Can Commons seats change without adding MPs?

Top Liberals said Friday that Stephen Harper had it right when he suggested as a young Reform MP that the House of Commons could be smaller, with fewer politicians, to save money.

But now-Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government has proposed legislationbill C-20that would add 30 seats to the Commons to solve the problem of under-representation of provinces with rapidly-growing populations.

Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec would all get new seats under the proposed legislation, bringing the total number of House of Commons seats to 338.

To counter that legislation, Liberals have released a plan of their own for redistributing House of Commons seats between provinces without adding more MPs.

"There is a strong view among Canadians that we don't need more MPs," Liberal democratic reform critic Stphane Dion said at a Friday morning press conference.

"Canadians are telling us, 'How can you add to the number of politicians when you are asking [of] us so many sacrifices [during difficult economic times],'" Dion said. "We hear this voice very strongly."

The Liberal idearedistributes theseats, taking from some provinces and giving to others, while still bringing each province's share of House seats closer to its share of the overall population.

Currently underrepresented provinces Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario would stillget more seats, but not as many as under the C-20 formula.

Unlike the legislation, which also gave Quebec three more seats, the Liberal plan would actually take three seats away from Quebec.

Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador would all lose seats under the Liberal plan, based on the fact that their share of the Canadian population is in decline.

Changing times

Dion admitted the Liberals have not objected to increasing the number of House of Commons seats in the past. However, economic circumstances dictate a different approach now, he suggested.

"We recognize that demographics have changed," Liberal House Leader Marc Garneau said. "We shouldn't continue to increase the number of seats in the House, particularly in these difficult economic times."

C-20 is currently before a House of Commons committee hearing expert testimony. Dion said many people were interested in the Liberals' suggestion that seats could be redistributed fairly without increasing the number of MPs overall, and asked them to prove it.

"We're proposing our own formula. If somebody has a better idea ... we are open," Dion told reporters. "We are sure that our formula works. If there is a better one, we are only the third party in the House, we will be open to that."

"This process doesn't need to be partisan," Dion added.

"We think it's a good trade-off. Some provinces remain under-represented but they gain seats. Other provinces may lose some seats but remain overrepresented."

Dion said he had not consulted with any provinces to see what they would think in advance. "I would not presume what provinces will say... I don't know how provincial governments will react."

Government House Leader Peter Van Loan panned the Liberalformula during Friday's question period.

"Their worse idea would actually leave Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia severely under-represented, yet at the same time it would take away seats from Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan," Van Loan said.

"Under our bill, every province would move closer to fair representation, to representation by population. Under the Liberal plan, almost every single province comes out a loser," Van Loan added.

NDP critics Alexandrine Latendresse and Jack Harris said if the Liberals were serious about cutting the cost of Parliament they could support the NDP's view that the Senate should be abolished.

"Im convinced that they havent canvassed the residents of the provinces who are going to lose out here because I dont think theyre going to be satisfied to have less numbers of representatives than they have," Harris said.

Dion maintains that the Liberals are speaking for everyday Canadians in advocating for a redistribution scheme that won't increase theoverall number of politicians.

"We politicians have a different view," Dion said grinning. "And some political scientists I know."

"We are not there to think about politicians first."