Kim Bell

Federal Council - Newfoundland and Labrador

newfoundland.rep@greenparty.ca
http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~kbell

Much of my time is spent on human rights and democracy issues, including international law. Universality is the key aspect of any law that claims to be proper. That idea is one of humanity’s greatest achievements. We’ve come a long way, but we’ve still got some walking to do.

I'm a scientist (BSc, MSc, PhD), ecologist (fish and fisheries) with an interest in statistics. I authored the first Cosewic Status Report on a commercial fish: Atlantic Cod (1998). (Good report, highly praised, but then suppressed; a disillusioning experience.)

I'm in IndependentJewishVoicesCanada (ijvcanada.org), JewishVoiceForPeace (jvp.org), Amnesty, etc.

Every candidate should state their position upfront re the Principles. I support the Principles, except for proportional representation [PR] because: (a) the problem is FPTP, not Westminster. The problem with FPTP is 'split vote’: a candidate/MP can be elected even where 51% oppose that person. Runoffs (all parties use runoff to elect their chiefs) can replace FPTP. Runoffs require changes only in a few lines of the ElectionsAct. Runoffs are proven, simple, easy, effective, economical — doable! (b) I oppose PR because: it is a profound (and therefore difficult, not-very-doable!) change from Westminster; PR undesirably elevates parties to a legal status they have never had before; PR eliminates floor-crossing which is a check on party-leader-problems; PR eliminates geographic constituencies and the accountability arising from that. More at www.razorbillpress.com/democracy..