Dear sir:
The editorial “Save Our Voice” (Sept. 26) urges voters in the riding of Kenora-Rainy River to vote “no” to the proposed Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) voting system on Oct. 10.
Under MMP, the at-large MPPs, some of whom may be northerners, do have a constituency—it is the province of Ontario.
They are elected and accountable to the voters throughout the province who used their preferred party vote to not only endorse the party but also the party’s list, which must be published in advance of the election.
Unfortunately, the McGuinty government has cleverly crafted the referendum question so that voters must choose between the current voting system and the proposed MMP voting system.
A “no” vote must be a vote for the existing voting system.
Rather than being scared into voting “yes” to the status quo for fear of possibly losing a couple of seats in the north, voters in the riding of Kenora-Rainy River may wish to consider how well the current voting system has served their interests.
In 1995, under the present voting system, a Conservative government obtained 63 percent of the seats and 100 percent of the power with only 45 percent of the popular vote.
That government rammed through the legislation which created the ridiculously vast constituency of Kenora-Rainy River—a land mass larger than France.
This would not likely have occurred under MMP.
In 2003, the present voting system awarded the McGuinty Liberals 70 percent of the seats in the legislature with only 46 percent of the popular vote.
The NDP, the only party headed by a northerner who also happens to be the sitting member for Kenora-Rainy River, obtained 15 percent of the popular vote but garnered only seven percent of the seats (seven seats, with three of them from the north) and lost official party status.
This would not have happened under MMP.
Our present voting system regularly produces such distorted and unfair results. Now that’s really scary!
(Signed),
Stan Jolly
Toronto, Ont.
Vote For MMP campaign
volunteer organizer for
Northwestern Ontario
Featured
- #Ukraine
- #findajobWhether you are unemployed, underemployed, a student, an employer or an employee! NCDS‘ is here to help YOU! (807) 274-2282 | www.ncds4jobs.ca | 300 Scott St. Fort Frances This Employment Ontario Service is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario
- #COVID-19
- #Get-The-Times!
- #Graduation2024
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
