Thank you.
Mr. Chair, members of Parliament, thank you for being here. I appreciate this opportunity to speak to you.
Canada is widely respected around the world for its stability and good governance. This is because we've been one of the world's oldest functioning democracies. For 150 years we've elected people the same way. From election to election, from generation to generation, although we don't always like the choice of government, we've never questioned the validity of the actual election.
Our current Prime Minister, however, does wish to make changes and made it part of his election platform. As such, I respect that the elected government has a mandate to promote change in our system; however, I would submit that he did not specify exactly what form that change would take. Therefore, respecting the right of the government to proceed with changes, I submit that it would be important that the government present a referendum to the people on whatever change or changes the committee and the government come up with.
This is too important an issue to leave to a simple vote in the House, and I am not at all denigrating the importance of votes in the House of Commons.
I do not believe in government by referendum, but I do believe a referendum is necessary to elect future governments.
Thank you.