Chong introduces amended Reform Act

Based on feedback from Canadians and MPs, an amended version of the Reform Act was introduced in the House of Commons today.

OTTAWA – Michael Chong, Member of Parliament for Wellington-Halton Hills, today introduced an amended version of his Private Member’s Bill, the Reform Act.

Since its introduction last December, there has been considerable debate and discussion about the Reform Act. Many Canadians, including many MPs, have provided suggestions regarding the bill. Based on these suggestions, an amended version of the bill was prepared. The short title of the bill introduced today is Reform Act, 2014, to differentiate it from the original bill introduced last December, Reform Act, 2013.

The amended bill is based on the same principles as the original: it restores local control over party nominations, mandates caucus votes for the election of caucus chairs and the expulsion of caucus members, and defines the rules for the review of the party leader by caucus.

The amendments increase the number of caucus members required to trigger a review vote from 15 to 20 per cent, mandate that the names of those requesting a review vote of the party leader be made public, redefine a majority vote in a review as that of the entire caucus rather than just those caucus members present, replace a locally elected nomination officer for each electoral district association with one for each province and the territories, maintain the power of party leaders to deregister a local EDA and put the leader review rules in the Parliament of Canada Act, rather than the Canada Elections Act.

“When the Reform Act was introduced last December, I welcomed suggestions on how to improve the bill. Based on the suggestions  received, an amended version of the bill has been introduced. I want to thank everyone that provided suggestions on how to improve the bill,” Chong said.

Chong added, “We need to reform Parliament to make it more responsive to Canadians. The Reform Act, 2014 will do just that. It will make MPs and political parties more representative, responsible and accountable to Canadians.”

As with the original bill, Mr. James Rajotte, M.P. for Edmonton-Leduc seconded the Reform Act, 2014.

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Madeline Gibson, Legislative Assistant        Jim Smith, Constituency Assistant

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