P.E.I. government's new video on electoral reform 'catchier' way to engage Islanders

A new video produced by the P.E.I. government has a goal of gettingIslanders excited and educated about electoral reform.

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Electoral reform was part of Premier Wade MacLauchlan's election platform. The government released its white paper on democratic renewalin the legislature in July 2015,laying out a choice of fivesystems for Islanders: first-past-the-post,first-past-the-post-plus,dual-member mixed proportional representation, mixed-member proportionaland preferentialballot, in which Islanders would rank their choices.

"The video, to me, is kind of a more interactive way of communicating these possibilities," said Jordan Brown, the MLA for Charlottetown-Brighton and the chair of the 5-MLA Special Committee on Democratic Renewal.

"It's a lot kind of catchier that way, and the hope is that people will see it and they'll take the opportunity to look at the video that explains things in a quicker way than read through something."

The 8-minute video can be viewed on the government's website and is being shared on Facebook. The committee is also using it as a primer before its public meetings.

In the video, Brown asks Islanders what they think the question on the plebiscite ballot should be. It also features UPEI political science lecturer Jeff Collins, who explains the electoral systems from which P.E.I. is being asked to choose.

"I think the video was well-received," said Brown. "I don't think we're destined for ... the Oscars."

The video was produced by the government's communications department, so there was no outside cost.

Islanders voted in a plebiscite in 2005 on a mixed-member proportional system of voting. Few Islanders actually voted, and those who did overwhelmingly rejected the new model.

Brown is hoping things will be different this time around, especially since the province is taking more time to educate Islanders, and offering them more choices.

After two well-attended meetings last week, there will be four more public meetingsof P.E.I.'s Special Committee on Democratic Renewal: Feb. 23, 25 and 27 and March 1.

After those, Brown's committee will prepare an interim report that will be tabled for debate during the spring sitting of the legislature.

The committee has recommended Islanders vote on the issue this November. They're planning on a voting period of a week to 10 days, and hope to be able to allow people to cast their ballots online and by telephone.