26 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday November 10, 2006 www.oakvillebeaver.com Voters being asked for input on electoral reform By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Residents who'd like a say on whether Ontario should change its provincial election process can attend a meeting Wednesday, Nov. 22 at the Oakville Public Library, Central Branch. The meeting will run 7-10 p.m. at the library located at 120 Navy St. It's being held by the Citizens' Assembly -- an independent group of 104 Ontarians established to examine the provincial electoral system and recommend keeping it or adopting a different one. Groups or individuals who'd like to make a 10minute presentation on the electoral system of their choice, should contact www.citizensassembly.gov.on.ca. Fair Vote Canada is among five speakers to con- firm attendance Others, who'd simply like to attend, find out more and make comment should make their way to the central branch library Nov. 22. Following the presentations on various voting systems, the public along with assembly members will have a chance to ask questions. Others, who'd like to provide comment can do so by contacting citizensassembly.bov.on.ca. The assembly is made up of members, 103 of 104, who were randomly selected by Elections Ontario from the Permanent Register of Electors for Ontario to represent each of Ontario's electoral districts. The chair, George Thomson, is an educator and former judge and deputy minister, who was appointed by the Ontario government. Including the chair, 52 of the assembly's members are male and 52 are female. At least one is Aboriginal. Burlington Art Centre What's On The assembly members went through a selection process last spring and this fall have been meeting twice a month for weekends in Toronto to study Ontario's election process -- and looking at other models. They've also been seeking comment and feedback from citizens. The assembly is now entering a public consultation phase, and will by next spring, recommend, via a report due to the Ontario government by May 15, whether to keep the current electoral system or adopt a new one. If the call is to adopt a new one, the government will hold a province-wide referendum on that system by October 2007. The electoral system structures how votes get combined to elect Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs). The current system deals in plurality. Other families of systems include majority, proportional and mixed systems. "A lot of people aren't aware of the assembly," said Laura Wells, who is Oakville's assembly representative. Wells, who has lived in Oakville all her life and is currently finishing school, said she expects there will be more public awareness if there's a recommendation made to change the system. Electoral systems determine how votes are translated into seats in the legislature at election time. That process includes how citizens vote, the style of the ballot paper, how votes are counted and who is elected. "To put the way voting process affects our government into perspective I'll leave you with this fact. In our 2003 provincial election, using our present system the votes were calculated as follows: Liberals received 46.4 per cent of the vote and won 70 per cent of the seats; Progressive Conservatives received 34.6 per cent of the vote and won 23 per cent of the seats; New Democrats received 14.7 per cent of the vote and won seven per cent of the seats; Green received 2.8 per cent of the vote and won no seats; other candidates received 1.3% of the vote and won no seats. A number of Canadian provinces are reviewing their electoral systems. British Columbia had a Citizens' Assembly in 2004 which recommended a new system, but that was narrowly defeated in a referendum held in May 2005. A second referendum will be held with B.C.'s provincial election in May 2009. The government of New Brunswick will hold a referendum on a mixed electoral system for the province in May 2008. In November 2005, Prince Edward Island held a plebiscite on whether to change to a new electoral system. It was unsuccessful. To find out about the Ontario process, to comment to the Ontario process, access the schedule of other area public consultation meetings or find out more about electoral principles visit citizenassembly.gov.on.ca or e-mail LWells@ontariocitizenassembly.ca. -- Angela Blackburn can be reached at angela@oakvillebeaver.com. Solid Wood UNBEATABLE Bedroom Sale PRICES! Great selection of Canadian Made Solidwood Bedrooms by BAC Christmas Show and Sale Friday November 24 Saturday November 25 Sunday November 26 10am - 9pm 10am - 4pm 12pm - 4pm Lunch: 12 noon Dinner: 6pm Lunch: 12 noon Lunch: 12 noon DURHAM FURNITURE Styles ranging from contemporary, classic and traditonal designs. Full collection of pieces in every style including King beds. 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