To restore the health of our democracy, we need to take power away from the Prime Minister and give it to voters.

We are currently suffering from three crippling deficits -- fiscal, ecological and democratic. All three impose greater costs and burdens on our children. Of the three, the ecological deficit, as represented by the climate crisis, is the gravest threat. It imperils our very survival as a civilization. The fiscal deficit limits choices for future generations and impinges on society’s ability to meet collective aspirations. The democratic deficit, manifested as low voter turn-out, a lack of civic engagement and the abuse of power by the current Prime Minister, threatens our ability to resolve the other two.

As such, the one idea most essential to restore faith in government and inspire Canadians would be one that reverses the growing erosion of democracy. There are a number of critical reforms that would enhance democracy and empower citizens.

We must end the top-down, centralization of power in the Prime Minister’s Office. After the second prorogation, Queens University Professor Emeritus Ned Franks observed that we should call Mr. Harper “King Stephen the First of Canada.” He has violated the most fundamental of principles in parliamentary democracy: that the Prime Minister serves at the pleasure of the House, not the other way around.

This is hard to legislate, but perhaps cutting the Prime Minister’s Office budget such that no more than forty people can be employed would help. Currently more than twice that number work full –time to enhance the electoral chances of the party in power. Opposition leaders should be pressed to pledge an end to Prime Ministerial rule. The promise to restore a useful role to individual Members of Parliament, as well as to Cabinet members, would be a good tool later to ensure a future Prime Minister does not act like a monarch.

Ending the archaic “first past the post” voting system, instituting proportional representation for the election of some portion of Members of Parliament, would make a huge difference. This reform would ensure that every vote would count. Based on the record from the modern democracies where proportional representation is used (all modern democracies except the U.S., U.K. and Canada), it would increase the number of women elected to Parliament, increase voter turn out and enhance cooperation.

Another idea that would improve democracy would be to insist on respectful behaviour in the House of Commons. The existing leadership in the House could make a pact to obey the rules of the House. Those rules include that no interruptions are allowed when a member is speaking and that the minister’s answers must be responsive to the question. A zero-tolerance for heckling rule combined with answers that, at least, relate to the question, would vastly improve Canadians’ impressions of their government.

Reducing partisan rancour will go a long way to delivering better government. Proportional representation would reduce partisanship, but ideally, we should be able to restore a sense of respect, maturity and fairness to the proceedings of Parliament even under our current rules.

Democracy and citizen power are key to addressing the climate crisis and restoring a healthy economy. Maybe our new big idea is Democracy.