CPJ encouraged by committee’s call for greater voter participation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ottawa, ON: December 1, 2016 — Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ) was encouraged to see today’s report from the Special Committee on Electoral Reform include a call to promote greater voter participation.
“Any changes to Canada’s voting system must also be coupled with policies that make voting more accessible for those who lack a permanent address or photo identification,” said Brad Wassink, CPJ’s Communications Coordinator. “This may include strengthening Canada’s system of vouching and making sure polling stations are in areas accessible to typically excluded populations.”
The committee suggested greater “awareness among voters of existing options to vote prior to Election Day.” This includes “voting at an advance poll, voting by mail, voting at any Elections Canada office.”
As a faith-based organization, CPJ believes that our electoral system must address the needs of the most vulnerable in Canadian society and ensure that everyone can contribute to our democratic system.
In our own brief to the committee, CPJ called for a system of mixed-member proportional representation. This system is fully proportional and also maintains strong, direct relationships between voters and MPs.
While the committee did not arrive at a consensus on a system of voting, the report from the committee is an important step towards achieving a proportional voting system in Canada.
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For more information, contact Brad Wassink at brad@cpj.ca or 613-232-0275 x. 225.
