WHIPPED!!

[flamingfingers]

Sean Holman has broken more stories than all of MSM combined. He left BC to become Assistant Prof of Journalism in Calgary at Mt Royal College. He has come back to present this documentary on the 'Secret World of Political Discipline' here in BC. From what little I have gathered from reviews of his work here it may just get more people voting for Independents. Something that I proposed that is already in effect in Nunavut and the NWT.

Saturday, April 27, 2013
BC's uncomfortable political reality

I noticed this at Bob Mackin's website and my thoughts match his. So, it is easier to steal Bob's words than crank out ones of my own that couldn't be better.

"On April 28, Sean Holman screens his new documentary "Whipped: The Secret World of Party Discipline" at 7 p.m. in the Vancouver Public Library's Alice MacKay Room. Suggested donation is $5.

"I saw the premiere at the University of B.C. on April 26 and it is a shocking look at how B.C. is governed. It is a must-see that will cause you to question the state of our democracy (or lack thereof).

"It was great to see Holman back in B.C., rousing the rabble like he does so well. This province's loss is Alberta's gain. The former Public Eye Online proprietor is an assistant professor of journalism at Mount Royal College in Calgary."

Bob also has details of DOA's Joe Keithley performing a solo acoustic gig tonight for NDP supporters and again May 3. Check Bob's website for details, using the link above.

I was also at the UBC screening Thursday. Even though I've been a political observer in this province for a very long time, Sean's video described defects in our parliamentary system worse than imagined. It is astounding that a man now employed in Calgary is the one to say what needs to be said while the dinosaurs of the Legislative Press Gallery just go along, to get along.

I now understand why the sitting government maintains an extravagant pension plan for backbench MLAs; it is not to attract better candidates, it is to ensure the quiet complicity of loyal enablers. All they have to do is sit quietly, pound their desks at the right moments and vote as instructed by leadership. If they don't do those things...

Whipped is a program every concerned citizen should see. Nothing much will change in the Legislature until we make fundamental alterations of our voting system. Understanding the faults of governance is vital to beginning any meaningful improvement.

Thank you Sean Holman for completing this work.

http://northerninsights.blogspot.ca/

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at the tyee, they wrote about Holman's movie as well. they have a 2 minute video preview as well

"Party discipline gives a majority government the power to do almost anything it wants in the legislature. In fact, the last time a government bill was defeated was 1953 -- the same year Soviet premier Joseph Stalin died. The story about how that discipline works is the one big story I wasn't able to tell when I was covering provincial politics. That is, until now."

"I think many British Columbians are frustrated by the state of democracy in this province. They feel their elected representatives don't really represent them. But I think most British Columbians don't understand why that is -- and understandably so.

"The system of party discipline which forces MLAs to vote against the wishes of their constituents and even their own conscience is extremely secretive. Indeed, that secrecy is one of the cornerstones of our system of government.

"MLAs promise not to talk about what happens in caucus and cabinet -- the only forum where they are allowed to collectively speak their minds. That's why it was so hard to make this documentary -- getting past and present MLAs to speak on the record about specific examples of party discipline in action."

Here in B.C., says Holman, "It's not for me to say what needs fixing about the province's political system. Instead, I think what the people of this province need to understand is how that system actually works -- and then ask themselves whether they are happy with it.

"Are we happy with a political system where most MLAs only have a say in secret? Are we happy with a political system where MLAs are often unable to tell voters when they disagree with their party? Are we happy with a political system where government has the power to get whatever wants in the legislature?

"Because that's the system we've got."

http://thetyee.ca/Mediacheck/2013/04/22/Whipped-Doc/

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and for all the tyee haters, here is an article from the vancouver sun on the documentary movie, whipped...

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/bc ... story.html