Spicer Commission on Canadas Future1991

1
Context for Reform Dr. Bill CrossDirector of
Research
Presentation to Commissioners January 8, 2004
2
Spicer Commission on Canadas Future(1991)

• One of the strongest messages the forum received
  from participants was that they have lost their
  faith in both the political process and their
  political leaders. They do not feel that their
  governments, especially at the federal level,
  reflect the will of the people, and they do not
  feel that citizens have the means at the moment
  to correct this

3
Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party
Financing (1991)

• Many Canadians are critical of their existing
  political institutions. Many are concerned that
  these institutions are not sufficiently
  responsive to their views and interests.

4
Prime Minister Paul Martin (2003)

• Canada suffers from a democratic deficit.

5

• Review recent data from
• Institute for Research on Public Policy, 2000
  survey (Strengthening Candian Democracy The
  Views for Canadians Howe Northrup)
• Council for Research and Information on Canada,
  2003 survey (Citizen Participation and Canadian
  Democracy An Overview)
• Canadian Election Study, 2000 survey (Anatomy
  of a Liberal Victory Blais, Gidengil, Nevitte
  Nadeau)

6
Statistics

• On the whole, are you satisfied with the way
  government works in Canada?
• All Canadians Atlantic Canadians
• Very Satisfied 6 9
• Fairly Satisfied 52 56
• Not Very Satisfied 28 26
• Not At All Satisfied 10 8
• Dont Know 4 3

7
Increasing voter turnout?

• Easier, more comprehensive voter registration
• Internet voting
• Postal voting
• Voting over several days
• Compulsory voting

8
Mandatory Voting

• In Australia, Belgium and a number of other
  countries, people MUST vote or pay a small fine.
  Do you think Canada should have a law like this?
• All Canadians Atlantic Can
• YES 24 15
• NO 73 81
• Dont Know 4 4

9
Satisfaction with Elections

• On the whole are you satisfied with the way
  federal elections work in Canada?
• All Canadians Atlantic Canadians
• Strongly Agree 11 10
• Somewhat Agree 41 44
• Somewhat Disagree 13 11
• Strongly Disagree 6 5
• Dont Know 29 31

10

• Under the present system a party can win a
  majority of seats without winning a majority of
  the votes. Do you find this acceptable?
• All Canadians Atlantic Canadians
• Acceptable 23 17
• Unacceptable 49 43
• Dont Know 29 41

11
Distorted Results

• New Brunswick 1987
• Liberals 60.4 58 seats
• PCs 28.4 0 seats
• NDP 10.5 0 seats

12

• Nova Scotia 2003
• PCs 36.3 25 seats
• Liberals 31.5 12 seats
• NDP 31.0 15 seats

13

• PEI 2000
• PCs 57.8 26 seats
• Liberals 33.7 1seat
• NDP 7.0 0 seats

14
Federal Election 1997

• Liberals 38.5 155 seats (52)
• Reform 19.4 60 seats (20)
• PCs 18.8 20 seats (7)
• NDP 11.0 21 seats (7)
• Bloc 10.7 44 seats (15)

15
When the WRONG (?) party wins

• Saskatchewan 1999
• Saskatchewan Party 39.61 25 seats
• NDP 38.73 29 seats
• Liberals 20.15 4 seats

16
Quebec 1998

• Liberals 43.55 48 seats
• PQ 42.87 76 seats
• ADQ 11.81 1 seat

17
British Columbia 1996

• Liberals 41.82 33 seats
• NDP 39.45 39 seats
• Reform 9.27 2 seats
• PDA 5.74 1 seat

18
1979 Federal Election

• Liberals 40.1 114 seats
• PCs 35.9 136 seats
• NDP 17.9 26 seats

19
1974 New Brunswick

• Liberals 47.5 25 seats
• PCs 46.9 33 seats

20
PROPORTIONALITY IN NEW BRUNSWICK - 1991
Elections

• VOTES RECEIVED SEATS WON
• LIBERALS 47 79
• COR 21 14
• PCs 21 5
• NDP 11 2

21
1995 Elections

• votes seats
• LIBERALS 52 87
• PCs 31 11
• NDP 10 2

22
1999 Elections

• votes seats
• PCs 53 80
• LIBERALS 37 18
• NDP 9 2

23
2003 Elections

• votes seats
• PCs 45 51
• LIBERALS 44 47
• NDP 10 2

24
ELECTORAL REFORM IN OTHER PROVINCES

• BRITISH COLUMBIA
• ONTARIO
• QUEBEC
• PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

25

• Do you think we should have set dates for
  elections, or that the government should decide
  when elections are held?
• All Canadians Atlantic
  Canadians
• fixed dates 54 57
• government decide 20 15
• dont know 26 28

26
Women in Canadian Legislatures as of 5 December
2003(Still Counting)

• Quebec 2003 38/125 30.4
• BC 2001 18/79 22.8
• Manitoba 2003 12/57 21.1
• Canada 2000 62/301 20.6
• Alberta 2001 17/83 20.5
• Ontario 2003 21/103 20.4

27

• Saskat. 2003 11/58 19.0
• Nfld/Lab 2003 9/48 18.8
• PEI 2003 5/27 18.5
• NB 2003 7/55 12.7
• NS 2003 6/52 11.5
• Total 212/10 20.3

28

• As you may know, there are many more men than
  women in the House of Commons. In your view is
  this a problem?
• All Canadians Atlantic Canadians
• Very serious problem 8 14
• Serious Problem 25 41
• Not a serious problem 39 27
• Not a problem at all 26 16
• Dont Know 2 2

29
GENDER REPRESENTATION IN NEW BRUNSWICK

• of women of women
• nominated elected
• 2003 19.2 12.7
• 1999 23.4 18.2
• 1995 20 16
• 1991 24 17
• 1987 17 12

30

• As you may know, there are very few members of
  visible minorities in the House of Commons. In
  your view is this a problem?
• All Canadians Atlantic Canadians
• Very serious problem 8 8
• Serious problem 27 33
• Not a serious problem 40 41
• Not a problem at all 17 15
• Dont Know 8 3

31

• Would you favour or oppose setting aside a small
  number of seats in Parliament for Aboriginal
  peoples?
• All Canadians Atlantic Canadians
• Favour 57 73
• Oppose 33 17
• Dont Know 10 10

32

• Those elected to Parliament soon lose touch with
  the people
• All Canadians Atlantic Canadians
• Strongly Agree 31 31
• Somewhat Agree 39 42
• Somewhat Disagree 19 20
• Strongly Disagree 7 6
• Dont Know 5 2

33

• We would have better laws if Members of
  Parliament were allowed to vote freely rather
  than having to follow party lines
• All Canadians Atlantic Canadians
• Strongly Agree 52 53
• Somewhat Agree 29 32
• Somewhat Disagree 9 6
• Strongly Disagree 4 6
• Dont Know 7 3

34

• People like me dont have any say about what the
  government does
• All Canadians Atlantic
  Canadians
• Strongly Agree 34 35
• Somewhat Agree 29 29
• Somewhat Disagree 23 22
• Strongly Disagree 12 13
• Dont Know 2 1

35

• We could probably solve most of our big national
  problems if decisions could be brought back to
  people at the grassroots level
• All Canadians Atlantic Canadians
• Strongly Agree 41 46
• Somewhat Agree 34 34
• Somewhat Disagree 15 13
• Strongly Disagree 6 4
• Dont Know 5 3