Fair Vote Canada
NEWSLETTER
December 6, 2000
CONTENTS:
1) Election Sparks Interest in Electoral Reform
2) PEI Public Forum on New Electoral System
3) British Support PR
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1) Election Sparks Interest in Electoral Reform
All too predictably, the federal election resulted in a tremendous gap between the popular vote and seat count for each party. And, once again, the election emphasized Canada's regional divisions.
Interest in electoral reform usually gets a bit of a boost immediately following an election, but this time talk of changing the voting system is much more widespread.
Here's a list of some of the media coverage electoral reform has received in the past week:
-- Ed Broadbent, former NDP leader, spoke of proportional representation on CBC Radio One's "This Morning," Monday, Nov. 27.
-- "We vote to scrap the system," commentary piece by Judy Rebick and Walter Robinson, Globe and Mail, Wednesday, Nov. 29.
-- An editorial in the Vancouver Sun, Thursday, Nov. 30, gave cautious recognition to the issue of electoral reform.
-- Commentary article by Nick Loenen of Fair Voting BC in the Vancouver Sun, Thursday, Nov. 30.
-- Julian West of Fair Voting BC spoke on Victoria radio station CFAX 1070, Thursday, Nov. 30.
-- Doris Anderson, member of FVC's Interim Planning Council, and Dennis Pilon of York University, who has written extensively on the history of voting reform in Canada, discussed PR on CTV's Talk TV "Chat Room," Thursday, Nov. 30.
-- Dennis Pilon also has an article on PR in the current issue of Canadian Dimension magazine.
-- Walter Robinson was interviewed by Kathleen Petty on Newsworld, Friday, Dec. 1.
-- Troy Lanigan, member of FVC's Interim Planning Council, and Walter Robinson spoke on Al Stafford's radio talk show CHED (Edmonton), Friday, Dec. 1.
-- "Let's let Britain test the waters," editorial in the Edmonton Journal, Sunday, Dec. 3, cautiously recommended something like AV Plus (the new electoral system being considered in the UK) for Canada.
-- Michele Landsberg, "Why it's time to make everyone's vote count," Toronto Star, Sunday, Dec. 3.
-- Julian West spoke on Al Stafford's radio talk show on CHED (Edmonton), Monday, Dec. 4.
-- Julian also spoke on CBC Radio One Victoria's morning show "On the Island" with David Grierson, Tuesday, Dec. 5.
-- Larry Gordon, member of FVC's Interim Planning Council, was interviewed on CBC Radio One in Sydney, NS, Tuesday, Dec. 5.
-- Commentary piece in La Presse (p.A19), Tuesday, Dec. 5, on the urgency of reforming our electoral system.
2) PEI Public Forum on New Electoral System
Concerns about the need for significant changes to the Island's electoral system were articulated during recent public hearings of the Special Legislative Committee on the Election Act, when seven of the 15 presentations advocated adopting some form of proportional representation in order to better reflect the wishes of the electorate.
On December 4, Islanders had an opportunity to consider and debate the issue of proportional representation, at length, during a public forum in Charlottetown organized by the Institute of Island Studies.
In recent years, the electoral system in PEI has tended to produce lop- sided majorities for the winning party. In three of the last four provincial elections, the Opposition has been reduced to two or fewer members. Such one-sided electoral results may well continue due to the increasing influence of the media and political advertising, and the decline in traditional party loyalties.
The Institute of Island Studies has just published a 60-page discussion paper on electoral reform. The document was researched and written by Andrew Cousins, a Law student with degrees in History and Journalism. The paper argues that, "...Prince Edward Island would benefit from applying an element of proportional representation to its electoral system. Such a change would make the Legislature more representative of the way Islanders actually vote than do the distortions produced by the existing system. It would ensure that PEI's democracy is not weakened by the long-term absence of an effective opposition in the Legislature - a state of affairs that has become the rule, rather than the exception, since the late 1980s."
Dr. John Crossley, Vice-President of UPEI, introduced the topic, presenting highlights from the discussion paper. A panel discussion followed with Jim Bagnall, MLA and Chair of the Special Legislative Committee on the Election Act; Regena Russell, President of the New Democratic Party of PEI; Keith Milligan, former Premier of PEI; and Doug Boylan, former Clerk of Executive Council and the Legislative Assembly.
The panel was chaired by Jeannie Lea who served as a Liberal MLA from 1993 to 1996.
Copies of the discussion paper on electoral reform are available from the Institute of Island Studies by calling 566-0909. Contact Anne McCallum, Community Engagement Co-ordinator, Institute of Island Studies, UPEI at 566-0909 for further information.
3) British Support PR
A News Bulletin from the Electoral Reform Society of the UK states:
"The recent Rowntree Reform Trust State of the Nation survey (conducted by ICM between 23-28 October 2000) has provided encouraging news for electoral reformers. 53% of those interviewed stated that in a referendum they would vote for PR for the House of Commons (with only 27% supporting the existing electoral system). 61% said that they either strongly agreed or tended to agree with PR for local government."
However, in another article on the House of Commons, a written response from Mike O'Brien, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State, Home Office, to a question about the promised referendum, indicated "a decision has yet to made as to its timing and the question to be asked."
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