The Liberals have set aside less than seven months to consult Canadians on a brand new voting system. A notice posted online late Tuesday proposes striking a special electoral reform committee — where the Liberals would hold a majority — to hold consultations over the next several months. The committee would have to report back to the House of Commons no later than Dec. 1. The Liberals promised to recommend new legislation by May 2017, but Elections Canada has warned the clock is ticking to have a new system in place by 2019. “(The committee will) identify and conduct a study of viable alternative voting systems, such as preferential ballots and proportional representation, to replace the first-past-the-post system, as well as to examine mandatory voting and online voting,” a notice posted online Tuesday reads.
Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef will hold a press conference in Ottawa Wednesday to discuss her proposal.
The Liberals would have six seats on the proposed 10-person committee, with three seats for the Conservatives, one for the New Democrats. The Bloc Québécois and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May have each been offered non-voting seats at the table.
Full Article: Liberals move on electoral reform as deadline looms | Toronto Star.