An email to all MPs on June 30, 2012
To all our MPs,
The Canadian Electoral Alliance promotes electoral reform and proportional representation in particular.
We are pleased that the Law Commission of Canada, after extensive consultations across the country as well as thorough research on alternative systems of voting used throughout the democratic world, came up with a viable proposal that is suitable for Canada. It recommends a “mixed member proportional” system, a combination of the usual riding MP (in larger ridings) plus a list system to bring in proportionality (one third of the seats, in its proposal). It favours the “Scottish formula” as a model and sets out how this would be adapted for Canada.
A convenient executive summary of the Commission’s 2004 report, Voting Counts: Electoral Reform for Canada, is available on line as well as the full (209 page) report. http://publications.gc.ca/collections/Collection/J31-61-2004E.pdf For your information we have attached a copy of the Commission’s 23 recommendations. http://electoralalliance.ca/downloads/voting-counts-electoral-reform-for-canada.pdf
Many Canadians support some such a system. FairVote Canada, a non-partisan NGO, advocates this proposal. Countries with proportional representation have higher voter turn-outs, more citizen satisfaction, elect more women and minorities and enjoy better environmental protection. These are all serious concerns for Canadians.
We are writing to you to invite you to get a private member’s bill drafted to enact such a proposal for electoral reform. If you are interested we would be happy to pursue this proposal with you.
Please note that the Canadian Electoral Alliance plans to hold a Townhall Meeting in Toronto on the evening of September 25, 2012 to brief participants on the Law Commission of Canada’s report and recommendations and to discuss ways and means to take action to lobby for electoral reform of this kind. At that meeting we will be distributing copies of this letter of invitation.
Sincerely yours,
Rose Dyson
Lynn McDonald
Ellen Michelson
Peter Venton
John Bessai
Wing Wo
For the Canadian Electoral Alliance
