Liberals for MMP show how MMP can improve party democracy
My friends at Liberals for MMP released their manifesto today. This group of grassroots Liberals don't agree with the spin that MMP will increase the power of central parties. Rather, they argue that MMP will provide a powerful impetus for party reform, as all parties discuss how to democratically select list candidates.
Liberals for MMP propose five principles for a list selection process:
1. That the party undertake the most democratic and transparent process possible to select its province-wide list, convening regional party conventions and/or primaries to choose nominees.
2. At least 20 out of 39 province-wide candidates should be women.
3. The list must have regional balance, alternating between Ontario's regions accordingly, starting with a nominee from Northern Ontario. The party must ensure that there is balance between rural and urban nominees on the list.
4. The party will ensure that Ontario's diversity be well-reflected, with members of minorities historically excluded from the Ontario legislature well-represented.
5. All Liberal list members will open local constituency offices in the regions they were elected to represent.
Liberals for MMP hope that their manifesto sparks debate within the Liberal party about democratic reform and shows their fellow party members that MMP can be the spark for a democratization of their party.
As Liberal for MMP spokeswoman and candidate for Trinity-Spadina Kate Holloway notes in the release:
"If MMP passes the referendum next month, Liberals For MMP will lobby strongly within the Ontario Liberal Party to ensure these proposals become party policy. This Manifesto is meant to continue a discussion inside and outside our party on the issue of electoral reform in advance of this October's referendum and beyond."
I want to congratulate Liberals for MMP on this document and their work on reaching out to Liberals about how reforming our voting system is essential to improving our democracy. I look forward to seeing many more Liberals joining them.
I hope this will silence some of the critics who are perpetuating the baseless claims that list candidates will be appointed. Grassroots Liberals won't stand for it and I don't think any other political party in Ontario will either.
1 comment:
The necessity for this post demonstrates one or many problems with MMP – namely, there are no standards or principles or law to manage who will get on the provincial party lists. Each party will set its own rules and votes shouldn't expect to have much real say in who will be on the list or in what order they will be listed. Ontarians are smart enough to know the lists will be brokered in back room deals to suit the needs and wants of the leadership and a few party activists. Even as an Ontario Liberal Party member, I now how hard it is to have a voice in local constituency business. I can only imagine how the party administration will organise to control the provincial lists should MMP be adopted. I am confident Ontarians will not give them this mandate.
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