TORONTO - With less than five months to go until Ontario faces its first referendum since 1921, campaigning is set to begin in the debate over electoral reform.
But with summer vacations being planned and warm weather providing a welcome distraction for most people, advocates for electoral reform hope voters will pay attention to their petitions and make an effort to learn about the somewhat complicated mixed member proportional system.
Organizers of the Vote Yes for MMP campaign announced plans Thursday to promote the new system as a way to radically overhaul the way politicians are "unfairly'' elected in Ontario and usher in a modernized approach.
The system would give citizens two votes: one for the political party of their choice and another for a local candidate.
Advocates of the system say it would eliminate the need for strategic voting and result in a balance of power in the legislature that better reflects the popular vote.
"We think the mixed member proportional proposal is a winner, and we fully expect it to be strongly endorsed by Ontarians on Oct. 10,'' said Fair Vote Canada president Joe Murray.
"This isn't about what party you support, it's not about left versus right, cities versus rural areas, or Leaf fans versus Senators fans -- it's about modernizing our voting system and making every vote count.''
The system has worked in New Zealand since being put in place 11 years ago and has reduced voter cynicism, said Steve Withers, who fought for electoral reform in that country and travelled to Canada this year to promote MMP in Ontario.
"In a sense I'm living 15 years in your future,'' he said at a news conference at the provincial legislature. "I've been living under this thing. ... I know it's good and the people of Ontario need to know it's good too.''
He said the system allows voters to support their party of choice while still voting for a different local candidate who might better represent the community.
While some critics have suggested the new system could lead to nothing but minority governments, Withers said it also encourages political parties to work together and punishes those who waste time arguing over rhetoric.
"Voters aren't very happy with the constant negativity,'' he said. "It's hurting them to be negative, it's hurting them to be confrontational.''
Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett also lent her support to the campaign and said it's critical the message gets out about MMP so Ontario citizens know the purpose of the referendum.
Bennett said she hopes voters will embrace the opportunity to walk away from an outdated voting system that has been rejected around the world.
"We do need for Ontarians to understand how important this is,'' she said. "They need to understand that of the new emerging democracies, nobody is picking our system. ... We're in this small minority in Canada with the U.S. and the U.K.''
Murray said his group can't afford a flashy television ad campaign and will use brochures and speaking events to spread the message. But he hopes Elections Ontario will spend at least $13 million on its education campaign -- including television and radio ads -- so voters are informed come Oct. 10.
So far no group has come forward strongly advocating for Ontario to stick to the status quo, but Murray said he wouldn't be surprised if that changed.
"We are unaware at this point of an organized `no' campaign, but I think judging from the columns and editorials, there is going to be a debate in Ontario, and we're very happy to have a good debate with whoever comes forward.''
