Electoral Reform Committee on Sept. 30th, 2016

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thank you very much.

Go ahead, Ms. Pelova.

[Maria Pelova, As an Individual]

I also want to thank you for coming all the way up to the very remote north and for working so hard and staying so late to listen to a few of us who have the ability to express our thoughts on our electoral system.

A lot of what was said by Mr. Lambrecht and Mr. Wasylciw have expressed my thoughts. I also want to share just a few personal thoughts on how I felt a couple of years ago, when I knew absolutely no person in my surroundings who felt represented. We all felt trapped. We saw nothing of what we thought, said, or valued in what our government was doing. We felt helpless, with no influence over it in any way.

In the first-past-the post-system, it often seems like a race between mostly two parties, and the two biggest parties. You vote for one or against one. If you have any thoughts or ideas that are different from that, they will probably never see the world. You never have a representative who can speak for how you feel.

I have no idea what the best electoral system would be, but you guys, with your intelligence and your skills, are up here to figure that out. I just wanted to share my personal experience. I hope you find a way to represent most Canadians.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thank you for those words of encouragement.

Yes, we do have a big task ahead of us, but I think we're working well together. I hold out a lot of hope that we'll produce a great report.

Ms. Vail, you are the final presenter.

[Nancy Vail, As an Individual]

Thank you, as well, for coming up here.

It's great when people from the south can come up to the north and hear from us about our special needs, because we have many special needs. We are a sparse population on a vast tract of land. Many times we wonder what we're doing here, because we pay a price for being up here.

I would like to impress upon you a couple of things. One is that, in the north, because of our being drawn to the land in the way we are, there is a saying up here that you don't own the land; the land owns you. That's why we're here, and that's part of our dedication to the land. I hope that you will keep that in mind when you are considering issues of the north.

The other thing I want to say is, even though we have this small body of people up here, we have some of the hugest issues plaguing Canada right now. The suicide rates among our young people are the highest anywhere in Canada. This is an epidemic in the territories and Nunavut, as you may have heard. We may have this small body of people, but we have huge issues with our people. In Nunavut, we have many stories about them going to the dump to find food. That's how bad things get up here.

In the last election, I worked as an elections officer. I don't know what was happening in the communities, but those votes were so important to people. If they had any trouble getting to the polling station, they were desperate to call in to find out how they could get that one little vote in that ballot box, because that is their ticket to Canada. They love Canada and they want to participate. That little vote is their ticket for their children, and is part of this nation. They may be in remote communities, and they may not speak your language, but they consider themselves just as much a part of this country as anybody else.

On a parting note, I would just ask that you keep that in your hearts when you're making these decisions.

That's all. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Those are wise words, and very impactful. Thank you very much.

That essentially closes our day here in Yellowknife. Thank you for your hospitality and for your insight.

Personally speaking, and I know I speak for the other members, I hope we get back here soon in some capacity.

Thank you. Have a good night.