Canadians for
 Direct Democracy (CDD)

In Canada the people have a voice only one day every 1460 days - on voting day.

We have representative democracy. Government listens to Canadians only one day every four years, when we elect our MPs and MLAs. During the other 1459 days the government is in charge and is in essence a dictatorship that can do as it pleases until the next voting day.

Our elected representatives are powerless pawns.

Canadian governments are not made up of the many decent public-spirited people that we elect to parliaments. Governments are made up of a handful of powerful non-elected bureaucrats and deputy ministers, and elected cabinet ministers.
Governments routinely disregard the wishes of most elected representatives, the backbenchers - "trained seals" in the words of Pierre Trudeau.
The party whip ensures that party members vote the party line at all times. If they refuse they are kicked out of caucus and will not be nominated for the next election.

Like kings, cabinet ministers govern by decree (order-in-council).

For 3 or 4 months each year the federal parliament is not even in session; for 6 to 9 months each year provincial parliaments are not in session. During this time backbenchers don't vote on anything. Cabinet ministers govern by order-in-council and there are no checks and balances at all.

Canada's representative type of democracy suffers from a lack of accountability.

Unpopular policies such as the GST and NAFTA have been forced on Canadians. A tiny group of cabinet ministers and bureaucrats govern for 4 years at a time and it is only on voting day that they are accountable to the people. By that time policies like the GST are so firmly entrenched that it is difficult and very expensive to get rid of them. On voting day the people can remove the old government, but the new one will be equally unaccountable, and the bureaucrats are seldom removed.

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Principles of Direct Democracy

1. The Popular Veto - when 1% of the voters challenges a law or policy by petitioning government, a binding referendum vote (local, regional, provincial or national) must be held. If it passes, the law is struck down. This process happens about four times a year in Switzerland.
2. The Popular Initiative - when 2% of the voters demands a new law or policy by petitioning government, a binding referendum vote must be held. If it passes, it becomes the law.
3. The Double Majority - this means that a referendum must get more than 50% of the total votes; it must also get more than 50% of the votes in more than half of the designated regions.
4. Strict spending controls - prevent one side from "buying" the vote. Quebec already has such controls in place.
5. Proportional Representation - in its pure form gives each party the number of seats in parliament proportional to the percentage of votes the party receives.

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Advantages of Direct Democracy

• Allows the voice of the people to become the Law.
• Helps people feel that their vote counts, so that they take a keener interest.
• Makes government pass laws under the threat of a popular veto.
• Curbs the dictatorial tendencies of party leaders, the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and top bureaucrats.
• Forces lobbyists to try to influence all the people rather than just the elite who hold power.
• Makes difficult issues more likely to be faced, since citizens can bring them to referendum. In Canada only government can call referendums.
• Gives a fair allocation of seats to all parties through proportional representation.

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Questions about Direct Democracy

• Will the majority tyrannize weak minorities?

No. This has not happened in Switzerland.
• Will the cost be too high?

No. Referendums can be held on voting day at minimal expense, and referendums would cost much less than the non-elected Senate.
• Will direct democracy weaken the power of governments?

Yes. Many Canadians would consider this desirable because our political system lacks accountability.
• Don't ordinary citizens lack the time, intelligence, and wisdom to make good decisions?

If this is true, then democracy of any kind is a poor system.
• Would referendums solve complex issues?

Experts agree that complex issues like sovereignty must be broken down into several simple questions before being put to the people. Putting the Charlottetown Accord to a vote in 1993 was not an appropriate use of the referendum process.

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Summary of the Objectives of Canadians for Direct Democracy

• CDD wants government to introduce a system of binding referendums, whereby citizens can introduce Popular Initiative and Popular Veto, subject to the Double Majority.
• CDD wants strict spending controls on referendums so that one side cannot "buy" the vote.
• CDD supports continuance of the House of Commons under some form of proportional representation.