Politics This Morning: Electoral reform debate takes to Twitter

Political research organization Samara Canada will be hosting a Twitter Chat today at 12 p.m. EST on the topic of electoral reform in Canada, and the values and priorities that should be shaping this nation-wide discussion. The online talk, held in partnership with the Jean-Luc Pepin Research Chair from the University of Ottawa, can be found under the hashtag #SamaraChat. The Liberals campaigned under the commitment that the 2015 federal election would be the last one held in the first-past-the-post system (FPTP), although the promised all-party Parliamentary committee dedicated to studying the issue and examining potential replacements for the system has not yet been formed. Some, including the NDP, have urged that the various parties be represented in proportion to their share of the popular vote on the parliamentary committee. Others have suggested that an independent, non-government committee be formed to hold public consultations and review the possible ways forward. There are still calls for a referendum, although the Liberal Party was quick to quash that idea after coming into power. A poll published by Insights West on Feb. 9 asked about 1,000 Canadians in January how they felt about the current electoral system and the idea of reform. Sixty-two per cent of those polled said they were ‘very’ or ‘somewhat satisfied’ with the current FPTP. Nineteen per cent responded that they were "very satisfied” while 25 per cent said they were "dissatisfied." Jane Hilderman, executive director of Samara Canada told The Hill Times, “We hope that electoral reform will provoke a thoughtful discussion and bring attention to how politics works for Canadians, during and also between elections. Last fall’s election got more people voting and talking about politics, which was great. Samara would like to see many voices involved in electoral reform.” Ms. Hilderman added, “Elections are about how Canadians choose their representatives and they are a key opportunity for democratic engagement. When it comes to changing electoral systems, it is important to convene a national conversation and ensure many voices are heard.” The online event will preclude a panel discussion on the same topic on Thursday, April 14 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the University of Ottawa, which will feature a variety of voices, including Minister of Democratic Institutions Maryam Monsef, Nanos Research pollster Nik Nanos, Canadian Press Ottawa bureau chief Heather Scoffield, University of Ottawa professor Mike Pal, Queen's University professor Jonathan Rose, Université de Montréal professor Henry Milner, University of Calgary professor Tom Flanagan, University of Ottawa professor Nathalie Des Rosiers, Conservative MP Scott Reid, NDP MP Nathan Cullen, and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. Ms. Hilderman said the responses from the Twitter discussion will be used to inform the panel on Thursday, and form the basis of future discussions across the country over the next year. Also, Samara “will put the responses together into a blog post for those who can’t attend.” Interested in being part of the conversation? Follow @SamaraCDA on Twitter, and send 'em a tweet to confirm your participation. Ensure your questions and responses are capped with the hashtag #SamaraChat to be included in the discussion. For more information about the in-person event on Thursday, or to register, visit: http://www.ivote-jevote.ca/en/. Former House clerk O'Brien to be honoured in Commons Former House clerk Audrey O'Brien will be honoured in the House of Commons today. In an exit interview last November, Ms. O'Brien told The Hill Times: 'I have loved working here, I have loved the people that I worked with. 'I will miss the place terribly—there’s no way to hide that or pretend otherwise—but I think it’s the right time to go.' Geoff Regan, Speaker of the House of Commons, is welcoming Audrey O’Brien, Clerk Emerita, back to the House of Commons today to recognize her retirement and significant career with Canada’s Parliament. Ms. O’Brien will take part in the Speaker’s Parade, and will sit at the Table for Question Period, after which, tributes will be heard. During Ms. O’Brien’s 35-year career in the House of Commons, she worked alongside eight Speakers and four Clerks before her own appointment in 2005. Notably, she was the first female Clerk in Canadian history. During her time as clerk, she led a team of 1,800 House Administration employees, and co-authored the House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Second Edition. Sometimes referred to as “O’Brien and Bosc”, this text is the authoritative manual on Canadian parliamentary procedure. In case you missed it The House of Commons held an emergency debate on Tuesday evening to discuss the overwhelming string of suicides in the First Nations reserve Attawapiskat. The debate was scheduled to last from 6:40 p.m. until midnight. House Speaker Geoff Regan approved the meeting, after receiving a request from NDP MP Charlie Angus, whose riding includes Attawapiskat. The community declared a state of emergency on Saturday, April 9. Chief Bruce Shisheesh explained that there were 11 suicide attempts that day alone, and more than 100 since September. He and other community leaders are particularly concerned about the number of youth resorting to self-harm in the troubled region, which is dealing with poverty, and insufficient food, housing, and social services. Former Conservative MP Dean Del Mastro’s second stint in jail was short-lived, as he was released yesterday on bail, after the Ontario Court of Appeal agreed to hear his case. This is the second time he has appealed the original fall 2014 conviction after being found guilty for violating the Canada Elections Act on three counts: overspending; failing to report a personal contribution of $21,000 to his own campaign; and filing a false report. Mr. Del Mastro’s lawyer, Leo Adler, told The Canadian Press that he had to persuade an appeal court judge in order to have Mr. Del Mastro's appeal heard again. He was forced to prove that the issue with the verdict is important to the administration of justice. The date for the appeal hearing has not yet been set. CBC News reported on Tuesday that the military police are investigating at least one senior official with the Royal Canadian Air Force for alleged negligence in a 2009 helicopter crash in Afghanistan that left three soldiers dead. Although the cause of the tragedy was initially ruled as “pilot technique” by a board of inquiry report filed two years after the accident, the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service is now looking into the incident again, with a version of the report coming to light that indicates that the crew didn’t have enough training, and the helicopter was carrying too much weight. On the agenda (all times local) In Parliament It’s Wednesday, that means parties are holding caucus meetings on the Hill. The Liberals will meet in Room 237-C Centre Block. The Conservatives will meet in 253-D Centre Block at 9:30 a.m. and the NDP will meet from 9:15 to 11 a.m. in room 112-N Centre Block. MPs will continue debating the ways and means motion for the 2016 budget. MPs will also debate Conservative MP Steven Blaney’s private member’s bill, C-226, the Impaired Driving Act, at second reading for the first hour. Transport Minister Marc Garneau will attend Question Period in the Senate to answer questions on behalf of the government from 3:30 to 4 p.m. The House Health committee will meet at 3:30 p.m. in room 268 Valour Building, 151 Sparks St., to discuss the development of a national pharmacare program. The House Human Resources committee will meet at 3:30 p.m. in room 228 Valour Building, 151 Sparks St., to discuss the main estimates for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. The House Natural Resources committee will meet at 3:30 p.m. in room 237-C Centre Block to continue its study on the future of Canada’s oil and gas, mining and nuclear sectors. The committee will hear from the Canadian Standards Association and the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers. The House Agriculture and Agri-Food Committee will meet at 3:30 p.m. in Centre Block, Room 112-N, to discuss committee business and the Canada Transportation Act Review Report. It will hear from the Department of Transport assistant deputy minister of policy Shawn Tupper, and director general of surface transportation policy Lenore Duff. The Senate Human Rights Committee will meet at 11:30 p.m. in Room 9, the Victoria Building, to conduct an examination of Canada’s international and national human rights obligations. Secretary general of Amnesty International Canada Alex Neve will testify. The Senate Special Committee on Senate Modernization will meet at 12:00 p.m. in Room 257, East Block, to continue its consideration of methods to make the Senate more effective within the current constitutional framework. It will hear from: University of Prince Edward Island politics professor Donald Desserud; University of Ottawa law professor Errol Mendes; University of Montreal law professor Stéphane Beaulac; and University of Manitoba professor Paul Thomas. The Senate Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs will meet at 12:15 p.m. in Room 2, Victoria Building to discuss services and benefits provided to veterans and their families. Appearing will be Veterans Affairs Minister Kent Hehr and his deputy minister, Walter Natynczyk. The Senate Social Affairs, Science and Technology Committee will meet at 4:15 p.m. in Room 2, the Victoria Building, to continue its study on the issue of dementia in our society. The Senate Transport and Communications Committee will meet at 6:45 p.m. in Room 2, the Victoria Building, to study the development of a strategy to facilitate the transport of crude oil to eastern Canadian refineries and to ports on the east and west coasts of Canada. It will hear from the University of Lethbridge’s political science professors Geoffrey Hale and Yale Belanger. The Senate National Finance Committee will meet at 6:45 p.m. in Room 9, the Victoria Building, to study the main estimates. It will hear from Transport Canada’s Claude Corbin and André Lapointe, and Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety’s Gareth Jones and Frank Leduc. Press conferences International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau will announce the total amount of donations received through the Syria Emergency Relief Fund as well as important additional funding for humanitarian assistance in response to the conflict in Syria. Following the announcement, at 1 p.m. in the main lobby of 125 Sussex Dr., Ottawa, Ms. Bibeau will hold a media availability. Events Green Party Leader Elizabeth May will speak at Algonquin College in Ottawa about the 2016 budget, and the party’s position on youth and student issues at 9:30 a.m. The Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians will host its 11thn annual Douglas C. Frith dinner in the ballroom of the Fairmont Château Laurier Hotel from 6 p.m. to 9:30 pm. The guest speaker, Minister of Democratic Institutions Maryam Monsef, will speak about “Understanding our Parliamentary history to help shape the reforms of tomorrow.” The Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) will host a reception as part of their 2016 Parliament Hill Days from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in room 601 of the Parliamentary Restaurant, Centre Block. Aga Khan Foundation Canada, Academics without Borders and the International Development Research Centre will host a Smart Global Development Conference to explore the role of higher education in advancing sustainable development goals. The event takes place at the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat over the next two days. The Agricultural Institute of Canada will hold a conference about “Disseminating Agricultural Research.” Delegates will be part of a national dialogue on the place of agricultural research to re-establish Canada as a leading developer of innovative and sustainable agricultural products and technologies.

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