Jonathan Rose, author, professor and head of the Political Science department at Queens’ University, is in Whitehorse this weekend to talk with the public, MLAs, and members of the Yukon Citizens Assembly on Electoral Reform (YCAER) about the many ways people around the world vote to choose their governments.
Jonathan Rose has provided advice to governments and the Supreme Court of Canada on electoral reform and lectures around the world on Citizens’ Assemblies. In 2006, he was Academic Director of the Ontario Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform. Rose has since led the Prince Edward County Citizens’ Assembly and co-led the Lethbridge Citizens Assembly. He is co-author of the books, When Citizens Decide: Lessons from Citizens Assemblies, and Deliberative Mini-Publics: Core Design Features.
“Jonathan Rose is fantastic at simplifying this complex topic, helping folks understand the differences, and bringing it all back to what actually matters to Yukoners about how we are represented,” said Sara McPhee-Knowles, Citizens’ Assembly chair.
The weekend of June 8-9 is the second of four planned gatherings this summer for the Citizens’ Assembly to learn and deliberate.
The YCAER is hosting a free public talk with Rose on Monday, June 10, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Old Fire Hall on Front Street, Whitehorse—Does Voting Even Matter? What Electoral Systems Might Tell Us. Folks beyond Whitehorse can attend via Zoom.
A Learning Session is also open to the public from 12:45 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 8, where Rose will dive deeper into different electoral systems. Learning Sessions are an opportunity for the public to walk alongside assembly members as they learn more about the considerations of various electoral systems, history, and governance.
Registration links for both events can be found at www.yukoncitizensassembly.ca.
Also available on the YCAER website are recordings of the May 25 and 26 Learning Sessions, plus the opportunity for Yukoners to submit their thoughts and any information pertinent to different electoral systems and electoral reform in the Yukon.
The Yukon Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform (YCAER) is examining and discussing different ways of electing our territorial government. By Oct. 31, the YCAER will recommend either keeping our current voting system or adopting a different system.