PM cites Leitch, fringe voices when questioned on electoral reform pivot

IQALUIT, Nunavut—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggests one of the reasons he abandoned his 2015 campaign pledge on electoral reform was due to concerns over parties representing fringe voices, noting Kellie Leitch’s push to lead the Conservative party.

In remarks picked up on a boom microphone by pooled television networks, Trudeau asked a woman at an Iqaluit event if she thinks Leitch should have her own party.

The woman suggested that was a different conversation and Trudeau insisted it was not.

Trudeau says it is important to listen to all voices as opposed to amplify small ones.

The prime minister suggests improvements could have been made to the country’s current electoral system but proportional representation wasn’t the solution.

He also says the federal New Democrats were locked into proportional representation “no matter what.”