] another obstacle to go through by the proj- Attention: Editor, Canadian Perspectives André Clément, Sudbury, Ontario ect proponents. In addition to obtaining the www.canadians.org Canadian Perspectives Spring 2015 3 Council of Canadians National Chairperson Maude Barlow travelled to Berlin in April to debate German Chancellor Angela Merkel on austerity and the impacts of trade agreements. On the Road with Pavel Becker Maude Barlow Dear friends, bring to these complex issues. They give expose the Harper agenda and promote an me hope for the future. alternative positive vision for our country. It’s been another jam-packed fall and win- ter. The highlights on my schedule have In April I was in Berlin where I debated We can change this country and we are been the tours across Canada, meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel on austerity and reminding people that one of the best wonderful activists and caring Canadians spoke at a large public forum in advance ways to effect change is to Go Vote! and, of course, celebrating our organiza- of the June G7 meeting there. I am also to tion’s 30th anniversary with all of you. keynote a large conference in Burlington, We also launched a constitutional chal- Vermont in June, of the International lenge along with the Canadian Federation December in Newfoundland marked the Association for Great Lakes Research. I of Students against the so-called “Fair end of a deeply moving 15-city tour can hardly wait to share my research on Elections Act,” as it not only makes it hard- with CUPE President Paul Moist to pro- how the Great Lakes are being used as a er for students, First Nations and those mote public health care. At every stop, conduit for the dirtiest energy on Earth, who move for employment to vote, but Canadians told us heart-wrenching stories and how we must declare the Great Lakes also will make it harder for the public to of what medicare means to them and how to be a commons and a public trust to be find out about the kind of electoral fraud cuts to health care are affecting patients protected forever. that took place in the last federal election. and front-line workers alike. During the tour, CUPE and Council of Canadians All our attention is now turning to the We are involved in many coalitions and supporters knocked on over 42,000 doors upcoming fall federal election. I have writ- networks dedicated to exposing the harm and we sent out almost 200,000 leaflets ten two reports on the Harper agenda. Blue that has been done to human rights, envi- promoting a renewed health accord. Betrayal: The Harper government’s assault ronmental protection, working people, on Canada’s freshwater tells a deeply dis- the poor, First Nations, veterans, scientists, The second and third legs of our Energy turbing story about the systematic way in women and many others by this govern- East pipeline “Our Risk – Their Reward” which this government has gone about ment. While the Council of Canadians is tours were another incredible highlight for not only dismantling regulatory protection – and remains – non-partisan, we retain the me. For two weeks in the fall, we visited of our water, but also cementing that right to criticize governments of any political communities in New Brunswick and Nova deregulation through corporate-friendly stripe that bring harm to our institutions and Scotia, holding feisty town halls; meeting trade and investment deals. values in the way this government has done. with elected officials, union representa- tives and First Nations leaders; and speak- The second report, Broken Covenant: How We look forward to working with all of you ing with countless journalists. The process Stephen Harper set out to silence dissent to bring about a new day for our coun- was repeated in April on the Prairies tour and curtail democratic participation in try. Thank you for all you have done over and we were met with enthusiasm and Canada, gives a detailed account of the sys- the past 30 years to make the Council of hope. We are creating a wall of grassroots tematic way in which this government has Canadians a strong, vibrant voice for people resistance to this pipeline all along its route broken not only the ties with civil society by committed to building a better Canada. and I feel very sure it will never be built. defunding NGOs and auditing the charitable status of “enemies,” but also by cutting the With hope and resolve, I have also visited many school campus- departmental staff and agencies that kept es here and in the United States to talk these ties alive. It is a very disturbing story about the global water crisis and the fight and one we must get out to Canadians. for water justice. I am always touched and moved by the enthusiasm, commit- As I write this, we are preparing for a Maude Barlow is the National Chairperson of the ment and optimism that young people large cross-Canada tour with many allies to Council of Canadians. 4 Canadian Perspectives Spring 2015 The Council of Canadians Celebrating 30 Years of Acting for Social Justice In 1985, with a Mulroney government Ronald Reagan’s visit to Ottawa.