Acceptance speech at the Brant Greens Nomination Meeting, 21 May 2019

Posted on 4 July 2019 by Bob Jonkman (he/him/his)

On Tuesday, 21 May 2019 the Brant Greens held a nomination meeting, and I was selected as the Green Party of Canada candidate for Brantford-Brant. Here’s the video of my acceptance speech:

YouTube: Bob Jonkman: GPC Candidate for Brantford—Brant

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The Green Party of Canada prefers a Mixed Member Proportional voting sytem

Posted on 15 June 2019 by Bob Jonkman (he/him/his)

Someone asked:

I don’t understand how AV “institutionalizes strategic voting” – if one is able to rank their preferences there is never a need to “vote strategically”… you put the candidate you would prefer most as your first choice, and your second as your second choice, and so on. There is no need to vote any differently than your real preferences because your vote continues to have an impact regardless of how other people in your riding vote.


How To Vote cards I look to Australia for an example of “institutionalized” strategic voting. Their House of Representatives is elected using Alternative Vote; during the election parties hand out “How to vote” cards to tell people how to rank their ballots to ensure their party has the best chance of winning the election by giving lower rankings to candidates in particular ridings that might win on the second or third round of counting. Ranked ballots in single member ridings just tend to weight results to a single party. Conservative voters tend to give 2nd choice to a centre-right candidate, 3rd to a centrist. Progressive voters tend to give 2nd choice to a centre-left candidate, 3rd to a centrist. Suddenly you have the centrist candidate (who got few first-ranked choices) winning on the second or third round of counting. With single-member ridings this happens again and again in each riding. Centrist parties really like Alternative Vote in Single Member Ridings. To ensure that all voters along the political spectrum get fair representation, ranked ballots need to be combined with multi-member ridings. Single Transferable Vote does this, and to a lesser extend Mixed Member Proportional. In either case, the more members that are elected in a single electoral district, the better the proportionality, but larger ridings result in less local, geographical representation. In speaking with hundreds of people at Fair Vote information tables over the last 12 years, I find that people really value local geographic representation. So Mixed Member Proportional is a good compromise between proportionality and local representation.
Mixed Member Proportional Representation ballot The Green Party of Canada formally adopted Mixed Member Proportional as the preferred voting system in a policy meeting at the Special General Meeting in December 2016. That policy also states that if a referendum to change the voting system is held, either it should not include non-proportional systems in the question (so Mixed Member Proportional, Single Transferable Vote, maybe Dual Member Proportional, but not First Past The Post or Alternative Vote), or the referendum should be held only after at least two consecutive elections using a proportional voting system. –Bob.

Green Party of Canada Policy Resolution

Referendum

Code

S16-D017

Proposal Type

Directive

Operative

Be it resolved that the Green Party of Canada’s position regarding referenda on electoral reform is: That the Green Party of Canada supports conducting a referendum on electoral reform with options of proportional systems with a Gallagher index of 5 or less, as presented by the Special Parliamentary committee on Electoral Reform, but only 1) if the referendum presents only proportional voting options; or 2) after at least two consecutive elections using a proportional voting system.

Green Party of Canada Policy Resolution

Preferred Voting Model

Code

S16-D018

Proposal Type

Directive

Operative

BE IT RESOLVED that the Green Party of Canada supports mixed member proportional representation as its preferred method for achieving equal and effective votes. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Green Party of Canada will remain open to other proportional representation options with a Gallagher index of 5 or less, as presented by the Special Parliamentary committee on Electoral Reform

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Nova Vita Heels to Heal Walk 2019 Sunday!

Posted on 6 June 2019 by Bob Jonkman (he/him/his)

On Sunday I’ll be participating in my first ever Nova Vita Heels to Heal Walk 2019

SUNDAY June 9th, 2019
12:30pm
Harmony Square, Brantford

Although this is very short notice with the event happening on Sunday, Nova Vita is an eminently worthy cause, and I’m sure any donation will be greatly appreciated.

So far only about a quarter of what was raised last year has been pledged, and I can’t but wonder how much that has to do with the deep cuts the Ford Government has made and is contemplating making.

If you can help, you can make a donation here:
https://raceroster.com/events/2019/22914/nova-vita-heels-to-heal-walk-2019/participants

I don’t have a team for this event I do have a team, the Brant Greens, so I’ll welcome any company along the way. The more people joining in, the stronger the message of nonviolence and peace. Participants don’t even have to make a donation, you can register at no charge and Nova Vita will even provide the red heels!

This is a family friendly event, and any funds raised will be helping out families with some very great needs. Hope to see you there!

Donations and pledges continue to be accepted until Sunday, 30 June 2019, so you can still help out Nova Vita for a few weeks after the walk!

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Bob Jonkman is the Brantford–Brant Green Party Candidate

Posted on 22 May 2019 by Bob Jonkman (he/him/his)

Hi. My name is Bob Jonkman, and I’m the Green Party candidate for Brantford–Brant.

Bob Jonkman at the podium giving a speech

Bob Jonkman

Today I had the privilege of speaking those words for the first time. I was at the Brant Greens AGM, where I was selected as the Green Party of Canada candidate for the riding of Brantford–Brant. After the business portion of the meeting a panel discussion with other candidates from WR Greens was held, and I could introduce myself as the candidate.

I’m very grateful to the Brantford-Brant EDA for inviting me to run in Brantford-Brant. I’d like to thank Ingrid Douglas, Susan Norman, Nora Fueten, Ken Burns, Dave Legere, Lin Geary, and Don Douglas for all the support and encouragement they’ve given me. It’s great to start an election campaign with such a strong team behind me!

–Bob.

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Global Climate Strike March 15!

Posted on 11 March 2019 by Laurel L. Russwurm

YouTube: Fridays For Future – March 1st March

The School Climate Strike movement inspired by 15 year old Greta Thunberg is going global on Friday March 15th, 2019.  Kids of all ages are encouraged to come make some noise!

In Waterloo Region the event will again begin outside Waterloo City Hall at 12:30pm.

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Congratulations to Mike Morrice and Kirsten Wright!

Posted on 6 March 2019 by Bob Jonkman (he/him/his)

There was a packed house for the Kitchener Centre and Waterloo Green Party nomination contest, held at Descendants Brewery on Wednesday, 6 March 2019.

Bob Jonkman, Kirsten Wright, Ian Graham, Mike Morrice

Bob Jonkman, Kirsten Wright, Ian Graham, Mike Morrice

Congratulations to Mike Morrice for winning the Kitchener Centre nomination!

Mike Morrice

Mike Morrice

…and to Kirsten Wright for winning the Waterloo nomination!

Kirsten Wright

Kirsten Wright

And many thanks to all those from the Waterloo Region Greens who helped put on this event, the largest Green Party nomination contest in Waterloo Region history!

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Thank you, Kitchener–Conestoga!

Posted on 8 June 2018 by Bob Jonkman (he/him/his)

The election is over, the ballots have been counted, and there are new MPPs everywhere.

I’d like to congratulate Mike Harris Jr. on his election win to become the MPP for Kitchener–Conestoga. I’d also like to thank my co-candidates: Kelly Dick (NDP), Joe Gowing (Liberal), Daniel Benoy (Libertarian), and Dan Holt (Consensus Ontario) for providing alternative choices to Kitchener–Conestoga voters.

People standing in front of the WRGreens Campaign Office

At the Campaign Office

I definitely want to thank all the Waterloo Region Greens who provided support, staffed the office, gave advice, and made it much easier to run a political campaign.



A very young man holds an electric screwgun to put up Bob Jonkman's sign

I Love Our Volunteers!

A special shout out to our volunteers who put up signs in all corners of Kitchener–Conestoga!

Of course, a big thank you goes to Laurel Russwurm, my wife and campaign manager, and my son Willem for putting up with all the frenzied activity of a campaign.



Bob Jonkman and other participants sitting in a discussion circle

Meeting the Candidates

And finally, I want to thank you, the citizens of Kitchener–Conestoga, for attending the All Candidates Meetings, asking questions, and participating in your democracy.

–Bob.

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Believe In Your Vote

Posted on 7 June 2018 by Bob Jonkman (he/him/his)

It’s election day, and as I write this there are only four hours left to vote. If you haven’t done so already, get out there! If you are still undecided, look at the party platform, listen to the candidates speak at the Chamber of Commerce debate, the New Hamburg Board of Trade meeting, and THEMUSEUM’s Cultural Exchange.

When you know what the candidates stand for, what their values are, then choose the candidate who will best represent you.

YouTube: Believe In Your Vote

…and if you’re still not convinced that voting Green will result in a better health care system (universal pharmacare, dental care and mental health care), transit infrastructure funded from non-tax sources, affordable housing, and Basic Income Guarantee to eradicate poverty, then consider that your vote will contribute $2.54 to the Green Party, building a Greener future for Ontario. That means every vote literally counts.

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New Hamburg Board of Trade All Candidates Meeting, 29 May 2018

Posted on 7 June 2018 by Bob Jonkman (he/him/his)

In the evening of Tuesday, 29 May 2018 the New Hamburg Board of Trade hosted an All Candidates Meeting at Puddicombe House.

YouTube: New Hamburg Board of Trade Debate (2018)

We discuss a variety of issues important to the citizens of Kitchener-Conestoga. As always, we faced some very hard questions from the attendees.

If you’re struggling to decide which candidate to support in KitCon, this thoughtful (and civil) hour and a half may be just what you need.

Thanks to the New Hamburg Board of Trade for an excellent oportunity, and the Puddicombe House for a wonderful venue! the most thanks go to the democratically engaged citizens who put us through our paces.

Let’s Make History: Vote Green!

Music:
Private Hurricane
© by Josh Woodward
Released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License

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KW Chamber of Commerce Debate, 29 May 2018

Posted on 7 June 2018 by Bob Jonkman (he/him/his)

On Tuesday, 29 May 2018 some of the candidates in Kitchener–Conestoga were invited to a debate by the Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce. The debate was moderated by Jeff Pickle of 570AM News, and recorded by Rogers Cable.

YouTube: The Local Campaign: Kitchener-Conestoga

Afterwards I received a lovely letter from a local resident:

Hello all, Thank you to all of you for making it to the candidates meeting yesterday afternoon in Elmira! I attended for the first hour, after which I unfortunately had to leave. I would have loved to hear the whole discussion, but I am a single mom and my kids were home alone. I appreciated how Bob addressed each question directly with the Green party’s platform and his own beliefs. I do not like the tactic of putting other parties down.

Mike, you mentioned that the best way to get housing prices down is by building more houses. In order to do this, you said, we have to get rid of the ‘red tape’ and you specifically mentioned environmental studies that “take over a year to complete!”. Developers will not build affordable housing out of their own good-will (most will not). They make their money by building houses and selling at the highest price possible. They will not flood the market with a surplus of houses, as this will push prices down (but not to an affordable price for low-income families or people on social assistance). Environmental studies are necessary to protect the natural environment, including species at risk. Without such studies and guidelines, developers would cut down forests and remove wetlands and kill wildlife. Environmental studies take a full year to complete because of the seasonality of species (e.g. frogs breed at different times in the spring; birds migrate in spring and fall and breed in June; bats have to be studied in June; different types of vegetation grows at different times of the spring and summer; wildlife use the landscape differently in the winter). I admit that I work for an environmental consulting company, which is why I know a little bit about this. Climate change is a huge issue that the government needs to address! If we do not address it in a very solid and practical way, our children (who you also spoke of) will have a very difficult time to live, even if we would get everything else right.

I think the Liberals have done a good job for the most part during their term in office. Thank you! I support the environmental initiatives you have brought forward. I have also voted NDP in the past and believe they have many good ideas. However, on June 7 I will be voting for the Green Party! Their platform aligns best with my beliefs and I found Bob to be the most well spoken and most passionate.

-Katharina.

P.S. By the way, Mike, it was extremely difficult to find your email address!

Letter from Katharina used with permission

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