So, let’s review. A political leader campaigns on electoral reform, even promises this will be the last first-past-the-post election. Then that successful party forms a special committee to review the issue. Following countrywide public meetings and study, that committee recommends a referendum and provides detailed analysis in a 300-page report.

Immediately, the members of the governing party on the committee withdraw their support. The democratic institutions minister insults the members of that committee and immediately apologizes. The next statement from the prime minister is that electoral reform is “important to a whole bunch of Canadians across the country” but the governing party still isn’t sure it will accept its committee’s recommendations.

article continues below

Since 1977, 13 separate processes have brought together citizens and experts over electoral reform. All of them concluded that we need to make our electoral system more proportional.

And some people wonder why citizens withdraw from public engagement. Every issue is an endless process of trying to be heard by our government.

Sandy Slobodian

Victoria