Nathan Cullen at the Terrace town hall on electoral reform. Photo by Margaret Speirs.
The Council of Canadians Terrace chapter is calling for electoral reform.
The chapter has met with their MP Nathan Cullen and they also attended the town hall meeting Cullen organized on this issue in September.
Cullen is the vice-chair of the Special Committee on Electoral Reform.
In June 2016, the House of Commons created this Special Committee (with 5 Liberal, 2 New Democrat, 1 Green, 1 Bloc Quebecois, and 3 Conservative Members of Parliament) to review different proposals for electoral reform and to deliver its recommendations to Parliament by December 1.
Cullen’s website says, “In the last election, 63% of voters cast ballots for parties promising to reform the way Canadians elect their Members of Parliament. The NDP has long campaigned to end Canada’s outdated, unfair first-past-the-post voting system and replace it with one that is fair, representative, and proportional, and where every vote is counted equally.”
The Terrace chapter is also planning a public workshop for when the parliamentary committee’s report is released in December.
Twenty-seven Council of Canadians chapters have actively called for electoral reform and proportional representation by:
Presenting to/ attending a meeting of the Special Committee on electoral reform
Fredericton, Northwest Territories, Prince Albert, Prince Edward Island
Attending a consultation with Maryam Monsef
Montreal, Northwest Territories, Peterborough, Regina, Thunder Bay, Quill Plains (Wynyard), Quinte
Attending MP town halls on electoral reform
Calgary, Campbell River, Guelph, Kelowna, London, Mid-Island, North Shore, Northumberland County, Ottawa, Quinte, Saskatoon, Terrace
Meeting with their MPs
Guelph, Hamilton, Kelowna, London, Nelson, Peel, Penticton, Peterborough, Quinte, Terrace
Organizing their own public event
Brandon-Westman, Comox Valley, Guelph, Hamilton, North Shore, Quinte, Terrace
Chapters have also handed out leaflets, published articles in local newspapers, held workshops, and worked closely with our ally Fair Vote Canada.
The Liberals have set a deadline of May 2017 to introduce legislation on electoral reform. The next federal election is scheduled to take place on October 21, 2019.
