Video---We have a serious democracy deficit in Oshawa

Bill Longworth
Presentation to Oshawa City Council
April 10, 2007

We have a serious democracy deficit in Oshawa

Democracy absolutely requires an informed public You have followed a strategy to keep the public uninformed---to deny them the information they needed to make the plebiscite decision.

You have refused to provide public information…so as a concerned citizen, I have stepped into the breach



I am working to keep the public informed on my website www.oshawaspeaks.ca that you all are aware of.

Since I feel more information has to be provided, I have requested city partnership funding for a professional brochure written by political science professors about this electoral change and had planned for this to be distributed to all Oshawa residents.

This information is important because the public has to know that the general vote takes the real and meaningful vote that can make a difference away from the public

You are stealing their vote.

And amazingly we are discussing this loss of the real and meaningful vote One day after Canadians celebrated our WWI victory at Vimy Ridge where thousands of Canadian soldiers died trying to preserve freedoms for the world and for those back home in Canada…we are today fighting to save the “Real Vote” that is the basis of our democratic freedoms…the very thing our troops were fighting for…and they are continuing to do that in Afghanistan today…to bring real votes to people so that they have some control over their political destiny.

We have huge populations in Oshawa of Eastern European Heritage. Their forbearers came here to obtain freedoms like the Real Vote that could make a difference…We have some councillors whose ancestors came here for that freedom…and surprisingly, these Councillors with this Eastern European heritage are today voting to take away the real vote that their ancestors cherished.

Council defeated a motion ”that staff be directed to prepare an information brochure on the pros and cons of ward system vs central vote methods of election and that a copy of the brochure be circulated to each household in the city of Oshawa prior to any public meetings on this issue.

This motion sounded perfectly sensible and wise to me but it was defeated on negative votes of councillors henry, Kolodzie, Marimpietri, Parkes, Pidwerbecki, Shouldra, and mayor grey…Why? Why don’t you want people to have information?

Your failure to provide necessary information to the public was undemocratic and irresponsible and completely invalidates the plebiscite result.

Oshawa’s history with the general vote shows all change took place through death or resignation of members…not the vote therefore the vote itself was meaningless in bringing change.

Why are we getting no information.

Are you trying to hide something?

Do you have some hidden agenda?

Are you afraid that people will discuss and analyze the change and discover that you, our members of council, are the only beneficiaries of the change since it will guarantee you a lifetime seat on the "gravy train" of city council.

Doesn’t council respect the people enough to provide information to them

Do you think the Oshawa people are stupid and don’t deserve to be informed?

Aren't voters entitled to know why the plebiscite question was asked when there was not one whimper of dissatisfaction expressed with ward voting?

Aren't voters entitled to know what was wrong with the ward system when it seemed to be working so well?

Aren't voters entitled to know the benefits council expects from the general vote?

Aren't voters entitled to be reminded of Oshawa's history with the general vote when all of council came from a few of the wealthier areas leaving most of Oshawa unrepresented?

Aren't voters entitled to know that all political change under Oshawa's general vote took place through death or resignation of members?

Aren't voters entitled to know that the general vote is virtually unused in Canada and is not used in any city as large as Oshawa without the use of political parties?

Aren't voters entitled to know all these things?

So why does council continue to deny us the information?

Council's actions hardly remind us of the way governments are supposed to act in Canada.

So how I wonder how Oshawa voters feel being taken for patsies and fools?

I think they are damn mad and this will become more pronounced as they become fully aware of what you’ve done

This will culminate in their absolute repulsion at the next election of those responsible when their attention will be focused on a huge general vote ballot where it will be impossible for them to make intelligent choices.

I know I am damn mad and am doing something about it---and I am determined to keep this focus over your entire term of council to keep your irresponsibility front and centre with the public.

I am determined that you will pay a price at the next election.