Every vote won’t count

“We will make every vote count.”

It was a bold promise made by the Liberal Party last year during the federal election campaign. Electoral reform caught the attention of many Canadians who were looking for options to improve the political process.

The Liberal platform vowed that 2015 would be the last federal election conducted under the first-pastthe-post voting system. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dutifully repeated that pledge at every opportunity. The new government did convene an all-party committee to review reform options and it is expected to deliver recommendations to Parliament by a December 1 deadline.

Now comes the hard part. The platform also promised that within 18 months of forming government, the Liberals would introduce legislation to enact electoral reform. It seems increasingly unlikely, especially after the PM’s recent comments during a Quebec newspaper interview.

Conditions apparently now don’t look as apocalyptic for the Liberals. Mr. Trudeau argues there were so many people unhappy with the previous Stephen Harper regime that electoral reform looked attractive as a way to get rid of an unpopular government. Now they have a government they’re more satisfied with, so the motivation to change the electoral system is less compelling. It’s a smug attitude for a government that has only held power for a year.

A little clarification might be in order. It’s the PM who has lost his appetite for electoral reform. The Liberals are in power and thus the urgency to change the system has quickly waned.

The Conservatives are making a strong argument for a national referendum. The party argues that changing how we elect politicians must be supported by a majority of Canadians and not depend on MPs who – let’s face it – are in a conflict of interest position. But the odds are good that only Parliament will vote on the reform question.

The government has other priorities and concerns so electoral reform is being pushed off the agenda. The federal flip-flop comes just as Prince Edward Island prepares to launch its own plebiscite on electoral reform. The P.E.I. results might influence how Ottawa proceeds. If there is support for change from Islanders, then Mr. Trudeau might warm up to the idea again. If Islanders opt for the status quo, then the PM can point to the results as another argument to slow down the federal process.

Mr. Trudeau is obliged to follow through on his electoral reform promises and the parliamentary committee’s recommendations must be acted upon. Canadians already voted in a referendum last year – it was called a federal election and it called for change. Canadians should demand action on electoral reform – as promised.

Mr. Trudeau thinks his government isn’t obliged to implement the parliamentary committee’s recommendations. Does he believe that he’s such a good choice that the system doesn’t have to be changed – until the Liberals lose power?

Perhaps it’s time for a little refresher course. Go back and read through your platform from last fall, Mr. Trudeau. It might clarify things.