Dear Editor:
Re: MPs Weigh in on PM’s Electoral Reform U-turn, Feb. 7 news story.
I was not pleased with member of Parliament for North Vancouver Jonathan Wilkinson’s (comments) on electoral reform, although I did appreciate that he was disappointed by the recent decision of the government.
Electoral reform is not just some esoteric subject of concern. It was a promise made by the current prime minister. This abandoning of a clear commitment to change our electoral system was a betrayal to many of those who voted for the Liberals in the 2015 election. This was a signature election promise of Prime Minister Trudeau that led many voters to believe that he was serious about being an agent of change.
Secondly, I’m tired of hearing Liberal MPs saying that there was no consensus with regard to changing the electoral system.
Three national political parties, representing 62.6 per cent of those who voted in the 2015 election were in favour of electoral reform. There was a recommendation in the report by the Standing Committee on Electoral Reform that the government hold a referendum, in which the current system is on the ballot and that the referendum propose a proportional electoral system. In the mydemocracy.ca national survey, 70 per cent of the respondents favoured having a government where several parties have to collectively agree before a decision is made versus 30 per cent who favoured a government where one party governs and can make decisions on its own.
To me, this represents a clear consensus against our current first-past-the-post system and for a proportional representation electoral system.
In comments following the electoral reform U-turn, Wilkinson also referred to the decision not to move forward as being at the present time – implying that the government would be open to changing Canada’s electoral system at some time in the future. However, I have heard nothing from the prime minister nor from his newly appointed democratic institutions minister that would substantiate this possibility.
Wilkinson went on to say that he intends to continue the discussion of electoral reform with his colleagues from all parties. But, this discussion has already been held through the all-party Standing Committee on Electoral Reform.
I have lost confidence in elected politicians determining what is the best electoral system to improve democracy in Canada.
I think that this can best be determined by a non-partisan group of experts or a citizens’ assembly.
Peter Scholefield
West Vancouver
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