No system is perfect

Re: Will Canadians Vote Strategically In This Election?, Andrew Perez, Sept. 9. Andrew Perez is confused. He starts by arguing because “the three main parties are locked in a statistical tie (voters will be) less likely to fall victim to strategic voting.” But near the end of his polemic he acknowledges the opposite: “In ridings where there is a strong Liberal or NDP candidate battling a high-profile Conservative incumbent … many progressives will be inclined to vote strategically.”

Port Moody-Coquitlam, B.C., is an example. This riding has an NDP incumbent, but has elected Conservative/Reform MPs in the past. The riding boundaries have been gerrymandered to favour the Conservatives.

A small but significant proportion of voters is inclined to vote Green, but in the ballot booth they may have to mark “the lesser evil” candidate.

I agree with Perez proportional representation would greatly enhance our democracy by eliminating “lesser evil” voting.

Derek Wilson, Port Moody, B.C. Andrew Perez argues replacing our election system with proportional representation would greatly enhance our democracy. I believe this system has proved to be far from democratic in Europe, where the parties can place people in Parliament who are not chosen by voters. That notwithstanding, the major flaws of this system are that most, if not all, governments are a coalition of parties; stability of such governments is a serious weakness and balancing budgets, which doesn’t matter to socialists, is virtually impossible.

J. Brian Sheedy, Toronto. Strategic voting is a democratic way of weeding out the “worst option” among all others. It is what medical doctors refer to as “do no harm.”

Alex Chelico, London, Ont.