Latest News and Developments
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Australia’s Defence Minister supports PR (July 3, 2008)
Joel Fitzgibbon, the Australian Minister for Defence, told a university audience that “wholesale constitutional reform in Australia is long overdue”. Delivering the inaugural Edmund Barton Lecture at the University of Newcastle, the minister said “also welcome would be an electoral system which acts on the principles of proportional representation, giving minor parties a voice in both houses of the National Parliament.”
Australia’s House of Representatives is currently elected through a winner-take-all voting system, while the Australian Senate is elected by the single transferable vote (STV), a form of proportional representation.
Quebec elections chief presses for proportional voting (June 28, 2008)
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| Marcel Blanchet |
Marcel Blanchet, Quebec Director General of Elections, told Radio-Canada that Quebec’s present electoral system has reached it limits and should be reformed.
In a report to be tabled with the National Assembly this Fall, Blanchet will propose a new electoral map for Quebec, but also note that the National Assembly should now consider adopting a proportional voting system. Last December, Blanchet published an extensive report, requested by the government, on a mixed proportional voting system for Quebec. He believes that it will now be more difficult for the National Assembly to avoid the electoral reform issue.
Electoral reformers convene at Fair Vote Canada's 7th annual meeting (May 31, 2008)
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| Members line up to question speakers |
The May 31 annual meeting of Fair Vote Canada, held at Ryerson University in Toronto, attracted more than 100 electoral reform activists and supporters. Participants were treated to a rousing keynote address by journalist and media commentator Andrew Coyne, a strong proponent of proportional representation and voting reform. Other featured speakers included Martha Hall Findlay, M.P., and former Liberal leadership contender, Olivia Chow, NDP M.P., and George Thomson, former chair of the Ontario Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform. More details and photos here.
Dr. Marie Bountrogianni joins FVC National Advisory Board (May 29, 2008)
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Fair Vote Canada (FVC) announced today the appointment of Dr. Marie Bountrogianni to the FVC National Advisory Board.
Dr. Bountrogianni is currently President and CEO of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) Board of Governors and is the former Ontario Minister for Democratic Renewal. She was first elected to the Ontario legislature in 1999. In October 2003, she was named Minister of Children’s Services and Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. In June 2005 she became Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister for Democratic Renewal. Story continues here.
Other Recent News Stories
May 31, 2008: FVC National Council election results announced.
March 30, 2008: New poll shows 59% of New Zealanders happy with MMP system.
March 27, 2008: Alberta students push for citizens’ assembly on electoral reform.
March 6, 2008: BC referendum legislation tabled, but key issues remain.
March 4, 2008: Voting system distorts Alberta election results
January 28, 2008: More evidence that minority governments are OK with voters
January 7, 2008: Poll shows Canadians comfortable with minority government - no surprise says FVC
December 21, 2007: Quebec chief electoral officer releases detailed report on MMP system
December 17, 2007: Growing voter frustration with footdragging on the environment -- another symptom of Canada's electoral dysfunction
December 15, 2007: Assessment of Ontario's Vote for MMP campaign: what went well, what went wrong
November 30, 2007: Fair Voting BC challenges government on referendum commitment
November 28, 2007: 42% is not a mandate: Ontario government has unfinished business with electoral reform