The Mark 2010

A three-line whip system, like that used in the UK, would help to counter the growing power of the Prime Minister's Office.

Rather than just talking about more free votes in the House of Commons, let’s actually do it.

Here’s a suggestion.

Each of the federal party leaders should be challenged to establish a joint task force comprised of former Members of Parliament. They would be tasked to establish a protocol for the determination of when and how MPs could vote freely on government legislation - even if it conflicted with their own party’s position. All of the parties would have to agree and abide by the protocols. And they would have to incorporate them in their platforms.

We should learn from the experiences of other Westminster style governments and adapt them to the Canadian context. A Canadian variation on the three-line whip system used in the UK might be a good place to start. While the UK system has more to do with attendance than voting expectations, it suggests that a tiered or graduated system of “free votes” might be a more realistic approach.

Ultimately, the goal is to legitimize more dissent on the part of individual Members of Parliament without retaliation from their party. If it is easier for MPs to vote on the basis of what they believe to be in their constituents’ best interests, it just might help reaffirm or restore Canadians’ faith in Parliament. And, it will help to counter the growing power of the Prime Minister’s Office.