To the editor;
Prior to the 2015 election, the federal Liberal platform stated: “We are committed to ensuring that 2015 will be the last federal election conducted under the first-past-the-post voting system.”
Justin Trudeau himself repeated this in many speeches. He has now completely dismissed this promise.
Though the supposed antithesis to Donald Trump, Trudeau and his government are using “alternative facts.”
They have made a claim: “It has become evident that the broad support needed among Canadians for a change of this magnitude does not exist.”
This is not true.
Sixty-three per cent of Canadians voted for parties that supported electoral reform.
When almost 70 per cent of MP town hall reports, 88 per cent of expert witnesses and 87 per cent of Canadians who testified in front of the committee want a fair, proportional voting system, the Liberal claim is clearly absurd.
As soon as the Liberals won the election, it appears to me they have been deliberately trying to sabotage this promise, from trying to appoint only Liberal members to the committee to study the issue, criticizing said committee after the report was issued and using a misleading survey as evidence of a lack of consensus.
I cannot say I am surprised with yet another example of the campaign to the left, govern to the right model the Liberals have used from Jean Chretien onward.
I am just disappointed and angry.
Whether he likes it or not, Trudeau promising the world and failing to deliver on those promises (when he has essentially no excuses with a majority government) leads to further distrust in the political system and government.
When this happens, people can gravitate toward a demagogue outsider who will promise to rid the country of the political dynasties that have ruled too long.
Sounds eerily familiar to what happened to our southern neighbours.
If I was Trudeau, I’d be careful. The seeds he is sowing may sprout sooner than he thinks.
Chase Blair
Knutsford, B.C.