Electoral reform column spurs heated debate

Re Rejecting the call for reform, June 14 I absolutely agree with everything Bob Hepburn wrote about proportional representation and more. It is a dangerous ideology with a 100-per-cent failure rate. A PR voting system has resulted in failure after failure. Firstpast-the-post is not perfect by any means, but is the better of many examples around the world.

PR ideology is a losing system from which there is no return to sensibility. Brian Mellor, Picton Bob Hepburn predictably dismisses arguments for proportional representation by calling its proponents cheerleaders who are beating the drums for radical change.

He warns against perpetual minority governments, chaotic politics, legislative gridlock and backroom deals and points to Italy, Belgium and Israel as examples of the disaster PR brings. He claims the demand for PR isn’t about democracy or fairness, but the selfinterest of progressives who don’t mind Liberal majorities, but express disgust for Conservative majorities.

Wrong on all counts. Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland all have a PR system. Disasters? I think not. Howard Doughty, Richmond Hill Bob Hepburn’s column of June 14 is a breath of fresh air on the topic of proportional representation. To be against the concept of PR often means being labelled anti-progressive. The main downside of PR as I see it is that it proceeds from the false assumption that a government formed by PR will automatically lead to better outcomes. There is no guarantee that a government formed out of PR will be more effective in terms of outcomes than a government formulated by first-pastthe-post.

Some of the countries Hepburn mentions, such as Greece, Italy and Israel, have had questionable success at governing for their citizens. I would not want to live under any of those governments, nor do I see them as successful or progressive.

I remember the referendum in Ontario in 2007. I voted against it then and, if I have a choice, I will vote against PR again if it comes up. Paul Miller, Toronto Successful parties like it; losers hate it.

First-past-the-post has served Canada well since Confederation. As some genius said, our democracy may not be perfect but it beats whatever comes second best. A perfect example is provided by letter writer Linda Silver Dranoff, who actually demonstrates proof that proportional representation is a horrible plan.

By her calculations, the recent election would have disenfranchised voters in 53 ridings where the peoples’ choice as to who would represent them would be usurped by some backroom gang to appoint someone more to their liking. That’s 43 per cent of Ontarians represented at Queen’s Park by someone they voted against! Bert Dandy, Niagara Falls, Ont. In B.C., Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson has pledged that fighting electoral reform in the province’s upcoming referendum is a top priority.

Meanwhile, back in Ontario, the Liberals lost party status and would have been much better represented if we had a ranked ballot or a proportional representation system. Rob Strang, Orangeville, Ont.