This is the fourteenth in the Whoa!Canada: Proportional Representation Series
The Special Committee on Electoral Reform has been meeting since June 21st, 2016 and we are fortunate to live in a time when such proceedings can be televised to allow citizens to follow along as they happen. Better yet, these sessions are also available online, making it possible for us to watch as it happens, or later at our leisure.
The First Batch of ERRE Special Committee on Electoral Reform Committee Meetings is over. You can watch the video or read the transcripts online.
[update: I’ve just discovered where the expert witness submission briefs are posted. They are grouped together with submissions being made by Canadians who will not be appearing. I’ve added links to the witness briefs below, but I recommend you check out those made by non-witnesses, too.]
MEETING 1
Tuesday, June 21, 2016 ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
Election of Chair, Vice Chairs and Administrative Business
MEETING 2
Wednesday, June 29, 2016 ~ Minutes
Establishing the ground rules for the Committee
Proposed ERRE Committee Meetings: July 6, 7, 25, 26, 27, 28; August 22, 23, 29, 30, 31; September 1st.
MEETING 3
Wednesday July 6th, 2016 ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• Hon. Maryam Monsef, P.C., M.P., Minister of Democratic Institutions • Testimony Transcript •
• Isabelle Mondou, Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet and Counsel to the Clerk of the Privy Council • Testimony Transcript •
Watch on ParlVu http://www.parl.gc.ca/Committees/en/Redirects/ParlVuMeetingPage?MeetingId=9012450&meetingDate=2016-07-06&isAudioOnly=false
Watch on CPAC
CPAC: Post Meeting interview with Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef
MEETING 4
Thursday, July 7, 2016 ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• Marc Mayrand, Chief Electoral Officer • Testimony Transcript •
• Stéphane Perrault, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, Regulatory Affairs • Testimony Transcript •
• Michel Roussel, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, Electoral Events • Testimony Transcript • 
Post Meeting Interview on CPAC: Mayrand Discusses Voting Reform, Possible Referendum
MEETING 5
Thursday, July 7, 2016 ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• Jean-Pierre Kingsley, Chief Electoral Officer, 1990-2007 • Testimony Transcript •
MEETING 6
Monday, July 25, 2016 ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• R. Kenneth Carty, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia • Testimony Transcript •
• Brian Tanguay, Professor, Political Science, Wilfrid Laurier University • Testimony Transcript •
• Nelson Wiseman, Director, Canadian Studies Program, Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto • Testimony Transcript •
MEETING 7
Tuesday, July 26, 2016 ~ 9:30am ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• Michael Marsh, Emeritus Professor, Trinity College Dublin (by videoconference) • Testimony Transcript •
• Michael Gallagher, Professor of Comparative Politics, Trinity College Dublin (by videoconference) • Testimony Transcript •
~ Submission Brief
MEETING 8
Tuesday, July 26, 2016 ~ 2:00pm ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• Patrice Dutil, Professor, Ryerson University • Testimony Transcript •
• Peter Russell, Professor Emeritus, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto ~ Submission Brief • Testimony Transcript •
MEETING 9
Tuesday, July 26, 2016 ~ 7:00pm ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• Tom Rogers, Electoral Commissioner, Australian Electoral Commission (by videoconference) • Testimony Transcript •
• Robert Peden, Chief Electoral Officer (by videoconference) New Zealand Electoral Commission ~ Submission Brief • Testimony Transcript •
MEETING 10
Wednesday, July 27, 2016 ~ 9:30am ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• Henry Milner, Senior Researcher, Chair in Electoral Studies, Université de Montréal ~ Submission Brief • Testimony Transcript •
• Alex Himelfarb, Clerk of the Privy Council, 2002-2006 • Testimony Transcript •
• André Blais, Professor, Department of Political Science, Université de Montréal • Testimony Transcript •
MEETING 11
Wednesday, July 27, 2016 ~ 2pm ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• Leslie Seidle, Research Director, Canada’s Changing Federal Community, Institute for Research on Public Policy • Testimony Transcript •
• Larry LeDuc, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto ~ Submission Brief • Testimony Transcript •
• Hugo Cyr, Dean, Faculty of Political Science and Law, Université du Québec à Montréal ~ Submission Brief • Testimony Transcript •
MEETING 12
Thursday, July 28, 2016 ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• Dennis Pilon, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, York University ~ Submission Brief • Testimony Transcript •
• Jonathan Rose, Associate Professor, Department of Policital Studies, Queen’s University • Testimony Transcript •
• Maryantonett Flumian, President, Institute on Governance • Testimony Transcript •
MEETING 13
Monday, August 22, 2016 ~ 2pm ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• Benoît Pelletier, Full Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa • Testimony Transcript •
• Arend Lijphart, Research Professor Emeritus of Political Science, University of California, San Diego (by videoconference) • Testimony Transcript •
MEETING 14
Monday, August 22, 2016 ~ 6pm ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• Nathalie Des Rosiers, Dean, Faculty of Law, Civil Law, Ottawa University • Testimony Transcript •
• Christian Dufour, Political scientist, Analyst and Writer ~ Submission Brief • Testimony Transcript •
• Harold Jansen, Professor of Political Science, University of Lethbridge • Testimony Transcript •
MEETING 15
Tuesday, August 23, 2016 ~ 9:30am ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• Barry Cooper, Professor, University of Calgary • Testimony Transcript •
• Nicole Goodman, Director, Centre for e-Democracy, Assistant Professor, Munk School of Global Affairs • Testimony Transcript •
• Emmett Macfarlane, Assistant Professor, University of Waterloo ~ Submission Brief
Watch on ParlVu • Testimony Transcript •
Watch on CPAC
MEETING 16
Tuesday, August 23, 2016 ~ 2:00 p.m.~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• Matthew P. Harrington, Professor, Faculty of Law, Université de Montréal • Testimony Transcript •
• Thomas S. Axworthy, Public Policy Chair, Massey College, University of Toronto • Testimony Transcript •
• Pippa Norris, Professor of Government Relations & Laureate Fellow, U of Sydney, McGuire Lecturer in Comparative Politics, Harvard, Director of Electoral Integrity Project (by videoconference) • Testimony Transcript •
MEETING 17
Monday, August 29th, 2016 ~ 2:00 p.m. ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• Ed Broadbent, Chair and Founder, Broadbent Institute ~ Submission Brief • Testimony Transcript •
• Jean-Pierre Charbonneau, Minister for Democratic Reform, Government of Quebec (2002-2003) • Testimony Transcript •
• Yasmin Dawood, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Democracy, Constitutionalism, and Electoral Law, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto (by videoconference) • Testimony Transcript •
MEETING 18
Tuesday, August 30th, 2016 ~ 9:30 a.m. ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• Jean-Sébastien Dufresne, President, Mouvement Démocratie Nouvelle • Testimony Transcript •
• Eric Maskin, Adams University Professor, Department of Economics, Harvard University ~ Submission Brief • Testimony Transcript •
• Peter John Loewen, Director, School of Public Policy and Governance and Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto ~ Submission Brief • Testimony Transcript •
MEETING 19
Tuesday, August 30, 2016 ~ 2:00pm ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• Louis Massicotte, Professor, Department of Political Science, Laval University ~ Submission Brief • Testimony Transcript •
• Melanee Thomas, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Calgary (by videoconference) • Testimony Transcript •
• Katelynn Northam, Campaigner-Electoral Reform, Leadnow.ca • Testimony Transcript • Submission Brief
MEETING 20
Wednesday, August 31, 2016 ~ 9:30am ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• Joachim Behnke, Professor, Chair, Political Science, Zeppelin University, Germany • Testimony Transcript • (by videoconference)
• Friedrich Pukelsheim, Professor, Institut für Mathematik, Universität Augsburg, Germany • Testimony Transcript • (by videoconference)
~ Behnke & Pukelsheim Submission Brief
• Mary Pitcaithly, Convener (by videoconference: Falkirk, UK) The Electoral Management Board for Scotland • Testimony Transcript •
• Andy O’Neill, Head of Electoral Commission, Scotland • Testimony Transcript • (by videoconference)
~ The Electoral Commission & The Electoral Management Board for Scotland Submission Brief
MEETING 21
Wednesday, August 31, 2016 ~ 2:00 pm ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• Richard Johnston, Professor, Department of Political Science, The University of British Columbia ~ Submission Brief • Testimony Transcript •
• Darrell Bricker, CEO, IPSOS Public Affairs • Testimony Transcript • Submission Brief
• Gordon F. Gibson • Testimony Transcript • Submission Brief
MEETING 22
Wednesday, August 31, 2016 ~ 6:00 pm ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• Jane Hilderman, Executive Director, Samara • Testimony Transcript • Submission Brief
• Dominic Vézina, Strategic advisor, Institut du Nouveau Monde • Testimony Transcript • Submission Brief
• Taylor Gunn, President, Civix • Testimony Transcript • Submission Brief
MEETING 23
Thursday, September 1, 2016 ~9:30 am ~ Minutes ~ Evidence Transcript
• David McLaughlin (deputy minister to the New Brunswick Commission on Legislative Democracy, 2003-2005) • Testimony Transcript • Submission Brief
• Craig Scott, Professor of Law, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University • Testimony Transcript • Submission Brief
• Graham Fox, President and Chief Executive Officer, Institute for Research on Public Policy • Testimony Transcript •
Additional Coverage:
CPAC: WATCH: NEW ZEALAND GREEN LEADER ON PR
NOTE: The briefs linked in Scribd below are now also published in PDF form on the ERRE site with the exception of Patrice Dutil (July 26)
It is also possible to read the Expert’s Briefs on scribd. Please be aware they are offering a one month free offer so you can read anything on the service for a month. However if you are not planning on paying for a subscription after that point, you should consider downloading the briefs you might wish to refer back to at a later date.
• Proportional Representation for Canada
• What’s so bad about First Past The Post
• Democracy Primer
• Working for Democracy
• The Popular Vote
• Why Don’t We Have PR Already?
• Stability
• Why No Referendum?
• Electoral System Roundup
• When Canadians Learn about PR with CGP Grey
• Entitlement
• Proportional Representation vs. Alternative Vote
• #ERRÉ #Q Committee
• #ERRÉ #Q Meetings & Transcripts
• Take The Poll ~ #ERRÉ #Q
• Proportionality #ERRÉ #Q
• The Poll’s The Thing
• DIY Electoral Reform Info Sessions
• What WE Can Do for ERRÉ
• #ERRÉ today and Gone Tomorrow (…er, Friday)
• Redistricting Roulette
• #ERRÉ submission Deadline TONIGHT!
• #ERRÉ Submission by Laurel L. Russwurm
• The Promise: “We will make every vote count” #ERRÉ
• FVC: Consultations Provide Strong Mandate for Proportional Representation #ERRÉ
• PEI picks Proportional Representation
• There is only one way to make every vote count #ERRÉ
• Canada is Ready 4 Proportional Representation
• Sign the Petition e-616
• #ProportionalRepresentation Spin Cycle ~ #ERRÉ
• International Women’s Day 2017 ~ #IWD
• An Open Letter to ERRÉ Committee Liberals
and don’t forget to check out the PR4Canada Resources page!
Whoa!Canada 
Please review my work on media reform. Media is an essential part of the democratic process.
Society’s natural human information filter has been short circuited by the marketing-led media. Very wealthy and unscrupulous people bypass the filter and spread disinformation. This is a gaping loop hole in our early 21st century democratic system. http://no-ads.ca/paid-reach-poses-a-public-safety-threat
Implementing Proportional Representation and, funding and spending limits for campaigns are minor improvements. For real democracy the media must also be democratic. To read a short description of a new democratic funding model for media follow this link – http://no-ads.ca/about
Thank you
Breezy Brian Gregg
No Ads Canada