Nanaimo-Ladysmith MP Lisa Marie Barron is leading a series of community meetings to hear from residents and discuss the path forward to electoral reform in federal politics.
On Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 23-24, the member of Parliament will be hosting the meetings in Ladysmith and Nanaimo with hopes of hearing from residents and discussing the idea of creating a national citizens’ assembly on electoral reform.
“Our voting system is outdated, and it lets a political party with support from less than 40 per cent of Canadians have all the power to shape our country,” noted Barron in a news release. “Canadians deserve to have their voices represented in Ottawa, and if the Liberal government isn’t willing to make that happen, then my New Democrat colleagues and I will push for it.”
With the current electoral system, the release noted, a political leader can hold 100 per cent of the decision-making power in Canada, with less than 39 per cent of the vote. In 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau campaigned on changing Canada’s voting system, but although an all-party committee was set up to make recommendations, the exercise didn’t lead to any changes.
The meeting in Ladysmith is Monday, Oct. 23, at 6:30 p.m. at Aggie Hall, and in Nanaimo the meeting is Tuesday, Oct. 24, at 6:30 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 256. There will also be discussion in Ottawa on Nov. 1 and a virtual meeting on Nov. 5.
EDITORIAL: Electoral reform worth discussing
bailey.seymour@nanaimobulletin.com
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