Local Green MP pushing hard for electoral reform

Following the provincial election that saw Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservatives win a third consecutive majority government, the issue of electoral reform is gaining traction as the country awaits the call of a federal election.

Vote splitting was a major topic leading into the provincial campaign. So much so, that two Green Party candidates in Waterloo Region endorsed their NDP counterparts in an effort to unit the votes behind the New Democrat candidate.

The Green Party’s Mike Morrice, who represents the Kitchener Centre federal riding has been championing electoral reform for years. He supports a proportional representation system as opposed to the current first-past-the-post system. He believes a change could do away with vote splitting.

Morrice was a guest on The Mike Farwell Show and said the change has to come from the top down.

“We deserve party leaders who are willing to have the courageous conversations necessary much earlier in the process so as to not put candidates in that position.”

He said the only way to see electoral reform become a reality is for the parties that support change, rally together.

“Even if it’s just for one electoral cycle, the parties that agree on moving towards a more representative democracy, can we at least have some cooperation and get that win for Canadians.”

Morrice points out it’s the people that want to see a change to the way we form government.

“We know Canadians overwhelmingly support electoral reform,” he said. “The citizens assembly that I have been calling for was supported by 76 per cent of Canadians. To me, this is where partisanship really gets in the way.”

Morrice introduced a private members bill asking for the creation of a citizens assembly on electoral reform. It would have been a non-partisan group that would work on the issue. The motion was never brought to the floor for a vote.

Electoral reform was a major component of Justin Trudeau’s first election campaign in 2015. He has since said he regrets not getting it done.

A grass roots effort is underway to bring together progressive parties to defeat the Conservative Party of Canada in the upcoming federal election.