Vote Better - proportional representation for Canada
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 27 April 2016 11:45
- Written by editor
Elections Canada is warning Canadians that we’re running out of time to get proportional representation for the next election.
Today, we’re launching the Vote Better campaign to urgently call on PM Trudeau, Minister Monsef and your MP to support proportional representation and make sure every vote counts in the next election.
Send a messageElections Canada has raised the alarm that we could be running out of time to get proportional representation for the next election.[1] We know it’s hard to believe, but when you add up the time needed to consult Canadians, pass legislation, and prepare everything - we’re already cutting it close.
The Liberals made a strong election promise to make 2015 the last first-past-the-post election and consider proportional representation. But the clock is ticking and powerful forces want to keep us locked into an unfair, exclusive and divisive first-past-the-post system.
Our new political leaders need to hear a direct message from thousands of people across the country or we could lose this once-in-a-generation chance for fair elections. That’s why today we’re launching the Vote Better campaign for “Made-in-Canada” proportional representation.
The good news is that Prime Minister Trudeau and Minister Monsef have both gone on the record recently to express their genuine openness to proportional representation.[2]
And, we can tell you from the Leadnow volunteers who are out there on the streets asking people to sign petitions for proportional representation: the more people hear about it, the more they think it’s just better than first-past-the-post.
When people hear about how first-past-the-post wastes millions of votes and creates false majorities that can run roughshod over the values of a majority, they are outraged.
When people hear that Canada is one of the last OECD countries to still use first-past-the-post, that almost all modern democracies, including the Scandinavian countries, use proportional representation - they’re inspired.[3]
When it comes right down it, proportional representation can create fair elections, inclusive governments and strong democracy - and we believe that there are countless people across Canada who support proportional representation, or would support it if they knew about it.[4]
But there are hostile media outlets misleading Canadians about electoral reform and we need to make sure our new leaders hear from more and more of us. Click here to join the Vote Better campaign and send your message to support proportional representation.
We know this campaign is the most important one for many of you. The Leadnow community ranked proportional representation as one of its top priorities for the new government and if we work together then this could be our biggest campaign yet.
Since then, we’ve joined with allies and diverse voices as co-founding members of the Every Vote Counts Alliance, including Fair Vote Canada, and we’ll keep working to coordinate our efforts across groups, and across the country.
There are people from all across the political spectrum who support proportional representation because they recognize that it makes every vote count and allows for more diversity and better representation in government.
Thanks for all you do.
With hope and respect,
Jamie, Lyndsay, Rachel, Kate, Kelly and Logan on behalf of the Leadnow team
Sources:
[1] Critics and experts fear Ottawa is running out of time for electoral reform (Globe and Mail): http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/critics-experts-fear-ottawa-is-running-out-of-time-for-electoral-reform/article29507080/
[2] Referendum a good way of not getting electoral reform: Trudeau (iPolitics): http://ipolitics.ca/2016/04/19/referendum-a-good-way-of-not-getting-electoral-reform-trudeau/
[3] List of 45 countries still using FPTP (International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance): http://www.idea.int/esd/type.cfm?electoralSystem=FPTP
[4] Voting Counts: Electoral Reform for Canada (Law Commission of Canada): http://publications.gc.ca/collections/Collection/J31-61-2004E.pdf
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