Briefly, I want to say that a government is like a meal -- it
needs to have a number of major elements made more interesting by
minor additions in order to be balanced and palatable.
First past the post elections no longer produce balance in
government nor do they reflect the expressed wishes of the voters.
Even more important perhaps, such elections prevent new voices from
being heard. Take the Green Party for example; a vote for the
Greens may split the Left and is therefore seen not only as a
throw-away vote, but as a vote against NDP in their fight for
seats. Such a situation does a disservice to the policies of each
party. We need all voices to be heard in due proportion, then,
perhaps, our complex society can achieve some sort of steady
government which allows all of us to thrive. Your Assembly is the
first step towards that goal.
Thank you all for your time and your thoughtfulness.
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