[fvc-wat-disc] Cambridge Federal Election All-Candidates Meeting

[Shannon Adshade]

I was able to attend the All - Candidates Federal Cambridge Riding Waterloo Region Record debate held Thursday April 21 at 7:00 pm at the Cambridge Holiday Inn. After waiting in line for over an hour ( many audience members lined up to ask questions) I was able to ask each candidate if they felt there was a need to reform our current First Past the Post elector system and wanted each candidate to give their personal and parties perspective on the need for some form of Proportional Representation to elect MP' s in the future. I also asked each candidate if they could confirm their party would make PR a party commitment or put PR on their agenda if elected?

A summary of the candidates responses is the following :

1. Gary Goodyear - Incumbent Conservative MP:
Mr. Goodyear stated PR is something he believes has some merits and should be studied further in the future to decide if some form should or needs to be implemented. He stated he was involved in a parliamentary committee that was studying and researching PR and although he can see some advantages to PR there were some countries such as Italy and New Zealand ( I believe they were the countries he mentioned) that had implemented PR but which they had our FPTP elector model.

2. Bryan May - Liberal Candidate
Mr. May stated Canadians should be proud of great tradition and contributions that our FPTP electoral system has provided to our government and society. He believed our current system was working well and questioned whether there was a need to reform our current system or whether electoral reform would improve government.

3. Susan Galvao - NDP Candidate
Ms. Galvao stated she and NDP definitely support PR and implementing some form of PR is part of the NDP's party platform that recommends establishing a Royal Commission to study the issue with potential future implementation. She also stated the NDP had put forth a motion in the House of Commons to abolish the Senate as well.

4. Jacques Malette - Green Party Candidate
Mr. Malette stated the Green Party definitely supports PR and the implementation of some form of PR would greatly enhance the Green Party's goal of finally getting for the first time representation in the House of Commons.

Shannon Adshade - Fair Vote Canada Waterloo Region Executive Member
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