Professor Emmett MacFarlane on Electoral Reform Panel in the House of Commons

On August 23^rd 2016, the House of Common’s Special Committee on Electoral Reform heard from a panel of three experts, among them our very own Master of Public Service and University of Waterloo professor Emmett MacFarlane!  We are very proud to say that professor MacFarlane’s work has been issued in the International Political Science Review (IPSR) as well as other public administration publications in recent years.  Drawing evidence from accrued political science knowledge, he has and continues to advise the Canadian government on reform processes for the senate, and on legislative responses to court rulings and the constitution. 

During his appearance in the House of Commons, professor MacFarlane spoke on several issues related to electoral reform, one of them being mandatory voting. He challenged whether voter turnout is the problem rather than a symptom of real problem which he argues is alienation from the political process and apathy. Although political science provides crucial understanding about the processes and effects about electoral systems, MacFarlane asserts that choosing between alternative electoral systems is a matter of beliefs and trade-offs and that there is no evidence that any other system Canada might consider implementing is more democratic than the other.  Misleading rhetoric grounded in normative preferences, ideology, and partisanship would obscure the ability to identify the trade-offs related to each electoral system. 

In conclusion, professor MacFarlane poses the question; who gets to make the final call in implementing alternative electoral systems? He answers this question clearly in his brief and in the following words when asked about his experience in the House of Commons, “I am acutely aware of the politics surrounding the committee’s work, and there was an obvious sense that the parties are already entrenched in their views about electoral reform.  This will make it difficult for the committee to ultimately reach a consensus on where to go from here.” Professor MacFarlane asserts that in the case of electoral reform, a referendum may be required at the end of the process to ensure that there is public support.  “An electoral change is unlike any other legislation; Canadians should have a say in the design of the fundamental thing that links them to the state”.