Themes from Consultation Meeting in Dryden

This is a summary of thoughts expressed by members of the public who attended this consultation meeting. If a point was made by more than one participant, it is included only once in the summary. The comments below sometimes contradict one another because they reflect the diversity of the viewpoints of participants.

Number of public participants: 7

Thoughts about Principles

Accountability

  • We can hold MPPs accountable at elections.
  • The media helps keep governments accountable.

Effective parliament

  • The opposition is ineffective when the government has a majority and doesn’t have to make compromises.
  • Even with a majority government, the opposition has influence (e.g. on legislative committees).
  • We need MPPs that can work for their ridings, not just vote with their parties.

Effective parties

  • Small parties should be able to gain representation.
  • Smaller parties have their place, but if they are worthwhile they will grow.

Fairness of representation

  • Independent MPPs are more effective because they want to help their ridings, not just be in power.
  • The problem is not getting women elected; when they run, they’re elected. The problem is that parties aren’t nominating enough women.
  • Fair representation of women is coming slowly.
  • People shouldn’t vote for candidates based on gender or ethnicity.
  • One of our problems is the constituency situation; it’s based on population and we are losing our population in the North.
  • The North should have more representatives, even if it creates variations in representation by population.
  • It’s difficult for MPPs to get around their ridings in the North.
  • We could reserve some seats for First Nations representatives—maybe five to provide effective representation.

Simplicity & practicality

  • It is difficult to explain the mechanics of some electoral systems (e.g. STV), and difficult to understand them.
  • Having more than one representative per district might confuse voters.

Stable & effective government

  • I have no problem with minority governments; I like the co-operation.
  • There should be no more majority governments; minorities work better because they need to build consensus.
  • My biggest concern with minority governments is the use of a non-confidence vote at politically convenient times.

Stronger voter participation

  • People don’t vote because they don’t realize that every decision politicians make will have an impact on their lives.
  • People don’t vote because they think no party represents them.
  • People feel their votes don’t count because they do not understand politics.
  • I don’t think people have lost hope in the system. They just aren’t interested.
  • I would love to see compulsory voting. Uninformed people vote now anyway.
  • People should not be forced to vote for someone who doesn’t represent them. If there is compulsory voting, people can still spoil their ballots.

Voter choice

  • More choice might confuse voters.
  • If you want another party, you can start one.
  • There is always the option to vote for an independent.
  • Voters should pick the candidate that best suits them, not the one they think has a chance of winning.

Thoughts about Ontario’s Current Electoral System

Participants highlighted these advantages of First Past the Post:

  • We can hold individual members accountable at elections.
  • Small parties cannot have power without first gaining greater support.

Participants highlighted these disadvantages of the current system:

  • Northern Ontario does not have effective representation because its population is too low.
  • Our opposition is not effective because a (majority) government doesn’t have to make compromises.
  • Small parties aren’t represented.
  • Individual MPPs don’t have enough power or independence.
  • The current system can produce false winners.

Thoughts about Other Systems

Participants made these comments about other systems:

Alternative Vote (AV)

  • AV encourages parties to appeal to a greater base of voters as their second choice. This weakens party control.
  • AV increases proportionality slightly.
  • AV increases voter satisfaction: “He wasn’t my first choice, but at least he wasn’t my last choice.”
  • AV gives both the voter and the MPP a little more power.
  • AV prevents a single party from winning all the seats.

Mixed Member Proportional (MMP)

  • MMP might encourage independent candidates.

Proportional Representation (PR) systems

  • List-PR gives parties too much control over lists; this discourages free thinkers and independents from running.
  • Voters cannot be expected to research all of the candidates on a party list.
  • Regional lists might be too complex for people.
  • PR scares me to death.
  • Many of the arguments for PR have not been analyzed (e.g. that it will increase demographic representation).
  • If you go to PR, you might see more women, but it is an artificial means to solve the problem.
  • I don’t like that small parties with 5% of the seats could have cabinet ministers. It is a problem if they get this kind of power.
  • PR could be much more divisive than our current system.

Other Thoughts

If the Assembly recommends a new system

  • If there is a low turnout in the referendum, 20% of the people could end up choosing a new electoral system.
  • If Southern Ontario thinks it will have less power under a new system, it will not vote for it in the referendum.

Size of the legislature

  • I’m not opposed to increasing the number of MPPs because there’s a huge population in Ontario.
  • What I care about is having effective MPPs, not how many there are.

Other comments

  • It takes an informed public to elect good people.
  • There should be more education of high school students and immigrants about our voting system.
  • Polls should be banned during elections because they’re inaccurate and influence the way people vote.
  • The nomination process is unfair. Even if you change the electoral system, there is no reason to believe the nomination process will change.
  • Majority governments should only receive a two-year mandate. Minorities should have four years because they work more co-operatively with other parties.

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