YES: PR is more democratic

by David Beatty

This commentary was first published in the Toronto Star on November 1, 2008.

The days and weeks following a national election are invariably a time of reflection and recrimination.

The Liberals in particular are in for a period of intense soul-searching as they begin yet another leadership campaign.

But it is not only Liberals who should reflect on the recent election.

Prof. Audrey Macklin has written a commentary in The Calgary Herald arguing that the Canadian government should seek to repatriate Canadian citizen Omar Khadr, currently detained at Guantanamo Bay, to Canada ("Harper should seek release of Khadr," July 12, 2008).

Read the full commentary.

Prof. Michael Trebilcock has authored a major review of Ontario's Legal Aid program at the request of the Ministry of the Attorney-General, Government of Ontario.

Prof. Lorne Sossin has published an essay in the Literary Review of Canada entitled "Does Independence Matter? From Elections Canada to the nuclear watchdog, the Harper government seems to disagree" (July/August 2008). The essay analyzes the implications of the federal government's confrontational relationship with various independent public agencies, from Elections Canada to the Canadian Military Complaints Commission to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.