Electoral Reform committee  I agree. I don't think preferential ballots are the way to go. Again, it's a mechanism that works within our current system to figure out who's going to win, if I can use that terminology, but it doesn't change how we capture our popular vote and how we capture the seats in our e

Electoral Reform committee  If you only create incentives within the current system, Canada is still working within an archaic system that was created in medieval times, and I for one would like to believe we've evolved beyond that. If we're just creating incentives, it's still a winner-loser mentality. We

Electoral Reform committee  No, not all five are going to win.

Electoral Reform committee  Not necessarily. Somebody will be the person chosen to represent the popular vote. We have to move away from winning and losing. We have to understand, and politicians need to understand, you're not there to win or lose, you're there to take—

Electoral Reform committee  You're there to represent. If the majority of the popular vote says, “I don't want you to represent me”, then you have to accept that. It's semantics. I guess we could say “winning” or “losing”, but it really isn't about a win or lose mentality, it's about representation and a di

Electoral Reform committee  That's exactly what I said. Did you want me to elaborate?

Electoral Reform committee  Well, in an ideal world—

Electoral Reform committee  I think what Marie has just said in the context of P.E.I. and the level of patronage that we have here was that, if you're an extremely poor individual but very politically astute and very politically motivated and want to run for a party, and you want to run for a party that you

Electoral Reform committee  It's a way to create an inclusive space and allow people with disabilities to feel valued.

Electoral Reform committee  Another thing as well is that there are no regulations around campaign headquarters being in accessible buildings, which really dissuades people from being involved in the electoral process, from being engaged in promoting the candidates they believe in.

Electoral Reform committee  I think those are positive steps. Any way you can get voters to get out and vote is certainly something we would support. One of the challenges with the current plebiscite is the ballot. It's certainly confusing. Now you have to fill in the circle where traditionally for hundred

Electoral Reform committee  Therein lies a challenge because we've never been consulted on how the ballot should look and how people with visual impairment should be encouraged or supported to vote.

Electoral Reform committee  I would agree with Jane and most of the statements she's making. Those types of incentives could be imposed to encourage people with disabilities to run as well and be engaged in the electoral system. Currently, we know that people with disabilities in this country are some of th

Electoral Reform committee  Absolutely. There are ways you can support people with disabilities, like holding your nomination meetings in accessible buildings, using plain language when you develop your platforms, having your materials in alternative formats such as Braille, having sign language at meetings

Electoral Reform committee  Thank you, members of Parliament and members of the Special Committee on Electoral Reform, for inviting me here today to talk about how electoral reform can assist people with disabilities in being better represented in our elected bodies. I'd also like to take a moment now to a