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Submission RICHES-1219 (Online)

Submission By Michael Riches
AddressVancouver, BC, Canada
Organization
Date20040812
CategoryElectoral system change
Abstract
Aside from Approvial voting, my second choice is for the preferential ballot [AV], and my third choice is no change at all.  I believe PR will be worse or equally as bad as the system currently in place, but for different reasons. [2 pages]

Submission Content
I would like to express my opposition to proportional representation.  As this has been the dominant matter in this assembly, I would first like to list my reasons for opposing it before stating my preference for reform.

The reasons why I am against Proportional Representation:

  1. It will put unelected members in parliament.  To even out the number of MPs in the house to match percentage of votes, unelected members not chosen by the public will be granted seats in the House of Commons.  This is inherently undemocratic.
  2. It will encourage patronage.  The appointed MPs could be the chosen favourites of the party leaders, people who may be appointed in return for their favours or service.
  3. It will take away the power of rural voters and put it in the hands of urban areas.  In our system now, each riding has roughly the equivalent amount of voters (with some exceptions).  This creates a balance.  Because every seat counts, parties must address rural concerns (such as agriculture, fishing, forestry, railways).  With proportional representation, parties will focus on courting votes mostly in areas with the highest concentration of voters; cities.  Which leads to the next point:
  4. Proportional is a subjective term; Proportional Representation will create disproportion in other areas.  Currently, when majority governments are elected with a minority of votes, it's because they won by large margins in the cities and slim margins in rural areas.  This fact forces parties to campaign everywhere and make every riding count.  While the current system isn't proportional in terms of votes, it is proportional in making sure that urban votes are considered to be of equal importance as the city votes.
  5. I have the common concerns about Proportional Representation perhaps causing unstable minority governments on a frequent basis.
My preference for reform:

Although I am fully in favour of a Preferential Ballot [the Alternative Vote, AV], I have another idea which would cost Elections Canada nothing, and would require only one minor change in our election laws: Let voters put an X beside more than one name on a ballot [Approval voting].

It's similar to preferential balloting in that it gives voters more than one choice.  Say there's 10 names on the ballot, the voter thinks two or three of them would equally be good MPs, so they can vote for whomever they feel is qualified [approve of].  The person with the most votes still wins in a first-past-the-post style, but it relieves voters of the need to vote strategically.

Aside from this idea, my second choice is for the Preferential Ballot, and my third choice is no change at all.  I believe Proportional Representation will be worse or equally as bad as the system currently in place, but for different reasons.

I also believe voting should be mandatory by law.

I hope my thoughts are useful in this forum.

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