Support is growing for giving Canadians the power to remove elected officials between elections, with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre endorsing recall legislation and taxpayer advocates urging Ottawa to follow through.The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on the federal government to adopt recall laws after Poilievre signalled his support for the idea, arguing voters should have the ability to hold politicians accountable at any time.“Recall legislation upholds the principle that citizens are the boss and should be able to hold politicians accountable at all times, even between election,” said Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.Poilievre’s comments came after former Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu crossed the floor to join the Liberals, reigniting debate over political accountability in Ottawa.“I am a longstanding supporter of the concept that voters should be able to recall their member of Parliament,” Poilievre said, adding that unlike most jobs, politicians face little consequence for failing to meet expectations once elected.He said the Conservative caucus would discuss the possibility of introducing recall measures in the House of Commons..Recall legislation allows voters in a riding to petition for the removal of their elected representative before the next scheduled election. If enough signatures are gathered, a byelection can be triggered, giving constituents the option to replace their MP.Such laws already exist at the provincial level in British Columbia and Alberta, where they are viewed by supporters as a tool for direct democracy.Kris Sims, Alberta director for the taxpayers group, said the policy has proven effective in holding politicians to account and should be extended federally.“The CTF has been calling for recall legislation at the federal level for decades and it’s great to hear Poilievre supporting it,” said Sims. “Recall legislation is a powerful tool for grassroots direct democracy. It’s working in B.C. and Alberta. Now it’s time to bring that same accountability to Ottawa.”
