Election Law Reform Rolling Across Canada
The winds of democratic reform appear to be blowing across Canada.
Earlier this month, the Ontario government introduced the Election Statute Law Amendment Act, 2005 and announced its intention to hold a referendum before the next election on a new more representative or proportional electoral system.
Voters in British Columbia will vote in a May 17 referendum whether to adopt a proportional representation system recommended by a Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform.
Late in 2004, the Québec National Assembly recommended changes to how its members are elected, including ideas for a modified proportional system.
New Brunswick quickly followed in December 2004 with a report produced by its Commission on Legislative Democracy. It is recommending a mixed proportional system to be submitted to a binding referendum no later than the next provincial election.
Even tiny little Prince Edward Island will get to vote on a mixed-member proportional system shortly.
There is going to soon be a huge new list of legal and administrative concepts for citizens, political activists and law librarians to learn. To help understand some of the major differences in the various electoral reform proposals, here are some good starting points:
Earlier this month, the Ontario government introduced the Election Statute Law Amendment Act, 2005 and announced its intention to hold a referendum before the next election on a new more representative or proportional electoral system.
Voters in British Columbia will vote in a May 17 referendum whether to adopt a proportional representation system recommended by a Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform.
Late in 2004, the Québec National Assembly recommended changes to how its members are elected, including ideas for a modified proportional system.
New Brunswick quickly followed in December 2004 with a report produced by its Commission on Legislative Democracy. It is recommending a mixed proportional system to be submitted to a binding referendum no later than the next provincial election.
Even tiny little Prince Edward Island will get to vote on a mixed-member proportional system shortly.
There is going to soon be a huge new list of legal and administrative concepts for citizens, political activists and law librarians to learn. To help understand some of the major differences in the various electoral reform proposals, here are some good starting points:
- Law Commission of Canada Electoral Reform Project
- Fair Vote Canada
- Equal Voice
- Proprotional Representation Library
- Keele Guide to Elections and Electoral Systems (recommended by the Social Science Information Gateway SOSIG)
- Electoral Process Information Collection - EPIC (joint project of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, the United Nations Development Programme and the International Foundation for Election Systems)
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