The first-past-the-post voting system that Canada currently uses results in bogus majorities and bogus mandates.
Since the First World War, Canada has had 17 majority governments. In all 17 elections, one party held a majority of seats and exercised 100 per cent of the power. But just four of these 17 actually won a majority of the popular vote, and it is getting much worse.
Since the mid-1960s, Canada has had eight majority governments, with only one supported by a majority of the voters.
In 1997, the Liberals formed a majority government with just 38 per cent of the popular vote.
In 2011, the Conservatives formed a majority government with only 39.6 percent of the popular vote.
Isn’t it time we switched to a form of proportional representation so all Canadian citizens are represented in government?
Isn’t it time we adopted a voting system that gives voters equal rights and creates legitimate majority governments? Isn’t it time to get rid of first past the post and adopt proportional representation so politicians are accountable to voters?
Jane Weixl
Vernon