The folks at Fair Vote Canada are jumping for joy because of Resolution 31 which was passed at the 2014 Liberal policy convention. It calls for a year-long citizens' assembly to look into the issue of electoral reform and recommend a voting system (that includes PR as an option) to replace First-Past-the-Post.
Although Fair Vote might think this was the culmination of their efforts, this resolution was actually put forward by Trudeau himself. Although initially an independent resolution, the PR initiative became part of a priority resolution that bundled up Trudeau's democratic reform package. (Meaning its passage was guaranteed.)
Earlier Trudeau said he was opposed to PR: "I do not support proportional representation because I believe deeply that every Member of Parliament should represent actual Canadians and Canadian communities, not just political parties." So why the change of heart?
Perhaps similar initiatives among the provinces could offer a clue. In BC, Ontario and PEI, Liberal parties, while in opposition, promised electoral reform. But once they came to power, they had second thoughts. They created citizens assemblies that recommended different forms of PR. But they also put up roadblocks to ensure the referendums would fail — including a 60% win threshold.
In the end, all referendums were emphatically rejected by voters.
So is Trudeau really open to a proportional voting system he was "deeply" opposed to a few months back? Or is this his way of killing electoral reform in Canada by enshrining First-Past-the-Post as the democratic choice of Canadians?