What kind of electoral system allows a Doug Ford, who’s PCs captured 61% of the seats in the Ontario legislature with only 41% of the votes? Or, more recently, François Legault’s CAQ to capture 59% of the seats in Quebec with only 37% of the votes? Well, the same electoral system that put Trump in the White House: First Past the Post (FPP). Most democracies in the world actually have turned thumbs down on FPP (e.g. New Zealand in 1996) in favour some form of proportional representation; that is, where seats in parliament are allocated in proportion to the votes cast. What a novel idea…
So why am I writing this? Simple. My wife and I retired to BC in 2016. And, guess what’s happening here this fall? BC’s Attorney General, David Eby, has promised a provincial referendum on electoral reform. Some claim it’s not clear that voters will understand why it’s needed.
Look east and south! I rest my case.
Fingers, toes, and eyes crossed. I’ll keep you posted.
Update – December 20, 2018.
The people have spoken. For the third time in 13 years, BC voters have rejected electoral reform. With over 61% choosing to stay with the first-past-the-post system, it is sadly time to rest my case for good.
