BC's Liberal government has made a commitment to study democratic reform, long an important, but overlooked, question in Canada. According to conference chair, Gordon Gibson, Senior Fellow in Canadian Studies, Parliament is ineffective both in representing the people and controlling the executive branch. This, plus a deplorable lack of transparency and accountability, and a concentration of power in the hands of the First minister, has led to a general decline in public respect for our democratic institutions, he says.
Reforming Politics: The BC Blueprint featured speakers from across the country chosen for their expertise in the areas of parliamentary, electoral, and other democratic reforms. Speakers included Andrew Petter , Acting Dean of Law, the University of Victoria; The Honourable John C. Reid , Information Commissioner for Canada; Nick Loenen , Fair Voting BC, Ted White , Member of Parliament for North Vancouver, and Peter Dobell , founding director, Parliamentary Centre.
