[mobglob-discuss] Coalition for BC - update

Thu May 1 12:53:58 PDT 2003

COALITION FOR BC -- UPDATE #2  (Our apologies to those of you who did not 
get 
Update #1 - more technical glitches, which we think have now been fixed!)

This is the second update for people who have signed the Coalition for BC 
statement.  We encourage you to share this information with your friends 
and 
contacts.  Remember, it's vital that we find a way to avoid splitting the 
vote 
in 2005 so that we can defeat the BC Liberals and move the province 
forward. 
 That means we must find a way to build an electoral coalition that 
includes 
the NDP, the Green Party, tens of thousands of people who voted Liberal 
last 
time, and thousands more who don't usually vote.  

  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

IN THIS UPDATE

1. Community Coalitions

2. Upcoming NDP and Green meetings

3. Report on the March 13 C4BC Vancouver meeting

4. Report on the March 29 Victoria Broad Coalition meeting

5. Help add names to the coalition statement

6. Let us know what's happening in your community

1. We want to get information about the Coalition for BC to as many 
members of 
community coalitions as possible.  We already are in contact with dozens 
of 
these coalitions around the province.  You can do two things to help.  
First, 
get in touch with the community coalitions in your area.  Provide them 
with a 
copy of our statement.  Encourage them to distribute the statement to 
their 
members and contacts.  We?ll do the same.

Second, we may not have the address (preferably e-mail) of your community 
coalition ?- social justice, seniors, health care, education, 
anti-poverty, 
aboriginal, environmental etc.  Send us the address and we?ll send them 
information about the Coalition for BC.  Send this information by e-mail 
to 
info at coalitionforbc.ca   

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2. UPCOMING NDP AND GREEN MEETINGS

The NDP and Green Parties are holding a number of meetings over the next 
couple of months.  C4BC supporters are encouraged to attend these 
meetings. 
 Take copies of our statement and distribute them.  Encourage people to 
sign 
the list on our website.  Talk about the ideas that attracted you to C4BC.

 Remind people how important it is to find a way to avoid splitting the 
vote 
in 2005.

NDP Community Conferences

Details and registration at www.bc.ndp.ca

April 12-13 for Northern B.C. at College of New Caledonia

April 26-27 for Vancouver-North Shore at Maritime Labour Centre

May 10-11 for Interior-Okanagan at OUC North Kelowna Campus

May 31-June 1 for Kootenays at Creston Recreation Centre

Green Party Regional Policy Workshops

Details and registration at www.greenparty.bc.ca

April 12 for Victoria at White Eagle Hall

April 12 for Nelson at Nelson Public Library

April 27 for Burns Lake, location TBA

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3. REPORT ON THE MARCH 13 C4BC VANCOUVER MEETING

About 60 people attended, mostly mature, some young people, good mix of 
men/women.  The Asian population was under-represented. Most of the people

identified themselves as community activists, education campaign, 
children's 
advocacy, media activism, peace movement, recall, unions etc.

In opening remarks, the organizers said the ideas in the C4BC Open Letter 
(http://www.coalitionforbc.ca) were based on several assumptions:

- that the Liberals could be beaten in the next election;

- that this would not likely happen if the opposition vote were split;

- that a coalition would be very difficult because the major opposition 
parties would continue to exist and would resist working together;

- that lack of an electoral strategy was unacceptable, because it would 
mean 
continuation of the Liberal agenda;

- that a way could be found if there was sufficient will on the part of a 
large number of people; and

- that the constituency for the idea of a coalition would include not only

members of the Green and NDP parties, but disaffected Liberals, people 
involved in the many community coalitions and from unaligned and alienated

voters.

No attempt was made to delineate how such a coalition would work. This was

thrown back to the audience. The organizers did not try to direct the 
course 
of the discussion other than to provide the following questions for the 
working groups:

How do we grow the concept of an electoral coalition?

a. Who should we talk to in order to attract people to this idea?

b. How do we implement the idea in a practical manner?

c. Should there be minimum points of political agreement?

There seemed to be a general consensus that the coalition would not want 
to 
have its own candidates. This would simply splinter the vote further. 
Another 
idea was to endorse candidates who agreed to the minimum coalition 
platform 
but this approach had obvious faults. Two candidates might agree and even 
if 
not, several candidates running would still split the vote despite any 
endorsement. The best route still seemed to be to find a way not to have 
competing candidates. This would have to be done in such a way that the 
existing opposition parties would not have to sacrifice their identities 
and 
integrity.

While there was no determination of how such a coalition would work, there

was 
agreement that more support for the basic idea was an essential next step.

Methods of promotion would include use of the media, spreading the word 
through existing internet and community networks, and developing caucuses 
at 
the constituency level. Volunteers signed up for various committees to 
pursue 
these possibilities.

There are large numbers of people with varying perspectives who cannot 
abide 
the Liberals any longer, and would be willing to DO WHATEVER IT TAKES to 
get 
rid of them. If this singleness of purpose manifests itself, and if the 
coalition idea catches fire, the political parties will consider how best 
to 
channel this energy for their own, and for the common, purpose.

4. REPORT ON THE VICTORIA BROAD COALITION MEETING, MARCH 29

This was the second public meeting of the Broad Coalition, a group that 
has 
many of the same perspectives as the Coalition for BC, and has chosen to 
keep 
in close touch.

About 40 people attended. Many of them were members of the NDP and the 
Green 
Party. At a small group session focused on getting the Greens and NDP to 
work 
together electorally there was a good, frank and respectful discussion.

People agreed there is an emergency in the province, caused by the BC 
Liberals. So emergency measures, building some kind of electoral coalition

to 
avoid splitting the vote in 2005, are necessary. The idea of a 
"Declaration of 
Cooperation" including a limited number of agreed upon principles for 
cooperation between the parties was suggested. Those in favour of a 
coalition 
might put these ideas forward. Of course parties could continue to work on

and 
put forward their own more comprehensive programs. Several people stressed

the 
importance of attracting people who are neither NDPers or Greens to our 
ideas, 
and ultimately to support an electoral coalition. A number of people 
suggested 
the need to be as concrete as possible and to begin debating mechanisms 
for 
bringing about cooperation to avoid splitting the vote. It was announced 
that 
the idea of inviting Green Party members to an NDP constituency 
association 
AGM in Victoria will be put forward in at least one riding. It was also 
reported that a number of Greens and NDPers are continuing to meet 
informally 
to discuss methods of cooperation to prevent vote splitting. 

5. HELP ADD NAMES TO THE COALITION STATEMENT

Please send our statement out by e-mail to your contacts and friends.  
Remind 
your friends that they can sign our C4BC statement at 
www.coalitionforbc.ca. 

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Let us know about discussions and activities in your community regarding 
the 
ideas of the Coalition for BC.  We'll make sure the information gets out 
in 
our next update.  E-mail us at info at coalitionforbc.ca

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