[To see this submission in its original format, see the linked
document below]
BETTER GOVERNMENT WITHOUT PARTIES
Recommendations: For the next by-election, the Chief Electoral
Officer is encouraged by the Lt. Governor to use an experimental
ballot form, as he is empowered to do, with
None-of-the-Above/NOTA as an option, with results counted and
released. If this demonstrates more registered voters, it should be
considered a success and adopted in the very next provincial
election.
If a majority of voters choose NOTA, then a pool of NOTA Voters
is created. A man and a woman are selected randomly
from the pool to represent the riding in a constituent
assembly which would replace the adversarial party
alternative, toward expressing the priorities for the well-being of
the people and land of the riding and all B.C.
A willingness to serve would be voluntary and would rely on the
integrity of the individual. The man and the woman
serve consensually, interdependently, and interchangeably in the
assembly and in their riding.
In addition, in each riding, a man and a woman are also randomly
selected from Metis & First Nations people. In any event, all
people carrying Social Insurance Numbers, also young people from
the age of 12 should be eligible to vote.
A Caretaker Government is formed when enough ridings have a
majority voting NOTA in preference to party candidates or
independents. A Caretaker Government deliberates initially in a
men's council and a women's council, speaking in turn around an
open circle, until consensus is reached. The councils meet together
to prepare appropriate changes in legislation for
plebiscites and referenda to ensure the authority of the people at
large.
The Priorities Council deliberates in real time, in person, in
public, face-to-face, with input supplemented where necessary by
guest speakers. Current legislation would always be
looked at in the context of individual and collective
well-being.
Meetings open with the drop of a feather, and are divided into
quadrants, north/ south/ east/ west, reflecting geographic
relationships of ridings. Agendas are decided in
assembly. Guiding roles are held briefly and change as
topics change. Roles for each gathering are selected by nomination,
self-nomination, and random selection, and are chosen rather
quickly, as the roles require attention in the present rather than
previous experience.
Regular official polls for public opinion and
individual initiatives coming from the broad mass of the people
would be given serious and timely consideration. The Assembly would
work in a cooperative fashion with and be responsible for, all the
maintenance, structure, and effectiveness of the civil service,
with the express purpose of reducing the workload of the people of
the province, towards a harmonious leisure state for all.
Group deliberations clarify principles and lines of reasoning
around improvements in well-being of the people and land of the
riding, of B.C., of Canada and the whole Earth.
Submitted by John Allen West and Virginia Ayers
levelCMS