Electoral reform eyed
NWT MP says Northerners can expect visit from group changing voting system
Erin Steele
Northern News Services
Friday, May 20, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
As the federal Liberals get to work on Trudeau's vow that October's federal election was the last of its kind, the MP for the Northwest Territories is touting his government's efforts.
During his election campaign, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the country's first-past-the-post electoral system - in which the candidate with the most votes wins, regardless of whether they garner a majority - would change under his leadership.
Last week, Democratic Reform Minister Maryam Monsef announced a committee on electoral reform - heavily stacked with Liberals but inclusive of all parties. The group is tasked with coming up with an alternative recommendation to the current system.
Reached by phone in Ottawa, NWT MP Michael McLeod declined to share his thoughts on what an ideal voting system would look like.
"Right now, I'd rather not prejudice the consultation and make assumptions on what system we should eventually adopt. I think we've just got to let people have
their say," said McLeod.
He added as part of the committee's work, Northerners can expect a visit, although couldn't say when.
"We expect the committee or the parliamentary secretary or the minister herself to come up," said McLeod.
One new system could be a preferential system in which voters rank candidates from most to least preferred. If there's not an immediate winner, the candidate with the fewest votes comes off the ballot and the second choices on those ballots are counted. This may continue until a winner emerges.
Another system is proportional representation which essentially means the percentage of seats a party gets in the House, mirrors the percentage of votes received.
In the fall election that ousted long-time NDP MP Dennis Bevington, McLeod won with 48.34 per cent of the vote, ahead of Bevington's 30.48 per cent.
Bevington told Yellowknifer he believes the best system is a version of proportional representation where the candidate with the most votes gets a seat, and then each party would have a list of members who could take those seats the party wins proportionately.
"That to me is the system we should be looking at in Canada," said Bevington.
Although he is skeptical of the committee stacked in the Liberals' favour - six of 10 voting members - he said he looks forward to the report.
McLeod dismissed criticism about the Liberal majority on the committee.
"I think this government has been the most open government on any changes that are being discussed ... it includes all parties and I don't think we've had that luxury for a long time," he said.
"The people across Canada including the Northwest Territories have voted for change and voted for electoral reform."
The committee is to include six Liberals, three Conservatives and one New Democrat. The Green Party and Bloc Quebecois will also be represented, but neither will have voting power.
The committee's final report is expected by the end of 2016. The first-past-the-post system has been the norm in Canada for 150 years.
