Every Second Strait of Georgia Thursday & Online ‘24/7’ at islandtides.com A Legend of the Coast Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement Nº 40020421 Volume 20 Number 19 October 2—October 15, 2008 $1 at Selected Retailers Tide tables 2 Pro-rep 2 Galiano bylaws 3 Letters 4 What’s on? 5 No tankers 6 Bulletin board 11 Penn and Ignatieff meet voters in Saanich Christa Grace-Warrick Photo: Henny Schnare, www.henny.ca Liberal Party Deputy Leader Michael Ignatieff flew from Toronto to throw his Looking west into the sun setting over Vancouver Island. weight behind Saanich-Gulf Islands candidate Briony Penn. They talked with 170 people about her bid to take an No NDP candidate in Coastal Electoral Districts environment agenda to Ottawa at a townhall meeting in Sidney’s Charlie Saanich-Gulf Islands, White Theatre. Ignatieff commented that Penn ‘was an outstanding candidate despite name on the ballot on the verge of victory in this riding.’ NDP candidate Julian West withdrew his candidacy Questioned after the meeting on for Saanich–Gulf Islands on Tuesday, September 23, Penn’s role in a Liberal government, just hours too late for his name to be removed from the Ignatieff said, ‘That’s for the prime ballot slips. minister to decide but I can say that An Elections Canada spokesperson said that he had every one of us would want Briony as a not encountered this situation before. senior member of an environmental It is hoped that it will not confuse people marking team.’ their ballots on Monday, October 14. ✐ 48-year-old Penn is running against Gary Lunn (Conservative), Andrew Lewis (Green) and Jeremy Amey ELECTION EDITION (CAP)—the NDP candidate has withdrawn but not in time to remove Juian West’s name from the ballott slips. ELECTION CANDIDATES Penn had to forgo an all candidates meeting on Galiano to be at the Nanaimo–Cowichan (includes townhall. (Read of an Island all- Central Islands) candidates meeting in Saturna Notes, Jean Crowder INCUMBENT (New Democratic Party) page 6.) Jack East (Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada) Called at two days notice, the meeting Reed Elley (Conservative Party of Canada) was attended by both Liberal party Christina Knighton (Green Party of Canada) supporters and those who were seeking Brian Scott (Liberal Party of Canada) 24 = Saanich–Gulf Islands an alternative to the NDP since West withdrew his candidacy the day before. Vancouver Island North Vancouver Island North (24) Saanich–Gulf Islands Following the meeting many shook (includes Northern Islands) Communities include Comox, Courtenay, A suburban-rural riding on the southeast Penn’s hand and said they had made up Catherine Bell INCUMBENT (New Democratic Party) Campbell River, Port McNeil, Port Alice, Port corner of Vancouver Island. North, Central their minds to support her. Penn Jason Draper (Independent) Hardy and Alert Bay. Much of the riding is and East Saanich are included, as well as the assured them that she would be taking John Duncan (Conservative Party of Canada) remote, with access only by water or air. Southern Gulf Islands and Salt Spring Island. West’s message about the need for Geoff Fleischer (Liberal Party of Canada) In 2006 this riding was the closest vote in NDP Candidate Julian West has withdrawn. proportional representation to Ottawa. BC. NDP’s Catherine Bell was ahead of This is a riding in which strategic voting will A fervent green, Penn said that two Philip Stone (Green Party of Canada) Conservative John Duncan by 616 votes, just figure heavily. facts had prompted her to join the West Vancouver/Sunshine 1.1% of the vote. In 2004, Duncan beat Bell by The 2006 census found that more than Liberal Party one was the Liberal’s 364 votes. In this election Duncan expects to be 22% of the riding’s residents are immigrants ‘green shift’ and the other was a Coast-Sea to Sky Country and 3% are aboriginals. Twenty-two percent comment to her from John Ralston Saul (including Howe Sound Islands) helped to a win by an increased Green vote. The 2006 census found an average family are older than age 65. The average family that ‘no movement succeeds until it joins Bill Forst (New Democratic Party) income of $68,472 and an unemployment rate income is $88,665 and the unemployment the mainstream’—or, in this case, till the Ian Sutherland (Liberal Party of Canada) mainstream joins it. of 7.%. rate is 4.1% John Weston (Conservative Party of Canada) Of the Liberal’s Green Shift program Nanaimo–Cowichan West Vancouver/Sunshine Blair Wilson INCUMBENT (Green Party of Canada) Penn said that it would tackle Situated across central Vancouver Island this Coast-Sea to Sky Country ‘environmental degradation and avoid Saanich–Gulf Islands riding reaches from the Strait of Georgia to the The riding includes West Vancouver, the ‘economic stagnation.’ Using green taxes Pacific. It contains all of Cowichan Valley Sunshine Coast Regional District, most of the to solve the problem would relieve the (includes Southern Islands) Regional District, part of Nanaimo Regional Powell River Regional District and the part of burden of income tax on the poor. ‘It Jeremy Arney (Canadian Action Party) District and Gabriola and Valdes Islands. the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District offered an incredible opportunity for Dan Moreau (Christian Heritage Party) Communities include Ladysmith, Duncan and encompassing Whistler and the District young people. They will innovate within Gary Lunn INCUMBENT (Conservative Party of Canada) that part of Nanaimo south of Wellington Municipality of Squamish. Also included are the framework,’ she said and will Andrew Lewis (Green Party of Canada) Road and Northfield Creek. Sechelt, Gibson’s and Squamish, as well as ‘essentially be given a different playing Briony Penn (Liberal Party of Canada) The 2006 census shows an average family Texada, and Gambier. field.’ She praised Saanich–Gulf Islands Dale Leier (Libertarian Party of Canada) income of $67,474 and an unemployment rate of The average family income is $115,773 and PENN, please turn to page 9 Patricia O’Brien (Western Block Party) 7.2%. the unemployment rate is 5.2%. is now available at these SERIOUS COFFEE locations — look for the Island Tides yellow boxes or racks inside! Mill Bay—Island Highway @ Frayne Rd Nanaimo—Across from the Hospital Campbell River: Island Highway near Larwood Rd South Duncan—Sun Valley Mall Sidney—Beacon Avenue Nanaimo—Hammond Bay Rd good reading, great coffee — it’s time to get SERIOUS! More locations to follow—ask at your local Serious Coffee shop Page 2, ISLAND TIDES, Oct 2, 2008 Strategic voting only a stop-gap till proportional AT FULFORD HARBOUR representation SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER Two prominent NDPers turned Liberals were sent to the West square peg into a round hole—we need to find a system that Day Time Ht./ft. Ht./m. Day Time Ht./ft. Ht./m. Coast last week to tell British Columbians on the left to vote meets our evolving needs,’ he adds. Liberal in order to defeat the Conservatives. In the remaining Proportional systems, which are used in the majority of 0555 9.5 2.9 0448 3.6 1.1 weeks of this campaign we can expect to see both the NDP and Western democracies, can accommodate multiple parties while 30 1102 6.6 2.0 8 1334 10.2 3.1 TU 1655 10.2 3.1 WE the Liberals pushing Green voters to desert their chosen party, delivering long lasting and functional governments that 2335 3.3 1.0 and the Conservative party urging people to vote for them to represent a majority of people. 0651 9.8 3.0 0553 3.9 1.2 avoid another minority government. Many Canadian voters will In British Columbia, voters will have a second chance to 1 1145 7.2 2.2 9 1406 10.2 3.1 WE 1713 9.8 3.0 TH 2036 7.5 2.3 be told that their personal choice will be a ‘wasted’ vote. change their electoral system in a referendum on May 12th, 2343 7.9 2.4 ‘Why is it that most politicians’ solution to Canada’s current 2009. They will be voting for BC-STV (Single Transferable Vote), 0009 3.0 0.9 0653 4.3 1.3 electoral stalemate is to push citizens to overlook their true the electoral system recommended by the BC Citizens’ 2 0748 9.8 3.0 10 1431 10.2 3.1 preferences?’ asks Fair Voting BC president Bruce Hallsor. ‘Can Assembly, after a year of voter consultation and deliberation. TH 1232 7.9 2.4 FR 2047 6.9 2.1 1731 9.8 3.0 we really say we have a healthy democracy, if the only way we The change to BC-STV was supported by 58% of British 0044 2.6 0.8 0120 8.2 2.5 can produce a functional government is for citizens to vote en Columbians in 2005—the government allowed a 42% minority 3 0849 10.2 3.1 11 0745 4.6 1.4 masse against their conscience?’ veto to override that majority support. FR 1324 8.5 2.6 SA 1453 10.2 3.1 1749 9.8 3.0 2104 6.2 1.9 Our current electoral system, First-Past-the-Post, was Single Transferable Vote is a proportional system that allows 0123 2.6 0.8 0236 8.5 2.6 designed for only two parties. When multiple parties earn seats voters to express all of their preferences, thus eliminating the 4 0954 10.2 3.1 12 0830 4.9 1.5 the result is usually short-lived, dysfunctional governments that need to vote against your conscience.