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Mandate

MISSION, MANDATE, AND TERMS OF REFERENCE

Mission

To identify options for an enhanced citizen-centred democracy in New Brunswick building on the values, heritage, culture, and communities of our province.

Mandate

To examine and make recommendations on strengthening and modernizing our electoral system and democratic institutions and practices in New Brunswick to make them more fair, open, accountable and accessible to New Brunswickers.

The Commission on Legislative Democracy will seek the views of New Brunswickers on:

• Fairer, more equitable and effective representation in the Legislative Assembly;
• Greater public involvement in decisions affecting people and their communities;
• More open, responsive, and accountable democratic institutions and practices;
• Higher civic engagement and participation in the democratic processes in New Brunswick.

Terms of Reference

Specifically, the Commission on Legislative Democracy will focus
on the following areas:

Electoral Reform

1. To examine and make recommendations on implementing a proportional representation electoral system for the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, and propose a specific model best suited for our province that ensures fairer representation, greater equality of votes, an effective legislature and government, and a continued role for directly-elected MLAs representing specific geographic boundaries.
2. To examine and make recommendations on future steps, including amendments to the Elections Act, required to give effect to a new proportional representation electoral system.
3. To examine and make recommendations on the principles and procedures to guide future changes to New Brunswick’s electoral boundaries, including the number of constituencies to be represented in the Legislative Assembly, that will be referred to a Representation and Electoral Boundaries Commission.
4. To examine and make recommendations on instituting fixed election dates for provincial general elections while proposing a fixed election date and procedures best suited for our province.
5. To examine and make recommendations on increasing voter turnout in provincial general elections, particularly amongst young New Brunswickers, and improving accessibility to the electoral process in New Brunswick by modernizing our electoral laws while reinforcing the democratic rights and responsibilities of New Brunswickers to vote.

Legislative Reform

1. To examine and make recommendations on enhancing the role of the Legislative Assembly and MLAs in decision-making while ensuring greater accountability of MLAs to their constituents and to New Brunswickers.
2. To examine and make recommendations on enhancing transparency and accountability in appointments to government agencies, boards, and commissions.

Democratic Reform

1. To examine and make recommendations on enhancing direct democracy by proposing a New Brunswick Referendum Act that sets out the rules and procedures for allowing province-wide, binding referendums on significant public policy issues.
   
2. To examine and make recommendations on enhancing public involvement in government and legislative decision-making.
   

To fulfill its mandate the Commission on Legislative Democracy will:

1. Seek the views of New Brunswickers through public hearings and submissions;
2. Hold other meetings and forums as required;
3. Conduct research and analysis as required that is appropriate to all aspects of the Commission’s mandate;
4. Report no later than December 31, 2004.