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COSN Federal NDP Updates | May 2022
At The Moment - Causes, Changes & Preparations
In the COSN riding, within the strangeness of over two years of pandemic living, we are striving to collectively communicate our environmental concerns, our political activism and our social inclusion efforts. The climate crisis remains at the heart of our concerns, activism, and efforts. Communities are slowly recovering from past events of flood and fire, as everyone is simultaneously bracing in anticipation of future extremes in the weather. In the face of this ongoing reality, it is inspiring to see local people engaged in helping others. There are important climate activist developments, as reported on by our Indigenous leaders on the COSN executive. They, and non-indigenous allies, are reminding politicians, at all levels of government, of their social-environmental commitments and holding them accountable.
The NDP COSN executive is also committed to supporting people involved in social inclusion efforts. We recently completed a letter writing effort to elected politicians asking them to support Bill C-216 to decriminalize drug possession, and we are currently looking at challenging Bill C-7 from a Disability perspective, the controversial newly passed law on medical assistance in dying (MAiD). We have also established a Community Liaison Chair, Dale O’ Flynn, as part of our executive in order to better understand the needs and concerns of people and organizations in our riding.
In federal news, the surprise political alliance (reportedly born in response to the weeks-long occupation of downtown Ottawa) has many implications, including the very thing Freedom Convoy organizers were seeking to undermine: governing stability. After decades of promises and inaction on something so vital to wellbeing as dental care, as a condition of the NDP supporting the Liberal government, we are now on the cusp of delivering some much-needed transformative change in the lives of many. The first phase of this plan to provide federal dental coverage is expected by the end of the year, with children 12 and under the first to be eligible for care.
The ability to prepare for and adapt to changing circumstances is as important now as ever. While the NDP’s alliance with the Liberal government provides some semblance of calm in these increasingly politically hostile times, we here in BC, and especially in the Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola, are likely to face down another summer of wildfires and extreme weather that no amount of bargaining, compromise, or cross-party cooperation can stave off. These are ongoing, nonpartisan crises of nature that demand bolder action, stronger supports, and longer term planning than we’ve come to expect from all levels of government. As we march further into 2022, we're not just ready for better, we're here to create better.
In this issue of COSN Updates we start with All Around the Riding, diving into the proposed redistribution of our electoral district boundaries expected to become solid by April 2024. Then we move on to Checking In with Joan Phillip, our Indigenous Chair and ongoing NDP candidate since 2019, detailing some of her recent activism. From there, we have more Reporting in the Riding, where Grand Chief Stewart Phillip explains his ongoing commitments as President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, we follow up on the state of flood recovery efforts touched on in the March issue, COSN executive members provide updates on community activism events in Kelowna, and COSN executive member Stella Holliday introduces an exciting scientific research project underway in Princeton. Standing on the Soapbox continues with member Steve Burke sharing his thoughts on where the future lies in the NDP, and Donna Stocker of the COSN executive continues her series on electoral systems with an analysis of alternative vote.
As before, we extend an invitation to the entire membership to contribute to upcoming editions of COSN Updates. If you have an opinion, a story, an event or a photo that you want to share with the COSN NDP, please contact:
• Jeannette Angel (jeannetteangel.ndp@gmail.com), or
• Trevor McAleese (trevor.mcaleese@gmail.com)
Lim’limpt,
Jeannette & Trevor (President & Vice President, COSN Federal NDP Riding Association)
All Around the Riding - Changing Electoral Districts
Head’s up! The boundaries are changing. Pending final appeals to BC’s commission conducting the redistribution process, the electoral district we currently know as Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola is slated for a significant reimagining in advance of the next general election. The majority of COSN’s geographic footprint will be represented under a new moniker, Coquihalla, and no part of the city of Kelowna remains within the tentative new boundaries.
The proposed redistricting map for all of Southeastern BC, including the projected Coquihalla boundaries, can be seen below.
Southeastern British Columbia redistribution proposal (Elections Canada)
Maps of proposed changes to all of BC’s electoral districts can be viewed on the Elections Canada website: https://redecoupage-redistribution-2022.ca/com/bc/prop/index_e.aspx
In cooperation with the federal NDP, we are in a position to provide feedback to the Commission regarding the redistribution of electoral district boundaries. We look forward to sharing updates on this matter as they happen. Any BC community member is similarly welcome to provide feedback or to prepare a presentation for the Commission’s consideration at a series of scheduled public hearings. For more details on the relevant dates and times per community, please visit this resource page at Elections Canada: https://redecoupage-redistribution-2022.ca/com/bc/phrg/index_e.aspx
Let us know your thoughts on the proposed changes to our local electoral districts! We’re interested to hear your feedback.
For comparison and review, these are the current boundaries of Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola:
Current boundaries of Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola (Elections Canada)
Providing us a pleasant view from ground level in the riding, COSN executive member Donna Stocker was kind enough to share this photo of Keremeos cherry blossoms.
(Donna Stocker, 2022)
Checking In with Joan Phillip
Adapted from a transcription of Joan Phillip speaking to the COSN executive on April 22nd 2022, by Jeannette Angel
(Lee Maracle, Bobbi Lee Indian Rebel, 2003)
Joan comes to our COSN executive meetings prepared. At the April meeting, she answered a question about how we, as an executive, can critically respond to the provincial NDP decision-making and actions in natural resource management. Their actions seem particularly at odds with their stated intentions to implement the United Nation Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People Act (DRIPA).
Joan clearly conveyed how Indigenous leaders are reminding BC politicians and administrators of their commitments to implement DRIPA. She pointed to the need for educating our political leaders on the obligations of their office (at all levels of government) and the importance of public exposure when those obligations are not met.
Part of reminding politicians of their obligations is to tell them to talk to the correct people when in negotiations; specifically, the provincial government needs to talk to the Nation, those who hold rights and titles. Joan explained that politicians and their representatives should be talking to the Nation, not the individual bands about resource decisions.
At the federal level, Joan continued, the work to be done is also “reminding our elected officials of what their responsibilities are, what the legal foundation is, making sure they are talking to the rights and title holders.” As a matter of education, this could take the form of a sponsored talk for politicians, to explain rights and titles. She also reiterated the role of exposure, telling the politicians when they are messing up.
Other ways the COSN EDA could be more active would be to conduct letter campaigns to politicians to expose the government when they are doing the wrong thing. Joan noted that the COSN could follow the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) lead, and develop a consistent response to [natural resource] issues. Finally, executive members could reach out individually to MLAs about resource management concerns.
Joan Phillip and her husband Grand Chief Stewart Phillip meet Governor General Mary Simon at Kamloops Indian Residential School Anniversary Celebration (May 23, 2022)
Reporting in the Riding
Kicking it Up a Notch
Excerpts from Grand Chief Stewart Phillip (GCSP) speaking to the COSN executive on April 22nd 2022, compiled by Jeannette Angel
Treaty Alliance Meeting
The first thing that Grand Chief Stewart Phillip shared at our COSN meeting was the plan by some of the signatories of the Treaty Alliance Against Tar Sands to “kick it up a notch.” He explained that while there had been considerable momentum that had been built up in 2019, Covid slowed things down for two years and there was a lull in political work. The Treaty Alliance signatories met again for two days in Vancouver in April 2022, and analyzed where they were at in relation to the pandemic, the climate crisis, the heat dome, flooding and wildfires. Among those in attendance, Reuben George and Ta’ha Amy George are members of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and part of Joan’s family. Also participating from across Canada, Pam Palmater, a very outspoken Mi'kmaq leader, Serge Simon, the former Grand Chief of Mohawks in Kanehsatà:ke, Guujaaw, Haida Hereditary Chief, and Namoks, John Risdale, Hereditary Chief and spokesman for Wet’suwet’en. More information on the work performed by the Treaty Alliance can be found here: https://www.treatyalliance.org/treaty/
Rally Against TMX pipeline
Joan and GCSP also participated in a rally against the TMX pipeline on the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery. Grand Chief commented that before the rally, "We haven’t seen people from the activist community in two years. We met so many people we have known for forty or fifty years who have been in the movement. It was so good to see them, they are just as committed as they have been all their lives.” He also mentioned that the last time he was on the steps of the art gallery it was with Greta Thunberg, who predicted all the things that have since happened.
The Aboriginal People’s TV network (APTN) covered the event, including Ta’ha Amy George telling people to “Warrior Up,” David Suzuki encouraging the crowd to fight against TMX and Grand Chief and Joan articulating their “sacred responsibilities to the lands and the waters.”
View the APTN clip here: https://www.aptnnews.ca/videos/drawing-attention-to-the-soaring-cost-of-the-trans-mountain-pipeline-project/
Special Session at the BC Legislature – Announcement of the Action Plan on Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People’s Act (DRIPA)
Grand Chief went on to say that” the climate crisis is the issue of our generation…we’re it. We’re the ones that have to push back.” He explained that despite his health concerns, he and Joan showed up at a Special Session at the BC Legislature for the announcement of the action plan for implementing the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People’s Act (DRIPA).
British Columbia is the only jurisdiction that has legislated the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the Country. Grand Chief commented that “there has been growing criticism that there haven’t been any real results from the Declaration on the ground.” The development of the action plan is a positive step because it is a very important, high-level document that articulates how to bring the legislation and policy framework that currently exists in line with the principles of the Declaration, through DRIPA, the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People’s Act. He explained that the work that’s happening now is “specifically designed to change the political, legal, and legislative, and policy framework to make the forestry legislation, the mining legislation, the agricultural legislation more accountable to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and to protecting the land, protecting the water and of course, most importantly, our future generations.”
Grand Chief underlined that “it was an important day for us to be there, to witness that that happened in the House; and for us to look back and say we were there, we heard your words, and we expect more than public platitudes and meaningless gestures.”
Read the PDF of the DRIPA action plan here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/...
Following Up with Fire & Flood Recovery
by Trevor McAleese
We have a handful of heartening updates to share on the state of recovery efforts from 2021’s devastating floods. In April, the BC NDP provided details of a $53.6 million disaster relief fund to be distributed among 10 of the most hard hit communities, including the city of Princeton which is set to receive $11.9 million with clean water and temporary housing being top priorities. BC NDP MLA Roly Russell of Boundary-Similkameen played an instrumental role in raising awareness of Princeton’s situation and securing this support from the provincial government.
MP and Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair visited Merritt in March in advance of the federal government announcing its plans for assistance. As finalized, $416 million in funding will be put towards rebuilding BC homes and businesses devastated by last summer’s fire season, and within this, the Lytton First Nation will receive $24 million in funds to build interim housing. The federal government has committed $5 billion to a larger BC Disaster Financial Assistance program which makes communities in the province eligible to request funding for disaster preparedness and recovery. This is especially vital as we await the arrival of 2022’s fire season.
The Hell or High Water disaster relief fundraiser raised nearly $1 million, which organizers indicate will be dispersed to nonprofits in Merritt, Abbotsford, Lytton, Princeton, and Monte Lake to provide targeted community relief. As a supplement to the disaster relief commitments from the federal and provincial governments, we trust these generous donations will be put towards improving material conditions for the people of these communities.
For people in the Merritt area and beyond, artist Jean Kiegerl, also a former librarian, has assembled an impressive list of resources for people to become more resilient in their lives. This includes important information to be prepared for emergencies, knowing your local food sources, and resources for community artists. Check out the website: https://readyforresilience.ca/
National Day of Mourning
by Trevor McAleese
This April 28th marked the return of local in-person observance of the National Day of Mourning, held jointly by the North Okanagan Labour Council & WorkSafe BC at Ben Lee Park in Kelowna. Members of the COSN NDP were honoured to attend the ceremony where special attention was drawn to the tragedy of the 2021 downtown Kelowna crane collapse, a workplace accident that took the lives of 5 people.
Kelowna City Councilor Mohini Singh opened the service by mourning the death of Harmandeep Kaur. Harmandeep suffered a fatal attack on February 26th while working as a security guard at UBCO. She was only 24 years old and had ambitions to pursue an education at the university she was employed by at the time of her killing. Our hearts go out to the friends and family Harmandeep has so tragically left behind.
(Madison Erhardt, Castanet)
Danielle Pritchett, the mother of Cailen Vilness who was among the 4 young construction workers killed in the 2021 crane disaster, courageously spoke at the event. Danielle delivered heartfelt words remembering her son and her traumatic experience in the aftermath of the crane collapse, expressing with great clarity the need for the construction industry to change its culture surrounding workplace safety in hopes of preventing a fatal accident like that of July 12th, 2021 from ever happening again.
Support Equal Access to Abortion in Canada
by Dale O'Flynn
A group of activists met on Saturday May 14th in City Park, Kelowna and marched to the courthouse steps as part of a rally to “ Support Choice and Defend USA’s Roe, March for Reproductive Rights.” COSN Executive members Dale O’Flynn and Susan Davenport attended. There were powerful and moving experiences shared by group members. The rally was covered by Global Okanagan and Castanet.
(Dale O’Flynn, May 2022)
Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada (ARCC) is calling on the federal government to honour election promises that will ensure that access to abortion is protected and expanded in Canada. Sign the petition: https://chng.it/PJmpsCjbpr
An Outrigger Telescope Comes Close To Town
by Stella Holliday & Jeannette Angel
A view of the CHIME radio telescope array, representative of the upcoming Allenby Outrigger (CHIME Experiment)
Guests of the Princeton Museum were regaled on Wednesday, March 16 by a slide show and talk by Dr. Jane Kaczmarek, astrophysicist and Assistant Research Officer for the National Research Council of Canada. Having recently moved from Australia, Dr. Kaczmarek works at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory (DRAO) at White Lake, near Kaleden, which is home to the radio telescope called CHIME - Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment. CHIME is a radio telescope which sees radio light from the sky above and was turned on five years ago.
The Allenby Princeton outrigger on Allenby Road just outside Princeton has been under construction for the last two years on an old mine site where there was also once a town. The outrigger will empower CHIME to pinpoint the source of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) using the principle of triangulation. FRBs have the potential to be a new cosmological tool in the astronomer's toolbelt -- these flashes of radio light have been observed to originate from all corners of the universe and carry with them not only information about the environment from which they originated and through which they travel, but also the state of the universe when the light was first emitted! In order to realize the full potential of FRBs as tools, astronomers need to be able to separate the (relatively) small-scale information that is imprinted on the signal, from things like local stars or gas clouds, from the large-scale information: such as the distance from earth, if there are any intervening galaxies and how old the light is!
To-date, astronomers are not able to do this for all FRBs due to our inability to pinpoint their location on the sky; hence the goal of the outriggers is to remedy this! Once astronomers are able to "decode" the light signals, they can then use FRBs as historical snapshots of the universe and compare it to how we know the universe to be now.
Princeton and CHIME Kaleden together will be the best FRB hunting machine in the entire world according to Dr. Kaczmarek. Other sites are under construction in West Virginia and California, but will not come on line for some time. The first FRB was detected in 2007 and over 500 have now been catalogued and many more detected since then from some of the more than one billion known galaxies. They are all different shapes and colours, as seen from a radio telescope; some repeat, some are very bright. There is not yet a consensus on the sources of FRBs, but this new outrigger will help answer that and other as-yet unanswered questions.
As Kathryn Macleod, Senior Communications Adviser at the National Research Council, explains: “Sometimes it is difficult to anticipate how astronomy will impact our everyday lives on earth; however, there are numerous instances of techniques that have been developed for astrophysical research that have been adapted for human use. For example, a key element of Wi-Fi was developed using techniques from radio astronomy. Any future impact from CHIME and its outriggers on the community-at-large is currently unknown. However, in order for the team to enable the science it has set out to do, the team has had to develop a whole new way of capturing and processing data.
"Therefore, there is certainly potential that the team’s algorithms could become useful in some of the ever-evolving technology we use every day. Furthermore, while FRBs are millions of billions of kilometres away, their scientific impact is very much felt right here at home because astronomy is a science that is accessible to all. As with images from the Hubble Space Telescope, or even the new James Webb Telescope, often humans have an innate ability to appreciate the wonders of space without necessarily understanding the complexities of it all. In this instance, FRBs are a rare example of an "unknown unknown" in astronomy -- in that astronomers did not anticipate these events. So we have now set out to answer what these enigmatic bursts are and see if they fit in our understanding of the Universe. It is a very exciting time for astronomers and the community alike, as with each new discovery comes a new understanding of how it all fits together.”
Dr. Kaczmarek hopes there will be community pride once this "cool experiment" is known. This was the first time she has been able to sit down with the public to talk about this exciting science coming to Princeton. The telescope structure is complete and should be turned on this spring. The multi-million-dollar radio telescope is entirely privately funded by The Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation. The Allenby location is ideal due to flat, non-agricultural land, proximity to Kaleden for travel and the relative absence of radio interference. Regional District Area H Director Bob Coyne was instrumental in finding and acquiring the site.
Residents of Princeton, as potential science ambassadors, who want to share about their new neighbours, can find more information about the outriggers through the following links:
• CHIME Outrigger telescopes boost search for fast radio bursts (McGill University)
• CHIME Outrigger telescopes boost search for fast radio bursts (UBC Science - Faculty of Science at the University of British Columbia)
Standing on the Soapbox
NDP’s Future Lies With Young Voters, Including First Nation Youth
by Steve Burke
In our federal riding, Central Okanagan Similkameen Nicola (COSN), older folks vote and younger ones not so much. Older voters are rather set in their voting ways. Over the last couple of decades not much has changed. The NDP can reliably expect 20-25% of the popular vote and they can reliably expect to lose to the Conservatives.
Young voters offer future growth for the NDP. They have yet to entrench their voting habits so they can be encouraged to vote NDP especially with dynamic candidates and dynamic ideas.
An enduring problem is that many young people don’t vote whether through cynicism or apathy. This creates a negative feedback loop. Candidates tailor their platforms to appeal to older voters to get elected, and younger people feel even more forgotten.
Young First Nation people also offer tremendous potential for the NDP, and for the advancement of First Nations’ interests. The NDP has forged strong and enduring relations with Canada’s First Nation governments. Both the Liberals and Conservatives have a checkered past, highlighted by their shameful support of residential schools.
Our COSN NDP candidate for the last two elections was Joan Phillip, a well-connected First Nation leader, and prominent voice for our riding. This spells well for the NDP’s future with First Nation youth.
Engaging young people to become NDP voters is a huge challenge. To get them actively involved in the NDP is that much more challenging.
I’m not well versed in possible ways to engage young people to support the NDP. But I certainly recognize the need. And I recognize that communicating with young people via their favourite platforms is essential. I applaud the COSN NDP for their new website (Stingy Steve was even prompted to open up his wallet). I trust other social media sites (eg. Facebook, Twitter) are receiving the same attention.
(Sign the federal petition to lower the voting age here: https://www.ndp.ca/vote16)
Alternative Vote
by Donna Stocker
Alternative Vote (AV) is the system that Prime Minister Trudeau wanted, and when he couldn’t get it, he preferred to keep our old first-past-the-post (FPTP) system. AV is a system that only those in power want, as it would solidify their positions. AV is a ranked ballot system where the candidates are ranked by preference. The candidate with the least votes drops off and their second choices are distributed and counted. When one candidate reaches 50% + l they are elected. It is just another form of first-past-the-post, or winner-take-all, and is non-proportional.
This system is used to select leaders of a party, the parliamentary speaker, committee chairs, and union leaders. The only countries that use this system for their parliament are Papua New Guinea and Australia. In Papua New Guinea, there are many ethnic groups, and the candidates have to appeal to a wide number of groups to garner their second choice.
Adopting the AV system for parliament would fulfill PM Trudeau’s promise of making the last election “the last first-past-the-post election.” It would also very likely keep the Liberals in power for a very long time. We have four or five parties running candidates in each riding. A candidate can win on their second-choice votes. Rather than make your second choice one of the smaller parties and risk having that vote go nowhere, or worse yet, allowing your major competition a better chance of getting in, a Conservative would most likely vote for a Liberal on their second choice rather than vote for the NDP candidate, as an NDP would most likely give his second choice to a Liberal candidate rather than a Conservative.
Australia is an example of how this system can go wrong. They have used this system for over 100 years. No other party but the two big parties have ever made it to government. Consequently, policy lurches are the norm just as with our FPTP system. Small parties get knocked out by the preferential vote. The Greens have never had more than one seat, although they got almost 12% of the vote. A party doesn’t need 50% of the vote to form a government. This system produces more false majorities than we do in our country. To add to the situation, people in Australia are compelled by law to vote, and on election day, party activists crowd the polling stations and hand out their dedicated how-to-vote cards.
The Guardian calls their parliament the “fight club.” NBC News claims that “Australia’s brutal politics...drifts right.” Not one to mince words, Churchill described the outcome of this system as “determined by the most worthless votes for the most worthless candidates”. It’s been called “blood sports.” In the last two years MPs have been booted from Parliament for bad behaviour 400 times, and fewer than 10% of Australians trust their government.
In closing, Alternative Vote is just another form of FPTP and it produces basically the same results. This is clearly not the kind of voting system we need in Canada. In the next COSN Updates, I will talk about a voting system that could work.
What's Next?
Happening in Kelowna this June are the annual Pride March & Pride Festival. The Kelowna Pride March is scheduled for Saturday June 11th, beginning 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM at Stuart Park followed by the march to City Park. The Kelowna Pride Festival runs 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM at City Park, where there will be entertainment, vendors and activities for all ages. Members of the COSN NDP will be participating in the march, all are welcome to join the orange presence! Please try to arrive at the Stuart Park rink by 10:30 AM before the march to City Park begins.
Going forward into the year, the executive of the COSN NDP are focused on organizing outreach events, such as participation in Canada Day festivities throughout the riding. We also intend to hold talking circles to connect directly and thoughtfully with members throughout our communities. We see opportunities to build on the momentum of the 2021 federal election and we look forward to connecting with you soon!
If you, as an NDP member in the riding, would like to host or get involved in an event within your community, please don’t hesitate to reach out! We’d love to help you in organizing an event promoting NDP participation wherever you call home in the Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola.
Thank you for staying updated! You can count on us to share more with you as it happens.
