PEI GVT: Bill 38: Bye-bye, Proportional Representation

PEI GVT: Bill 38: Bye-bye, Proportional Representation

Postby Oscar » Tue Nov 08, 2016 10:49 am

WIN! PEI votes for proportional representation

[ http://canadians.org/blog/win-pei-votes ... esentation ]

November 7, 2016 - 8:32 pm

Prince Edward Island has voted for electoral reform and the mixed member proportional representation (MMPR) system.

The Guardian reports, "Elections P.E.I. released the results about an hour-and-a-half after electronic voting in the plebiscite was closed at 7 p.m. The ranked ballot saw 37,040 votes cast, which translates into a turnout of 36.46 per cent. The mixed member option earned 19,418 of those votes, about 52.42 per cent. The current first past the post system was the second most popular option, receiving 15,869 votes or 42.84 per cent."

The Canadian Press notes, "Islanders were given five options to chose from, including an option to keep the existing first-past-the-post system. Voters were asked to rank some or all of the option on a one-to-five scale. Electronic voting began on Oct. 29 at noon and continued until Monday at 7 p.m. local time."

The Council of Canadians PEI chapter is a member of the PEI Coalition for Proportional Representation.

While the results of the plebiscite are not binding, it is hoped the vote will result in a change in the province's electoral system.

Chapter activist Leo Broderick comments, "This is indeed a night for rejoicing. Achieving a vote for Proportional Representation on PEI is quite an achievement. The Premier and all his MLAs as well as all the Conservative MLAs did not support Proportional Representation. The only MLA who supported PR was Green Party Leader Peter Bevan-Baker. We will get change with this vote."

The next provincial election in PEI is scheduled for October 7, 2019.

Twenty-seven Council of Canadians chapters across the country have also been calling on the Trudeau government to implement proportional representation federally. The Liberals have set a deadline of May 2017 to introduce legislation on electoral reform. The next federal election is scheduled for October 21, 2019.

Tags: chapters
[ http://canadians.org/tags/chapters ]

Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ http://canadians.org/blog/win-pei-votes ... esentation ]
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Re: WIN! PEI votes for proportional representation

Postby Oscar » Wed Nov 09, 2016 9:57 am

Green Party of Canada congratulates PEI voters on choosing voting reform

[ https://www.greenparty.ca/en/media-rele ... ing-reform ]

November 08, 2016

(OTTAWA) – The Green Party of Canada released the following statement in response to results from a non-binding plebiscite to change the provincial voting system in Prince Edward Island:

“Prince Edward Islanders have spoken strongly in favour of change. It’s exciting to witness majority support for electoral reform,” said Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada (MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands). “Thanks to PEI Green Leader Peter Bevan-Baker for his strong leadership on this issue.”

At 52%, PEI voters supported a switch to a form of proportional representation – mixed-member proportional.

“I urge PEI Premier Wade MacLauchlan to accept the results of this plebiscite and take steps towards introducing legislation for a mixed-member proportional voting system,” Ms. May said.

Bruce Hyer, GPC Deputy Leader and Democratic Reform Critic, said: “I’m pleased at the very strong support in PEI for a more democratic system. It is interesting that the Cradle of Confederation may now be the cradle of enhanced democracy in Canada by leading the way for other provinces, and by encouraging Prime Minister Trudeau to keep his pre-election promise that the 2015 federal election will be the last under the flawed and antiquated First-Past-the-Post voting system.” -30-

For additional information or to arrange an interview, contact:

Dan Palmer
Press Secretary | Attaché de presse
dan.palmer@greenparty.ca
m: (613) 614-4916
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Re: WIN! PEI votes for proportional representation

Postby Oscar » Mon May 28, 2018 8:28 pm

P.E.I. chapter critical of Premier MacLauchlan's Bill No. 38, the Electoral System Referendum Act

[ https://canadians.org/blog/pei-chapter- ... rendum-act ]

May 28, 2018 - 6:59 pm

(PHOTO: Leo Cheverie and Anna Kennan say goodbye to the P.E.I. Coalition for Proportional Representation and hello to the P.E.I. Proportional Representation Network in this video: [ https://www.facebook.com/PRActionTeam/v ... A7eEuo5c8U ]. )


To find out how to get involved in the new PR Network, please click here:
[ https://sites.google.com/view/peiprnet/ ]


The Council of Canadians P.E.I. chapter is a member of the P.E.I. Coalition for Proportional Representation which had been planning to organize around a referendum on proportional representation that will take place at the same time as the next provincial election, which is scheduled for October 7, 2019.

The Guardian now reports, "The P.E.I. Coalition for Proportional Representation is calling foul over the province's upcoming referendum on electoral reform. The coalition announced Monday it will disband effective Thursday as a response to 'repressive rules' in the Electoral Systems Referendum Act."

The article continues, "Coalition spokesman Leo Cheverie says the rules are 'clearly intended to limit our work to inform and engage Islanders about the benefits of proportional representation'. ...'The Referendum Act introduced by the Liberal caucus would place limits on who can work together for electoral reform. The coalition would rather disband than forcibly exclude founding, committed members of the team we built.'"

The CBC adds, "In place of the coalition the P.E.I. Proportional Representation Network is being formed. 'The new network is intended to be a space for individual citizens to communicate and coordinate with each other to advance proportional representation on P.E.I.', said Anna Keenan... 'It won't be a formal decision-making body like the coalition has been.'"

Two weeks ago, the CBC reported, "Restrictions on fundraising outlined in the P.E.I. government's referendum bill may be unconstitutional, says [Cheverie]. ...Under the legislation, the government will provide $75,000 in taxpayer funding for both the 'Yes' and 'No' campaigns. Beyond that, no groups will be allowed to solicit donations or otherwise raise money to pay for advertising or promotion for one side or the other."

That article adds, "According to the legislation, the measures are intended to establish 'a level playing field for those who wish to publicly oppose or support a change to the voting system.' 'We think we had a level playing field in 2016 and we won,' said Cheverie... 'The stated intention of the legislation is to provide a level playing field, but I think that's a bogus argument. I think it's raising every possible barrier to prevent PR from becoming a reality and making it as hard as possible for campaigners to succeed.'"

In November 2016, the province held a referendum on electoral reform. At that time, The Guardian reported, "The ranked ballot saw 37,040 votes cast, which translates into a turnout of 36.46 per cent. The mixed member option earned 19,418 of those votes, about 52.42 per cent. The current first past the post system was the second most popular option, receiving 15,869 votes or 42.84 per cent." The Liberal government of Premier Wade MacLauchlan did not subsequently implement mixed-member proportional representation despite it being the top choice of voters.

Canadian Unitarians for Social Justice recently pointed out that Bill 38 means, "A double-majority is required for change: Anything less than 50% voter participation in the referendum means results can be ignored by government…and even then, a majority result for change can be ignored under some circumstances." [ https://cusj.org/news/pei-govt-torches- ... eferendum/ ]

CUSJ also notes, "Restrictions, including the ban on spending, are to be put in place over a pre-campaign 'registration period' starting on July 1, 2018 and ending when the next writ is dropped, effectively placing a gag order on groups from engaging the public on democratic reform until the election."

Further reading

PEI chapter celebrates vote for proportional representation (November 2016)
[ https://canadians.org/blog/win-pei-chap ... esentation ]



Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ https://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]
Oscar
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Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 3:23 pm


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