October 28, 2009
The Honourable Charlie Parker
Speaker of the Nova Scotia Legislature
Dear Mr. Parker,
Since September 17th, when this 61st General Assembly commenced its working year, 25 Bills have been passed through the House at Second Reading without a recorded vote. This shows a frightening parallel to the 59th and 60th General Assemblies, where 99% of votes covering 853 Bills went unrecorded.
Unrecorded votes run counter to our democratic ideals; because votes are not recorded, citizens lack an objective, written record of how their local MLA is voting on matters that affect them. Accountability and transparency, two vital pillars of democracy, are abandoned when MLAs choose not to record votes.
Members of the Legislative Assembly choose whether or not to record a vote. According to the Rules and Procedures of the Legislature, only two MLAs are needed to demand a recorded vote. Unfortunately, Members of this Assembly are again and again choosing not to record votes.
I am asking you, as a concerned citizen of this Province, to call a meeting of the Assembly Matters Committee. The stated mandate of this Committee is to “…examine the rules, procedures, practices, organization and facilities of the House of Assembly…” This committee, if summoned, could review the practices and procedures of the House that allow unrecorded votes to occur. It could recommend changes to the rules that govern recorded votes, so that recorded votes can be more streamlined and expedient then they are now.
As Committee Chair, you have the responsibility of calling this committee to meet and of ensuring that the public can have input in its deliberations. It has been almost 5 years since this Committee last met, so at the very least calling this Committee to meet would allow a much needed review of the Legislature’s procedures to ensure that accountability, transparency and efficiency are being met.
I hope that I can count on you to act on this matter quickly.
Respectfully yours,
Michael Kennedy
902-402-9027
michael.kennedy@live.ca
—*—
October 23, 2009
The Honourable Murray Scott
Progressive Conservative House Leader
Dear Mr. Scott,
I want to thank you, on behalf of Nova Scotians, for demanding recorded votes on several matters on Monday. Because of this, Nova Scotians know exactly how their local MLAs voted on those matters. This helps citizens hold their local MLA to account as well as providing transparency on MLA actions. You helped to address a democratic deficit that exists in Nova Scotia relative to other jurisdictions.
However, I am also disappointed that you did not choose to continue to demand recorded votes on Bills 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 29. While one could argue that the motion to adjourn debate was important, I feel like these matters are more substantial in that they will directly impact the lives of Nova Scotians. In the past 6 years 853 Bills were introduced and voted upon in the House, but only 12 of these were recorded in Hansard. I believe that this presents an accountability issue in Nova Scotia.
I would welcome your answer and any other comments you have on recorded votes.
Respectfully,
Michael Kennedy
902-402-9027
michael.kennedy@live.ca
www.knowhowtheyvote.wordpress.com
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September 29, 2009
The Honourable Charlie Parker
Speaker of the Nova Scotia Legislature
1st Floor, Province House
P.O. Box 1617
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 2Y3
Mr. Speaker,
In 2008 Nova Scotia celebrated 250 years of democracy, making it the oldest democracy in Canada. Indeed, Nova Scotians had much to celebrate.
However, while we have much to celebrate, we have much to improve upon as well. The ability of citizens to hold their MLA to account in the Nova Scotia Legislature is obstructed by the lack of recorded votes in Hansard, the official recording of all business in the Legislature. Nova Scotians have no way of knowing how their MLA voted on crucial issues affecting their families and communities.
In the past 6 years, spanning the 59th and 60th General Assemblies, 853 Bills have been introduced, debated and voted upon in the House. Of these 853 Bills, only 12 votes were recorded in Hansard. The rest of the Bills were voted on anonymously, with no indication of which MLAs voted in support and against. We are thus faced with a democratic deficit in our Province. A lack of accountability breeds cynicism, and cynicism breeds voter apathy.
I am appealing to you to use your new role as Speaker to expand accountability in the Legislature. The norm has been for Speakers to ask for a “voice” vote from the whole legislature at once, where the votes of individual MLAs are not recorded. I am asking you to reverse this damaging trend. While it may be more expedient than a roll call vote, it does not ensure that citizens have the ability to hold their MLAs to account on their votes.
With the election of a new government, I urge you to make this the beginning of a more accountable Legislature in Nova Scotia.
Sincerely,
_______________________
Michael Kennedy
michael.kennedy@live.ca
www.knowhowtheyvote.wordpress.com
—*—
September 29, 2009
Dear Member of the Legislative Assembly,
In 2008 Nova Scotia celebrated 250 years of democracy, making it the oldest democracy in Canada. Indeed, Nova Scotians had much to celebrate.
However, while we have much to celebrate, we have much to improve upon as well. The ability of citizens to hold their MLA to account in the Nova Scotia Legislature is obstructed by the lack of recorded votes in Hansard, the official recording of all business in the Legislature. Nova Scotians have no way of knowing how their MLA voted on crucial issues affecting their families and communities.
In the past 6 years, spanning the 59th and 60th General Assemblies, 853 Bills have been introduced, debated and voted upon in the House. Of these 853 Bills, only 12 votes were recorded in Hansard. The rest of the Bills were voted on anonymously, with no indication of which MLAs voted in support and against.
We are thus faced with a democratic deficit in our Province. A lack of accountability breeds cynicism, and cynicism breeds voter apathy, as demonstrated by the declining rate of voter turnout at Provincial Elections.
As an MLA, you are the key to bringing accountability into the Legislature. In previous Legislatures it had become commonplace to call for a “voice vote”; a vote of the entire House without recording individual votes. While certainly more expedient, the cost is less accountability. A recorded vote can be demanded by any two MLAs immediately before a vote is to be called. Therefore, it is your responsibility and that of your colleagues to change the damaging trend in the Legislature.
I hope that Nova Scotians can count on your support in the 61st General Assembly.
Sincerely,
___________________
Michael Kennedy
michael.kennedy@live.ca
www.knowhowtheyvote.wordpress.com
