Political scientists call for voting-system reform

Catholic New Times, Feb 9, 2003

OTTAWA, TORONTO -- One-hundred-and-three political scientists from 34 Canadian universities have joined the call for voting-system reform in Canada. The list of electoral reform supporters includes four former presidents of the Canadian Political Science Association (CPSA), the current secretary general of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) and a former IPSA secretary general. The political scientists have endorsed a petition organized by Fair Vote Canada which states: "The present voting system wastes millions of votes, distorts election results and denies fair representation to many Canadians. We call on the Government of Canada and all other Parliamentary parties to: 1) initiate a public consultation on instituting a more proportional voting system; and 2) provide Canadians with a referendum process to choose the best voting system."

"As citizens and experts who worry about the quality of Canadian democracy, political scientists are now raising their voices together," said University of Toronto's Dr. Sylvia Bashevkin, a former president of CPSA. "The reevaluation of our voting system must become an urgent priority for Canada." The call by Canadian political scientists comes on the heels of other recent developments. The Law Commission of Canada is conducting a public consultation on federal voting system reform that will culminate with a recommendation to Parliament later this year.