We the undersigned Canadian citizens demand the following basic democratic rights:
- to cast an equal and effective vote and to be represented fairly in our federal and provincial legislatures, regardless of one’s political beliefs or place of residence;
- to be governed by fairly elected legislatures in which the share of seats held by each political party closely reflects the popular vote;
- to be subject to laws legitimately approved by a majority of elected legislators representing a majority of voters
The current winner-take-all voting system is absolutely inconsistent with these fundamental democratic rights. As a result, Canada is faced with a spiralling democratic deficit. We want government that represents the political and social diversity of the country.
The need for reform is urgent. We demand the reform of our electoral systems at the federal and provincial levels, based on public consultations to amend the Canada Elections Act and equivalent provincial legislation to incorporate these vital democratic rights.