A big step to end the iron-fist control of party leaders in Ottawa

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Published on Sunday, 14 September 2014 21:00
Written by editor


In just weeks, parliament will vote on a bill that would be a critical step towards freeing our Members of Parliament from the iron-fisted control by Prime Ministers and party leaders.

This could be the best moment we have before the next election to see real steps towards democratic reform. Let’s support giving our MPs the power to do their jobs and more freely represent us.

Send your Message

In just two weeks, parliament will vote on Michael Chong’s Reform Act, a bill that will give MPs more freedom to stand up for us, the people they represent. The bill is designed to challenge the growing centralization of power in the Prime Minister’s Office and party leaders’ offices, and - incredibly - it’s received support from MPs of all political stripes, but we’re going to need your help to make sure they work together across party lines to get it passed.

Nobody who runs for office wants to be bullied into voting for things they or their constituents disagree with. But the realities of party discipline, and the iron-fisted control exercised by party leaders often make MPs feel powerless to represent their own constituents without fear of reprisals. [1,2]


Now a key vote is coming up, and NDP, Liberal, Green and many Conservative MPs have all said they’re considering voting for the bill! Party insiders want to squash this bill to preserve their power, and they’ll be pressuring our MPs to vote against it, but if enough of us speak out right now, loudly and together, we can show our MPs that voters across Canada want these crucial reforms passed.

Help build a huge wave of support for The Reform Act - Click here to tell your Member of Parliament you want them to support this bill!

The Reform Act contains 3 important changes to “business as usual” in Ottawa:

  1. It gives MPs, not the party leader, final say over who sits in their caucus. This would stop party leaders from unilaterally kicking MPs out of their party if they vote in the best interests of their constituents instead of toeing the party line.
  2. It gives MPs from a party the power to trigger a leadership review vote to remove an abusive party leader. This would make the process for caucus to review the party leader explicit and the same across all parties instead of hidden away in each party’s by-laws.
  3. It removes the ability of party leaders to block candidates from running for their party. This would ensure that MPs can speak freely, without fear that the party leader will force them out before the next election, and puts the power of candidate nominations back in the hands of grassroots party members in local riding associations.
Have you ever contacted your Member of Parliament about an important issue only to find out that a whipped vote means they’ll have to vote along party lines regardless of what you and your neighbours think is best for your community.[3]

Or maybe like me, you live in a riding where your MP has done something embarrassing[4], abused the public trust[5], or insulted law abiding citizens [6], but national party insiders blocked other candidates from running.[7]

These are deeply troubling situations for our democracy, but now we have a chance to do something about it.
With a vote expected soon, we need your help to turn up the pressure, and spread the word. Over 14,000 members of the Leadnow community have already written to their MPs. Will you join them and tell your MP to support this bill?

The Reform Act was introduced nine months ago as a private member’s bill by Conservative MP Michael Chong. Interest exploded across the political spectrum, with pundits expressing hope that the bill could “change Canada’s parliament forever”.[8]

This bill won’t fix our democracy overnight, but it will start to change the conversation. MPs have been forced to become the voice of party operatives when speaking to their constituents; this bill will give them more freedom to represent the voices of their constituents to Ottawa.

Time and again the Leadnow community has spoken out against abuses of our democracy - from proroguing parliament to election fraud and omnibus bills. Canadians support vital democratic reforms and the Reform Act is a decisive step in the right direction. It could be one of the best opportunities for real democratic improvements before the next election.

Now, let’s work together now to kick-start the type of democratic reforms Canada so desperately needs. Send a message to your MP now.

http://www.leadnow.ca/reform-act

Thanks for all you do.

With hope and respect,
Kelly, Matthew, Stefan, Amara, Jolan, and the whole Leadnow team.

P.S. Thank you so much to everyone who donated to Leadnow over the summer to support our work. Thanks to you we’ll be launching our 2015 election campaign in early October -- stay tuned for more on this soon.

Sources:

For more information on The Reform Act, check out the Friends of The Reform Act page at http://www.reformact.ca

[1] MP Exit Interviews (Samara)
http://www.samaracanada.com/research/mp-exit-interviews

[2] For a discussion of the role of party discipline in BC’s legislature, see Whipped: The Secret World of Party Discipline by Sean Holman (CPAC)
http://www.cpac.ca/en/programs/cpac-special/episodes/21229855/

[3] Revelstoke meets David Wilks Conservative MP
http://bit.ly/refact-video

[4] Tories insult veterans by defending Rob Anders, serial buffoon.
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/03/07/wayne-k-spear-tories-insult-veterans-by-defending-rob-anders-serial-buffoon/

[5] ‘Rules were broken’ over G8/G20 summit spending: Auditor-General
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/10/06/%E2%80%98rules-were-broken%E2%80%99-over-g8g20-summit-spending-auditor-general/

[6] Vic Toews draws line on lawful access: You’re with us, or the child pornographers
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/02/14/vic-toews-draws-line-on-lawful-access-youre-with-us-or-the-child-pornographers/

[7] Conservative party bosses reprimand Calgary West board
http://www.ffwdweekly.com/article/news-views/news/conservative-party-bosses-reprimand-calgary-west-board-5204/

[8] Andrew Coyne: Reform Act bill would change Canada’s parliament forever
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/11/29/andrew-coyne-reform-act-bill-would-change-canadas-parliament-forever/


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