Langleyites want a referendum on electoral reform, if survey results collected by Langley-Aldergrove MP Mark Warawa are truly representative of the community’s voice.
Of the 556 people who responded, 90 per cent said “yes” to wanting a referendum on the issue.
“Langley residents believe that Canadians should choose how their representatives are elected,” Warawa said when delivering the results to the House of Commons special committee on electoral reform last week.
“If you want to change the rules of democracy, then voters – not politicians – must have the final say,” Warawa said.
The MP sent a survey to “every household” in his riding of Langley-Aldergrove three weeks ago, and while 493 of the surveys back said “yes,” 58 of them said “no” to a referendum.
This is one of the largest responses to a mailer that Warawa has received in all his years in office. He sent out what he described as an info booklet and survey.
The question was worded: “Before changing Canada’s democracy and our voting system, should the government hold a national referendum in order to hear directly from all Canadians?”
He went on to say: “Langley-Aldergrove residents have clearly rejected the Liberal push for electoral reform and are demanding that their voice be heard through a referendum before any changes are made to our democracy.
“Seeking the consent of Canadians is a foundational element of our democracy. It’s the sole basis for legitimizing our institution… On an issue of this importance, I wanted to give everyone in the riding a chance to have their voice heard,” Warawa said.
