Issues and Solutions

Albertans value democratic traditions, principles and processes. Despite this underlying commitment, deficiencies in democracy in our province are pervasive, deeply entrenched and very troubling. The result of these and many other problems and inadequacies is a clear and widespread absence of fundamental aspects of democracy in our province, with the result that majority rule, minority rights, political equality and the essential role of the citizen are all substantially diminished. This situation means that wealthy and corporate elites have far too much power and influence, and ordinary citizens have too little. We need a much stronger democracy in Alberta. It is time for citizens to demand fundamental democratic reform and renewal in our province. The multi-faceted nature of the problem means that a comprehensive approach is required.PIA's Democracy Task Force recommends the following five proposals as having the potential to make the biggest difference in bringing about a more democratic Alberta. Click on the links to read more details:

1. Institute comprehensive reform of electoral campaign and party financing.
2. Commit to the principle of proportional representation, with a Royal Commission to recommend the most appropriate form for Alberta.
3. Strengthen the role of the Legislature and MLAs by increasing the power of and support for legislative committees and officers.
4. Require a more open, thorough and effective approach to public consultation and engagement on issues of public policy.
5. Institute a broadly-based approach to improving transparency and openness in government.

These five recommendations have come out of a thorough process of consultation. Click here to learn more about the history of the democracy task force.