Electoral reform or ‘childish’ criticism?

RE: ELECTORAL REFORM

Several recent letters have highlighted the Progressive Conservative government does not speak for all citizens of Ontario. The current first-past-the-post electoral system, which allows federal and provincial political parties to form majority governments despite receiving a minority of support, was solidified by our prime minister in 2016.

Since Doug Ford seems to be in the crosshairs of the progressive readership for an electoral system the Liberals refuse to change, I remind you of a newspaper gem from the Globe and Mail: “Premier Kathleen Wynne has extended the Liberals’ decade-long rule of Ontario, winning a stunning majority mandate for her ambitious agenda of transit-building and a provincial pension plan — the largest new social program in a generation.”

Although the Liberal Party of Ontario only received 19 per cent support of eligible voters in that election, they went on to form a government with 54 per cent of the Legislature’s seats. Stunning majority? Mandate? Provincial pension plan?

We can continue to use The Spec as a childish form of one-upmanship for narrow political views, or we can have a serious discussion about electoral reform and responsible government. Maybe then we can find sanity in a wacky political world.

Jeff Wiersma, Binbrook