Well, it’s happened again. Last week’s Quebec election saw another government receive a false majority. The Coalition Avenir Québec won 71% of the seats in the Assemblée nationale with just 41% of the vote, making the results one of the most lopsided ever.
In addition, the Parti Quebecois received less than 3% of the seats with 15% of the vote, and the Conservative Party didn’t win a single seat even though 13% of voters cast a ballot for them. To top it all off, however, the Liberal Party is now the official opposition while placing fourth in the number of votes received.
All of this despite Premier Francois Legault promising in 2018 that the next election would be run under a new system that featured mixed member proportional representation. Sound familiar? He even came right out and said, “We won’t do what Justin Trudeau did”.
PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon stated after the results were announced, “Rarely in our history have we had such a disproportionate effect between the popular will and the result in the number of seats and the dynamic we will have in the National Assembly. Once the election is over, nothing should stop the CAQ from coming back to its promise and reforming the voting system, and to collaborate with all the other parties so that, together, we can face the challenge of democracy.”
We can only hope this is what happens. However, given the 100+ year history in Canada of parties promising to institute PR only to go back on their promise in order to get another false majority, it’s not likely. It’s no wonder so many Canadians have lost faith in our political parties and our electoral system. More and more it seems the future of democracy in Canada is at stake.
Electoral reform can save Canada from Pierre Poilievre’s politics
The supply-and-confidence agreement between the Liberals and NDP has already produced some modest victories, including the recently announced dental care plan. But if Trudeau and Singh want to deliver a truly lasting win for Canadians, they should revisit their positions on electoral reform and find a way to deliver on the promises made in the 2015 election campaign. There is still time to heal our politics and create a system that rewards our better angels rather than empowering our worst.
The movement to lower Canada’s voting age is just getting started
Sixteen- and 17-year-olds take on all kinds of responsibilities but are excluded from participating in the most fundamental aspect of our democracy. “The Right to Vote at 16 Act” would have helped young Canaidians make their voices heard. It’s part of an international movement to enfranchise young people that has already changed the law in 13 countries, including Austria, Scotland, Wales and Argentina.
Unfortunately, the Liberal government and the Conservatives in the House of Commons defeated Bill C-210 in the House last week before it could even get to the next stage of the process.
FVC Webinar: Polarization in Democracy
Political polarization and extremism in Canadian politics is on the rise. Many are concerned about the tone of our politics and the consequences of politicians from all sides who fan the flames of division.
Join our expert guests for a discussion of the problems facing democracy and solutions that can bring people together.
Democratic Reform in the News
Electoral reform continues to make the news across Canada and around the world. Here is a sample of what is being said:
- Jagmeet Singh must raise the price of co-operation
- Retiring Senator Vern White Endorses PR
- Italy’s election backfires using US-style voting
Quebec would be looking at a very different National Assembly under proportional representation. Compared to the recent election results, this is how many seats the parties would gain or lose under PR: CAQ: -38, QLP: -3, QS: +9, PQ: +15, and PCQ: +16.