The Failure of Electoral Reform Proposals in Canada

Abstract

The case for electoral reform in Canada is compelling, and the issue has been actively debated for many years both federally and provincially. A strong and active lobby organisation (Fair Vote Canada) continues to advance the cause, yet no reform proposal has ever been adopted. At the federal level, a serious proposal by the Law Commission was put forward in 2004, but its report was ignored and the commission was subsequently disbanded by the federal government. Five of the ten provinces have also seriously considered electoral reform. However, reform proposals failed to move forward in New Brunswick and Quebec, largely because of the ambivalence of governing parties. Referendums on reform proposals have taken place in British Columbia (2005, 2009), Prince Edward Island (2005), and Ontario (2007). All were defeated.

The Canadian experience demonstrates how difficult electoral reform is to accomplish, in spite of the many arguments in its favour. Governments are typically reluctant, and numerous veto points exist. Powerful interests can be mobilised against it, particularly in a referendum campaign. This article considers the lessons of the Canadian experience, with particular emphasis on the Ontario Citizens’ Assembly and referendum. The analysis demonstrates the difficulty of transforming the electoral reform issue from a theoretical discussion among elites into a political movement capable of attracting voters’ support. The Canadian experience highlights the perceived threat that electoral reform poses to entrenched political interests, and the powerful tools that can be deployed against it when the issue is put to the people in a direct vote.