I'll give you one example. I've seen many parliaments that have moved to electronic voting. They're very excited about what they call “e-parliaments” and the ability to.... Every MP has a little card that they put in and they can vote.
I've also seen circumstances where those cards are being held by leaders in the party. You have one or two people who go around within the chamber, literally walking from seat to seat, and just pushing a button and holding a card. I don't think that's good for democracy and I don't think that's good for Parliament.
My concern with the virtual voting is partly how that will play out in the long run. However, I understand there's a need to do something during the pandemic and a national emergency, and that is where the proxy voting is of value.
I'm not sure whether proxy voting is allowed now. I see that the U.K. is allowing it. It announced yesterday that it was going to allow it during the emergency for people who are immunocompromised or otherwise at high risk of being infected. Proxy voting has been used in Australia, for maternity leave purposes for women MPs who want to take time off. That's why I sort of settle on proxy as an alternative in those circumstances.