With October 14th fast approaching and so very much at stake, we decided to compile a list for you of all the election related blogs and initiatives that have been launched by, or are connected with, our incredible CSI tenants.
While the Centre for Social Innovation prides itself on being a non-partisan space, we are dedicated to sharing and supporting the work of our change-making colleagues.
To help inform your upcoming vote, and for further information about the Arts, Environment, Strategic Voting, and more, please see below for Election News from our community. We encourage you to get involved, and learn what you can to make an informed choice.
************************************************************************************
1. Progressive Multi-author Blog Analysis of the Election
2. Vote Smart so the Majority Wins
3. Coalition of Artists Take Action
4. David Suzuki Foundation Launches Non-partisan Site
5. Launch of Viral Strategic Voting Campaign
6. Advocacy Online launches the 'Canada Votes 2008' widget
7. Non-Partisan Arts Advocacy
1. Progressive Multi-author Blog Analysis of the Election - http://rabble.ca/election/
Award-winning author Dionne Brand, filmmaker Brian McKenna, and environmentalist, David Suzuki, as well as newly formed advocacy organization, the Department of Culture, are the latest to join the multi-author election blog found at http://www.rabble.ca/election
Launched on September 7 with the intention of bringing together the best progressive analysis on the election all in one place, the response to the initiative has been overwhelming. The blog brings together artists, labour leaders and researchers, economists, environmentalists, first nation activists, youth, GLBT advocates, other independent media (the Dominion, Briarpatch)... people from all walks of life and from all across the country to participate. Visit the site for contributions from organizations including the Council of Canadians, the Parkland Institute, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the Rideau Institute, and from writers including Murray Dobbin, James Laxer, Jim Stanford, and NOW magazine's Alice Klein.
back to top
2. Vote Smart so the Majority Wins - www.VoteforEnvironment.ca
Initiated by Alice Klein (CSI board member) and Kevin Grandia, www.VoteforEnvironment.ca takes a whole new angle on the election. By providing a dynamic riding by riding prediction system, this site makes the best possible information available to Canadians so we can stop splitting the vote and instead vote smart to achieve government change not climate change
back to top
3. Coalition of Artists take Action - http://departmentofculture.ca/
CSI tenants Darren O'Donnell (mammalian.ca) and Gregory Elgstrand have joined up with other Canadian artists to form the Department of Culture - a growing community of Canadian citizens who are artists, arts professionals and cultural workers concerned about ensuring the social and cultural health and prosperity of our nation in the face of a Federal Government that is aggressively undermining the values that define Canada. The Department of Culture is a movement ready to fight for progressive social and cultural values through artist-initiated actions that employ the skills, experiences, collaborative methods and imagination that define artists' work. For further information and artist resources visit http://departmentofculture.ca/resources/.
back to top
4. David Suzuki Foundation Launches Non-partisan Site - www.voteenvironment2008.ca
The health of our environment and the vitality of our democracy go hand-in-hand, which is why the David Suzuki Foundation was inspired to launch a highly interactive election website site, www.voteenvironment2008.ca
This non-partisan site encourages Canadians to engage in dialogue to ensure that the critical issue of environment does not get lost in the campaign, so that our next government, regardless of which party wins, will work toward solutions. It is also a resource to get the facts on environmental issues from climate change to public transit. So get involved and have your say!
back to top
5. Launch of Viral Strategic Voting Campaign - http://anyonebutharper.ca/
Canadians concerned about the possibility of another Harper Conservative government have new tools this election. Some of Canada's leading new media content creators launched a cross-Canada viral media campaign in response to their own concerns about a possible Harper Conservative majority government. In only two weeks, the group, which includes CSI tenant Mark Kuznicki of Remarkk!, organized themselves on Facebook, created and distributed viral videos, launched a website at http://anyonebutharper.ca/ and developed an embed-able strategic voting web widget.
The goal of the campaign is to help progressive Canadians vote strategically this election in an informed way based on the latest polling data and the unique characteristics of their own ridings. Vote to win - get involved at http://AnyoneButHarper.ca/, and http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=27474812415
back to top
6. Advocacy Online launches the 'Canada Votes 2008' widget
Since elections are usually a critical time for the advocacy work of many organizations, Advocacy Online created a 'widget' that would enable individuals to find their local candidates and send them an email message. The 'Canada Votes 2008' widget can be added to any web page using simple embed code - similar to the embed code you would use to display a YouTube video. The generic version of the widget is free for any group to use. Please email graham@advocacyonline.net to request the embed code - available in English and French. To see the widget in action, visit: www.advocacyonline.net/cms/cmsloader?ejQwbm&view=281,521,3165,0,-html
CSI tenant Advocacy Online is a provider of e-advocacy software and services to charities and other campaigning organizations in Canada, the UK, the United States, and Australia. Our software platform, called e-activist, is used by over 100 groups to mobilize grassroot supporters, and enables them to campaign for policy change at the local, regional, and national levels.
back to top
7. Non-Partisan Arts Advocacy - www.canadianartscoalition.ca
CSI tenant Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists, Ontario Chapter (CADA-ON) is supporting the efforts of the non-partisan arts advocacy group, Canadian Arts Coalition, an entirely volunteer-run organization working to keep culture on the election agenda.
CADA-ON is a non-profit organization that empowers and educates its membership of dance professionals to promote the art form in society. CADA-ON developed the best practices document, Professional Standards for Dance, and its members benefit from programs including accident insurance, training subsidies, professional development opportunities and more.
2 comments:
For those interested in "strategic voting" (known more accurately as tactical voting in the rest of the English-speaking world), the folks at DemocraticSPACE have a set of guidelines:
http://www.democraticspace.com/canada2008/strategic-voting-guide/
They identify three conditions that a riding must meet for this to work:
1. It must be a close 2-way race (i.e. the two other parties must be within 5%)
2. The chances of third/fourth/fifth party winning riding are remote (i.e. support < ~20%)
3. Small number of votes of third/fourth/fifth party can make a difference (i.e. < 1 in 3 voters).
They also include a list of ridings where it might be worthwhile (much shorter than the list provided by the voteforenvironment.ca site). For the sake of completeness they also include ridings where Conservative supporters can vote tactically to stop Liberals...
Thanks for this info!
Re Conservative supporters stopping Liberals through tactical voting... interesting point, but considering we really only have one right-wing party with substantial power (christian alliance parties are a "wasted" in Canada) the only people who have to think about this are those at centre and left... we're the ones that risk splitting our votes in this election.
Thanks for writing!
Post a Comment