Profs. endorse MMP.

Trouble is that the MMP will need a lot more votes than 145 profs to win! Unless things change the MMP is even more doomed than John Tory according to projections. It just will not make the 60 per cent for cutoff.

From: Penney Kome
145 professors in law and politics endorse MMP - Friday, October 05, 2007: TORONTO – October 5, 2007: One hundred forty-five professors from across Ontario have endorsed the Ontario Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform's recommendation of a mixed-member proportional (MMP) voting system and are encouraging Ontario voters to vote for MMP in the October 10 referendum.

"We are excited to have the support from political scientists from across the province," said Rick Anderson, Vote for MMP campaign chair. "It's clear that those who study politics in depth can see that MMP is a positive improvement to Ontario's democratic institutions."

The list (below) includes several distinguished professors from the fields of law and political science: Two Deans of Law faculties, Nancy Des Rosiers (Ottawa) and Lorne Sossin (Toronto); three former presidents of the Canadian Political Science Association, Sylvia Bakshevin, Peter Russell and Hugh Thorburn; and former secretary-general of the International Political Science Association, John Trent. All these endorsers share the opinion that the Citizens' Assembly, who spent nearly a year studying electoral systems and consulting with Ontarians, got it right by recommending MMP for Ontario.

"Our campaign has found that once voters learn about MMP, they like it," said Anderson. "The overwhelming support we have received from academics shows that those who understand MMP will be voting for it on October 10."

In addition to the strong support from professors, student groups are also getting behind MMP. Yesterday, Vote for MMP released a list of 16 student unions that are encouraging Ontario their members to vote for change in the referendum. They are joined by the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario, which represents over 300,000 Ontario students, who have organized the "Students for Electoral Reform" registered referendum campaign.

VoteforMMP.ca is a multi-partisan citizens' campaign supporting the mixed member proportional (MMP) voting system proposed by the Ontario Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform.

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List of academic endorsers (by institution)

Larry Savage, Brock Juris Dreifelds, Brock Timothy Heinmiller, Brock Garth Stevenson, Brock Carol Baar, Brock (Emeritus) Rianne Mahon, Carleton Jill Vickers, Carleton Radha Jhappan, Carleton Peter Andree, Carleton Randall Germain, Carleton Jon Pammett, Carleton James Meadowcroft, Carleton Pauline Rankin, Carleton Bill Cross, Carleton Katherine Graham, Carleton Rand Dyck, Carleton Laura Macdonald, Carleton Frances Abele, Carleton Byron Sheldrick, Guelph Patrick Boyer, Guelph Judith McKenzie, Guelph Candace Johnson, Guelph John Hiemstra, King's University College John Peters. Laurentian Don Wells, McMaster William D.Coleman , McMaster Robert O'Brien, McMaster Stefania Szlek Miller, McMaster Karen Bird, McMaster Peter Graefe, McMaster Lana Wylie, McMaster Greg McElligott, McMaster Peter Nyers, McMaster Wayne Lewchuk, McMaster Michael Stein, McMaster (Emeritus) Janet Hiebert, Queen's Grant Amyot, Queen's Tom Kent, Queen's Hugh Thorburn, Queen's John Meisel, Queen's Abigail Bakan, Queen's Andrew Lister, Queen's Eleanor MacDonald, Queen's Keith Banting, Queen's Alan Whitehorn, Queen's Susanne Soederberg, Queen's David Koyzis, Redeemer University College Christian Leuprecht, Royal Military College of Canada Neil Thomlinson, Ryerson John Shields, Ryerson Bryan Evans, Ryerson Mike Burke, Ryerson Tuna Baskoy, Ryerson Colin Moores, Ryerson Carla Cassidy, Ryerson Grace-Edward Galabuzi, Ryerson Aparna Sundar, Ryerson Robert Paehlke, Trent Feyzi Baban, Trent Christy Gombay, Trent Gavin Fridell, Trent Nadine Changfoot, Trent Doug Torgerson, Trent Elaine Stavro, Trent Jim Driscoll, Trent Serge Denis, University of Ottawa Caroline Andrew, University of Ottawa Stephen Brown, University of Ottawa Nathalie Des Rosiers, University of Ottawa John Trent, University of Ottawa David Cashaback, University of Ottawa Michael Orsini, University of Ottawa Marie-Josie Massicotte, University of Ottawa Dimitrios Karmis, University of Ottawa Kathryn Trevenen, University of Ottawa Matthew Paterson, University of Ottawa Martin Papillon, University of Ottawa Claude Denis, University of Ottawa Luc Julliet, University of Ottawa Linda Cardinal, University of Ottawa Joseph H. Carens, University of Toronto Edward Andrew, University of Toronto Sylvia Bakshevkin, University of Toronto Sylvia Ostry, University of Toronto Meyer Brownstone, University of Toronto Ursula Franklin, University of Toronto Lawrence LeDuc, University of Toronto Peter Russell, University of Toronto Lorne Sossin, University of Toronto Melissa Williams, University of Toronto Thomas Homer Dixon, University of Toronto David Rayside, University of Toronto Graham White, University of Toronto Simone Chambers, University of Toronto Elizabeth Riddell, University of Western Ontario Jacquetta Newman, University of Western Ontario Caroline Dick, University of Western Ontario Peter Langille, University of Western Ontario Andrew Sancton, University of Western Ontario Paul Nesbitt-Larking, University of Western Ontario (Huron) Neil Bradford, University of Western Ontario (Huron) Henry Milner, Vanier College Gerard Boychuk, Waterloo Barry Kay, Wilfrid Laurier Brian Tanguay, Wilfrid Laurier David Docherty, Wilfrid Laurier Loren King, Wilfrid Laurier Timothy Donais, Windsor Heather MacIvor, Windsor Bruce Smardon, York Greg Albo, York David P. Shugarman, York Judy Hellman, York Esteve Morera, York Martin Thomas, York Stephanie Ross, York Robert R. Albritton, York George C. Comnimel, York Fred Fletcher, York

S. Ronald Ellis, Q.C, York Robert MacDermid, York Dennis Raphael, York Nicola Short, York Scott Forsyth, York Robert Drummond, York Ann Porter, York Gerald Kernerman, York Carolyn Bassett, York Steve Hellman, York Leah Vosko, York Barbara Cameron, York Ray Bazowski, York Asher Horowitz, York Roger Keil, York Leo Panitch, York Richard Sauders, York John Saul, York Roddy Loeppky, York Fred Fletcher, York Daniel Drache, York James Laxer, York Terry Maley, York David McNally, York Willem Maas, York (Glendon)


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URL1: VoteforMMP.ca