Hill Looking for Input on Issues

Wednesday, July 30, 2008 03:47 AM

Flyer that is circulating in the Prince George region

Prince George, B.C.- Prince George Peace River M.P., Jay Hill is testing the water with constituents on a couple of issues.

In the mail this week, constituents will have found two flyers. Both are aimed at taking the pulse of constituents on certain issues.

The first flyer to be distributed (and which Jay Hill hopes constituents will fill out and return to him) has to deal with Bill C-25.

That is the bill which would make it easier to detain young offenders who are deemed to pose a risk to public safety.

In a recent address, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the bill, if passed “would hold young lawbreakers responsible for their behaviour and to make them accountable to their victims and to the community.”

Hill says he sent out the flyer with hopes of collecting a sample of the constituents feelings on the bill. “I wanted to check with the constituents to see if we’re on track with the intentions to bring in Bill – C-25”

According to Stats Canada, the rates of violent youth crime have increased 12% over the past decade, and 30 percent since 1991. The same stats show drug related crime among youth has nearly doubled since 1996.

Hill says there is a common held view that all too often the penalties dealt to youth are too lenient. “I want to see if there is the level of support for these changes.”

The survey asks “Who do you think is on the right track on crime?” It then presents the four federal party leaders, and constituents are asked to check off the one they think is doing the best job on this issue.

The flyer itself looks like something you might expect to see during an election campaign, but Hill says that is not the intent “Our government plans to bring forward these changes this fall, unless the others align together and force an election.”

Hill says the flyers have been sent out to 10% of the constituency. The flyer encourages those who wish to fill it out, are encouraged to pop it in the mail to be returned to Hill (no stamp necessary) He expects to see some returns by the end of August.

The second flyer asks similar questions about the Government's actions dealing with product safety.

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Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 03:47 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: metalman on July 30 2008 7:18 AM

I got one, the only question I saw before binning the paper was "who do you think is doing a better job? and they give you a choice between the four major party leaders
metalman.

Posted by: socredible on July 30 2008 7:49 AM

Is there a place to vote for "None of the Above" below the names of the four major Party leaders?

Why can't these type of 'surveys' just ask the public's opinion on ONE THING AT A TIME? Without bringing "party" politics, or, "Who's doing the best job?", type questions into it.

After all, the MP or MLA, whatever his or her "party" affiliation is OUR paid "representative" once they've been sent off to Victoria or Ottawa.

It is their duty to determine the 'policy' desired by the majority of their constituents, and represent that policy to both their "party" and the "government". The closest we ever got to that with 'surveys' was with the Reform Party, back when it was struggling to first get some seats in Ottawa. Once it got to Ottawa, however, guess who got 'reformed'!

Posted by: owl on July 30 2008 9:05 AM

Obviously not a scientific survey.

I would want to find out how much the respondent actually knows about the issue and the policies about the parties about those issues.

Without that, it is a useless question and will only be an indicator of which party they favour.

Might as well come right out with it and ask whether they will vote and how they will vote in the next election.

Posted by: giterdun on July 30 2008 12:15 PM

Teacher..."Johnnie can you spell bureaucrate." Johnnie..." Yes I can, my dad taught me... E-D-U-C-A-T-E-D I-D-I-O-T