It is shameful that Canada and its provinces still use the
ancient and outmoded "first past the post" electoral system when
most modern democracies have implemented some form of proportional
representation or "mixed" proportional representation
system. Our provincial, national and global reality is
an increasing diversity of voices and needs that cannot be
adequately and justly served by the current system. In
British Columbia, we have seen that barely half of voters can
support one party, yet that same party can win 77 of 79 seats -- an
egregious imbalance that can seriously impair accountability.
Eventually this could lead to the erosion of the multi-party
system and culminate in a two-party horse race. In B.C.
we have already endured the seesaw instability of successive
governments caused by "strategic voting": casting ballots against
one bad or ineffective government after another, instead of voting
for the candidate, platform or party of the voter's true choice.
Voters have a right to expect their vote represents their true
values, beliefs and attitudes; otherwise if the electorate feels
its vote is wasted, this only encourages voter apathy.
Some feel that a more proportional system would lead to
coalition-style government, but this is not necessarily any less
stable than the dramatic swings between polar ideologies and
policies we now experience every few years. Coalitions
may have more incentive to seek common ground and find ways to
achieve consensus and compromise. Instead, the current
system encourages an adversarial approach. Members work
to undermine or undo whatever the ruling party has enacted and
focus on getting (re) elected, rather than focus on governing
effectively.
Proportionality, choice, stability, institutional reform and local
links are not inherently incompatible goals. In the
words of Seneca, "It is not because things are difficult that we do
not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult."
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