Canadian electoral reform.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government has begun the process of electoral reform. An all-party committee will consider alternative methods of allocating parliamentary seats. The government has signalled that this important change to the democratic process may be implemented without consulting the people in a referendum, to the consternation of the opposition Conservatives and New Democrats, given the murky constitutionality of a Parliament-driven reform process. The outcome will have implications for Canada's electoral map and Trudeau's premiership.
Proportional representation may be a fall-back option for Trudeau if Parliament-imposed ranked balloting proves too controversial.
Provincial backlash over lack of consultation could envenom negotiations in other policy areas, such as health spending or climate.
Smaller left-leaning parties, such as the NDP and Greens, may achieve greater federal electoral success under a new system.
