... its adoption by Canada’s largest city could change a great deal — not only in Toronto but across the country.I wish Coyne and other like-minded meddlers (eg. academics and fringe parties) would quit flogging the 'election reform' nag. But, he (and they) won't, so maybe for his next exercise Mr. Coyne could venture beyond the theoretical and analyze actual cases where his suggested reforms have been tried (eg Italy) and what results they've produced. Have they yielded better governments or worse, and by what measures? Have they produced better standards of living? What were the unintended consequences?
... Would Toronto’s adoption of the ranked ballot help or hurt the broader cause of electoral reform? Almost certainly it would help.
... So while a ranked ballot is not proportional representation, it would, crucially, mark the first breach in first-past-the-post’s monopoly in this country. The seal having been broken, the status quo might no longer exert quite the same grip on the public imagination. ...
"One should doubtless keep an open mind...though open at both ends, like the food pipe, and have a capacity for excretion as well as intake." -- Northrop Frye, 'The Great Code'
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Coyne won't quit flogging the 'election reform' horse
For now it's just a proposal to use a ranked or preferential ballot in Toronto city council elections but he's hoping this will stimulate broader reform:
Or Israel with about 27? political parties and yes Italy is a good example..
ReplyDeleteJoeFrmEdm
Isn't this how Christy Clark Stelmach and Redford became leaders of their parties?
ReplyDeleteSo tired of Coyne and his electoral reform obsession.
ReplyDeleteI move on as soon as I see any hint of it in an article.
If the rep by proportion of vote advocates will allow a reduction in the number of reps if the vote falls below 50 % I will entertain a discussion, otherwise fill yer boots.
ReplyDeleteI am totally against PR as in a country as big as Canada it would mean less local representation never mind it would mean fringe parties could have more influence. Ontario and PEI both shot down the idea as did BC with STV.
ReplyDeleteAs for ranked ballots, I favour this as this has never been asked and unlike PR it would make minority governments less not more likely. It would also get rid of the need for strategic voting. While some may say it would end the chance of Conservatives ever winning power again, I would disagree as Australia and France who both use a form of it have had plenty of right of centre governments. For starters the party on the left might take a more leftist approach like they do in France and Australia thus allowing the Tories to pick up some centrist votes they cannot win now.
Canada has 19 registered political parties.
ReplyDeleteThere is a good reason only 5 have any representation in the hose, and only 2 have a large number of seats across Canada.
TangoJuliette sez:
ReplyDeleteI might embrace these p.r. campaigns with more of an open mind if today's Coynes and the rest of today's p.r. cabal could publish copies of their p.r. arguments from those thrilling days of yesteryear when they lobbied for this guff while their librano pals were the 'natural governing party,' with Harper-like 40% of the popular vote.
Granted, one or two of these yahoos may well have published some sort of 'think piece' on this issue, sans much of today's rabid hysterics about the 'death of democracy' bafflegab.
Harper had wanted electoral reform.
ReplyDeleteI think they are pushing this as a technique to ensure that Rob Ford would not get elected again. It also favours an anybody but X campaign especially when the oposition vote is split between the Libs & NDP types in the municipal election.
ReplyDeleteAlso this is a methodology to give "legitimacy" to people who would not have necessarily won.
I am so damned sick of hearing Andrew Cyne's left wing progressive blather. I don't bother to read hi. I hear that he is on CBC a lot as a ..."conservative" coomentator.
ReplyDeleteThe only time I ever know anything about this effete, wealthy elitist is when he is mentioned in blogs ike this one.
Don't read or watch the guy. He's just another insipid, lounge lizard member of the toronto/Ottawa cocktail circuit who thinks he has the divine right to tell others how to live.
Fringe party leaders will argue for any scheme that looks to give them power or influence they cannot get through the regular electoral system.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth May has run for parliament on both coasts as well as central Canada. She colluded with Liberal leader Dion on a non competitive bid on her run in NS. When this proved unsuccessful she maneuvered with the troika leaders of the coalition, for god knows what personal price. Even now she is flogging a one time coalition of the 3 progressive parties to run selected non-competitive candidates to defeat the Harper government.
Rather than present policies which would appeal to a wide cross section the electorate, fringe leaders hope to get elected through such gimmicks.
Coyne doesn't like Harper and has made that qbundantly clear over the last few years. Get over yourself Coyne. Harper will be with us another seven years, and wait until you see what he does with his last four!
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