What they’re saying: NDP work on electoral reform “may one day be seen as historic”

New Democrats working to build consensus and deliver the fair voting system Canadians want and deserve

While the NDP continues to have reservations about a referendum on electoral reform, last week our team announced we’re willing to work together with other parties in order to build consensus and deliver on the fair voting system that Canadians want and deserve.

Here’s just some of what observers are saying about the work New Democrats are doing to ensure every vote counts:

“With the NDP’s decision this week to accept Conservative demands for a referendum — a concession that may one day be seen as historic — there is now a decent chance of at least four of the five parties on the parliamentary electoral reform committee, that is to say a majority, signing off on the same report.”

— Andrew Coyne, Postmedia columnist

“The odds of a majority committee report increased this week when the NDP signaled that it could support the Conservative call for any new voting system to be put to a national referendum.”

— Chantal Hébert, Toronto Star columnist

“The move … wasn’t the first time the NDP appeared to have out-maneuvered the Liberals on the electoral reform file. It was the NDP that proposed a proportional committee composition that gave opposition parties a majority over the Liberals in the first place.”

— Marie-Danielle Smith, National Post reporter

Meanwhile, attempts by Liberals in Ottawa to maintain the status-quo are receiving bad reviews:

“Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef is misleading you. She is misleading your elected representatives. And she is casting doubt on the sincerity of the Liberal government's pledge to change the way Canadians elect their MPs.”

— Althia Raj, Huffington Post Bureau Chief

“The Trudeau government’s path toward reform of Canada’s electoral system keeps getting more and more convoluted … Canadians need to have confidence that the conversation won’t be manipulated by the party in power to its own benefit.”

— Editorial, Toronto Star

Take action

Over 80% of experts and ordinary Canadians told the parliamentary committee studying electoral reform that they support a move towards proportional representation, where every vote counts. Add your name today if you agree: