Highlights:
...In all likelihood, if Canada had a system of proportional representation, the outcome would be very different, given the demographical and geographical diversity of the country. The pro-life Christian Heritage Party, for example, might win enough votes to get seats. And new parties might emerge to win seats – say, an Alberta First party or even ethnic parties.
So Harper might be kept in power by entering a coalition with pro-life and Alberta First parties. Now that, indeed, is a scary prospect.
Update: Toronto Sun: I want a system where my vote counts (Rachel Sa)
12 comments:
Yeah, the fear factor. Same liberal card being pulled. It's about ensuring that the two old corporate parties just switch sides once in a while, and the Star can pretend that it too is progressive with its "star Santa Claus fund" and send poor kids to camp.
This morning, CBC News Sunday will be having a segment on making changes to the system. Try 10:30 Eastern on Newsworld. It should be on in 55 minutes.
Make that 25 after the hour on most CBC stations.
There is a feedback segment at 39 after the hour on electoral reform and vote swapping.
The Toronto Star didn't mention that there are already pro-life MPs sitting as Conservatives.
So Harper might be kept in power by entering a coalition with pro-life and Alberta First parties.
This begs the question how such a situation would be any different from today's Conservatives (many are pro-life, anti-gay etc.) at the helm.
Jan is right; this is mere fear-mongering to keep the biggest parties in power and not at all supported by any facts.
I grew up in a country with PR (The Netherlands) and from experience I can tell you that PR there has resulted in far more progressive politics than FPTP does ANYWHERE else.
Yes, some fringe parties did pick up votes and MPs, but never did this result in any major shifts in toward rightwing policies, so any fear-mongering into such a direction is not supported by facts.
The editorial is proof that the Toronto Star is either overly supportive of the Liberals (only Libs and Cons are the main beneficiaries of the FPTP system), or either completely incompetent when it comes to giving a balanced view on electoral reform (aka democratic deficit).
I'm appalled by the Toronto Star editorial. I thought this was a progressive paper, but apparently it isn't anymore.
Outdated junk.
If a pro-life or Albera First party has enough people that want it in power to get a seat in the government, can someone honestly tell me why they shouldn't?
We may not like their policies, but I thought the point about representative democracy is that *all* widely held points of view were supposed to be represented, even the ones we don't necessarily like.
To Eric,
Based on your blog profile, hopefully you will be supporting STV in BC next may.
Also, if you know these people from the Netherlands, let me know: http://skinnydips.blogspot.com/2008/08/is-er-iemand-in-nederland-weten-deze.html .
To Anonymous,
Agreed. Even our personal opponents deserve fair representation.
Yes, I will support the BC-STV.
I'm sorry, i don't know who these Dutch people are.
Tomorrow, Monday, October 20th, I want to see and hear Stephane Dion proclaiming that he intends to hold on to the Liberal leadership to fight fight fight that "rightwing, neocon, climate change denier Stephen Harper who does not represent Canadian values".
65% of Canadians did not vote for Stephen Harper and the Conservatives, and that is a majority ... a MORAL MAJORITY !
I, Stephane Dion as Liberal leader, intend to lead that Moral Majority to stop Stephen Harper and his climate change deniers who would destroy Canada and the World.
I am on a mission of Truth and Hope and nothing can stop me, for I am still the Leader of the Liberal party, the party that I love and respect, and I love Canada too much to give up and quit.
I shall be the leader of the Moral Majority, and I want to unite all those who are opposed to Stephen Harper and the Conservative agenda. Join me in the fight against those who would make Canada unrecognizable and unlivable. I still have hope for a fairer, richer, greener Canada, and we must not abandon our mission to save Canada because the World is watching us.
Let us unite for we are the MORAL MAJORITY !!
I, Stephane Dion as Liberal leader, intend to lead that Moral Majority to stop Stephen Harper
I would have supported Dion if he had made electoral reform their main priority.
Eric said...
I would have supported Dion if he had made electoral reform their main priority.
..............
What kind of electoral reform ... and don't say PR, because that's a non-starter.
Perhaps there should be political reform on the Left .. with the NDP merging into the Liberal party to eliminate vote splitting and that ludicrous appeal to 'strategic' voting, which is an insult to democracy.
Unite the Left or STFU ..!!!!
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