CFUW Guelph awarded a CFUW National certificate of recognition for the Better Ballot Campaign at CFUW’s 2020 AGM.
The Better Ballot Campaign is gathering Canadians together to reinforce our collective commitment to civil discussion and respectful debate of political issues.
We want to make sure that all Canadians feel welcome and able to safely participate in political and public life. We believe this will lead to well-informed and balanced decision-making that reflects the diversity of our communities.
From humble beginnings….
The Better Ballot Campaign team began when a team of passionate community leaders from Guelph Ontario gathered to ask how they could help encourage more women and visible minorities run for office. We know that negative, fear-based campaigning discourages people who are gender and ethnically diverse from running for political office and taking on other community leadership positions. This is not good for our country and erodes trust in our democratic institutions.
Inspired by the attendees at the 2018 Guelph-Wellington Women’s Campaign School, we put our heads together to come up with a way to change things. Our goal was to find a way to bring civility and respect to political discussions. We wanted to encourage more diverse voices in politics creating a better ballot for everyone.
In partnership with the clever folks from Pearl Street Communications, we developed The Better Ballot Campaign. During the 2018 Ontario municipal elections, we asked candidates and voters to make a commitment to support issues-based campaigns and healthy debate. This led to successful Better Ballot Campaigns in Guelph, Centre Wellington and Orangeville.
…to a national presence!
We are now proud to launch The Better Ballot in time for the 2019 federal election.
You can take the pledge at www.thebetterballot.ca
Here’s what else you can do?
- Listening to another person’s opinion without trying to change their mind, checking your facts before you speak, and seeking common ground can pave the way to a greater understanding of both the issues and the various options to address them.
- Every time we communicate with another person, we vote for the kind of society we want to live in. Make your vote count.
- When you take the pledge, you are making a commitment to yourself and your community to strive, through your own conduct, to ensure that those around you feel safe and listened to.
