Another Canadian electoral reform expert – Professor Dennis Pilon from the University of Victoria – urges Ontarions to vote for MMP in the referendum:
The proportional representation system that Ontarians have an opportunity to approve during the Oct. 10 referendum is simple, modest, and addresses many of the major problems with contemporary Ontario democracy that have long been identified by academics and political commentators from right to left. Imagine more accurate election tallies, a more competitive political environment where every vote would count for something, and better representation of Ontario’s diversity. These are not hypothetical possibilities, but the actual experience of countries similar to Canada that have proportional representation, as documented in a considerable body of academic research.
Professor Pilon goes on in his special op-ed column in the Star to debunk some fables he says are being used to defend the current First-Past-The-Post system as well as to attack MMP. A good column well worth the read.
Wow! Who could turn down the utopia that Pilon describes under proportional representation?
Some academic.
Recall and more referendum will not be supported by the main parties or the mainstream media
Instead of MPP I would like to have more Binding referendums on specific questions . I can’t agree for diluting depersonalizing the mainstream party ideas . While i see how backbenchers became" nobodies " still going in ONE DIRECTION at times is better then going all directions all the time .. democracy is far from perfect I agree…
More Free Votes may be helpful also Recalls should be easier to do.
Outright Lies and flip flops should be a base for prompt recalls.. that would empower the electorat .. !!!
Marta
[…] That having been accomplished, the small matter of convincing the voting population as a whole remains. Right on cue, we have very smart people telling us that Utopia waits just around the corner from a “Yes” vote and that sticking with SMP would be the worst possible thing that could happen to Ontario. Professor Dennis Pilon, PhD, breathlessly invites us to “imagine!“: Imagine more accurate election tallies, a more competitive political environment where every vote would count for something, and better representation of Ontarios diversity. These are not hypothetical possibilities, but the actual experience of countries similar to Canada that have proportional representation, as documented in a considerable body of academic research. (h/t) […]