Dear Editor,
In response to George Jason’s recent letter, he is correct in stating that no referendums were held when the vote was extended first to women and later native women.
The reason for this is that none was required. This was not altering the voting process rather it was just extending the vote to people who should have been included from the very beginning. But now what the Liberal Government is proposing does fundamentally alter our voting system.
Our system now gives every adult the vote and no one’s vote counts any more than anyone else’s. The proposed changes move away from this in various fundamental ways.
Our current system was not achieved easily. Thousands of young Canadians have laid down their lives for our country and its democratic principles, underpinned by one person one vote. To attempt to alter this without first going to the people in a referendum is unconscionable.
If Mr. Jason is such a strong proponent of democratic principle’s as he claims it is difficult to understand his opposition to a referendum being help before any major changes are made to our voting system.
The haste with which the Liberal Government is pursuing this initiative and its reluctance to hold a referendum leads one to conclude that their true agenda in this matter is to enhance Liberal Party fortunes in future elections.
I would encourage all local voters to consider Mr. Calkin’s voter survey and to make a response.
Yours truly,
Al Colquhoun