Local Liberals hosting electoral reform panel discussion

June 10, 2016 · 0 Comments

Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef, at the May Liberal policy convention in Winnipeg, Monsef declared “we will not proceed with any changes without the broad buy-in of the people of this country.”
Recently, Monsef challenged all 338 ridings in Canada to engage in active discussions over the summer.
In that vein, the Dufferin-Caledon Federal Liberal Association is hosting a panel discussion on changing how we might vote in future at the Caledon Community Complex in Caledon East. It will be June 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. This event is open to all and will be a great opportunity for voters to learn about and discuss the options being put forward by various interests.
The panellists will include political science Professor Barry Kay of Wilfrid Laurier University. He is author of some 250 newspaper columns and election commentator on Global TV. He is also a proponent of the Ranked Ballot. Dr. Dennis Pilon, associate professor in the Political Science Department at York University, whose research has focused on democratization and democratic reform in western countries, will represent Fair Vote Canada, a national advocacy group which promotes proportional representation. Phillip Olsson, who has a three-decade history in the financial sector and is currently a partner in KJ Harrison and Partners Inc., supports maintaining the current voting system. These panelists do not represent the Liberal Party or government, but have independent and strong opinions with their own perspectives. Each of the panelists will have an opening presentation followed with the latter half of the session given to the audience for questions and answers.
This event is not sponsored by the government so there will be a cover charge of $10 to cover facility and other hosting costs. There will be limited capacity so people interested in attending are encouraged to book tickets online in advance at www.dufferin-caledon.liberal.ca to guarantee a seat.