NDP to introduce democratic renewal legislative package

HALIFAX - Today, the NDP Caucus will introduce a series of bills related to democratic renewal, including one providing for a commission to bring in proportional representation, and another improving public access to the Law Amendments Committee.

“We need to expand the parameters of political participation in our province,” said NDP Leader Gary Burrill. “Many people have been completely alienated and disengaged from democracy and politics in general. These things do not look after themselves and a Democratic Renewal Commission is both timely and necessary in Nova Scotia.”

The proposed law amendments bill would ensure that everyone who wants to appear before the Law Amendments Committee is able to present before legislation can go forward. It would also increase the notice period required before the committee is able to discuss a bill.

The proposals would also update Nova Scotia’s voting system to make it more fair and reflective of election results by moving to a model of proportional representation. In the 2017 election, the Liberals won a majority government with 52.9 per cent of the seats, but received just 39.47 per cent of the votes.

“Proportional representation is a much more effective approach to elections,” said Dr. Tammy Findlay, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Political and Canadian Studies at Mount Saint Vincent University. “In the last provincial election, no political party received a majority of the votes, and yet one party emerged with 100 per cent of the political power. Proportional representation encourages compromise and collaboration in politics and the election of more women, Indigenous, and racialized candidates.”

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