
A group of Kamloops residents is hoping the region’s MP will support a motion in Parliament that, if approved, would see a national citizens' assembly established to study electoral reform.
“This is the beginning of exploring whether change is appropriate and needed,” said Frances Monk, Fair Vote Kamloops organizer.
Monk said M-86, a private member’s motion, is expected to come before the federal government for a vote in early February. The motion seeks to establish a citizens’ assembly on electoral reform, giving a selected group of Canadians an opportunity to study the matter and make recommendations to Parliament.
Fair Vote Kamloops said a citizens’ assembly is formed through a process like a lottery — similar to jury selection — with steps taken to ensure the assembly is representative of the national population.
“We need to see a citizens’ coalition, so the citizens have a chance to decide about the future of our electoral system, and not just politicians who are on a four-year cycle and somewhat self-interested,” Monk said.
Monk said volunteers have been campaigning in the community, asking residents to sign a petition which will be delivered to MP Frank Caputo’s office. The petition is intended to persuade Caputo to support the motion.
Caputo told Castanet Kamloops via text message that he is aware of the petition asking for his support, but has yet to see the document and has been recently absent from his office.
"I remain in the process of reviewing M-86 and comparing it to past attempts at electoral reform across the country," Caputo wrote.
Monk said from her experience being out in the community with the petition and discussing the matter with Kamloops residents, most of the people she’s encountered are in support of a citizens’ assembly or the notion of some kind of change beyond the current first past the post voting system.
“I think people are looking for change now,” she said, noting B.C. went through an unsuccessful referendum on electoral reform five years ago, and added a number of European countries employ a form of proportional representation.
"What we're looking for now is the citizens’ assembly to make recommendations to government about any changes they believe are necessary or not. It’s a beginning.”
In 2018, a referendum in B.C. saw about 61 per cent of respondents vote in favour of keeping the first past the post system, while about 39 per cent were in favour of a proportional representation voting system.
While campaigning for the 2015 federal election, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to move forward with electoral reform — a pledge that remains unfulfilled. Trudeau said last year that while it wasn’t a top priority, he would move ahead with reform if there was consensus on another model.
— with a file from Michael Potestio