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LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendation 1
The Committee recommends that the Government should, as it develops
a new electoral system, use the Gallagher index in order to minimize the
level of distortion between the popular will of the electorate and the
resultant seat allocations in Parliament. The government should seek to
design a system that achieves a Gallagher score of 5 or less. ............................. 95
Recommendation 2
The Committee recommends that, although systems of pure party lists
can achieve a Gallagher score of 5 or less, they should not be
considered by the Government as such systems sever the connection
between voters and their MP. ...................................................................................... 95
Recommendation 3
The Committee recommends that mandatory voting not be implemented
at this time..................................................................................................................... 107
Recommendation 4
The Committee recommends that online voting not be implemented at
this time. ........................................................................................................................ 116
Recommendation 5
The Committee recommends that Elections Canada explore, in
collaboration with relevant stakeholder groups, the use of technologies
to promote greater accessibility of the vote while ensuring the overall
integrity of the voting process. ................................................................................. 116
Recommendation 6
The Committee recommends that the House of Commons refer the
question of how to improve the accessibility of voting for Canadians with
disabilities, while ensuring the overall integrity of the voting process, to
the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs. ................................. 116

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Recommendation 7
The Committee recommends that any electoral reform seek to enhance
the likelihood of improving voter turnout and to increase the possibilities
for historically disenfranchised and underrepresented groups (i.e.
women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, visible minorities,
youth, and Canadians of lower economic means) to be elected. [Note
that this recommendation applies to both Chapter 7 and Chapter 8] ................ 125
Recommendation 8
The Committee recommends that the Government amend the Canada
Elections Act to create a financial incentive (for example through
reimbursement of electoral campaign expenses) for political parties to
run more women candidates and move towards parity in their
nominations. ................................................................................................................. 126
Recommendation 7 [repeated]
The Committee recommends that any electoral reform seek to enhance
the likelihood of improving voter turnout and to increase the possibilities
for historically disenfranchised and underrepresented groups (i.e.
women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, visible minorities,
youth, and Canadians of lower economic means) to be elected. [Note
that this recommendation applies to both Chapter 7 and Chapter 8] ................ 138
Recommendation 9
The Committee recommends that, working with the provinces and
territories, the Government explore ways in which youth under 18 years
of age could be registered in the National Register of Electors, preferably
through the school system, up to two years in advance of reaching
voting age...................................................................................................................... 138
Recommendation 10
The Committee recommends that the Government accord Elections
Canada the additional mandate, and necessary resources, to encourage
greater voter participation, including through initiatives such as Civixs
Student Vote, and by better raising awareness among Canadians of
existing options to vote prior to Election Day (voting at an advance poll,
voting by mail, voting at any Elections Canada office)......................................... 139

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Recommendation 11
The Committee recommends that electoral system reform be
accompanied by a comprehensive study of the effects on other aspects
of Canadas governance ecosystem, namely:

the relationship between, and operations of, the legislative and


executive branches of government;

the relationship between, and operations of, the House of


Commons and the Senate;

parliamentary procedure and conventions related to government


formation and dismissal;

the impact on the operations of political parties. ...................................... 163

Recommendation 12
Observation: The Committee acknowledges that, of those who wanted
change, the overwhelming majority of testimony was in favour of proportional
representation. The Committee recognizes the utility of the Gallagher Index, a
tool that has been developed to measure an electoral systems relative
disproportionality between votes received and seats allotted in a legislature, as
a means of assessing the proportionality of different electoral system options.
The Committee recommends that:

The Government hold a referendum, in which the current system


is on the ballot;

That the referendum propose a proportional electoral system that


achieves a Gallagher Index score of 5 or less; and

That the Government complete the design of the alternate


electoral system that is proposed on the referendum ballot prior to
the start of the referendum campaign period. ............................................ 164

Recommendation 13
The Committee recommends that Elections Canada should produce and
make available to the public materials describing any option, including
maps depicting potential electoral district boundaries applicable under
that option and sample ballot design, prior to the start of the referendum
campaign period. ......................................................................................................... 164

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