Sortition - A Democratic Reform Idea
Instead of electing those who desire power, randomly select people to check power.
Sortition, a Democratic Reform Idea
The importance of a free exchange of ideas, debate, critical thinking and dissent are critical in a truly democratic society. The principles of our current society are the result of rebellion against claims of divine right. That claim of absolute power by a privileged group or individual that their word was the law, that they were not subject to the law and they spoke as a God has been the scourge of human rights violations since the beginning of human time.
Throughout the world we unfortunately continue to seek a popular leader to represent us and protect us which inevitably leads to that figurehead entrenching power at the expense of the rights of the Citizen. In Canada the Prime Minister, the office of which is undefined in our written constitution was elected in 2019 by exactly 25,957 or 51.12% of voters in Papineau, QC although through partisan control of all MP's in the Liberal Party and representing only 32.6% of Canadians claims legitimacy to rule in all of our interest.
The PM selects judges for the Supreme Court of Canada and the Chief Justices of the Provinces, who also comprise the members of the Canadian Judicial Council judging judicial conduct. Independent? Accountable and Transparent? The Council is not even subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Complaints regarding the conduct of Judges of the “enforcement courts” of the Provinces remain at the desk of the Chief Justice of the Provincial Court who is accountable to no-one.
The PM, who hires and fires, thus controls, the Minister of Justice appoints the rest of the federal judges and recommends to Parliament (which by definition, the PM controls) a decision to dismiss a judge. Over 75% of Federal Judges have been appointed by the Liberal Party and the majority of the Judges on the Supreme Court of Canada. Allegations of appointments on the basis of political donations to the Party severely damage the concept of judicial independence.
The theory of “judicial independence” exists to protect the people from abuse of power by the Executive but that appears to be propaganda rather than reality. Watch this video alleging the possibility that known conservative Supreme Court of Canada Justice Russell Brown was hounded from the bench with political motivations.
The problem with entrenched power is that democratic change is protected by self interest in retaining power. As JWR writes in her book, Speaking Truth to Power, the Liberal Party is obsessed with staying in power and that motivates every decision including a reversal of Trudeau's promise to move to the more responsive democratic proportional voting. The Conservatives under Harper were no better with public servant scientists being muzzled to toe the Party line and criticisms in the Gomery inquiry regarding concentration of power in the PMO. NDP Leader Mr Singh clearly will do anything to get closer to the power of the PM’s office.
The problem is the Party system itself in our Parliament which creates a divide and conquer mentality in the entire population instead of healthy debate on issues of importance to society. Instead of creating a moderate middle path that appeals to a majority of people we have a system that creates tribal loyalty and aggression to the other tribe which is not in the best interests of the people to create Peace, Order and Good Government.
Canadians deserve better and we can dismantle the corrupting influence of absolute power centered at the PMO.
Alternate concepts to the Political Party system are never proposed because financial interests control the Party system and thus control Members of Parliament.
For instance, Katie Telford is Chief of Staff for the current PM.
I recently became educated to a concept of democracy called Sortition. Instead of those who seek power being the only ones available to be elected, a random, thus representative sample is selected. Through this system men and women are represented equally and other interests, in proportion to the population. The enormous cost and corrupting influence of money in the election process is significantly reduced and the voice of our representatives more accurately reflects the democratic principle, "of the people, by the people, and for the people."
The Principle of the Separation of Powers
between Executive, Judiciary and Parliament
"All would be lost if the same man or the same body of principals, or of nobles, or of the people, exercised these three powers: that of making laws, that of executing public resolutions, and that of judging crimes or disputes between individuals.”
Montesquieu, The Spirit of Law
Are you free if “they” control all the choices.
Who guards against those who purport to be our guardians?
Here is my proposal for a jury at the head of the judicial conduct process. A similar system of citizen jury would be the appropriate body to judge police, law societies etc to properly protect the public interest. Who else can speak for the public?
https://fundamentaljustice.com/judicial-conduct-reform/
The position of the governor general is replaced by a sortition jury of citizens to approve the bills before the become law, to protect the public interest, and in particular the most vulnerable, whose voices are seldom heard and would now receive a truly representative final check on the bills to ensure the receive the public’s blessing as appropriate in a free and democratic state, before they become law to ensure the publics interests are protected.
Examine the concept by searching online, Wikipedia or at www.sortitionfoundation.org
My Proposal for Democratic Reform
I am announcing my intention to run as an independent candidate for election to the House of Commons as Prime Minister. Or you could.
Unite individual members of Parliament to support the position of Prime Minister to initiate democratic reform to properly place the citizen at the top of the pyramid.
Reform and Step Down within a year.
We all want and need equality, accountability and transparency in government. It is actually a human right.
Principles
Removal of lobbyist
Citizen Juries at the head of self-governing public services: police, lawyers, judges, doctors.
Unity not division. The Party system creates division. Citizens can co-operate given the right social setting.
Debate not dictate. The requirement to co-operate and discover best outcomes is best achieved by good communication, rather than dictatorial top-down decision making.
Education in basic functionality in society: to be peaceful with ourselves and help others.
Citizen Rule: Rule by the people, for the people and of the people.
Rule by a temporary citizen board will create decisions that will gravitate toward the middle, rather than divide because consensus is a requirement. This philosophy will permeate through society bringing us together rather than apart. Our loyalty lies to our world and our country not to the financial motivations of a political party.
Government is a Public Service.
There you go. Another choice for Democracy.