Proportional voting systems

Re. Poll: Should Canada implement a system of proportional representation for federal elections (Castanet, May

The results of the poll were very encouraging, but not surprising.

The poll confirmed and complemented the results of a very comprehensive national survey conducted by former federal NDP MP and provincial MLA Nathan Cullen some years ago, that established an overwhelming majority of Canadians want some form of a proportional political (voting) system.

A proportional ballot, separating the party vote from the candidate vote, is the only ballot that will completely destroy the incredible lock our party and government leaders over the years have assumed over our current and dysfunctional colonial political system.

Separating those votes is like using two separate ballots, each completely independent of the other. The parties would be awarded the number of seats they should have according to the popular vote, nothing more and nothing less. People could vote for any of the candidates on those ballots, regardless of party associations.

A vote for a party would no longer be a vote for that party’s candidate and a vote for any of the candidates on that ballot would not be a vote for that candidate’s party.

Democracy is all about consensus-based decisions made by the people, not the politicians. An incredible contrast to our current out-of-control “wannabe” dictators in unrestrained pursuit of their distorted dreams and ambitions.

The president of a very dynamic and democratic European Parliament, representing about 375 million eligible voters, has no more power than any of the other 719 members—one vote.

Andy Thomsen