If its broken, fix it , says A. Coyne

More of Andrew Coyne on electoral systems:

Democracy, as everyone knows, is a system of majority rule. It is a system marked by free and fair elections between rival political parties, their success or failure depending on the number of votes they can attract. It is a system in which every adult citizen has an equal say in choosing who should represent them.

By every one of these definitions, Canada, under the electoral system in use today, is not a democracy....

By every one of these definitions, Canada, under the electoral system in use today, is not a democracy. We are not governed by majorities, competition between parties is not free and fair, nor do their relative fortunes depend on their popularity with the voters. Most striking of all, we do not give every citizen equal say at election time. Everyone may get one vote, that is true. But some votes count more than others. Some -- most, in fact -- do not count at all.

Don Ferguson on MMP

This is pro-MMP sketch paid by...?



H/T Andrew Coyne

Straight talk does make a difference.

Email from a Windsor-Tecumseh Voter who attended the debate on Tuesday night at the Serbian Center:

to John Curtin, FCP Candidate for Windsor-Tecumseh,

From my perspective you won the debate at the Serbian Centre.

Not because you were cute, or sweet, or polished, but because you were direct, honest, and sincere. To answer when you know your answer will displease certain audiences is the mark of a 'square shooter'.

My wife and I are both upset with the current educational system. I am Anglican and she was raised Orthodox so arguably we could find the Catholic system to be an OK option. However if religion is to be in the schools we feel it should be equally available to all religions, else there should be none of it and a family matter. This is a very personal and private matter for people and their families and should not be a subject of debate or oppression. Christianity teaches we all should do the right but we are all capable and allowed to do wrong. We must however take the responsibility for all our actions and live with the consequences which while on this earth would include the pain of damaged relationships, damaged health, as well as those things legal.

We therefore found some good in Mr. Tories promise. You have indicated that your party proposes a voucher system. This is what we feel absolutely to be the best. No large number of parents are going to put their children into a bad school. When they make these choices it will ensure the family is more deeply involved in the future success of their young. We see that where faith or specialty (e.g. music) education is chosen it will be more affordable to the parents and will offer some competition to the teacher's unions that are milking the tax cow to the limit. We visited the Pushkin School in York (a private school) and were amazed to find that while some of the teachers were not rated as qualified by the Public Standards, that in fact the students were winning scholarships and scoring way above all Provincial Averages. The parents of these children eventually were no longer able to afford the cost and ultimately the school had to close.

I truly wish all real conservatives could coalesce into a single party but I guess with the Fiscal, Social, Red, Blue, Democratic and other labels it is not going to happen. We are now considering which choice to make on Oct. 10.

Vote No if you are pro-abortion

From The Windsor Star Thursday editorial:

"(...)While a proportional system would make it easier for new parties, like the Green Party for example, to gain a legislative footing, it would also make it easier for one-issue parties to do the same.

That raises a scenario whereby an anti-abortion party, for example, could hold the balance of power in the legislature."

The Windsor Star editorial

Among their arguments The Windsor Star is bringing up the boogeyman of one issue pro-life party. Such party does not exist. The only "anti-abortion" party in Ontario Family Coalition Party has well developed policies that would bring prosperity to Ontarians thanks to increased government accountability, parental choice and increased standards in education, and resolve healthcare crisis through use of Medical Saving Accounts. It would cut taxes and increase funding to the frontline workers by limiting mushrooming bureaucracies in public service. However right in their platform they proudly proclaim to be pro-life, pro-family. Scary stuff.

However The Windsor Star is right to point out that voting for MMP would give pro-life pro-family voters a chance to finally have their representation in the parliament.

One of the arguments of Real Women of Canada against MMP is the fact that far left groups support the electoral change. You can turn this argument around and see who they have joined on the NO side:

anti-Christian bigot Gord Henderson of The Windsor Star

pro-culture of death Liberal Party of Ontario

pro-culture of death Ontario Progressive Conservative Party

Did you wonder why there is so little information in public domain on the electoral reform? Who benefits most from the current system?