Electoral reform

Re: A system best for Canada, Jan. 29 and Opposition parties getting serious, Jan. 26.

Columnist Andrew Coyne has, I hope, started a worthwhile debate by writing that the three federal opposition parties can only defeat the Conservative government by forging “a one-time electoral pact.”

Party riding associations would agree to run a single candidate against the Conservatives, on a platform with essentially one plank: electoral reform.

In his letter, Professor Theo Gererats has picked up the ball by urging the three parties to start immediate talks to refine proposals for reform in time for an election/ referendum in 2015. But how would these common candidates be selected? Would this apply to all ridings, or just some? Let me suggest answers.

The first initiative must come from riding association heads agreeing on a joint nomination meeting in their riding.

All the registered NDP and Liberal and Green members in a riding would be invited to vote at the meeting, and any member could stand for nomination. These meetings should take place as soon as possible so that the nominated candidates in different ridings would have time to confer on electoral reform before the 2015 election.

There are two advantages here. With the initiative coming from riding association presidents and committees, it would avoid the topdown misfire the Elizabeth May and Stéphane Dion suffered in the October 2008 election.

It would be truly democratic, and should persuade party leaders such as Thomas Mulcair and Bob Rae (and others such as Mel Watkins) who have dismissed such cooperation.

How many ridings? Sixty ridings at a guess. These are ridings where the Tories are obviously vulnerable. There are, for a start, 27 ridings in Ontario they won from the Liberals in 2011 with a small plurality, nearly all of whom they would lose to a common candidate.

A warning: it may take two elections for this tactic to catch on with riding associations. So, come on, let’s get moving. CLYDE SANGER, Ottawa