this post was submitted on 21 Oct 2024
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Its always the powerful rich few pushing for referendums so they can fear monger against a fairer electoral system to doom it. We deserve proportional representation without a referendum as most countries that got pr through multiparty support.
I'd agree with referendums, if they were widely used in other issues. Like, what would the referendum on the Greenbelt look like? What about Ontario Place? What about the sneaking privatization of our public healthcare systems? What about Doug Ford himself?
Referendums for electoral reform are really just a way for the government/establishment to look like they are fulfilling a campaign promise, without actually improving the system. It's worse than virtue signalling, cause after a (failed) referendum, it harms the PR movement. Even though it can be demonstrated that PR is mathematically superior to FPP...
And also, why do we pay our representatives in the first place? It's their job to understand the policies and issues such as proportional representation, then act in the best interests of their constituents. Obviously, ensuring every vote counts, and no group holds disproportionate power is something that improves our democratic institutions, and improving democratic institutions benefits constituents.
Anyway, that's why I keep pushing. PR proponents are holding the torch until that fateful day comes where PR is enacted.
I'm speaking from the british columbian perspective here:
True referendums can also be a set back as most people will claim "why bring up this issue when we just had a referendum". But its been 6 years from the 2018 one in BC and in the past there was a referendum on pr 4 years after the 2005 one.
The NDP and Conservatives must be forced to work with the Greens to pass Proportional representation without a referendum or else the general strike must be held until they stop both stop acting so blatantly corrupt.
Somebody needs to just enact PR. I think with the most recent BC election, there's no reason Greens shouldn't attempt to force PR. The Greens should be aggressive and use their balance of power, otherwise they might face extinction under Duverger's law.
I've also thought it might be a good idea if parties work together, not to split the vote. So for BC, Greens could get the island (and not run candidates in the mainland), while NDP for mainland (and not run candidates on the Island). They are more alike than they are different.
I like the general strike idea, but it needs to be coordinated. We've been too conditioned to accept our broken FPP system.
I've also been thinking about PR for civil society for example with the Council of Canadians.