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Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Open Letter to Federal Candidates in the London, Ontario Area re Proportional Representation



Dear Candidate: 

Londoners need to hear about your support for a more proportional voting system. 

Last month, 530 academics, including over 30 Canada Research Chairs, signed an open letter calling on the parties to implement a more proportional voting system.

Supporters of a proportional system for Canada are almost unanimously in agreement that a made-in-Canada, proportional solution means we keep local representation, and all candidates face the voters. PR is not one system, it’s a principle - that no matter where you live, your vote should count, and that 39% of the vote should earn roughly 39% of the seats. The last ten Canadian commissions to study the question have recommended PR and 50 year of evidence from around the world strongly correlates proportional systems with higher voter turnout, policies which better reflect voters, stable governments and better representation for women. 

Party policy on electoral reform is already well known and does not need repeating. What Londoners need to hear now is your personal commitment to advocate for a more proportional voting system if you are elected on October 19. 

Many Londoners will be voting for change on October 19: you and your party stand to benefit from that trend. However that change will not be complete unless we also get a proportional voting system as part of electoral reform as well.  

We need your help to “make every vote count” in future elections. We would like to communicate your personal position on Proportional Representation to our organization’s supporters. Please communicate your position on this important issue to us at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely, 

Meg Borthwick, Robert Cory, Roberta Cory, Geoff Crealock, Margo Does, David Heap, Celeste Lemire, Paula Marcotte, Julie Picken-Cooper, and Aldous Smith 

on behalf of the Council of Canadians, London Chapter