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Submission CUNNINGHAM-0259 (Online)

Submission By Sarah Cunningham
AddressPrince George, BC, Canada
Organization
Date20040503
CategoryDemocratic elections, Democratic government
Abstract
Our politicians need to be good communicators and excellent listeners but, most importantly, they need to be learners and to hear and absorb diverse perspectives.  We need to select representatives who evidence these qualities. [3 pages]

Submission Content
I would like to offer a vision for a more ideal system of citizen representation and policy making.  My vision is based on the following assumptions:

   • We want a society that limits the suffering of individual citizens,

   • We want a society that supports as much individual freedom as possible,

   • We want to be governed by compassionate people,

   • We are generally prepared to support government, and government processes, to the extent that problems are successfully addressed,

   • That, for a problem to be successfully addressed, the needs of everyone affected by that problem need to be taken into account, and, 

   • That the only approach that assures the needs of everyone affected are taken into account, is a consensus approach.

My perspective is that our current system is blocking us from moving forward towards those ideals.  The current system has reached a point where it is having serious, unintended, negative effects.  These effects are:

   • The fostering of self-interest amongst career politicians.    Although their work is supposedly on behalf of society, they cannot wholeheartedly throw themselves into controversial issues as they risk losing their livelihood.  They are dependant on getting elected and therefore they ultimately become weak voices.

   • The fostering of competition.   The present thinking is that MLA’s are elected to ‘represent their geography’(or their party), and the interests of the people living in that specific area.  This results in competitive behavior: “my loss is your gain”.   This does not foster understanding.  This does not foster a focus on the well being of all (such as is currently being achieved by this citizen assembly process).   The assumption that a politician represents ‘his/her’ constituents is absurd.  An individual can only ever represent him or herself.  And each elected official needs to see him or herself as representing all citizens, not just those in a particular geographical location.

   • The fostering of ignorance amongst politicians.  The current process is not educative.  If a politician were to ‘learn’, he or she would run the risk of  ‘changing sides’.  Changing sides is usually the kiss of death for politicians.

   • The fostering of a very short decision-making horizon.  Most politicians are career politicians.  They operate with an eye to the next election.  The effect of this is that their decision-making horizon is only four to five years.  All of us; every single one of us, knows that our politicians are unable to develop and implement the types of strategies that are needed to address the incredibly complicated issues we are facing, in this impossibly short time-frame.

   • The throwing away of an utterly immeasurable amount of human energy.  Although money may be wasted as a result of government actions, it is insignificant when compared with the cavalier attitude that results in wasting human effort.  The far, far greater problem is the completely destructive transitions that governments have been forced to undertake, in order to “appear to be doing something about an issue”; in order to “distance themselves from some previous action”.   Focused and purposeful change is necessary, however for those of us who work in any level of government, the experience of  ‘change for the sake of change’ is an all too common reality.  The disruption this causes citizens should be considered immoral it is so unnecessary.   

So.  What do I propose?  Here are my thoughts:

   • The goal of our political processes should be clearly stated as “Improved Quality of Life for all Citizens”.

   • The Legislature (and Parliament, federally) needs to operate by consensus, not by majority rules. (Rules of Conduct could be developed).

   • Being a politician cannot and must not be a career.   It needs to be re-framed as a type of ‘service to our country”.  I suggest this could be achieved by, for example:

    o Setting remuneration at the exact average wage of Canadians set annually.

    o Holding elections at a fixed time (give or take a month) every three years. 

    o Once elected, an individual may hold their position for nine years.

    o One third of the elected officials turnover at each election (for continuity), two thirds carry on

    o One oyear of “transition support” would be provided to individuals upon completion of their service.

In conclusion, each politician needs to be tasked with making the best possible decisions; based on factual input and based on the common value and understanding of consensus.  People who are unfamiliar with the power of consensus may read this and think, “She’s dreaming!  Some problems just can’t be solved by anything but majority (whoever has the most power, in other words) wins!”   However, it is my experience that even the most complicated problems can be solved by bringing affected stakeholders into the discussion and by involving them in choosing the solutions, and I believe this can work at a provincial and even national level.  Although this can be a painstaking and time-consuming process, the solutions arising from this type of process will be comprehensive and long lasting.

Our politicians need to be good communicators and excellent listeners but, most importantly, they need to be learners.   They need to be able to hear and absorb diverse perspectives and we need to select representatives who evidence these qualities.   

Many individuals presenting submissions have good ideas about how to achieve some type of fair representation   My only comment on this specific aspect of the discussion is it is absolutely ridiculous that getting elected depends on personal wealth.  This is not democratic and I don’t believe it gets the best people involved.  Advertising campaigns that currently take place should be completed stopped.  Instead, the potential candidates need to demonstrate their capacity in public discussions about any relevant issues.  Within my model, the negative and manipulative campaigning that currently takes place would be unnecessary. 

My purpose in presenting these ideas is to hopefully add an alternative element to the discussions of the Assembly Members.  I believe you are each in a position to support a fundamental transformation.  We are all ready.  Thank you.

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