Rogers ain’t the only monopoly denying you service

Rogers ain’t the only monopoly denying you service Fair Vote Toronto

Over 10 million Canadians were left without internet or cell service earlier this month when Rogers’ telecommunications network crashed, sparking a massive backlash and igniting a national conversation on the dangers of market monopolies.

The immediate danger to customers affected by the outtage was the complete denial of a service essential to modern life. They were unable to run their businesses, unable to work remotely, unable to bank, unable to contact their family, friends or loved ones, and even unable to call 911 in the event of an emergency. In one fell swoop, these 10 million Canadians were denied access to the national social, economic and media platforms we base our lives on, essentially depriving them of the means of being heard in any meaningful sense in this modern day world.

However, this deplatforming isn’t limited to the telecommunications industry where at least it was just a short-term denial of service. Thanks to our country’s electoral system, First Past the Post, most Canadians are also denied access to our nation’s political platform: the House of Commons.

This is due to First Past the Post limiting Canadians to one representative per riding, effectively handing one party complete control over what issues get raised on behalf of a local community. It would be like assembling party representatives on a stage and only giving one of them a microphone while the others are left powerless to amplify their voices. The monopolization of this “local speaking power” translates to a denial of service for all other parties and their voters in a riding, ensuring entire political views and perspectives are excluded from the legislature.

Let’s be honest: there’s nothing democratic about monopolizing power. If we want everyone to have the ability to raise their politics in parliament, then we need an electoral system that helps us accomplish that. I’m speaking of course about Proportional Representation.

This is because PR uses multi-member ridings in which several representatives are elected to represent a riding or region. This would provide a voice for almost every voter, breaking up the monopoly on power currently perpetuated by First Past the Post.

Just as Rogers customers recently lacked the service needed to make phone calls, most Canadians similarly lack a “speaker” to amplify their politics in parliament. If the aim of democracy is to give citizens an opportunity to have their issues and concerns considered, then the power needed to do so must be available to all of us, not just the few the current electoral monopoly privileges.


The Heart of Democracy

Michele Kading Fair Vote Canada

Canada calls itself a representative democracy. This means that citizens have the right to choose people who will represent us in government. The people we elect make decisions and laws that affect all parts of life in Canada.

But do they represent all Canadians?

Read this guest blog by Michelle Kading >


Proportional representation decreases political polarization

Proportional representation decreases political polarization

As extreme political polarization threatens the democratic fabric of the United States, many Canadians are deeply concerned with creeping political polarization here at home.

Canadian experts and politicians wondering what can be done to turn the tide on hostility and polarization should heed brand new research findings: Cooperative governance produced by proportional representation reduces partisan hostility and polarization among the public.

Read more >


Kelly McParland gets it wrong on electoral reform

Kelly McParland gets it wrong on electoral reform

Each time proportional representation (PR) has started to gain momentum in Canada over the past twenty years, opponents have reliably trotted out Israel with the goal of  derailing progress.

True to form, McParland spends half his column dissecting an exceptional set of political circumstances in Israel―while completely ignoring the 80% of OECD countries that use proportional systems with resounding success.

Read more >


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:


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