The moral dimensions of public-policy ideas aren’t always obvious. The real-life implications of data often require interpretation—even translation. For every smart solution, policymakers and movers and shakers need the best words and messages and narratives to convey why it matters. That’s what our Flashcards are for! We help you find the words—and stories, images, and … Read more
After a long election, British Columbia’s referendum to upgrade to a proportional representation system lost, 61 percent to keep the current system to 39 percent. Although many BC voters feel the current First-Past-the-Post voting system is not working well, change from the status quo to an unfamiliar system can be a tough sell at the … Read more
Last week, San Francisco and Minneapolis struck down bans on car-free housing.
In the fall of 2015, when Canadians were weighing whether to choose Justin Trudeau to be their next prime minister, “sunny ways” were not all the handsome young candidate promised to deliver. One of the most prominent parts of Trudeau’s platform was a commitment to change the way Canada votes. He said he wanted to … Read more
Will British Columbians blaze a trail by upgrading democracy to proportional representation?
Yes, we actually did that: 3 big wins for Cascadian city lovers this fall.
[content_box type=”border”] Definitions Bike-share is evolving rapidly. These are the three most common approaches, though hybrid versions and new twists seem to be popping up weekly: Station-based: From the time Paris debuted the concept in 2007 until recently, “bike share” meant renting and returning bikes at docking stations distributed within a defined geographic area. Washington DC’s … Read more
The surprising fact is that they already have, but not in the ways today’s would-be reformers might expect.
Hey voters of British Columbia, remember 2001? The BC Liberals got 58 percent of the vote and won all but two seats in the Legislative Assembly. Sure, their votes should have given the party a comfortable majority control—but not near-total domination. The BC New Democratic Party (NDP) and BC Greens won more than 40 percent … Read more
Economies across North America are supposedly doing well, yet lots of people are still feeling the pinch. Many Americans and Canadians are part of a trend of widening inequality. It might not be intuitive, but updating their electoral method could help. Countries that use proportional representation (ProRep) have less inequality and more equality-enhancing policies compared … Read more