Saskatchewan PM Promises Citizens Assembly in 2008 With Broad Democratic Agenda 

By J. H. Snider 

Premier Lorne Calvert announced today that within six months of his re-election in November of 2007,  he would convene a Citizen's Assembly to make recommendations on improving the functioning of democratic institutions in Saskatchewan.   

"Democracy is much too important to be left solely to politicians," Calvert said. "When significant change to our democracy is being proposed, it is absolutely vital that that process be led by the citizens, and not the politicians, of Saskatchewan."  

Not The Same as Previous Citizen Assemblies 

Whereas all prior Citizens Assemblies in Canada and the Netherlands have emphasized reform of their current electoral systems, Calvert has a decisively more expansive view of its agenda. 

In his view, the Saskatchewan Citizen Assembly should, like its predecessors, should be a non-partisan group of randomly selected citizens. Also like its predecessors, it would consult widely and propose changes to the provinces’ electoral system. However, it considers a much larger menu, including: 

*          fixed election dates;

*          methods for increasing voter participation;

*          representative models; and

*          voting age.  

The Chief Electoral Officer will be involved in the process and the Citizens' Assembly will have access to government and academic administrative and research-related supports. It is expected to cost $3 million over four years. 

His Platform: Politics as Usual or a New Democratic System?  

Premier Calvert has taken the lead in proposing Citizens Assemblies in a far more democratic way to propose a far more democratic system for his province. In his words: "A stronger Saskatchewan is a Saskatchewan where the citizens are firmly engaged and in charge of the democratic process," Premier Calvert said.  "I look forward to the vigorous public debate which this process will unleash, and I am confident that this will engage even more people into our democratic process.  

"On November 7th, Saskatchewan voters face a choice. They can risk change by electing the Saskatchewan Party, who will say anything to get elected, or they can choose the NDP, who wants to put citizens firmly in charge of our democratic process."

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