In an email to supporters, Giuseppe Gori, leader of the Family Coalition Party of Ontario, responded to the objections of opponents of MMP, who say that the new system will inhibit the ability of organizations to lobby "list" candidates.
He writes:
With the new system (MMP), another possible way of lobbying is added, which can influence the party, during the process of creation of the party list, and the "party list" candidates once these have been published.
Before the party list is created, the lobbying organization can propose names, propose new rules for creating the list and, where elections are held to nominate party list candidates from a region, the organization could also ask their members to participate to these elections.
The organization can offer support to the party, or withdraw their support, depending on how "responsive" the leadership of the party is to the organization's requests.
After the party list has been chosen, the whole membership of the lobbying organization, across Ontario, will have the ability to look at the party list, well before the election, and lobby them. The "leverage" the group has, in this case, is not limited to one riding, but is extended to all of Ontario. The organization can offer support to the party, or withdraw their support, depending on how "responsive" the members of the party list are to the organization's cause. The leadership of the party can also be pressured to change, re-order or exclude names from the party list that are deemed unsatisfactory by the lobbying organization.
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