Nikalas Kryzanowski, News Editor

news @theotherpress.ca

 

 

Every vote does not count, Say critics
Experts, politicians divided over proportional representation 2, toa: Dyck, me uniter

Wines (CUP) - In a political system where majority dictates which parties
are represented in Parliament, critics say a spectrum of political views and leanings go
unrepresented.

Canada’s current electoral system dictates that the party that receives the most votes in any
riding wins. This electoral system, in a nutshell, is called first-past-the-post.

Larry Gordon, executive director of Fair Vote Canada, says it’s not good enough.

“The NDP got a million more votes than the Bloc, but the Bloc got twice as many seats,”
said Gordon. “The biggest flaw of first-past-the-post is that it rarely produces an outcome
proportional to the vote,” said Christopher Leo, a politics professor at the University of
Winnipeg.

“In first-past-the-post voting systems, the majority of ballots don’t elect anybody,” said
Gordon. “First-past-the-post is not firmly anchored in democratic principles.”

According to Gordon, proportional representation is a voting system that gives every vote
equal consideration. Parliament, under proportional representation, would be a democratic
representation of every vote cast; if the Green party receives 30 per cent of the popular vote

nationwide, then the Green Party would represent that 30 per cent in the House of Commons.

A form of proportional representation is used in over 80 countries, Gordon says. However,
how seats are divvied up depends on the country, and a Canadian method of assigning
members of Parliament would need to be devised if the country were to adopt proportional
representation.

While electoral reform is an important matter for many, others hold tight to the current
first-past-the-post system. “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” said Marcelle Marion, Liberal
candidate for Winnipeg North. “Changing the system to proportional representation is a little
delusional.” Speaking from the kind of legislative paralysis that Canadians are experiencing
with their current minority government, Marion argues that with proportional representation,
the smaller parties would keep the larger parties from doing their jobs. “Proportional
representation does not account for regional diversity,” added Marion.

Regional diversity, argues Gordon, is tearing Canada country apart. Not all Albertans
are Conservative and not all of Ontarians are Liberal, yet under first-past-the-post, he says
Canadians are led to believe they are. Both Leo and Gordon agree that with proportional

(University of Winnipeg)

representation, Parliament would resemble a minority government.

“Proportional representation produces the danger of instability, but we’ve got that now,
how much worse can it get?” said Leo.

According to Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP candidate for Winnipeg North, her party has been
actively engaged in trying to pass their own brand of proportional representation, but without
success. “Proportional representation would send a message to Canadians that your vote
really does count,” said Wasylycia-Leis.

 

Fair Représentation
Vote équitable
Canada au Canada

 

What's your issue, Port Moody-Westwood-Port Coquitlam?

By Matthew Steinbach

 

Left: Ron McKinnon
Right: Rod Brindamour

Fee at The Other Press, we had an opportunity to discuss education with the candidates in the
Port-Moody-Westwood-Port Coquitlam riding to find out what they would do for Douglas College
students if elected. This riding includes the David Lam Campus within its catchment area.

Ron McKinnon (Liberal)
McKinnon would like to simplify taxes to make it easier for students to qualify for education and

tax credits. He would like to make the education credits become education grants, which would be

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