Report on the 2008 AGM

Andrew Coyne, National Editor, Maclean’s, says first-past-the-post has to go

(May 31, 2008) The 7th annual meeting of Fair Vote Canada began with a rousing speech by journalist Andrew Coyne. The well-known media commentator and national editor of Maclean’s offered a hard-hitting critique of the dysfunctional first-past-the-post voting system and why Canada needs a proportional system. He lamented the negative media coverage of the Ontario referendum, but noted that lessons were learned, one being that the specific features of a proposal alternative system “really matter”. While it was a setback to lose the Ontario referendum, Coyne told Ontario reformers to keep in mind that they rallied 1.5 million new supporters during the Ontario referendum campaign.

He was followed by a panel with former Liberal leadership contender Martha Hall Findlay, NDP MP Olivia Chow, and Ontario Green Party executive member Carolyn Law. Hall Findlay emphasized her personal support for proportional representation. Olivia Chow and Carolyn Law highlighted their parties’ support for PR. NDP democratic reform critic Joe Comartin was also in attendance.

NDP MP Olivia Chow, Liberal MP Martha Hall Findlay, Ontario Green executive member Carolyn Law

The late morning panel focused on lessons from the Ontario referendum. Professor Larry Leduc reviewed his research on the referendum process, documenting the widespread media hostility to the reform proposal. Former Ontario Citizens’ Assembly chair George Thomson expressed frustration with the high percentage of voters who felt uninformed about the referendum question. As a result, Thomson believes we have yet to learn what an informed public might conclude on the issue of electoral reform. June Macdonald, former President of Fair Vote Ontario, shared a campaigner’s inside view on the referendum experience.

The afternoon began with a session on the May 2009 B.C. referendum on the STV system recommended by the B.C. Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform. Wendy Bergerud and Julian West, both from the Vote for STV campaign leadership team, noted that nearly 58% voted for BC-STV in the 2005 referendum. Campaign organizing is well underway for the 2009 referendum. Pollster and political consultant Bob Penner shared polling data indicating that public support for BC-STV remains high, but warned that the campaign will be very challenging.

Audience members line up to question the speakers

Lewis Baston from the Electoral Reform Society (UK) and Amy Ngai, Fair Vote (US), offered reports on electoral reform campaigns in their respective countries. Conference participants also worked in break-out groups to plan the re-launch of the Fair Vote Ontario campaign in the Fall, and also to review municipal reform campaigns in Vancouver and Toronto.

As one participant noted at the conclusion of the conference: “If supporters of the status quo think the electoral reform movement is winding down after the Ontario referendum loss, they’re in for a big surprise. We’re coming back stronger than ever. We’ll fight on until we win fair voting systems for all Canadians.”