Ontario electoral reform referendum, 2007

An Ontario electoral reform referendum, 2007 has been proposed by the Government of Ontario, which tabled legislation to this effect in early 2005, anticipating the May British Columbia electoral reform referendum, 2005.

Citizens' Assembly

Such a referendum would be held, at latest, concurrently with the Ontario general election, 2007 in October of that year. The new system, if approved, would be in effect in any subsequent election. It is not impossible that the referendum could be held earlier and affect the 2007 vote, but this seems unlikely.

The [1] would initiate a citizens' assembly similar to BC.

Opposition and support

The BC model was strongly criticized by a number of groups including Fair Vote Canada which called for ten specific improvements including most prominently:

• "Access to a variety of experts: The assembly should have presentations from and ongoing access to a variety of voting system experts, including those with differing opinions. The assembly must be protected from being deliberately or inadvertently steered by staff experts."
• "Flexibility on recommendations: Given the recent reduction of seats in the Ontario legislature, the assembly should be allowed to consider models that involve an increase in the number of MPPs. In addition, if the assembly cannot reach a general consensus on the single best alternative voting system, they should be allowed to present two alternatives, with voters using a preference ballot in the referendum to choose among the alternatives and the status quo."
• "No super-majority required for adoption: Unlike the BC government, the Ontario government and political parties should not impose a super-majority referendum result for adoption of a new voting system. If the Government claims the right to make binding and far-reaching policy decisions based on simple majority rule, the same standard should apply to citizens."

The Green Party of Ontario strongly supported the move to electoral reform of any kind, and of all parties it stands to gain most substantially from any such referendum.

The New Democratic Party of Ontario also supports it as it is legally a subordinate arm of the New Democratic Party of Canada which has advocated similar reform federally.

The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario is the only party that stands to substantially lose as a result. It is anticipated that this party would never again be able to hold a majority government, nor to form a minority government, as it has no obvious coalition partner among the other three major parties. Leader John Tory had yet to make a statement about the reform or his party's view of it.