Re: “Trudeau vows repeal of vote overhaul,” April 10.
With the “Fair” Elections Act on the fast track to becoming law, Canadians should not be lulled into complacency by any leader promising to repeal the bill “should they become prime minister,” because the act will, in fact, make it harder to elect a different party to govern our country.
So I agree with Craig Scott of the NDP — the focus must be on stopping Bill C-23 now, before it becomes law.
The NDP has indeed been “leading the parliamentary charge” against C-23, making the bill a priority since it was tabled in early February. Experts, advocacy groups and the media have also done their part. Now it is time for Canadians to speak up.
Despite their majority, the Conservatives can be made to back down given sufficient public pressure (Vic Toews’s odious “Internet surveillance” bill was quietly pulled after a firestorm of public outrage). Simply waiting until 2015 to vote for a “white knight” to save the day is not an option; Canadians must quickly get up to speed on this bill and demand that the government withdraw it — now.
Democracy, as the saying goes, is not a spectator sport.
Freya Keddie
Victoria
