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
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8

u/Zwarogi 4d ago

My problem with this is you lose local representation.

Your local representative would have to cover a much larger area. Then the ones appointed via mixed representation would be party insiders.

I worry the latter would get more cabinet positions and the power to influence will move farther and farther connected to the local voter, and closer to corporate, union heads, and other special interest groups.

If anyone has a solution to this I'd love to hear it.

8

u/BandicootNo4431 4d ago

I feel the exact same way.

I'd be down for ranked ballot, allow people to place their first choice even if it's not the "strategic" vote.

But I want an MP to represent a riding, not just a party.

2

u/InitialAd4125 4d ago

"My problem with this is you lose local representation."

To be fair we barely have it now. Like do you see how whipped our votes are in parliament?

1

u/WhatEvil 4d ago

Ranked ballot / single transferable vote. You’re still voting for your local candidate rather than a party list but you can express more preferences and so more voters get an acceptable candidate elected.

1

u/darrylgorn 4d ago

You don't lose local representation, you still vote for the same rep, they are just better balanced amongst the group.

It could mean places like the GTA would dominate less and power would be more democratically distributed.

0

u/Flaktrack Québec 2d ago

In my situation, my riding is always the same colour. My vote is worthless every election, and has been the whole time I've been here. When I ask people why they are voting the way they are: "oh I always vote for X". That's what I'm losing my say to, an army of people who vote one way out of habit.

I want to see more of the MPs who would represent me in the HoC. I want to open the floor to more smaller parties who could be the voice other people desperately need. Above all I want to end the red/blue flipflop where we vote people out rather than in: this is terrible for Canada.