[Newsbot]

Title: PM Justin Trudeau backs away from electoral reform pledge | CTV News
Category: Political
Posted By: uwish
Date: 2016-10-19 13:57:27
Canadian

[Robair]

Uh, escuse me? What's good for the goose...
That pisses me off! So much for your principles.

[andyt]

Well, that was predicted.

[Freakinoldguy]

Good for him.

[Thanos]

So much the better because it was a dumb pledge anyway. Just more of this "youthful Canada" bullshit that doesn't apply in the slightest to a mature country. Vote in the existing system or don't. Big fucking deal. It's not obligated to be changed to satisfy every wide-eyed dreamer that comes along every cycle.

[Freakinoldguy]

Got this in the mail today.

$1:

Dear XXXXX,

Over the summer and early fall, our MPs consulted with Canadians on Liberal changes to our elections and to our democracy. We knew our process of mailing Canadians directly would engage many more people than the government’s town hall meetings.

More than 81,000 Canadians from 59 electoral districts took the time to respond to surveys sent to them by their Conservative MP!

And Canadians they voted overwhelmingly in support of a referendum.

Over 90% of respondents - 73,740 of 81,389 Canadians - told us they wanted a referendum!


Support for a referendum is consistent across genders and age groups, and a clear majority of supporters of ALL political parties support a referendum.

Despite this huge consensus, our Conservative Party the ONLY party that is actively fighting for a referendum.

Thank you for your support,

The Demand A Referendum Team

[andyt]

Well, at least this will spare us a stupid referendum. Reforming the vote was an election pledge, the Libs have a solid majority, so if they want to change the system, they should just do it.

[Thanos]

Which brings us to the kind of American-style gerrymandering and "re-arranging" designed solely to benefit the current party in power. Anything this significant should be subject to the entire constitutional re-negotiation process, including a referendum.

[PublicAnimalNo9]

We need some level of reform though. I'd like to see a two ballot vote. One vote for PM/Premier and one vote for MP/MPP.

[llama66]

Call me crazy, but wouldn't proportional representation end Majority goverments, and force the parties to work together? (In theory at least)

[DrCaleb]

PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:

We need some level of reform though. I'd like to see a two ballot vote. One vote for PM/Premier and one vote for MP/MPP.

There already are. The party members vote for Leader, and the citizens vote for MP/MLA.

llama66 llama66:

Call me crazy, but wouldn't proportional representation end Majority goverments, and force the parties to work together? (In theory at least)

Most scenarios have it this way, yes. Wouldn't that be awesome!!?

[Canadian_Mind]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:

We need some level of reform though. I'd like to see a two ballot vote. One vote for PM/Premier and one vote for MP/MPP.

There already are. The party members vote for Leader, and the citizens vote for MP/MLA.

llama66 llama66:

Call me crazy, but wouldn't proportional representation end Majority goverments, and force the parties to work together? (In theory at least)

Most scenarios have it this way, yes. Wouldn't that be awesome!!?

Best federal years in recent memory were when Martin's Liberals and Harper's Conservatives had minority governments.

[bootlegga]

Frankly, I think we need some sort of reform, because it's ridiculous that conservative voters in Toronto/Vancouver as well as liberal voters in the Prairie provinces have next to no representation in Parliament.

[DrCaleb]

bootlegga bootlegga:

Frankly, I think we need some sort of reform, because it's ridiculous that conservative voters in Toronto/Vancouver as well as liberal voters in the Prairie provinces have next to no representation in Parliament.

I agree, but for true reform, it has to come from all parties. Kudos to Trudeau to appoint a committee where all parties have equal say; but they are never going to agree on a single system that all Canadians would adopt through referendum.

Which I think is why he's throwing in the towel.

[martin14]

llama66 llama66:

Call me crazy, but wouldn't proportional representation end Majority goverments, and force the parties to work together? (In theory at least)

I have been in Europe long enough to tell you without hesitation:

You don't want PR.

The small parties, having to cater to one interest loudmouths, and the
under the table corruption that has to be done to get support to make a government
has the turned the whole system into an unbelievable clusterfuck across many Euro
countries.

Trust me, the best arrangement is in Belgium, where it is so screwed up,
they usually don't have a government these days.

FPTP is really the best way.