Letter to the Editor

This is an open letter to Rob Morrison Member of Parliament for the Kootenay Columbia federal riding.

I was very disappointed to see that you voted against a parliamentary motion to create a randomly selected, representative assembly of ordinary Canadians directed to study electoral reform in depth.

They would have determined whether or not to recommend electoral reform, and if yes, then recommend “specific measures that would foster a healthier democracy.”

You heard from a number of your constituents through phone, meeting and petition asking that you support this motion. Did you hear from any constituents requesting that you vote against it? I would be very surprised if you did.

Conservative MP Michael Cooper’s arguments in favour of the status quo and hence against the motion included his claim our current voting system provides strong local representation and is accountable to constituents. Apparently not, as you did not represent the large number of constituents in this riding who strongly feel that electoral reform is required to strengthen our democracy.

As an aside, there are many different ways of voting which would do a much better job.

Instead you chose to put the interests of your party ahead of your constituents and, more broadly, Canadians. Polls show a high level of support across party lines for such a grassroots initiative in representative democracy, one that many countries have embraced to reach consensus on contentious and complex issues.

The motion was defeated, 220 to 102 because the leadership of both main parties opposed it, for good reason. Both Liberals and Conservatives benefit from our existing voting system which routinely gives majority power to governments elected by a minority of voters. In other words, it distorts the wishes of the majority of the voting Canadians.

I commend the three members of your caucus who chose to go against party line and vote for the motion. I regret you were not one of them.

Dave Lang,

Salmo

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