The Ontario Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform has recommended a new way to vote in Ontario. In a referendum on election day, Wednesday, October 10, we are asked to decide.
I haven’t had time to study the question to my satisfaction. I had asked two experienced and learned in the field to produce but they were otherwise distracted for good reason.
I had been thinking of publishing a telling piece on the subject and would feel guilty for not having come through except for the fact that publicity and discussion are all over the map.
My fundamentally conservative nature is in combat with the excitement that is always generated by consideration of new ideas. So I sit here 51 per cent in favour of the idea.
First-past the post has the attraction of tradition. However, we can’t argue with the fact that, generally speaking, this does leave uncounted thousands without the representation they deserve. For this reason one ballot, two votes make sense. But we don’t live in a black-and-white world.
The problem is that black and white exists only in a society of absolutes, not in a democracy. Who can count the shades of gray that number from black to white? And each with dynamic ambition to prove they represent the gospel.
I understand when a form of the proposed system was introduced in New Zealand, what was a two-party system broke up into a many party system as groups broke off from the parties to which they had been attached. Parliament became a snake pit of contending groups many with differences of style rather than of substance
I’m concerned also by who would make up the so-called List Members. Would they be qualified hard-working members or would they be those who are only good at office politics and win selection by devious means. If the latter, the electorate would be saddled with a glut of useless sluggards until the next time around. I’d feel better having elected representatives who had to fight for their victory rather than by those who got it by slipping through a back door.
Hard work, imagination, and talent, come out in our traditional system. But even here we have our problems.
An urgent problem I have with October 10 vote is that it is sudden death. Why didn’t the electoral reformers argue for a two-election trial? Why didn’t the government put that on the ballot?
By Wednesday, October 10, I’ll probably still be at 51 per cent and will gamble on the common sense of Ontario voters by voting Yes. However, I might, I just might, spoil my ballot by writing Yes — if it’s a two-election trial.
Looking forward
Carl Dow
Editor and Publisher
True North Perspective
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