For
Immediate Release
November 25, 2004
The McGuinty government’s plan to bring “democratic renewal” to Ontario has turned into a partisan Liberal Party power play and should be handed over to a bi-partisan committee that can ensure an open and credible process, Opposition Critic for democratic renewal Norm Sterling says.
Today in the legislature, Liberal MPP Wayne Arthurs presented a motion supporting his own government’s decision to create a citizens’ assembly that will consider such electoral changes as proportional representation. The motion failed to gain a single supportive vote from any MPP from either opposition party. Tory MPPs had just two minutes each to debate the motion, which called for fundamental change to the province’s democratic system.
“Our current system has served us well, delivering stable government for 137 years,” Sterling said. “While there may be ways we can improve our democracy, it is not within the realm of the Liberal Party of Ontario to decide how the next 100 years of our history are going to be shaped.”
Sterling said that if there is going to be a serious consideration of proportional representation in the province it is essential to ensure that the citizens’ assembly process is conducted in a non-partisan manner.
The MPP is calling on the government to create a select committee composed of an equal number of MPPs from each party. The committee would be responsible for such things as:
Setting the terms of reference for the citizens’ assembly;
Selecting a chair and determining how the members of citizens’ assembly will be selected;
Determining a referendum date if the citizens’ assembly recommends changing our system;
Setting a budget for the citizens’ assembly; and,
Ensuring that the public fully understands any proposed change prior to a referendum.
“This is serious stuff we’re dealing with here and we’re going to have to live with any changes for years to come,” Sterling said. “In the last election campaign, Mr. McGuinty promised to harness the talent and experience of the Opposition. It’s time he started keeping this promise.”
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For more information, please call MPP Norm Sterling at: (416) 314-7900 or (613) 253-1171