In June, 2015, when the NDP was ahead in the polls and Justin Trudeau was looking like he might be a dud, he held an event in the big ballroom at the Chateau Laurier to try to gain some traction, put some policy on the table and remind everyone that he was also an important politician who someday might become prime minister.

Trudeau’s people handed out a 32-point platform in a glossy magazine format with nice pictures of him listening to voters, titled ‘Real Change: A Fair and Open Government’. The most newsworthy item in the whole package was the promise that “2015 will be the last federal election conducted under the first-past-the-post voting system.”

Trudeau promised that an all-party committee would study electoral reform options — including ranked ballots, proportional representation, mandatory voting and online voting — and bring forward “legislation to enact electoral reform” within 18 months.

The promise put a little gas in the tank of the sputtering Liberal election machine. More importantly, it gave them something with which to woo a key electoral bloc — NDP-Liberal switchers seeking a champion to take down Stephen Harper.

It would be wrong to conclude that the promise of a new voting system was the key to the Liberals’ election win, but it was a significant source of appeal among the highly engaged left-leaning voters who, back then, were abandoning Trudeau and embracing the NDP.

It’s hard to remember, now that Trudeau is striding across the world stage like an adorable feminist colossus, that back then he was fighting for relevance. Electoral reform helped get him back in the game.

After the election, he made rookie MP Maryam Monsef the minister of democratic reform. She set up a committee to hold consultations across Canada.

I went to one of them last month in a hotel ballroom in Gatineau, across the river from Ottawa. It involved pamphlets, wonkish small-group discussions and a fair bit of English-Canadian-politician-French from Liberal MP Mark Holland, who was on hand to help Monsef.

Until I went to that event, I’d been assuming that the Liberals eventually would abandon the promise to get rid of first-past-the-post elections because the backroom people in charge of getting Trudeau re-elected would make it quite clear (behind closed doors) that he should not do any such thing.

After I attended the event, I wasn’t so sure. I realized then that the Liberals were holding these forums, at gosh knows what cost, giving hope to democracy nerds from sea to sea to sea. I thought it would be stupid to do all that and then abandon them.

Trudeau’s argument is appalling. Essentially, he’s saying that he wanted to change the system until he took over, at which point he no longer saw the need, because Canadians are so happy with him. Trudeau’s argument is appalling. Essentially, he’s saying that he wanted to change the system until he took over, at which point he no longer saw the need, because Canadians are so happy with him.

Personally, I like the idea of a mixed-member proportional system, because it would make our Parliament more representative of the will of voters while maintaining direct representation by MPs.

I think it’s ridiculous, for example, that in the most recent election every Atlantic riding went Liberal; none of the people who voted Conservative and NDP in the region got a voice in the House. First-past-the-post distorts our elections, leading to wilder swings in Commons representation. It strengthens regional parties, cheats small parties and leads to false majorities.

There are good arguments against electoral reform — the potential loss of stability, for example — but the winning argument is the one we (the voters) never hear. It’s the one heard in party backrooms: Don’t do it or we’ll never get another majority.

Apparently, Trudeau is leaning towards the backroom point of view.

In an interview with Le Devoir Wednesday morning, Trudeau said that the Liberals might not do much of anything about electoral reform after all.

“Under Stephen Harper, there were so many people unhappy with the government and their approach that people were saying, ‘It will take electoral reform to no longer have a government we don’t like’. But under the current system, they now have a government they’re more satisfied with and the motivation to change the electoral system is less compelling,” he said.

His argument is appalling.

Essentially, Trudeau is saying that he wanted to change the system until he took over, at which point he no longer saw the need, because Canadians are so happy with him.

This is the voice of arrogance in power. It’s the voice that whispers in the PM’s ear that, since the best thing for the people (obviously) is that he continue to provide them with wise leadership, their interests are best served by carrying on with the system that leaves him in charge.

If that’s the way he really feels, he should shut down Monsef’s committee immediately. He should stop wasting our time.

Again, I like the idea of a system with some element of proportionality. But, as supporters of first-past-the-post point out, the country has survived until now under an old system, and it will no doubt muddle through without reform.

What I can’t bear, though, is an empty consultation that ends with nothing.

The Conservatives, by insisting that no change would be acceptable without a referendum, have given Trudeau an out. The NDP desperately wants proportional representation, since in most elections it’s short-changed by FPTP — but they can’t do much to put pressure on Trudeau except threaten to wail and moan when he pulls the plug on their dream of a better electoral system.

Fair enough. There’s no good political reason for Trudeau to do anything about this, and several excellent reasons for him to shrug and walk away. But if that’s what he wants to do, he should say so — and put a bullet in the process now.

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