The party has obtained a 500 page book on Harper's quotes. No, not the visionary, good ones, but the controversial ones. All compiled by the Tories back in 2003. My personal favourite is:
"It's [proportional representation] certainly an option. Electoral reform is an option is an option I would look at. Proportional representation probably wouldn't be my first choice, but it's something that I think the party should look at as an option and I think we should change the current system."
So, where is my rep-by-pop? Harper did not make one attempt to change the current system since he took power. With the rise of the NDP, the first-past-the post system now favours the Conservatives who can rule with a plurality in many ridings that they would not have under PR or at least Instant Run-Off. Stephen Harper was right: the FPTP vote is unfair. We must install a new, fairer method of election.
But, has this breakthrough came to late in the election campaign? We will only know on election night. With the Liberals looking pretty dim in the polls, we must hope that these quotes can help the "boot Harper out" cause.
You can download the book here.
Well, for all of your stressing of the need for democratic reform of the system, with STV, IRV, and all the other possibilities, the Liberal platform contained a grand total of: 0. It contained 0 mentions of changing the voting system from FPTP, 0 mentions of FPTP being unfair, and only 1 mention that there was a problem (linked to low voter turnout, for which the solution was internet voting). In a quasi-defence of the Liberals, I only read the section entitled Canada Makes the Rules: Respecting and Renewing our Democracy. Maybe it was filed incorrectly.
ReplyDeleteWay too late..
ReplyDeleteIt might as well have been a book full of diefenbaker zingers.
The Australian way of voting is better for a country our size than the New Zealand's way of PP........ Hsrper's view on Private Health looks good
ReplyDelete