Latest news with #referendum
CBC
6 hours ago
- Politics
- CBC
In search of separatists in Alberta
Last week, Front Burner spent a few days in Three Hills, Alberta, a small town northeast of Calgary. We attended an event about Alberta independence, and spoke to a wide array of people about separation from Canada, and the possibility of an upcoming referendum on the issue. CBC Calgary's Jason Markusoff came with us. Why Three Hills? Because while separatist sentiment does exist in the province's cities, it runs deeper in rural small towns, where people tend to feel more disconnected and frustrated with the federal government. People in Three Hills will also be voting in a provincial byelection this Monday, where a separatist party – the Alberta Republican Party – is running a candidate. So in a way, separatism is already on the ballot.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'We will not forget;' Vandalia law director admits errors; residents fight housing
Jun. 19—Vandalia's city law director says he missed critical details that would have ensured residents' recent referendum petitions met Ohio Revised Code standards, so their ballot issue would have qualified for the November election. City Law Director Gerald McDonald prepared petition forms for residents who were leading a referendum in opposition to a Vandalia housing development. "I have made sure that (document) comports with the charter, which it does, and with the chapter in the Ohio Revised Code dealing with referendums and initiatives, which it does," McDonald said during Monday's city council meeting. McDonald went on to say the full requirement for the circulator's attestation against election falsification — omission of which was the fatal flaw in this case — was not outlined in the section he referenced. "What I did not do is look under 'nominating petitions for state representatives,' " he continued. "In that section, (it says) if you circulate a petition, including a referendum petition, it has to have this language on it; I did not know that was there." McDonald offered the explanation in response to questions from Vandalia resident Tanya Brown, a member of the referendum petition committee which aimed to bring the council-approved South Brown School Road housing project to a public Election Day vote. The development project involves plans to construct 167 single-family homes on 85 acres of land at 7848 S. Brown School Road. Brown had asked whose responsibility it was to create the petition document and make sure it's "correct" before distribution to a requesting committee. "Mine," McDonald answered. Using the petition forms provided by the city, the referendum group collected a total of 797 resident signatures, 683 of which were initially found to be valid by the Board of Elections in April — in excess of the 547 total signatures required to get the issue on the ballot. But discovery of the form's errors prompted the Board of Elections to rule the signatures invalid. The BOE further recommended the city of Vandalia give petitioners another 10 days to re-collect signatures on corrected forms. The city, contending the issue was not a signature deficiency but rather a "legal defect in the petition format," decided against the BOE recommendation, concluding that the petition cannot proceed. "The form given to petitioners was offered as a courtesy and was accompanied by a clear disclaimer advising petitioners to consult legal counsel regarding compliance with state election laws," the city said in a statement earlier this month. Vandalia councilman Corey Follick asked Brown on Monday whether the committee had sought legal counsel at any time throughout the petition process, which Brown declined to answer. Brown was one of multiple residents who addressed council Monday with concerns about the petition outcome and the development project itself. Resident Robert Shanahan said he's concerned about the recent "built-for-rent" trend, citing increasing statistics of family homes being built with the intent to rent them out. Based on U.S. Census data, built-for-rent single-family housing starts grew to 90,000 units in 2024 from 60,000 units in 2021, according to the National Association of Realtors. This increase indicates a growth of BFR single-family homes from 5% in 2021 to 10% in 2023 and 9% in 2024, the NAR data shows. "Does the Vandalia comprehensive plan or charter ordinances deal with this issue? Does the (Planned Unit Development for the project) that we're talking about deal with this?" Shanahan asked. "What's to stop a single buyer from purchasing all 167 of the proposed homes and renting them out?" Shanahan asserted residents' opinions were ignored during council's consideration of the South Brown School Road project. "During the final vote on the PUD, the council completely disregarded everything the citizens said during the last nine months and went ahead and not only approved the PUD, but made changes to it in direct opposition to some of our objections by adding requirements that will force all homes along South Brown School Road to be two-story." "... The decision was made as if to say, 'We have all the power and don't you forget it,' " Shanahan continued. "Well, I can assure you, we will not forget."
BBC News
a day ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Plymouth council leader reports 'serious threat of violence'
The leader of Plymouth City Council has reported a "serious threat of violence" to leader Tudor Evans said the threat was made by a member of the public on Monday after weeks of "intense campaigning" for a directly-elected mayor ahead of a referendum to be held on 17 city council has to hold a referendum after a campaign gathered more than 10,000 signatures in favour of the and Cornwall Police said it received a report of malicious communications and an investigation was ongoing. The Mayor for Plymouth campaign said it did "not condone any threat of violence under any circumstances".However, Evans said the pro-mayor campaign had fuelled a toxic atmosphere and called for them to "cease their relentless personal attacks" towards said he had received a barrage of personal attacks, doctored images and coordinated abuse."I didn't report it lightly and I thank the police for their support and investigations," he said."I don't share it for sympathy either. I've spent a lifetime standing up for this city. I can take it."I'm thinking about those who may come next."A spokesperson for the Mayor For Plymouth campaign said: "We are absolutely committed to running a fair campaign over the next 29 days until the referendum on 17 July." Evans previously said the referendum was a waste of public money and would cost about £410, Plymouth residents voted in favour of a directly-elected mayor, the position would attract a salary of about £75, a meeting in April to discuss the referendum, Evans said there was a great difference between a possible mayor for Plymouth and the directly-elected mayors in London and Greater Manchester who have greater powers.A plan to reform local government across the country is ongoing and the government has indicated it wants to scrap directly-elected mayors for single authorities such as Plymouth in favour of mayors for combined authorities.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Petro's labour reform referendum suspended by Colombia's Council of State
Colombia's Council of State has suspended a decree by President Gustavo Petro that sought to call a referendum on a labour reform, citing a lack of Senate authorisation. The move on Wednesday comes after Petro last week bypassed legislative opposition and signed a decree summoning voters to the polls in August to decide on the labour reform. The package includes provisions for an eight-hour daytime workday, higher weekend and holiday pay, and mandatory social security contributions from delivery app drivers – key social policies the left-wing leader has pushed for. A majority of the social and economic reforms promised by Petro – who was elected in 2022 on pledges to right centuries of inequality in the Andean country – have been rejected by lawmakers. The decree sparked criticism from the opposition, which argued that Petro's decree violates the Political Constitution of Colombia and destroys the separation of powers of the country's three branches of government. Under Colombian law, the Senate must rule on the advisability of referendums. If the referendum were to be held, each measure would need to be approved by the majority of at least 13.5 million voters, a third of Colombia's electoral roll, to be valid. Political opponents also said the costly referendum was really aimed at boosting Petro's party ahead of 2026 elections, when he cannot seek re-election. Despite the failure to call a referendum, the Senate on Tuesday approved a revised version of the labour reform bill after extensive debate, with 57 votes in favour and 31 against. The Senate previously rejected the reform bill in April, but it was revived after Petro warned he would declare a referendum to put the measure to a public vote. The presidency dubbed the bill 'a historic step toward decent work' in a post on X shared by Petro. Protests were recently held in the capital Bogota and other major cities by advocates of Petro, who expressed their support for his proposed labour reform. Colombia is still reeling from bombing attacks in the southwest of the country that left seven dead and an attempted assassination on conservative opposition senator, and presidential hopeful, Miguel Uribe Turbay, which sparked fears the country could return to its darker days of assassinations and prolonged violence.
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Petro's labour reform referendum suspended by Colombia's Council of State
Colombia's Council of State has suspended a decree by President Gustavo Petro that sought to call a referendum on a labour reform, citing a lack of Senate authorisation. The move on Wednesday comes after Petro last week bypassed legislative opposition and signed a decree summoning voters to the polls in August to decide on the labour reform. The package includes provisions for an eight-hour daytime workday, higher weekend and holiday pay, and mandatory social security contributions from delivery app drivers – key social policies the left-wing leader has pushed for. A majority of the social and economic reforms promised by Petro – who was elected in 2022 on pledges to right centuries of inequality in the Andean country – have been rejected by lawmakers. The decree sparked criticism from the opposition, which argued that Petro's decree violates the Political Constitution of Colombia and destroys the separation of powers of the country's three branches of government. Under Colombian law, the Senate must rule on the advisability of referendums. If the referendum were to be held, each measure would need to be approved by the majority of at least 13.5 million voters, a third of Colombia's electoral roll, to be valid. Political opponents also said the costly referendum was really aimed at boosting Petro's party ahead of 2026 elections, when he cannot seek re-election. Despite the failure to call a referendum, the Senate on Tuesday approved a revised version of the labour reform bill after extensive debate, with 57 votes in favour and 31 against. The Senate previously rejected the reform bill in April, but it was revived after Petro warned he would declare a referendum to put the measure to a public vote. The presidency dubbed the bill 'a historic step toward decent work' in a post on X shared by Petro. Protests were recently held in the capital Bogota and other major cities by advocates of Petro, who expressed their support for his proposed labour reform. Colombia is still reeling from bombing attacks in the southwest of the country that left seven dead and an attempted assassination on conservative opposition senator, and presidential hopeful, Miguel Uribe Turbay, which sparked fears the country could return to its darker days of assassinations and prolonged violence.
