I’m annoyed. Frustrated, even.
We had a federal election today in Canada. Because we have a multi-party system, it is possible for us to have a minority government, which is what we have had in all three of the last elections. In of itself, this is not a bad thing. It can mean greater accountability and the need for increased co-operation between parties in order to get bills passed.
It can also mean instability and a lack of confidence within the ruling party. Because of a desire for a more definite mandate, and for other reasons I don’t fully fathom, the current Prime Minister decided to call an election early.
For the last 6 weeks, we have been immersed in election merde from all sides- the Americans are (and have been, seemingly forever) leading up to their election, municipal elections are coming (although I don’t know when) and this last minute federal nonsense.
Voter turn-out appears to have been at an all-time low for this federal election. Indeed!
The popular vote belies the results within the ridings. For instance, the New Democratic Party, represented right across the country, pulled in approximately 18% of the popular vote, but only 12% of the elected seats. The Bloc Quebecois, running candidates in only one province (75 out of 308 ridings), picked up less than 10% of the popular vote, but holds nearly 16% of the seats.
As I said, I’m frustrated.
I need us to move forward with an electoral system that allows me to vote for 3 things: the leader of my choice, the party of my choice and the local candidate of my choice. I need our actual votes as they are cast to bear some relationship to which officials are elected. I would like to see some kind of meaningful democratic electoral process; maybe we would then see improved voter turn-out and a whole lot less dissatisfaction with government and elections.
A-Political?
1 comment:
I thought there was some group in BC that was supposed to be working on electoral reform? Where did that ever go?
None the less, I hear you.
I have repeatedly cast my ballot for one of the minor party's candidate for the last I don't know how many elections, even though I know it's in vain.
They say in rural Alberta, you could dress up a bale of hay in conservative blue, run it and get it elected. A few years ago the riding boundaries were revised and now, where we live, we're part of a riding that runs from just east of Edmonton/Sherwood Park clear to the Alberta/Sask border! Yeah, like we're getting a lot of attention from either our MP or Ottawa.
The incumbent (Tory) MP was re-elected with something like 77 percent of the votes. Ugh.
The one surprise - locally - was seeing Raheem Jaffir go down to defeat at the hands of an NDP candidate. I know of one co-worker and at least one of my kids who helped make that happen. So that will make someone sit up and take notice. Hopefully.
You are right about our system. The "first past the post" is total bullshit. But it won't change anytime soon, I bet, because it's advantageous to those who want the power.
What you describe, I believe, is similar to what is done in Germany. I think it works out quite well there.
Oh well, I guess we would have to get more involved to try to effect change, eh? And who has the time for that?
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