For Immediate Release
November 18, 2004

DEMOCRATIC RENEWAL MUST START IN LEGISLATURE

John Tory proposes five ways to immediately enhance democracy at Queen’s Park

(Queen’s Park) – The McGuinty government should focus on bringing democracy to the provincial Legislature and keeping their campaign promises if they are committed to democratic renewal, Ontario PC Party Leader John Tory and Democratic Renewal Critic Norm Sterling said.

“Democratic renewal must start with a government that doesn’t break promises and improving democracy in the Legislature,” said Tory. “It starts with respecting the role of individual members, improving decorum and productivity in the Legislature, and changing the poor flow of information to the Opposition, journalists and the public.”

Tory has already kept a promise to allow members more power to represent their constituents. He called on the government to create an all-party committee for real reform and outlined five measures it can act on immediately to increase democracy at Queen’s Park.

“This government has contributed more to public cynicism in a single year than any administration in the history of this province,” Sterling charged. “If Mr. McGuinty is serious about fixing our democracy, he would make it a priority to first fulfill his commitments to reform the legislative process and give the duly elected members of the legislature an active role in our system.”

The Liberals have failed to deliver on numerous promises, including the following:

• “Make sure all non-Cabinet MPPs can vote against government legislation”. (Liberal MPPs have been whipped on more than 40 government bills).
• “Give more independence and power to legislative committees”. (Government members on committees are relentlessly whipped to oppose important legislative amendments introduced by opposition members.)
• “Comply with the Taxpayer Protection Act and balanced budget legislation.” (The Premier’s refusal to hold a referendum on his tax increase demonstrates the government’s lack of sincerity on the issue of democratic reform.)
• Liberal Campaign Promise: “Respect and draw on the talents and expertise of every elected representative, including opposition members”. (In practice, the Premier refused the NDP official party status; a Liberal Cabinet Minister told an opposition member to “get a lethal injection;” and opposition MPPs have been largely ridiculed and/or ignored). 

-30-

For more information:  

MPP Norm Sterling                                          Brendan Howe, Press Secretary for John Tory

(613) 253-1171 or (416) 314-7900                      (416) 325-0412

November 18, 2004 

BACKGROUNDER

Five Ways to Improve Democracy at Queen’s Park

Ontario PC Party Leader John Tory has signaled his commitment to democratic reform including keeping his promise to allow Caucus members more power to represent their constituents. Today he called on the McGuinty government to immediately implement the following five measures to improve democracy at Queen’s Park.

1. Keep Campaign Promises. There is nothing that adds more to cynicism and apathy in democracy than political parties recklessly making campaign promises and then showing no regard for keeping their word once in government.

2. Respect the Role of Individual Members in the Legislature. Dalton McGuinty promised to give a greater role to individual MPPs and allow for “free votes.” He has not yet permitted one opportunity for his MPPs to vote according to the views of their constituents. John Tory made a similar commitment during the leadership campaign and kept his promise in his first two months as leader. Dalton McGuinty should do the same as well as instruct his government to allow a more meaningful and substantive role for individual members on all sides. We need their talent applied to the challenges facing Ontario.

3. Fix the Lack of Productivity in the Legislature. Given the amount of time spent by MPPs in the Legislature, very little is getting accomplished. This is a responsibility of all parties in the Legislature. If the current set of rules cannot accomplish this, the government should change them in a way that respects the role of both the government and opposition parties.

4. Improve Decorum in the Legislature. Television viewers are misled regarding the poor standard of behaviour in the Legislature thanks to the fact that camera shots do not pick up the interjections, nor do the microphones in most cases. Many visitors, however, are appalled by what they see when they come to Queen’s Park. This includes members of the Pharmacists, the Police Association of Ontario and the Chiropractors, all of whom were in the building on Tuesday and saw a particularly poor example of the kind of conduct that would not be tolerated in any classroom or around most kitchen tables in Ontario. Fixing this will be an all-party effort but it must change.

5. Improve the Flow of Information. Information is slow and often non-existent to the opposition parties, the media and the general public on the operation of our government. Even routine requests are bogged down in bureaucracy. This can be changed quickly and relatively easily.

 -30-