The only ones elected in our supposedly democratic system of government are our members of Parliament. Yet they have been increasingly subjugated by the extreme party discipline that has become ever more prevalent. Government MPs, in particular, have almost no freedom to speak out on behalf of their constituents and over the past decade have been increasingly dictated to by unelected, invisible staff in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Any moves to give more independence to MPs – such as the Liberal proposal for more free votes – are most welcome.
#2. Create the non-partisan Senate originally intended
The recent parade of Senators behaving badly has sparked widespread calls to abolish this institution. Since such a step would require the approval of all 10 provinces, it is hard to imagine a scenario in which it would ever happen. Energies would be much better spent on reforming the Senate so that it can play its original role in providing a sober second thought. The Liberal Party already took a significant step in Senate reform when Justin Trudeau “released” all Liberal Senators to sit as independent members. The introduction of a new method of appointing Senators, as the Liberals propose, could gradually transform this institution into the body of thoughtful Canadians it was originally supposed to be.
#3. Remove the culture of secrecy
The Liberal Party will reduce to $5 the fee for Access to Information requests. More importantly, they will extend the coverage of such requests so that they include Ministers’ offices and the secretive and far too powerful PMO. Even more fundamentally, the Liberals have promised to have all government data open by default. This is a radical concept that works on the presumption that all government information is open (and available to the governed) unless the government can justify making it confidential.
This change represents a complete reversal of the current philosophy in Ottawa, where it is said that there are three categories of document – confidential, restricted, and destroy before reading. The federal Information Watchdog claims that the access to information system has been transformed into a “shield against transparency.” Lest this characterization seem extreme, we should bear in mind that there are several access to information requests dating back five years. In addition, an analysis in the spring of 2014 found that nearly one-third of access to information requests were expected to take more than 120 days to release.
#4. Clean up the election process
The Liberal Party promises to ban partisan advertising, through which tax dollars are used not to share information about government programs but to promote the virtues of the party in power. This practice has been widespread under the current government which has spent some three-quarters of a billion dollars in this inappropriate manner. The Liberal Party would also close loopholes in the laws governing the financing of elections and would introduce tougher penalties for election fraud. The recent activities of third party interest groups, mimicking the PACs (Political Action Committees) that typify the excessive influence of money in U.S. elections, is but one current example of the need for reform in this area.
#5. Pursue evidence-based decision making
Such an inherently logical approach should not need stating but such a commitment is most welcome after a decade in which ideology dictated decisions and expert opinion, especially of a scientific nature, was not only ignored but suppressed. The Liberal Party’s commitment includes bringing back the long form census, the absence of which is now widely recognized as leaving Canada without valuable data that previously informed government decisions.
Now is the Time to Demand Democratic Reform
Recent commentary by journalists and pollsters suggest that many Canadians are particularly interested in political promises that focus on the economy and jobs rather than supposedly less tangible matters having to do with the health of our democracy. While understandable on one level, such a focus – if true – is worrisome. As I have written elsewhere, Canadian democracy is in a downward spiral. When Canadians become disillusioned and tune out, further actions that undermine democracy can be taken without much fear of reprisal – as has been happening over the past decade.
If we want to restore Canadian democracy, we need to demand the reforms that are needed and make these front and centre in the upcoming federal election. The Liberal Party proposals represent a substantial commitment in that regard. Now is the time for voters to push for these kinds of reform, and also to take a long, hard, and dismissive look at parties that are unlikely to take such steps.