Recall?

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Should the electors in a representative’s riding be able to force a by-election?

[geoffrey]

Should the electors in a representative’s riding be able to force a by-election?

No, they should deal with the choices they made. If they didn't do their research, that is their own fault.

[Melanie_]

But what if they did their research, and made a carefully chosen vote - let's say for a Liberal. Then two weeks later, their MP crosses the floor, and they find out that their research was meaningless - the vote they cast for a Liberal was really a vote for a Conservative in disguise. Should there be a recall available in such a case?

[geoffrey]

But what if they did their research, and made a carefully chosen vote - let's say for a Liberal. Then two weeks later, their MP crosses the floor, and they find out that their research was meaningless - the vote they cast for a Liberal was really a vote for a Conservative in disguise. Should there be a recall available in such a case?

Then obviously they didn't realise that Emerson was always a very very strong fiscal conservative.

He also accomplished a great deal more for Canada as a Minister than as a backbencher in the opposition. Emerson doesn't play games, he's in Ottawa to do stuff. You can't do anything from opposition. His time is a little too valuable to waste heckling people.

Their riding lost on election night, but won upon the swearing in. If they are too partisan to see that, that's unfortunate for them.

The whole premise in our electoral system is that you are judged next election for your actions since the previous. If you don't perform, your out of a job. All these recalls run by special interest every week would be too costly and wouldn't do anything tangible for 'democratic values' or whatever.

[Melanie_]

I agree with you about the costliness of recalls, both economically and politically. I'd like more information from info@atlantica about what they actually see as a procedure for recall - what would prevent it from being one byelection after another, crippling the HoC?

However, as to Emerson - he campaigned as a Liberal, and people who voted for him presumably did so because they supported the Liberal agenda. If he was a fiscal conservative, and agreed with the Conservative platform strongly enough to jump to them two weeks after the election, he campaigned in bad faith. When he crossed the floor, he betrayed the people who cast ballots for him, and he also betrayed the people who cast ballots for his Conservative rival. It is patronizing to say that they lost on election night but won upon the swearing in - our system is built on the value of each person's right to vote, and their votes were marginalized. While I'm not prepared to support a recall in every situation, this one seems to warrant some form of re-empowerment of the constituents.

[newbie]

Emerson and Harper acted totally in bad faith. It seems Emerson couldn't wait to swear allegiance to Harper, who incidently promised to clean up government. And, in typical Conservative fashion, he appointed a Senator as well. Nice job Stevie.

[madmax]

Should the electors in a representative’s riding be able to force a by-election?

Reform never go a toe hold out east did they?

[[email protected]]

I agree with you about the costliness of recalls, both economically and politically. I'd like more information from info@atlantica about what they actually see as a procedure for recall

Recall should not be partisan, it should be about ensuring the rep is fulfilling their role.

There should be tough controls around it to make sure it is not abused for political reasons, ie lets dump the guy I don’t like but for ‘job’ reasons; mis-conduct, incompetence and not attending to citizen’s needs.

A certain threshold signature campaign eg 25% (or 3,000 out of 13,000 riding size in NS) within the riding to put it to a vote

A fairly high threshold for a vote 50%, 2/3s, 75%

Allow a reasonable period of time (not too long) , say several months, for a debate among the riding’s citizens and responses from the rep, house, party …

The group(s), individuals leading the recall should be unaffiliated, ie it can’t be sponsored and lead by a political opponent

It should be high enough to allow the rep to do long range voting or temporarily unpopular measures but allow them to be punished for excessive towing of the party line.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

Recall is a must in an enlightened democracy, but since we don't have one I guess the politicians can get away with it. Fixed election dates, public referendums and term limits need to be undertaken as well. However all this means that we would have to open the can of worms and enter inot a constitutional debate. It needs to be done but the politicians haven't the balls or the backbone to do it.

[geoffrey]

It should be high enough to allow the rep to do long range voting or temporarily unpopular measures but allow them to be punished for excessive towing of the party line.

Like uhh... an election does?

[Figleaf]

I think recall would go a long way toward addressing the democratic deficit we see every day in Parliament, and it would do so without imposing a radical change in our instutitional processes such as referendums or proportional representation.

Basically, if voters could impose recall on their representative, it would realign the current incentive system that induces deference to the party heirarchy by moving control over an important incentive (the seat) into the hands of the electorate.

[Topaz]

I think recall would go a long way toward addressing the democratic deficit we see every day in Parliament, and it would do so without imposing a radical change in our instutitional processes such as referendums or proportional representation.

Basically, if voters could impose recall on their representative, it would realign the current incentive system that induces deference to the party heirarchy by moving control over an important incentive (the seat) into the hands of the electorate.

In the case of Emerson, what we (Canadians) didn't know that he was one of the three, that was involved with the NAU. The Cons had to have him go on to work on this , since the other two Liberals has lost their seats. So, we (Canadians) now know that Harper government is also for the NAU. In the manner of Khan, he should have gone as a independant until a election is called and so should anyone else that crosses the floor OR, they shouldn't be allowed to vote in Parliament unless an byelection has taken place.

[Canadian Blue]

I think that recall would definitely help aleviate the so called "democratic deficit". If an MP fails to represent a riding, it is that much easier for them to be booted. I'd go one step further and say that we should also bring about a Tripe E Senate and consider electoral reform. However it doesn't seem that democratic reform [other than the senate] is on the mind of the Harper government.

[Michael Bluth]

I think that recall would definitely help aleviate the so called "democratic deficit". If an MP fails to represent a riding, it is that much easier for them to be booted. I'd go one step further and say that we should also bring about a Tripe E Senate and consider electoral reform. However it doesn't seem that democratic reform [other than the senate] is on the mind of the Harper government.

Unfortunately changes on thescale you recommend aren't really practical all at once.

These changes need to be made incrementally. Senate reform is the first step in the right direction.

[Canadian Blue]

That's true, however with some provinces making moves towards electoral reform [bC, Ontario], one would imagine that the government at the federal level would start looking into it. I would like to see a citizen's assemby created at the federal level, the people at the assembly investigate and choose the system they believe will work best, and the next election along with a federal ballot we get asked whether or not we support changing our system electorally.

[Martin Chriton]

Emerson and Harper acted totally in bad faith. It seems Emerson couldn't wait to swear allegiance to Harper, who incidently promised to clean up government. And, in typical Conservative fashion, he appointed a Senator as well. Nice job Stevie.

I don't get what people have against Harper appointing someone as a Senator on a temporary basis.

Senate reform takes time. Why not use the seat until then? Seems logical to me, but who cares about logic when we can bash Harper

[Canadian Blue]

I don't have much of an issue with Harper appointing a senator to cabinet to represent a region.

People it's all been done before, Trudeau had to bring in senators in order to represent the west. The same was done here, it was done in order to allow for representation of region's which wouldn't have a say in government due to the election.

[Figleaf]

The problem with most accountability initiatives like senate reform, referendumbs, or alternate electoral systems is they all require sweeping changes. That's why I like recall: it's already been in place in BC for some time, it doesn't mean changing any boundaries, changing the powers of any existing institution, or changing the traditional principles of parliamentary government.

[hiti]

Hear that Emerson is trying to run as a Liberal in the next election. heh, heh

[geoffrey]

heh, heh What?

Emerson is likely to run in Vancouver Quadra as a Conservative.