Where are we at with Electoral Reform What do we need to do

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Where are we at with Electoral Reform ?What do
we need to do?

• Fair Vote Canada
• National Capital Region
• Carolyn Bennett, M.P.
• June 11, 2008

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Lessons learned

• What went wrong ?
• B.C. ?
• Ontario ?

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CYNICISM
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Rx for Democratic Deficit

• Democracy BETWEEN elections
• Parliamentary Reform
• Party Reform
• Electoral Reform

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Empowering MPsEmpowering Citizens Why?

• Better public policy unusual coalitions
  presenting real solutions
• Better legislation, better implementation
• Better scrutiny what questions to ask
• Better relationships between citizens and their
  representatives
• Ultimate goal a more robust democracy !!
• great people will run, citizens will vote

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Empowering MPsStrengthening Democracy

• MPs in the riding
• MPs in their non- geographic constituencies
• MPs as Parliamentary committee members
• MPs in collaboration with government
• MPs as Political Party members
• MPs supporting MPs internationally

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Democracy BETWEEN elections

• 2- way accountability
• Assured listening
• representative democracy
• Meaningful citizen engagement

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Public policy

• Putting the poli into policy
• Research
• Policy
• Practice

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Citizen Engagement

research
Applied research
KT
policy
practice
Political Will
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Citizen as Partners, OECD

• INFORMATION
• CONSULTATION
• DELIBERATION

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Referenda

• Swiss .4 years
• California ..propositions 6 months

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B.C. Citizens Assembly

• Wisdom making mistakes
• and learning from them
• University tutorial
• Researcher .
• Ken CartySTVsurprise !!!!

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Ontario Citizens Assembly

• Recruitment odd
• Assembly didnt travel
• No communications roll out on Assembly results
• Ontarians not involved . Process created 103
  experts.

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Process matters..

• Creating the case for change..citizen engagement
  present system NOT fair
• Deliberative Dialogue exploring the option for a
  Made in Canada solution
• Communication Plan
• Referendum
• Legislation

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Principles matter.

• FAIR VOTE !!!
• More women elected
• Parliament more representative of the face of
  Canada

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Parliamentary reform

• Committees
• Non-geographic constituencies use of technology
• free votes/party discipline

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Party reform

• Fair
• Transparent
• Takes people seriously

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Electoral Reform

• Proportional Representation - blended
• BIG country.. Geographic representatives still
  important
• Top up. best losers

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Citizen-centred federalism

• post SARS reality
• collaboration
• cooperation
• communication
• clarity

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Citizen-centred federalism

• Civic efficacy
• Citizens dont want to govern they want to be
  heard Stephen Coleman

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Parliamentary reform

• Committees
• Non-geographic constituencies use of technology
• free votes/party discipline

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Party reform

• Fair
• Transparent
• Takes people seriously

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Species at Risk

• It is not the strongest of the species
  that survives, not the most intelligent, but the
  one most responsive to change.
  Charles Darwin

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• physical and mental energy comes from feeling
  in control of your life, having real choices and
  being involved with others to find ways of
  organizing for a change for the better Barbara
  Rogers