The federal Conservatives are showing blatant disregard 鈥� if not utter disdain 鈥� for democratic principles in pushing through the ironically named Fair Elections Act.
Democracy is far more than rule by the majority of those who voted. It鈥檚 about heeding the voice of the people and listening respectfully to all sides. It鈥檚 about doing what鈥檚 best for the country, not for the party.
An impressive array of experts has criticized changes proposed in the Harper government鈥檚 Bill C-23, which, critics say, will muzzle Elections Canada, disenfranchise thousands of voters and create campaign-spending loopholes. Those critics include chief electoral officer Marc Mayrand, commissioner of Canada elections Yves C么t茅, former federal auditor general Sheila Fraser, former Reform party leader Preston Manning and several provincial chief electoral officers, as well as Harry Neufeld, a former B.C. chief electoral officer.
The government has cited a report by Neufeld in justifying a crackdown on voter fraud, despite Neufeld鈥檚 insistence that there has been little evidence of such fraud. The legislation sparked a letter from more than 150 professors from universities all across Canada, including B.C.鈥檚 schools, expressing concerns that the bill 鈥渃ontains proposals that would seriously damage the fairness and transparency of federal elections and diminish 91原创s鈥� political participation.鈥�
Yet these and others are treated with contempt by members of the Conservative caucus, including Democratic Reform Minister Pierre Poilievre, who stood this week in Parliament and questioned Mayrand鈥檚 motives and integrity in decidedly unparliamentary language.
The Conservatives with their majority may well succeed in pushing through this flawed legislation, but their disdainful 鈥渇ather knows best鈥� attitude does not bode well for the health of 91原创 democracy.
