Mark Carney’s new majority government should spark renewed calls for electoral reform

https://theconversation.com/mark-carneys-new-majority-government-should-spark-renewed-calls-for-electoral-reform-280499

26 Comments

  1. free-canadian on

    The Liberals would’ve lost 2019 and 2021 if it wasn’t for FPTP. They’re never letting it go, get over it.

  2. TheOtherSackville on

    I have never forgiven Justin Trudeau for his bait-and-switch promise of electoral reform. Rat bastard.

  3. Why do we keep calling it a ‘new’ government? It’s the same ministers who just swapped positions

  4. The--Majestic--Goose on

    People need to start forcing the issue. Contact your MP, and your MLA or MPP. Let them know you give a damn about democracy and want to see a more representative system. Proportional representation is objectively more fair and democratic. Even though a majority of Liberals don’t support it, many of them do. Public pressure can make a difference. Fairvote.ca is a great resource for everything related to proportional representation in this country, and a good way to stay up to date with the latest news on electoral reform.

  5. > a greater number of political parties have smaller portions of seats, and must negotiate among themselves to form a coalition majority government or support a minority government on a case-by-case basis.

    Anyone that believes this would be a better system is completely naive. Having to keep everyone’s interests in mind to get anything done is a perfect recipe for stagnation.

    I can’t think of anything worse than to have to appease a bunch of small fringe factions to get anything done

  6. Canuckleball on

    The next time the Liberals need the NDP to prop up a minority, they need to play hardball on proportional representation. No other demands, no referendum, no committees, adopt either URP or MMP for the next federal election or good luck passing any legislation. 

  7. No FPTP elected party will change the system in a way to ensure they cannot get a majority again by changing the system.

    Even in provinces where the NDP is in charge, they are still using FPTP (though BC did try to push for STV and failed)

  8. SyrGwynHeroofAshvale on

    Despite what we say online, the Canadian people have proven time and time again that they’re not willing to accept any type of electoral reform.

  9. moxievernors on

    It’s also a call for reform in how Parliament and the parties operate. MPs in the UK and Australia have a lot more power within the party structure. Here they’re just sheep required to vote the party line as needed.

    We need more free votes and less top down party discipline. Backbenchers should be free to publicly dissent from their leadership without automatically being punished. MPs should be representing their riding in Parliament, not the voice of the party speaking back to their constituents. And this is true for all parties. Justin had a reputation for ignoring his MPs, and the current slate of floor crossers obviously feel the same way about Pierre.

    Not that the electoral system doesn’t need changing, but that’s not the only thing.

  10. It’s never going to happen.

    Why would anyone who benefits from our broken electoral system (by being voted in) do anything to fix it?

  11. I’m all for electoral reform but maybe this wouldn’t have occurred had conservatives, including PP, voted yes instead of no on the NDP bill to stop floor crossings…

  12. GhettoLennyy on

    Thing is Canadians didn’t vote for a liberal majority. I have no opinion on if the majority will be bad or good, I can only say it wasn’t voted for

  13. *Should* do the right thing.
    Is it true only Canada, the US and England use first past the post anymore? I don’t know about you but the United States and England are not fairing well and Canada is under threat. The Liberals owe us for their majority, and it should be something we really want, which is election reform… it’s quid pro quo.

  14. Hey, 2015 was the last election under first-past-the-post system, so no issues there!

  15. The silent majority of Canadians don’t believe this is a priority right now.

    It is clear by the polls that Carney would win a majority anyway so there wouldn’t be any change. It clearly wouldn’t shut Poileive up – he’d find something else to complain about I’m sure. It’s in his nature.