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Conservative MP Michael Chong makes bid to fix Parliament

Conservative MP Michael Chong today tabled the Reform Act, a private member's bill intended to restore a system of checks and balances that would shift some power away from party leaders towards members of Parliament and their party caucuses.

"The Reform Act is an effort to strengthen Canada's democratic institutions by restoring power and the role of elected members of Parliament in the House of Commons," Chong told reporters in Ottawa on Tuesday morning.

Under this bill, Chong said, MPs would be able to better represent the people who voted for them.

For instance, if an MP had a disagreement about a particular issue or bill before the House, this bill would empower the MP "to vote against the bill and in favour of their constituents without a high chance of being expulsed from caucus," Chong said.

The Reform Act proposes three main reforms:

While the bill does grant caucus the power to trigger a leadership review, Chong noted it also grants local riding associations the power to approve the party candidate.

"MPs are going to be careful in exercising the review power that they have of the party leader because they will have to be accountable to the local riding association," Chong said.

The Conservative MP cautioned that under his bill, the prime minister and party leaders would still remain immensely powerful, just not "all powerful."

Chong said the proposals in the Reform Act would "reinforce the principle of responsible government, it would make the executive more accountable to the legislature and ensure that party leaders would maintain the confidence of their caucuses."

The bill has been seconded by James Rajotte, the Conservative MP for Edmonton–Leduc and chair of the commons finance committee.

Conservative MPs Stella Ambler, Larry Miller and Kyle Seeback, and Conservative Senator Hugh Segal have come out in favour of the bill. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May and Independent MP Bruce Hyer said they will also back the Conservative bill.

It would amend two acts of Parliament: the Canada Elections Act and the Parliament of Canada Act.

The Reform Act would not come into force until after the next federal election, Chong noted.

The Opposition New Democrats will respond to the Reform Act at 1:45 p.m. ET today.

The federal Liberals have invited Chong to make a presentation about his bill to the Liberal caucus this week.

You can read the text of Chong's Reform Act here: