Canada needs a new electoral system

re. Rivals must find common ground

gnoring most of Carol Goar's column which generally gets things wrong, I'm going to focus on the issue in it's headline - the need for parties to work together. The problem isn't one of ideology, personality or policy clashes. The problem is our outdated and dysfunctional electoral system.

Our "first past the post" system awards parties an artificial majority and the absolute power that entails when they can convince a small number of Canadians to switch their vote. This encourages parties to look for small advantages over their rivals rather than working together to achieve a workable agenda.

Our country's best governments have been the result of coalitions but every successful coalition has given the senior partner an absolute majority in the next election. This also discourages parties from working together.

Elizabeth May is correct in her assessment that electoral reform is a crucial issue for Canadians. Until we join the majority of the world's democracies in implementing a modern system of proportional representation, we will continue to get dysfunctional minorities or autocratic phony majorities.

Canadians need a system that allows them to vote for the candidate and party of their choice, to vote out of conviction not fear. We need a system that requires parties to work together on an agenda supported by the majority of Canadians. And we need a system that doesn't reward separatists while punishing parties whose vote extends from coast to coast to coast.

Proportional representation offers a real and lasting solution to the problems Goar complains about. Rather than continuing to complain about the disease, she should promote the cure.

Gary Dale