Letter to Manitoba Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Hon. Steve Ashton
October 10, 2006
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Room 301, Legislative Building
Winnipeg MB  R3C 0V8

Dear Minister Ashton,

This letter is to request that the Province of Manitoba make the necessary legislative changes to ensure that municipal party candidates in City of Winnipeg elections may put the name of their political party beside their candidate name on the ballot paper, as is the case on provincial and federal ballots.

The City of Winnipeg's Senior Election Official has interpreted the City of Winnipeg Charter Act and the Municipal Council and School Boards Elections Act as forbidding the name of a municipal political party name beside the candidate's name on the ballot paper. A number of Winnipeg Green Party candidates have written to the Official asking for the reason, in writing, as to why they were denied party affiliation on the ballot paper and reserving the right to seek a legal remedy after the election.

The City of Winnipeg is a large and mature level of government. This is reflected in the City of Winnipeg Charter Act proclaimed by your Government in 2003. It delegates considerable authority for City Council to govern the City. However, the legislation does not explicitly permit municipal political parties. The City of Winnipeg Act reviews of 1976 and 1982, discussed the benefits of political parties to the governance of the City of Winnipeg.

A major reason for permitting the naming of municipal political parties in Winnipeg is that most candidates belong to parties and vote along party lines anyway. The Province of Manitoba needs to clarify in law the naming of municipal parties on the ballot in order for the voting public to be afforded the same transparency and the accountability that they have through the provincial and federal Elections Acts. Other likely positive benefits would be improved voter turn-out and a reduction in the number of acclamations.

It may be that the traditional provincial parties (New Democratic, Progressive Conservative and Liberal) and others would prefer to stay with the status quo of having each and every candidate for city council running as a so-called "Independent". We would argue that the amendments that we are requesting should not be subject to a popularity contest but, rather, they should be made because it is the right thing to do - for democracy, for transparency and accountability at city hall.

We look forward to you response at your earliest convenience. If it would be of assistance, we would be pleased to meet with you to discuss our request.

Yours truly,

Elizabeth Fleming
President