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Duration: 3 minutes and 46 seconds

Country: Canada

Language: English

License: dotSUB Participatory-Commercial

Genre: Public Service Announcement

Producer: TV Ontario

Posted by: thor on Sep 6, 2006

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Video Transcription

We are to evaluate the present electoral system
and we're to look at other electoral systems, and we're to
make a recommendation on whether Ontario should keep its present system
or adopt another. And we are to present a report by May 15th, 2007 as you know.
And let me do one other thing, let me recommend an important guiding principal,
that I think about when I think about how I can perform my role.
and I am going to do it by using the words of a famous ex ballplayer named Yogi Berra
who said one day
that this is going to be a really important principal, that it isn't over until it is over.
And by that I mean it will be really important I think that we don't take positions too early
that we avoid fixed positions we always through this whole exercise we remain open
to new ideas that we are going to hear all the way through.
This is going to be a gradual learning process so it will be important for us to be open to continuing to learn.
That we learn and listen before deciding. And the way I think we can reflect that is
that point we had on our rules of procedure, no decision is a final decision
unless we decide it's a final decision.
and those final decisions I am assuming are going to be near the end of the deliberative phase.
So any decisions we make between now and then we can always revisit.
So if we know that when we see a consensus on something we know we can come back to it
if what we learn later requires us to do so. I think that will be important and
will avoid feeling that we are getting locked in or taking fixed positions too early.
So if you can keep firmly in your mind that principal that it isn't over til it's over,
I think that will be really important.
Just a little bit about the importance of the Assembly's work.
Jonathon is going to talk to you about why electoral systems are important,
and we're going to do a little thing tomorrow that will help to demonstrate that.
The two points I like to make about that the more I think about it
is one that is an obvious point, but we inherited an electoral system,
and we used it for the first time I now know in 1841, and we were Canada West at the time, not Ontario.
But it's never been examined since we took it on.
We have never examined that system since it was first used in the 1840's.
So that in itself would suggest to one that a fundamental part of our democratic process
which has never been examined, ought to be looked at.
Secondly, and I think this is also very important, we're a very different Ontario
that existed in 1841 when we inherited this system. And I've already demonstrated that
by describing you for example. But it's true that the Ontario that exists today is a very different one.
And so when I think of why this is an important exercise, I say to myself
it is an appropriate time to determine whether the present system or some other system
is relevant to the values of Ontarians in 2006.
And that's what this is about. And for that alone, I think this is a really important exercise.
It's also important and I said this at the beginning, because it's this new model
of engaging citizens. And some people talk about this as a means of engaging citizens
that could be part of reconnecting voters to our democracy,
getting at what's called the democratic deficit. It may or may not be, but
it is really a unique process and its involves trusting ordinary citizens,
I'd use the word extraordinary, but ordinary citizens' ability to decide
difficult but basic elements, really difficult but basic elements of our democratic process.

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