This document began by suggesting that Canadians need to consider whether our democratic systems, including the electoral system, continue to serve contemporary needs and values. A growing "democratic malaise" has begun to characterize the Canadian political landscape. Many citizens are increasingly expressing their concerns with Canada's electoral system by disengaging from participation in traditional political processes. In addition to the debate about electoral reform, questions have surfaced about whether our system of government itself needs reform to better reflect changes in Canadian society.

Elections are the cornerstone of modern democracies. Given that voting is the most direct involvement many Canadians have in our system of government, it is critical that all Canadians are engaged in the debate about whether the current electoral system continues to reflect the realities in this country.

This discussion paper has described several limitations of Canada's first-past-the-post voting system, particularly its lack of ability to adequately reflect the values of fairness, representation and equality. It suggests that a voting system that includes some element of proportional representation might better reflect Canadians' needs and values. For example, New Zealand's Mixed-Member Proportional voting elects approximately one-half of its representatives through proportional voting, while the Alternative Vote Plus model proposed for the United Kingdom would elect 20 to 25 per cent of Members of Parliament through proportional voting. In both models, the voting system is structured to ensure that political parties are entitled to receive a proportionate share of seats in Parliament, and that the political decision-making process represents a diversity of perspectives.

The Law Commission of Canada encourages Canadians to think about whether the current first-past-the-post system adequately reflects their needs and values and whether an alternative system, such as one of the examples described in this paper, might better reflect these choices.

This discussion paper raises several important questions concerning electoral reform in Canada:

• Why do people feel alienated from their system of government? Is it appropriate to attribute some of this discontent to the electoral system? Will changing the voting system help to address the "democratic malaise" in Canada?
   
• Are we satisfied with the way our elected officials carry out their appointed responsibilities? What aspects of the electoral system could be changed to better reflect the diversity of people and ideas in Canada?
   
• What values do we want to see reflected in our electoral system? Does the current voting system adequately reflect these values? Are there ways to remedy the defects of the first-past-the-post voting system without changing the system? If not, do we need to consider an alternative system that might better reflect these values? What system best reflects the values of fairness, representation, equality and accountability? Are there other values that ought to be considered in the design of our electoral rules?

Whatever alternatives or modified electoral system may be agreed to in the years ahead, it must be one that is compatible with Canada's larger parliamentary, federal and constitutional systems. On the governance side of the reform equation a different electoral method must ensure the continuation of certain fundamental cornerstones of our parliamentary systems. This should hold true even if coalition governments of two or more parties become the governing norm as a consequence of electoral reform. What are Canada's essential constitutional principles? At their most basic level they include cabinet secrecy and solidarity, Commons confidence votes on issues of critical public policy, responsible government and (however shop-worn this concept may have become) individual ministerial responsibility.

J. Courtney (2001), "Reforming Representational Building Blocks: Canada at the Beginning of the Twenty-first Century," in Political Parties, Representation, and Electoral Democracy in Canada, edited by W. Cross, Oxford University Press, p. 18.

A further issue that needs to be explored is how to implement any reforms. Ultimately, the decision of whether to change the voting system should be up to Canadians. If Canadians believe that we should adopt an alternative voting system, how should the process of change unfold? Should politicians take the lead to initiate change? Might there be the need for a more formal process (for example, a referendum)? These questions will become increasingly important as the debate about electoral reform progresses.

The Law Commission of Canada will continue to examine the question of electoral reform. In addition to this discussion paper, the Law Commission has initiated several research projects regarding electoral reform and continues to promote further discussion and debate on democratic governance and electoral reform. All activities related to the Law Commission's project on electoral reform will ultimately inform its final report and its recommendations to Parliament on this important issue.

This discussion paper was developed to raise questions and stimulate debate, but this document is only part of the process of reflecting on our voting system. The Law Commission believes that public engagement on the issue of electoral reform is essential to maintain a healthy democracy. We need your input and feedback on the various issues raised in this paper. We invite you to forward any comments that you might have on the issue of reform of Canada's electoral system to the Law Commission of Canada.

If we are to explore the alternatives to the current FPTP [first-past-the-post] system, as we should, we must do so carefully, soberly, and with a realistic understanding of the limits of electoral engineering. Regional alienation, Quebec souverainisme, discrimination against women and minorities, flawed political parties - these problems cannot be eliminated by a new electoral system. But as we reconsider the institutional arrangements inherited from Britain over 130 years ago, we have to ask whether so many of our citizens should continue to "waste" their votes, and whether the very survival of a major political organization (such as the federal PC [Progressive Conservative] and New Democratic parties) should depend on the caprices of an arbitrary and unpredictable electoral system. We can, and should, do better.

H. MacIvor (1999), "A Brief Introduction to Electoral Reform," in Making Every Vote Count: Reassessing Canada's Electoral System, edited by H. Milner, Broadview Press, Peterborough, p. 34.