Leadnow | September 13, 2016
Leadnow at the Voting Reform Consultations
The Leadnow community has been waiting for a long time to have a national conversation on voting reform - and that’s why over the last few weeks we’ve been participating in the government’s consultation process.
Last week’s community dialogue in Vancouver with Minister of Democratic Institutions Maryam Monsef was packed. There were over 300 people crammed into a hall at the Sandman Hotel. It was amazing to see that many people spending their Friday night talking about Canada’s democracy.
The message from the crowd was overwhelmingly in favor of proportional representation, with many young people taking the stage, saying that PR is an essential part to getting more youth voice heard, and more young people voting. The energy in the room was palpable - people are ready and excited for an upgrade to our antiquated voting system, and ready to make sure every vote counts in the next election.
Turnout was similarly strong in Toronto where MP Carolyn Bennett held a town hall on voting reform. Over 150 people filled the room at a local church to listen to experts talk about the different options for voting reform and then offer their responses at the open mic.
But it’s not just MPs who are hosting consultations. Over in Winnipeg Vote Better volunteers got creative and used a massive outdoor chalkboard to pose the question: what does democracy mean to you?
Volunteers invited people on the street to write down their frustrations with and aspirations for Canada's voting system. Canvassers passed around petitions and educated folks on the changes being made to our electoral system. All day, the comments we received showed overwhelming support for a new, fair and inclusive democracy. We heard a lot of desire for fair representation, a system where my vote counts regardless of who I vote for, and PR in general.
The voting reform committee is hitting the road soon to consult, and that means there’s another opportunity to make your voice heard. We want as many people as possible to participate in the open mic sessions. To see what’s coming up in your area, check out http://we.leadnow.ca/events
Last week’s community dialogue in Vancouver with Minister of Democratic Institutions Maryam Monsef was packed. There were over 300 people crammed into a hall at the Sandman Hotel. It was amazing to see that many people spending their Friday night talking about Canada’s democracy.
The message from the crowd was overwhelmingly in favor of proportional representation, with many young people taking the stage, saying that PR is an essential part to getting more youth voice heard, and more young people voting. The energy in the room was palpable - people are ready and excited for an upgrade to our antiquated voting system, and ready to make sure every vote counts in the next election.
Turnout was similarly strong in Toronto where MP Carolyn Bennett held a town hall on voting reform. Over 150 people filled the room at a local church to listen to experts talk about the different options for voting reform and then offer their responses at the open mic.
But it’s not just MPs who are hosting consultations. Over in Winnipeg Vote Better volunteers got creative and used a massive outdoor chalkboard to pose the question: what does democracy mean to you?
