The minister responsible for democratic reform is a portfolio in the Canadian cabinet. The position was created by Prime Minister Paul Martin when he succeeded Jean Chrétien in December 2003 in order to address the "democratic deficit", an issue Martin campaigned on when he ran for leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. The portfolio was initially held by the government house leader, Jacques Saada, in Martin's first cabinet. After the 2004 Canadian election the portfolio was given to Mauril Bélanger who is the deputy leader of the government in the House of Commons.
The minister has been instructed to table an action plan outlining proposals to reform the operations of the Canadian House of Commons in order to increase the role of individual members of parliament in the House and its committees. Proposals include allowing more free votes, giving committees more authority, increase research budgets, allowing chairs of house committees to be elected rather than appointed by the prime minister, giving MPs a role in choosing which committees they sit on rather than having them assigned by the prime minister or government house leader.
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