Federal leader talks electoral reform
Minister of Democratic Institutions on cross-country tour to find out what Canadians think of our political process
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Friday, September 2, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Canada's minister of democratic institutions admits she would have liked to see a larger indigenous presence and more young people at two public meetings on electoral reform she held on Tuesday.
Federal Minister of Democratic Institutions Maryam Monsef hosts a town hall at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre for an evening public workshop on democratic reform. Here she chats with Bill Braden during a session. - Walter Strong/NNSL photo |
Maryam Monsef said she had to start somewhere. She has been tasked by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with finding out from Canadians how the political process can be made more accessible and engaging for all.
She agreed with the notion that the idea is to hear from people who feel left out of the process but many of those who turned out for the meetings are among the most politically engaged in the territory. They included current MLAs Kieron Testart of Kam Lake, Kevin O'Reilly of Frame Lake and Julie Green of Yellowknife Centre, Mayor Mark Heyck and former politician Bob Bromley.
Yellowknife was Monsef's second stop after Iqaluit on a cross-country tour where she is asking for input on everything from electoral systems - exactly how voters choose their MPs, to mandatory voting like there is in Australia, to voting online.
About 100 people turned out for the two meetings, one at the Explorer Hotel in the afternoon and another in the evening at the Northern Frontier Visitors Centre, although some people attended both meetings.
Monsef said she realizes that one of her biggest challenges is to get more indigenous people involved and engaged in the electoral process.
The Fair Elections Act, introduced by the Harper government prior to last fall's federal election, scrapped a vouching system which allowed voters who are not able to produce identification to let somebody else guarantee who they are.
"It was helpful to hear the impacts of the provisions within the Fair Elections Act, specifically ID requirements," Monsef said. "Someone said that having people prove their identity is a remake of the colonial experience. Indigenous persons were suddenly asked to prove who they were all over again. Cultural sensitivities like this have become ever more important."
Although making no specific commitments to bringing back the vouching system, Monsef said her tour is helping her understand better what she needs to do to get more Canadians involved in the voting process.
Monsef said she specifically wants input on whether people want to vote for an individual candidate, a political party or possibly both. That could entail voting for one candidate on the ballot as we do now or ranking the candidates by first, second, third and last choice. She said she would also like to hear people's thoughts on introducing new technologies at the polls that could pave the way for online voting in the future.
"It's true that certain provisions need to be in place for making our voting system more accessible as online voting could potentially do," Monsef said.
"But there is something to be said about that ritual of as a nation going to the polls together, seeing your community members and neighbours there together.
It's important to recognize that for some - voting is a right of passage."
Monsef said she expected to engage with more young voters at a meeting with representatives of the Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning on Wednesday. That meeting was closed to the media.
NWT MP Michael McLeod was at both meetings Tuesday and said that he was not at all disappointed at the turnout.
He agreed that there are challenges for indigenous people in the territory when it comes to voting and he would like to see indigenous people more engaged in the process. He said however that getting cabinet ministers out into the communities to hear their concerns presents some logistical challenges.
McLeod pointed out that six different cabinet ministers will have visited Yellowknife before the summer is out and added this shows his government takes the North, its people and its issues seriously.
Despite the relatively small turnout for the two meetings, Northerners still have other chances to have their voices heard.
A special all-party committee on electoral reform is to make a stop in the NWT this fall ahead of new electoral reform legislation that Monsef said she expects to introduce in the spring.
Born in Afghanistan, Monsef, 31, is the youngest member of the Trudeau cabinet.
She is the first Canadian minister of democratic institutions after Trudeau created the portfolio, fulfilling a campaign promise. Monsef is also a rookie MP having first been elected to her Peterborough-Kawartha, Ont., riding last fall.
