Harper vs. Local Democracy: Lessons for Electoral Reform

Decentralization, local control. I had been led to believe by conservatives that these are conservative values. Perhaps, but they are not Conservative values. After nominating Bill Casey, the Cumberland-Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley Conservative riding association executive was suspended. The Liberals have been criticized in the past for using central control to force riding associations to nominate "star" candidates - it would seem though that both parties are prepared to override local control in certain situations.

The next time that electoral reform is proposed some will inevitably say that it will take away local control of candidates. Once again we see that there is no local control of candidates.