Please Help Reach the
Reform/Alliance

The "Canada Well-Being Measurement Act" Bill C-469 offers an improved way of measuring progress which takes into account a broad range of social and environmental factors. By identifying values important to Canadians and regularly reporting progress or regressions relating to those values, the Act would keep a variety of non-monetary factors in front of Canadians and decision makers alike.

The key phrases from the Act are included in the sample letter below. The full text and supporting materials are available.

In particular, linked to: "Articles", the 500 Word Announcement and the Campaign Summary provide concise details about the program.

The Act was introduced in the House of Commons on April 5, 2000. All that is required for Second Reading, the last hurdle between here and an open vote which would very likely make it law, is the agreement of the Reform/Canadian Alliance Party. This agreement is within their interests, but it requires that we find constituents of individual Reform/Alliance MPs who will press their representatives to look at the Act and form an opinion on it.

IF YOU ARE IN A REFORM RIDING, OR KNOW OTHERS WHO ARE, PLEASE SEND A LETTER, EMAIL, MAKE A PHONE CALL, OR PASS THIS MESSAGE ON TO YOUR LIST.

You can send the following letter as is, copy or redraft it for greater impact as a personal communication, or use it as notes for discussing the issue with your MP or his or her staff. You can get the contact information for your MP at: 1 (800) 667-3355.

The key is to ask questions and make it clear you want answers. To answer, they have to think about the Act, and that is the present goal. Thought leads to cooperation because paying attention to what is happening around us is to everyone's advantage in the long-term.
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Dear Mr. or Ms _____________________ MP

I am writing to find out what you think about the "Canada Well-Being Measurement Act", Bill C-469.

It seems to me that there are many aspects of this proposal which are in keeping with your Parties policy.

The Act calls for the "development and periodic publication of a set of indicators of the economic, social and environmental well-being of people, communities and ecosystems in Canada." The factors that would be reported on would be based on "input from the public through submissions and public hearings".

Do you agree that this reflects your interest in direct citizen involvement?

Measuring well-being through a broader set of indicators can provide a clear accounting basis for a number of your policies. The Act is about accountability for what is happening in the economy, the environment and in our communities. No harm can come from paying attention to what is happening around us and many troubles can be avoided by keeping an eye on the changes that are taking place.

The C-469 would advance Alliance interests in family values. Total work accounts (that include the value of unpaid household work and voluntary work, as well as paid work.) can provide the accounting basis for eliminating taxation provisions that discriminate against stay-at-home parents. They can also stimulate discussion and policy initiatives to promote family-friendly work arrangements that acknowledge the value of family time with children. Such arrangements have actually been shown to stimulate market productivity.

The costs of crime is another measurement that will shed light on important issues. Rather than interpreting such expenses as good because they cause the GDP to rise, a separate account would support interest in law and order as well as making an economic case for addressing conditions that incline people toward crime.

Clear measurement of environmental factors can help the market function more efficiently. Wherever there is pollution, there is a distorting market subsidy; someone is benefiting unfairly by leaving a cost of their production to be paid by others who do not benefit directly from the product.

The "Canada Well-Being Measurement Act" is an inexpensive way to move such matters of public concern into the policy arena.

Finally, the "Canada Well-Being Measurement Act" is a Private Members Bill. If it receives all Party support to move forward, the benefit will fall entirely to Canadians. The improved measuring system could not then be worn as a feather in any particular Parties election bonnet. Paul Martin has already allocated money to institute environmental/economic accounting. They do not yet have a legislative framework within which to do this. If Bill C-469 does not move forward as a non-partisan initiative, the Liberals will get the credit for producing something that is unlikely to be as relevant to people's concerns as would be a set of measures chosen by Canadians through a public dialogue.

You can get full details about Bill C-469 from the Ottawa office of Joe Jordan MP. (613) 992-8756

Please let me know what you think about this important initiative.

yours truly,
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Please, if you are in the riding of a Reform/Alliance MP, get on their case and ask them what they think of Bill C-469. It will only take a few of their Members to be familiar with the Act when its support comes up for discussion in caucus. A little persistence in asking for a response can make all the difference needed to moving this Act past Second Reading and into law. (Get back to the MP in a week or two if you don't get a reply, and again if necessary. You have a right to know their opinion.)

For more information, check out our web site, or contact me at: sustain@web.net or 1 (613) 269-3500

Yours truly, Mike Nickerson
Coordinator
7th Generation Initiative