Saturday, April 21, 2007

Reform in Ontario?

Exciting developments in Ontario, where the Citizens' Assembly, a randomly chosen body of citizens from each of the 103 current provincial ridings, decided to overwhelmingly endorse reform to an MMP system. The system the Citizens' Assembly provides would combine 90 ridings with 39 province-wide closed-list seats--i.e. minimal change while providing proportional outcomes. It is already facing the predictable opposition from the main parties and establishment, and must clear a 60 percent threshold to pass, but it certainly deserves support. See democraticSPACE for more.

The NDP has come out in support; BC and PEI have already rejected reform, though BC seems likely to move to STV (having voted 58 percent in favor last time, Note: the approval threshold was 60 percent) in 2009. New Brunswick is currently studying the issue.

Correction: New Brunswick is actually done studying the issue; the Commission on Legislative Democracy proposed an MMP system with 36 riding and 20 closed-list seats in 4 regions (also recommending that the new system prohibit riding candidates from running on a list, and vice versa). However, it is unclear if the new Liberal government will call the referendum, which was promised by the previous PC premier, Bernard Lord. This would be sadly appropriate, as the Liberals just won the 2006 election despite losing to the Conservatives by 1,400 votes.

A big weekend for elections

It's a big weekend for elections, with Nigeria at the polls now and France voting tomorrow. In Nigeria, I would predict a ruling-party win, violence, and denunciations by the opposition--in other words, I am taking the easy guess. In France, I predict that despite all the talk of Bayrou or Le Pen possibly spoiling, that Royal and Sarkozy will go to the second round; however, I think that Royal will be substantially closer to Sarkozy than the polls have stated, and that both will be around 22-23 percent with Bayrou and Le Pen no more than 4 points behind.

In other election news, Manitoba Premier Gary Doer has called elections for May 22.

Photos of Reckling Park

It's more expensive to see a game at Rice's Reckling Park--$7 in the bleachers down the lines and $10 in the upper reserved--but the park has more of an atmosphere than UH's Cougar Field. Renovated and reopened in 2000, the park maintains somewhat of an older atmosphere through its brick exterior and concourse building (I'll take photos of that this weekend). However, it is comfortable, has great sightlines and has a nice modern press box behind the stands. I enjoyed the atmosphere--as with many college baseball games, many in the crowd knew each other, and I saw at least four or five other people keeping score near my section!

Skyline of the Med Center part of Houston.
Down the home-team side.
Rice's playoff appearances--the program has been competitive on a consistent basis since the mid-'90s.