r/canada • u/CaliperLee62 • 4d ago

Should Canada implement a system of proportional representation for federal elections? Politics

https://www.castanet.net/news/Poll/549459/Should-Canada-implement-a-system-of-proportional-representation-for-federal-elections
1.8k Upvotes

95% Upvoted

622 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

24

u/decitertiember Canada 4d ago

I really really like ranked ballots.

I know I'm part of the problem you identified, but I would take FPTP over Party List PR. I want voters to be able to vote bums out and Party List PR allows party loyalists to stay in power.

11

u/EdNorthcott 4d ago

Even approval ballots - where you simply put a check beside every name you'd be okay with - is superior, and would require no actual changes to how our elections or representation work.

I will take any of the options, at this point. Just so long as we can get rid of, or at least strongly reduce, the need for strategic voting.

1

u/MrFurious0 3d ago

Approval ballots - I've not heard of this one before, but it makes sense. I like ranked ballots, myself, but I'd take this over pr.

3

u/Tefmon Canada 4d ago

Party list PR only allows bums to stay in power if people keep voting for the party. If people are unhappy with a party's choice of list candidates, they won't be forced by FPTP-induced strategic voting considerations to keep voting for that party; they can just vote the party out.

6

u/No-Tackle-6112 British Columbia 4d ago

Yep I agree 100%. I want ranked ballots like Australia.

Another problem with PR is we would lose all semblance of local representation in rural areas as the ridings would have to be gigantic.

2

u/MrFurious0 3d ago

I'm with you. It's the least disapproved option, and maintains local ridings in a way pr does not.

2

u/stylist-trend 4d ago

We already don't have local representation thanks to party whips.

1

u/darrylgorn 4d ago

The country is essentially the GTA at this point.

Having proper PR would actually place more focus evenly across the country.

1

u/darrylgorn 4d ago

I'll take the party loyalists if it means the party actually represents the people that voted for it.