Open Letter to Justin Trudeau

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We need an electoral reform process we can trust and we need it in time for the next election!

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau:

In the run-up to the October 19th election, I was inspired by the recognition in the Liberal party of Canada’s platform that our democracy is in need of repair. The results of the election showed how the Liberal Party’s call for “Real CHANGE” struck a chord with many voters, but they were indicative as well of the urgent need for electoral reform in this country. 

On October 19th, over 9,000,000 voters (51.8%) were unable to make their vote count and elect a representative to bring their voice to Ottawa. The country elected a majority Liberal government, but as usual, did so with less than a majority of the vote (39.5%). Most Liberals in Alberta and Saskatchewan, New Democrats and Conservatives in Toronto and Atlantic Canada, and Greens nearly everywhere elected no representation to Parliament. That is unfair. It is also the root cause of much of the cynicism, apathy and negativity people feel about elections, politicians and Parliament.

Voters were inspired when you promised to make 2015 the last election using first-past-the-post and to modernize our voting system to “make every vote count”. Implicit in that promise is your understanding that over half of all voters are unable to elect a representative of their choice – that voters are not treated as political equals and they should be. You made an explicit commitment as well to develop a made-in-Canada solution. I enthusiastically support that commitment. 

You further inspired us and raised our hopes when you evoked the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and said, “A Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian”. Voter equality – making every citizen’s vote count equally - is the unrealized promise of our Charter. Your new government is in a position to rise above partisan differences, stand up for all Canadian voters, realize the democratic ideal and take a lasting place in Canadian and world history.  

As you said, “Better is Always Possible!” All Canadians should have equal, effective votes and positive representation in Parliament - where your vote is equal to mine and mine is equal to that of every other Canadian. That’s a powerful idea. No vote should carry more weight depending on who you voted for or where you live. To have a hopeful future together we can no longer settle for the thin and negative satisfaction of eventually defeating candidates and parties we don’t like. We all need the positive benefits that come from electing representatives we want to the House of Commons — representatives who have won our trust and loyalty.

No voting system is perfect but only some form of proportional representation (PR) can deliver voter equality and truly Make Every Vote Count. I have no single preconceived idea of the best form of PR for Canada. Let’s hear from the competing advocates including advocates of ranked balloting. Let experts analyze and refine the various options and arrive at a PR recommendation likely to be welcomed by the great majority of democratic-minded Canadians. 

Mr. Trudeau, the electoral system belongs to the people. It is the system that citizens use to hire and fire politicians. I feel strongly that the people must be involved in the electoral reform process right from the start. Canadians have had enough of Parliamentary committees that were dog-and-pony shows manipulated to produce partisan results. I want an open and transparent process that puts citizen interests in a more democratically representative Parliament at the forefront. By delivering that, your government will do much to raise public respect for itself and for Canada’s political institutions.


WE URGE YOU, as a top priority, to create an evidence-based process that includes Parliamentarians from all parties, non-partisan experts and citizens. This Task Force should lead the process to design the best voting system for Canada in which as many votes as possible deliver equal and effective representation. It should ensure all options are fully and fairly studied and considered.


As you promised, cabinet should launch the Task Force almost immediately to ensure ample time for public consultation, design, enactment and implementation of a new Canadian voting system for the next federal election.

Mr. Prime Minister, this government has the opportunity to do something truly historic on electoral reform, changing Canada’s democracy for the better in a way that could inspire other levels of government in Canada to do the same, while providing inspiration to other countries internationally. I hope that you will see it in your wisdom and democratic values to make the most of that opportunity.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau *

cc: Maryam Monsef, Minister of Democratic Institutions *

cc: Rona Ambrose, Interim Leader Official Opposition *

cc: Thomas Mulcair, Leader of the New Democratic Party *

cc: Rhéal Fortin, Interim Leader of the Bloc Québécois *

cc: Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada *

cc: Gerald Butts, Principal Secretary *

cc: Katie Telford, Chief of Staff *

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