I've received an impressive amount of feedback about the Ontario referendum issue, so I think I'll keep posting on this topic when new news items catch my eye.
Hey, here's one: where do the parties stand on this new system? The Globe and Mail reports:
NDP Leader Howard Hampton supports proportional representation, although he has warned that MMP would further enlarge Northern Ontario's already huge provincial ridings. The Liberals and Conservatives have yet to take an official position. But Conservative Leader John Tory has criticized it, saying MPPs should be directly accountable to the voters. He argues proportional representation undercuts the link between voters and legislators. Green Party Leader Frank De Jong supports the new system because it would "improve all politics."
This isn't too surprising: the NDP and Green parties would both benefit from a proportional system, as they consistently win fewer seats than they win in province-wide support. It will be interesting to see whether McGuinty and Tory make any official comments on the new system.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Where the parties stand on MMP
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Tory already said he'd vote no
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/canada/story.html?id=8fcb2fb0-608e-4291-9e86-81b7e84f3ca0
I just received my voter card in the mail today and in it came a brochure on the referendum. It clarifies a few points raised in the initial debate.
On the selection of the list members, "Before an election, parties would publicly nominate candidates as list members and describe how they were chosen." - So basically list members are chosen with justification provided by the party. Hmmm, might leave the door open to rampant abuse and political patronage
All in all, this brochure makes the mixed member system out to be pretty complicated, using four paragraphs to explain what the FPTP system explains in one. I'm afraid that John Q. Public may simply gloss over this and vote to stick with the system they already know.
Matt- thanks for the update on Tory. I note from your link, though, that he hasn't taken an official stand against the MMP system, but certainly he's signalled strongly that he has reservations about it. I wonder if McGuinty will do likewise.
Al- sorry to hear that the literature on the new system is unclear. The odds are stacked against MMP- to pass, the referendum needs 60% popular support, and a majority of support in 60% of the ridings. Tough to achieve. I hope we'll see some more public advertising on the topic as the campaign continues.
And I agree with your concern about the nomination process.
Post a Comment