Kamloops 350, a local climate change awareness organization, has recently expanded its focus to include electoral reform. The group feels that significant action will not be taken to mitigate climate change under the current voting system, which allows a minority of citizens to govern almost without restrictions.  Our federal government continues to behave as if there is no need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in this country, and worse, yet, Canada has gained a reputation as an obstacle in international climate agreements — discouraging other nations from agreeing to meaningful action as well.  While poll after poll shows that most Canadians support steps that would reduce the impact of climate change, this is not being reflected by national policies.  For this reason, Kamloops 350 has joined the movement to establish a more representative, accountable government under proportional representation.

Proportional representation means that a party wins the same proportion of seats that it won in the vote.  Using the last federal election as an example, Stephen Harper’s Conservative party would control 39% of the seats in Parliament.

Kamloops 350 will be speaking at a few events in February organized by the Okanagan group called Renewing Democracy through Cooperation.  Click on the poster below for details.