Posted by
Daniel Haran on
Feb 17, 2007; 5:50pm
URL: http://civicaccess.416.s1.nabble.com/Fwd-Postal-Codes-and-MP-ridings-tp910.html
It's been fairly quiet in the past couple days... Here's a letter I
sent to my MP; feel free to adapt to send to yours :)
I'll let you know if I get a substantive response. Do we have
something like
http://www.hearfromyourmp.com/ in Canada?
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Daniel Haran <
[hidden email]>
Date: Feb 17, 2007 12:46 PM
Subject: Postal Codes and MP ridings
To: Michael Savage <
[hidden email]>
Mr Savage,
Thank you for your prompt response to my letter for the Make Poverty
History Campaign; I appreciate your work on that file.
There is a connected issue I would like to address today.
makepovertyhistory.ca lets people know who their MP is based on postal
codes. The database that links postal codes to electoral ridings costs
a lot of money: $2,900 initially, $500 for updates.
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=92F0193XLast election, each party had on its website a way to find out who
your MP was based on postal codes. It has become an essential tool for
parties to involve people in the political process: let them know who
their candidate is for the party, how to get in touch with their
campaign and donate money.
It should also be part of the toolkit of advocacy organizations.
Parties do not have to pay the $2,900, grassroots groups and
non-profits do. I believe this is an unacceptable tax on democracy,
and I ask that you work to make it freely available to all Canadians
in an open format.
Besides the cost to democracy, there are a couple other points worth
considering.
-Elections Canada is not a customer of this product. They also buy a
file from Canada Post, a crown corporation, duplicating the costs of
development.
-The elections.ca website results seem less accurate than those on the
parliament's website (which I hope was obtained from StatsCan rather
than duplicated).
You can verify this for yourself by searching for 'H1T4C6' on
http://www.elections.ca/scripts/pss/FindED.aspxand comparing it to:
http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/house/PostalCode.asp?Language=E&txtPostalCode=H1T4C6Is it one or one of five possible MP's?
Making this data freely available in an open format is a great way to
ensure citizens are given accurate information, to increase
participation in our democratic process and reduce bureaucratic
duplication.
I look forward to your reply, and am available to meet with you or
discuss if needed.
Daniel Haran.
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