It’s not a fair horse race

Islanders need to start paying attention to the upcoming democratic renewal plebiscite and the debate on whether the province needs some form of electoral reform

Drew MacEachern, left, stops by to talk about electoral reform on P.E.I. with Taya Nabuurs and Justin Clory of Elections P.E.I. They were at a public information display in Confederation Court Mall recently. to get into what the options mean. To find out voters will need to do some homework and check out the Elections P.E.I. website, visit an Elections P.E.I. information session or attend upcoming public meetings on the issue.

As always, getting the public engaged is a challenge but that shouldn’t surprise anyone. Asked to list their pressing concerns, for example rising taxes, health-care issues, trying to get around construction projects to get to work on time, etc., electoral reform isn’t high on the list of most Islanders’ priorities.

Our current political system, First-Past-the-Post (FPP), has served the province well through the years by producing stable governance. But it’s a harsh system in the sense that anyone who gains 50 per cent plus one of the votes wins, regardless if the person won 50.1 per cent or 85 per cent. And in cases where someone did win just over 50 per cent of the vote, who represents the 40-plus per cent of other voters? Under FPP, no one really does.

The knock on the current system is it doesn’t allow for a diversity of voices, a.k.a. parties, in the legislature so the new options are aimed at producing a legislature that more accurately reflects the results of the vote.

P.E.I. legislatures have always featured a Liberal or Progressive Conservative government. Peter Bevan Baker of the Green Party surprised many in 2015 by winning a rare third-party seat, and New Democrat Herb Dickieson pulled a similar surprise a few years ago, but the FPP system makes it exceedingly difficult for less entrenched parties to gain even a foothold.

There is an elephant in the room when it comes to the upcoming plebiscite. How committed to electoral reform are the Liberals and PCs, given the fact they take turns sharing power?

It is true the current Liberal government initiated the plebiscite process. And it’s true the all-party legislature committee included some enthusiastic PC MLAs, but I sense no strong desire on the part of those two parties for change. They will accept it, if the public demands it, but they won’t be the ones at the front of the parade.

The Island’s electorate is unlikely to vote, in significant enough numbers, for a change until they feel there’s a need for it, and to date none of the powerbrokers are doing anything to persuade them that change is needed. It’s a costly charade of political correctness.

The best recipe for “democratic renewal” is to have all parties agree in principle on the need for change — if they genuinely feel there is one.

The present debate, although intellectually stimulating to those interested in such ivory tower issues, is an exercise in futility. It screams putting the cart before the horse.

The best method would be to first decide if change is needed, then ask for direction on options.

If P.E.I.’s five voting options were racehorses, they all might think they have a one in five shot at winning. But given the lack of enthusiasm for change from our political leaders and the public, horse number two, First-Past-The-Post, is starting the one-mile race at the halfmile mark.