Fair Vote Canada
NEWSLETTER
June 27, 2001
CONTENTS:
1) Membership Drive Continues
2) Vancouver Meeting Draws Large Crowd
3) Local Chapter Updates
4) Response from the Chief Electoral Officer
5) New Zealanders Support Changes to MMP
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1) Membership Drive Continues
Canadians are signing up to express their support for a new voting system as Fair Vote Canada's membership drive continues.
But we still have a way to go before we reach the 1,000-members mark, at which point the first direct election of FVC's National Council will take place. The election will provide an opportunity to see proportional representation in action.
"We really appreciate all the support that people have shown in the past few weeks by sending in their memberships," says FVC President Larry Gordon. "It's further proof that the time has come to scrap Canada's winner-take-all system."
If you have not yet sent in your membership form, please take a few moments to do so today. You can print off the form from our website at http://www.fairvotecanada.org/eng/join/Mform.htm.
Brochures promoting FVC and its membership drive are also available. If you wish to help distribute them, please contact info@fairvotecanada.org or phone 416-410-4034.
2) Vancouver Meeting Draws Large Crowd
About 120 people attended a forum on proportional representation held in Vancouver, Monday.
Libby Davies, NDP MP for Vancouver East, organized the meeting which included as speakers Lorne Nystrom, NDP MP for Regina- Qu'Appelle; Joy MacPhail, leader of the BC opposition; David Cadman, former mayoralty candidate for COPE; and Julian West, member of FVC's executive committee.
3) Local Chapter Updates
-- Toronto - The Toronto chapter of FVC will hold its next meeting on Monday, July 9, 2001 at 7:00 p.m. in the party room at 130 Carlton Street. Local chapter structure and election procedure will be a major discussion topic, as well as the ongoing membership drive. For more information contact: Wayne Smith.
-- Edmonton - The Edmonton chapter has formed several committees to deal with outreach to the media, local politicians and the public. If you would like more information on the chapter's activities contact Doug Bailie at .
-- Vancouver - If you are interested in participating in a Vancouver FVC chapter, please contact Arn Keeling .
If you are interested in helping start a local chapter in your area, please contact info@fairvotecanada.org or phone 416-410-4034.
4) Response from the Chief Electoral Officer
Jean-Pierre Kingsley, Canada's Chief Electoral Officer, recently sent FVC a response to two of the questions which were asked by participants at the Make Votes Count conference on March 31.
Gilles Bisson, MPP for Timmins-James Bay, asked about the power of a province to amend its own electoral system. Mr. Kingsley's response notes that under section 45 of the Constitution Act, 1982, provinces have the power to amend their own constitutions as long as the amendment does not affect the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, or constitutional guarantees of language rights.
He also observes that the Supreme Court of Canada has stated that this power would not authorize "a profound constitutional upheaval by the introduction of political institutions foreign to and incompatible with the Canadian system."
Dennis Pilon asked whether a constitutional amendment would be required to make the Senate an elected body, if no changes were made to the apportionment of seats. Mr. Kingsley responds that a constitutional amendment, using the "seven-fifty" formula, would be required to change the method for selecting senators.
5) New Zealanders Support Changes to MMP
A survey commissioned by the Parliamentary Select Committee reviewing New Zealand's proportional electoral system has found that nearly two out of three people believed MMP should be retained, although most thought some adjustments were necessary.
Suggested changes included reducing the number of MPs, abolishing list MPs, removing the exemption to the 5 percent threshold for parties that win constituency seats, and a ban on defecting from one parliamentary caucus to another. Many support a declaration of coalition partners prior to elections and a limited timeframe for coalition negotiations.
The Electoral Integrity Amendment Bill, currently before Parliament, proposes that any list or constituency MP who changes parties is required to vacate his or her seat in Parliament. The vacancy would be filled by a by-election in the case of an electorate MP, or from the original party list in the case of a list MP.
Complete details at:
http://www.elections.govt.nz/elections/news/Electoral_Brief_June01.pdf
Also, New Zealand's government has given local authorities the option of using proportional representation in municipal elections. The Local Electoral Act, which was passed last month, will allow local authorities and communities to either keep winner-take-all or switch to the single transferable vote (STV).
The Act also requires that STV be used for the seven elected positions on New Zealand's 21 district health boards, starting in 2004. This requirement is expected to hasten the adoption of STV by local authorities.
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