A chance for change

Dear Editor:
In the last federal election the Liberals won 53 per cent of the seats in parliament with only 39 per cent of the votes. So, even though a minority of Canadians voted for them, they have 100 per cent of the power.

This month we have a chance to change that. With a mandate to consult Canadians from all walks of life, the Special Committee on Electoral Reform is travelling across Canada this autumn. The Committee is coming to Leduc on Thur., Sept. 29. If you want to appear at that meeting, you can send them a request at erre@parl.gc.ca. But you can also send them your opinion by email.

If you’re wondering what ought to replace the current system, Fair Vote Canada has an excellent website discussing the various options, including the risks and the benefits of each.  They also provide information on what other democracies use. There are videos about three different kinds of proporational representation at this website: fairvote.ca/proportional-representation/.

The link to the Special Committee’s web page is: parl.gc.ca/Committees/en/ERRE, and all the information you need to participate in this decision is on that page. Even if all you have time for is a quick email telling them that you do not support the status quo, I hope you do it, as the opportunity to change our electoral system is extremely rare. If we don’t speak up now, we give this government the opportunity to wiggle out of their promise to make our elections represent the views of all Canadians.
Nora Abercrombie
CEO, Green Party of Canada for Battle River – Crowfoot