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CBC News Online
January 26,
2003
Summary:
Jack Layton, the recently elected
leader of the Canadian federal New Democratic Party, calls
for a national referendum on full representation (proportional
representation).
http://www.cbc.ca/storyview/CBC/2003/01/26/layton_sunday030226
Layton vows to put debate back in Canadian
politics
By CBC News Online staff
January 26, 2003 TORONTO - Jack Layton has
promised to use his new job as federal NDP leader to help voters
distinguish between his party and what he called a "Liberal and
Alliance collaboration." At the close of the New Democrats'
convention Sunday, he said the government and the Official
Opposition have developed similar policies, "essentially eliminating
real debate from the terrain of Canadian politics." He warned there
would be no improvement if former finance minister Paul Martin were
to replace Jean Chr��tien as prime minister. "When you strip away
Paul Martin's rhetoric, and look at his actual record, it is in
lock-step with Alliance on virtually every issue," he said. "On tax
cuts, they agree. On housing, they agree, on private health care,
they agree," Layton said. The NDP holds only 14 seats, two above
the minimum required for official party status. And none of those 14
belongs to Layton. After a 20-year-old career in municipal
politics, he said he'll quit his job as a Toronto city councilor on
Monday and direct his caucus from the sidelines. Layton said he
wants to wait for the next federal election to run for a seat in the
House of Commons. "While I won't be the one standing up and asking
the questions in the House, I will be exchanging our views in the
corridors, which are rather strong ones and rather different from
the current government," he said. Iraq top priority He said his
first priority will be to argue against a possible war in Iraq.
After that, he'd like to talk about environment issues and public
health care. Layton vowed to transform politics in Canada by
raising the level of debate, and by working to change the way
governments are elected. "If the NDP holds the balance of power in
a minority government in the next election, our first condition will
be a national referendum on proportional representation so we can
change politics in this country forever," he said. Some argue
Canada's system of "first past the post" elections skews the
democratic will of the voters. Proportional representation would
allocate seats in Parliament based on the percentage of the popular
vote won by each party. Layton, 52, won the NDP leadership race in
a stunning first-ballot victory Saturday. He beat five other
candidates, including two veteran members of Parliament. He said he
was raised with an insider's knowledge of national politics and was
confident he and caucus would be able to work out their new roles.
"My father served in Parliament (as a Conservative). I've got his
parliamentary pin in my pocket," he said. "I'm looking forward to
putting it on very, very soon." |
