Help put electoral reform back on the agenda for Canada

It's not enough to just take a survey. We also need to present a system.

 

"First-past-the-post [our current voting system] is part of the reason that Canadians don't engage in or care about politics.... It was designed to address a 19th century reality and is not suitable to meet the needs of 21st century Canadians."(Government of Canada, 2016)

Canada's electoral system is outdated.

It does not reflect the democratic will of Canadians:

• Parties get false majorities with more seats than they earned. Canadians don't want parties to have 100% of the power with less than 40% of the vote. This unfair system can encourage parties to rely on the politics of division ("wedge politics") to win swing ridings.
• Many people feel their vote doesn't count. Most voters didn't vote for the MP that is supposed to represent them.
• Parliament doesn't reflect Canada's diversity.

These are only some of the reasons why electoral reform was one of the major Liberal promises in the last election.

On February first, the Liberal Party decided to abandon electoral reform. The Prime Minister said there was no consensus on a solution. He said there was not enough support for electoral reform across Canada.

But many Canadians really want Justin Trudeau to keep his promise. They are speaking out for electoral reform.

"Modernizing our voting system will provide all of us with an opportunity to participate more fully in shaping our country.... Canadians deserve a voting system that ensures governments appeal beyond a narrow base of Canadians and encourages and builds a national consensus."(Government of Canada, 2016)

A fair voting system for Canada and a strategy to get it in place.

A group of Canadian citizens in Guelph, Ontario, involving members from all four of the largest federal parties, developed a proposal for voting system reform.

• The proposed solution is called Local Proportional Representation (Local PR) and a campaign for it was launched in Guelph on February 23, 2017.
• Local PR was designed to encompass the 10 core electoral values and principles. We know of no other simple voting system that satisfies all these values and principles.
• These values and principles were derived from diverse voices: Canadians addressing the Special Committee on Electoral Reform (ERRE) in submissions and town halls, Members of Parliament, ERRE committee members, and the Prime Minister’s stated conditions for a new voting system.

 

Every name counts towards making all votes count.

"It's time to remind Canadians that they are in charge."(Government of Canada, 2016)