four out ten not good enough

This election is one that will shape the Canada for years to come. It appears that Harper will form at least a minority government and what happens when he does is vital to the future. In normal times Canadians would not be voting for Harper and in large part they are voting against the Liberals rather than for Harper and his policies.

Canadians have supported political parties that are on the whole not seen as extreme. This time out we have a huge dilemma. The Liberals have disgraced themselves so much, it has too be hard foe any self respecting Liberal to look in a mirror. After 13 years in government we see the Liberals broken promises and abuses of our trust. There is no way most Canadians could support them. In fact they never have had the support of most Canadians.

The Liberal party has garnered less than four votes out ten while receiving three majority governments and one minority. A solid majority of Canadians never supported the Liberals. Our electoral system gave them the privilage to rule and they have acted as if they have devine right to do as they please.

Lets look to Alberta for a moment. In this province about five out of ten people vote for someone other than Conservative. Yet only two Alberta seats went to non Conservative candidates. We all know Alberta as a whole is more conservative than the rest of Canada, yet close to 50% of people that vote in Alberta vote for something else. Should their votes mean less than those that voted Conservative?

Campaigns work on numbers as a result. We don't need to talk to all the people in a riding, just those in our universe and try not to make those opposed to us mad enough to vote. So we identify the vote then work like hell to get these people to vote on election day. This formula usually means that if four people out of ten people to vote for us, we win the election. All you need to secure victory is 36 to 40% of votes cast.

In 80% of local elections the winning candidate has only managed the support of four out of ten. Lets put those 10 voters in a room and ask them if it is right that four people can speak for the other six. Does it seem democratic that the six people are now on the outside having to accept whatever the four want to do?

Now as we head into this election the Conservatives will likely win a minority. They too will have less than four in ten votes. If Conservatives manage four out of ten Stephen Harper will have a majority government and like the Liberals will act as if they have been given a mandate by the Canadian people for their policies.

The Liberals and Conservatives have been served well by this 12th century voting system. They have little motivation to change, it serves their purposes and their financial backers interests. Canadians are waking up as the Liberals are now finding out. They can't treat us like children anymore.

The best result will be a minority government, be it Conservative led or Liberal. That will be the basis of future change in Canada. Such a government would have to then be required to embrace the other Canadians in the room. It seems to be the only way we can force them to listen until we change the system. Changing the electoral system and ethics ought then to be the number one goal of those elected.


Election, Liberal Party, Jack Layton, NDP, Canada, Politics, Conservative Party of Canada, Stephen Harper