Changing the way Canadians elect the federal government may be the farthest thing from many citizens’ minds in these last days of lingering summer, but Powell River voters are being asked to participate in a nationwide conversation on electoral reform.
During last year’s fall election campaign, the Liberal Party of Canada pledged to introduce legislation that would reform Canada’s single-member plurality system, informally known as first-past-the-post, within 18 months of coming to power. A parliamentary special committee on electoral reform was struck in June and has been meeting over the summer gathering information.
This fall the committee is asking Canadians for their thoughts and communities around the country have been gathering for town hall meetings on what form those changes might take. North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney is holding one of the public forums at 1:30 pm on Saturday, September 17, at Dwight Hall.
“It’s important to look at the issue of why some people don’t vote,” said Blaney. “People want a change and it’s good and wise to have questions about what that change could look like.”
After a presentation on different kinds of reforms, including mandatory voting and reduction of the legal voting age, residents will be asked for their thoughts at the town hall, said Blaney.
“I’m okay with whatever people have to say,” said Blaney. “I’m in favour of seeing an equitable voting system where every vote counts.”
University of the Fraser Valley political science professor Hamish Telford said, that despite its flaws, the current system has produced successful elections over Canada’s 149-year history.
“It’s easy to use and by the end of voting day we know in almost every riding who’s been elected, which party will form government and who will be prime minister,” said Telford. “In fact, we’re often told that before they’ve even finished counting the votes.”
Blaney said that despite the system being simple to understand and producing results quickly, a lot of people she spoke to last fall while knocking on doors said they did not want to vote.
“There’s something not working in our system when a large portion of people are choosing not to participate,” said Blaney. “We need to have some meaningful conversations about why that is. A lot of people think it’s just young people who are not voting, but that’s not the case.”
Voter engagement for the past 25 years has been dropping, though last fall’s turnout was almost 68 per cent. According to Elections Canada, in the six elections held since 2000, four have had the lowest voter turnout at the federal level in Canadian history, with less than 62 per cent of eligible voters casting ballots. The highest turnouts were in 1958, 1962 and 1963 when more than 79 per cent of eligible voters cast ballots.
Blaney said she thinks a system requiring politicians from all parties to work together, such as minority governments, gives voters the sense that even if their MP is in opposition their voice is still being heard.
Telford said he suspects fairness could be one reason why fewer citizens are choosing to participate.
“There are some perceived problems with the system that does not seem to be entirely fair or conform to our standards and notions of democracy,” said Telford.
The current system can create situations where a party can hold more than 50 per cent of parliament’s 338 seats, but have less than 40 per cent of the popular vote.
“If it’s not the rule of the people, then it should at least be a majority of the people, but in our case it’s not even a majority, so that seems to be a serious flaw,” said Telford.
Telford added that the current system does not seem to treat all political parties fairly. “It really depends on how the votes are distributed throughout the country,” said Telford.
He explained that the Green Party of Canada, with voters of about one million spread fairly evenly over the country, is treated differently than a regional party, such as the Bloc Québécois, despite the fact that the Bloc had a similar number of votes.
“You might argue that a party with a million votes should get the same seats as another party with a million votes, but that’s not always the case,” he said.
Blaney said if Powell River area residents are interested in participating, but cannot make it to the town hall, they should feel free to contact her with their thoughts, so they can be added to her report to the committee, which is accepting public consultation until October 7.
“Changing the electoral system is hugely complex,” said Blaney, “but I think regular people have a right to say what things are important to them as we move forward.”
The special committee is expected to present its report to the House of Commons no later than December 1.
