<div dir="ltr">I finally got a reply from Raj re my letter to Liberal MPs to concur with the ER Report. It is worth reading since it contains considerably more than most of the other more-or-less form replies. There is a clear admission that ranked ballot was Justin's preference. We already suspected this, but here is a clear admission.<div><br></div><div>==========================</div><div><br></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Hello ,<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am writing to you concerning a coming motion in Parliament
to “concur” with the Report of the Electoral Reform (ER) Committee.
Traditionally such a vote has always been a free vote.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Voting to concur will allow the subject of ER to regain
Parliamentary attention. 88% of the contributors to the ER process recommended
Proportional Representation (PR) as <span>Canada</span>’s
new means of choosing its MPs.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am asking you to vote your conscience and recommend that
the report be accepted.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Just two short years ago the Liberal Party was in third
place demonstrating that our fickle First Past the Post (FPTP) system is
unstable and subject to emotional mood swings of the electorate. This causes
many problems such as the Policy Pendulum, strategic voting, discouraged and
disenfranchised voters, lack of long term planning etc. <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With the growing danger of Trumpism spreading to <span>Canada</span>
as evidenced in the platforms of several Conservative leadership candidates, we
need to protect our country by introducing coalition government which is an
almost guaranteed outcome of PR.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yours Truly,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Donald A Fraser<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span>184 Forsyth Drive</span>,<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span><span>Waterloo</span>, <span>Ontario</span></span>,<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">N2L-1A2,<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><a href="mailto:donaldafraser@gmail.com" target="_blank">donaldafraser@gmail.com</a><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><a href="tel:(519)%20576-9210" target="_blank">519-576-9210</a><span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">====================================================================<span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">Dear Mr. Fraser,</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"> </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">Thank you for writing to me to share these thoughts on
electoral reform.</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"> </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">I’ve had the privilege of hearing from countless
members of our community regarding this issue, as well as having the
opportunity to discuss electoral reform with my colleagues, academics, and
other stakeholders. I’ve heard an incredibly diverse range of opinions with
respect to the best way forward for our electoral system, and these
conversations have continued well past when our Government announced this
winter that we would not be proceeding with changing our electoral system at
this time.</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"> </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">These conversations have been enlightening, they have
demonstrated both the shared commitment to civic engagement and incredible
diversity in values and opinions held by members of our community. At times
these conversations have also been, I will admit, frustrating. Frustrating
because I know that our Government made a promise to Canadians to reform the
electoral system, because of the lack of clear consensus with respect to the
best way forward, and because I came to realize, at the end of the day, that I,
and our Government, would have to break a promise we made to Canadians.
Breaking this promise – this commitment to changing our electoral system – has
not been an easy decision. However, without the emergence of a clear preference
for any specific alternative electoral system, I see wisdom in the Government’s
decision to focus on other priorities in protecting and strengthening our
democratic institutions.</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"> </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">There were too many barriers to electoral reform.
There was no openness to compromise in the other parties, the possibility of a
referendum is one which would have been both incredibly divisive and difficult
to implement without consensus on a clear question, and while many people
supported some form of electoral reform, with some in our community speaking of
some varieties of proportional representation, there was no consensus on what
sort of model we would implement. Both ensuring that our electoral system had a
provision for local representation, avoiding divisive politics, and avoiding
fragmentation amongst political parties which would be counter to the
fundamentally Canadian approach of ensuring that our political institutions and
parties encompass </span><span><span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">Canada</span></span></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">’s diversity within them, were priorities for me with respect to this
file. Not all proportional systems contain measures which would respect these
priorities, and while our Prime Minister had a solution to this – his
preference to give Canadians a ranked ballot, so they could reduce the aspect
of strategic voting – others did not agree with this approach either.</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"> </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">I know that there are strong cases both for and
against making significant changes to our democratic institutions, and our
Government recognizes both sides of the argument. However, there is simply no
consensus in </span><span><span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">Canada</span></span></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"> at this time. </span><span><span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">Canada</span></span></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">’s democratic institutions are still some of the strongest in the world,
and in times of increasing global political volatility, I understand why our
Government placed such importance on ensuring that any major changes to the
nature of our democratic institutions would only be made if they clearly had
the broad support of Canadians. Governments must be accountable for the
platforms that they run. But, it is essential that as circumstances change,
opposition is clarified, policy is examined, and public consultations report
back, governments must also be flexible.</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"> </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">The thoughts and feedback of community members played
a vital role in my decision making process as I decided how to best respond to
the issue of electoral reform, and I wanted to write to you to let you know
that your words were in my thoughts as I made my decision regarding how to vote
in May. I wanted to thank you for your democratic engagement, and to let you
know that I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to hear your thoughts
regarding the shape of our democracy. I know that you have expressed your
disappointment with our Government’s decision, and my decision, regarding
electoral reform. And I appreciate you continuing to write, to engage with me
on this issue. I hope that you will continue to write to me about other issues
that matter to you, so that the civic engagement which has defined our
community’s discussion surrounding electoral reform will continue characterize
our community’s level of civilized debate, discussion, and civic engagement. </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"> </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">I also wanted to let you know that our Government is
working to move forward with democratic reform in other ways. For instance,
Bill C-33 aims to increase voter participation by breaking down barriers to
voting while enhancing the abilities of </span><span><span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">Canada</span></span></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">’s election watchdog. Soon, we will be introducing
legislation to make political fundraising more open and transparent. The
Communications Security Establishment has already begun an analysis of risks to
</span><span><span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">Canada</span></span></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">’s electoral activities from hackers, and will be releasing
this assessment publically, and our Government is taking steps to protect the
integrity of </span><span><span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">Canada</span></span></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">’s democracy by defending the Canadian electoral process from hacking
and cyber-attacks. Meanwhile, the Minister has said that she will also be
reviewing changes to the proper limits on the amount that political parties,
and third parties, can spend between and during elections, and to bringing
forward options to create a new independent commission to organize leaders’
debates during elections. These initiatives form the next steps of the
Government’s plan to strengthen and protect the transparency and accessibility
of </span><span><span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">Canada</span></span></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">’s democratic process, and I believe that these
commitments echo the spirit of our commitment to Canadians – a commitment to
make our democracy better.</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"> </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">Once again, thank you for taking the time to write.</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"> </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-m4525026769358766540msoplaintext" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri">Sincerely,</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri"><span></span></span></p>
<table class="gmail-MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody><tr style="height:81pt">
<td width="443" valign="top" style="width:332.1pt;padding:0in 5.4pt;height:81pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.4pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua";color:rgb(192,0,0)">Raj Saini</span><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(15,36,62)">Member of Parliament for </span><span><span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(15,36,62)">Kitchener</span></span></span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(15,36,62)"> Centre</span><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(15,36,62)"> </span><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(15,36,62)">Constituency Office: <a href="tel:(519)%20741-2001" target="_blank" value="+15197412001">(519)
741-2001</a> </span><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(15,36,62)">Parliamentary Office: <a href="tel:(613)%20995-8913" target="_blank" value="+16139958913">(613) 995-8913</a></span><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(15,36,62)">E-mail</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(31,73,125)">: </span><a href="mailto:Raj.Saini@parl.gc.ca" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial">Raj.Saini@parl.gc.ca</span></a><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(31,73,125)"> </span><span></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(31,73,125)"> </span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(31,73,125)"> </span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><b><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma"> Donald Fraser [<a href="mailto:donaldafraser@gmail.com" target="_blank">mailto:donaldafraser@gmail.<wbr>com</a>] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> </span><span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma">11 May 2017</span></span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma"> </span><span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma">10:55 AM</span></span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma"><br>
<b>To:</b> Saini, Raj - M.P.<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Motion to Concur with Election Reform Committee Report</span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:rgb(241,241,241)"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial"><img border="0" width="1" height="1" class="gmail-ajT"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">==========================================================<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Hello, Raj,</span><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"> Thank
you for your thoughtful and complete reply. Few took so much time to fully
explain the government's position; especially admitting Justin's preferred
choice of ranked ballot. We suspected that that was his choice, but this
confirms it. I wrote to Justin to dispute the position that fringe parties
would gain power, explaining that most PR countries have a threshold of 5% of
the vote before a party can vote on legislative issues.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial">Yours Truly,<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial">Don,<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p></div></div>