Layton Slams Martin On PR

The Liberals, who won their federal majorities with only 40 per cent of the vote, used that “majority” to defeat today’s PR vote. Most of the Alliance and Bloc Quebecois voted with the NDP as did two Liberal MPs. The Tories voted with the Liberals. “In the last two federal elections a majority of Canadians didn’t vote for the Liberals but the outcome of the vote was a Liberal majority government,” said Layton. “Without PR our votes are not truly reflected in the governments we get.” In five provincial elections this year the winning party has won well under to barely over half of the popular vote, but have routinely won a large majority of seats. “These artificial majorities proceed to exercise power in an arrogant and unchecked manner. After 20 years of arrogant Liberal and PC governments, a changed system would be a welcome change for most Canadians, and we’re working to make that happen,” said Layton. Every industrialized democracy in the world except the U.S. and Canada has adopted some form of proportional representation in their voting systems. Even the Liberals’ own political cousin’s in B.C. and Quebec, and P.E.I’s Conservatives, are studying this kind of electoral reform. The NDP motion reads: "That this House call upon the government to hold a referendum within one year to determine whether Canadians wish to replace the current electoral system with a system of proportional representation and, if so, to appoint a commission to consult Canadians on the preferred model of proportional representation and the process of implementation, with an implementation date no later than July 1, 2006." Please note: comments/responses with regard to the content of this email should be directed to mhurtig@telusplanet.net.