"Why Voting is Important (and how to do it)"
Brendan William Cross
Monday, September 22nd, 2008
Regina Public Interest Research Group's "Free Knowledge Day"
Language Institute Auditorium, University of Regina
5:30 PM
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NOTES:
1. CANADA AS A DEMOCRACY
a) participatory democracy vs. ideal democracy
b) decreasing voter turn-out
c) voting turn-out in the last election
2. HISTORIC ELECTIONS
a) 1988- free trade
b) 1984- moderate conservatism
c) Chretien in 1993- conservative collapse & Bloc/Reform opposition
d) 2000- referendum of ideology, Alliance failure
e) 2004- Mr. Dithers
f) 2006- the best of a bad lot
3. SHIFTS IN POLICY FRAMING
a) The Red Book vs. the Top 5
b) targeting voter demographics
4. NEW POLITICAL LANDSCAPE
a) The Green Party and traditional environmentalists
b) Stephane Dion's winning leadership flirtation with Green support
5. NEW OPPORTUNISM (AND OPTIMISM)
a) young voters in University
b) decrease in left/right identity: "Ideological no-man's land"
c) Aboriginal activism and personal contact with government
d) Encouragement to seek out candidates/debates, then support someone you want to know 10 years from now...
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QUESTIONS:
Q: "You said Paul Martin didn't accomplish much as Prime Minister. What about the Kelowna Accord?"
A: "The Kelowna Accord was announced in a press release on the eve of an election. 5 Billion dollars was announced in one paragraph- No concrete plan for implementation, yet. Look for Kelowna-Plus or 'Out-doing Kelowna' from the Canadian government after the election."
