OTTAWA– Fairness, transparency and accountability must remain the top priority in the electoral boundaries redistribution process, said Liberal House Leader Marc Garneau and Liberal Democratic Reform critic Stéphane Dion today.
“We have full confidence in the sense of impartiality of the Speaker,” said Mr. Garneau. “However even with a strong Office of the Speaker of the House of Commons, this process could be compromised by partisan meddling. While this is a non-partisan process, there will likely be great pressures by the Conservative Party to fix the process in a way that favours them. We are living in a political culture of Conservative dirty tricks and we have to be vigilant that these tactics do not taint this process.”
With the release of yesterday’s census data on population, the Electoral Boundaries Redistribution Act gives the Speaker of the House of Commons 60 days to establish and appoint individuals to the 10 provincial Electoral Boundary Commissions.
“Establishing Electoral Boundary Commissions behind closed doors allows for ambiguity as to the fairness of the process and creates the conditions under which redistribution can be manipulated,” said Mr. Dion. “In the United States, for example, hyper partisanship has caused irreparable damage to the electoral system in some districts. Gerrymandering, or even the appearance of gerrymandering, creates a dysfunctional atmosphere of polarization and partisanship, which threatens the very health of a democracy.”
Mr. Dion and Mr. Garneau penned a letter to the Speaker of the House formally requesting that he inform the House of Commons and all Canadians how his office will ensure openness and transparency in the establishment of the Electoral Boundary Commissions.
Background:
To read Mr. Garneau and Mr. Dion’s letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons, please click here.
