The Potential of Proportional Representation

Canada votes 2021 how we voted first past the post vs pro rep

As Canadians we’re privileged to experience the freedom of living in a democracy, making our voices heard even if it’s not in support of the ruling party or prime minister. After all, we’re the ones determining the direction of the country, right?

If that were true, why are some of us represented in the House of Commons while others aren’t? Take Liberals in Alberta for example. These voters continually find themselves shut out of parliament each election, essentially ignored, dismissed and inevitably forgotten.

It’s the same with Conservatives in Montreal and, quite explicitly, Green voters across the country. If most Canadians are forgotten under First Past the Post, how are their voices being heard?

That’s not all though, as ignoring these voices comes at great cost to taxpayers. When governments are voted out and an ideologically opposed party takes power, costly policy reversals take place. In Ontario, for example, Doug Ford’s Conservatives are moving forward with plans to build highway 413, whereas Steven Del Duca and the Liberal Party intend to kibosh those plans if elected.

If that happens, all the time, effort and money gone into the highway will have been wasted. Whether you support the project or not, it’s easy to see that this costly cycle of policy reversal hurts the wallets of taxpayers the most. Canadians would be far better served by a system that prevents this cost by ensuring all our voices are accounted for in decisions made by our governments.

And then there’s the issue of strategic voting.

Having to vote for a party we dislike so a party we detest doesn’t get into power makes a mockery out of our ability to vote freely for those we believe represent our interests. Instead of just voting our hearts, we spend time drawing diagrams and making lists of pros/cons to help in our quest to decide who to vote for on election day, and a great deal of us end up losing anyway.

Don’t be discouraged though, there’s a better way. Moving to a system of Proportional Representation would almost completely eliminate both policy lurch and strategic voting. In addition, PR would ensure minority voices are heard, giving a platform to the many Canadians disenfranchised by our current system.


Sign up to visit your Ontario Liberal candidate about a Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform!

tell your ontario liberal candidate about a citizen's assembly on electoral reform

The Ontario provincial election is less than 80 days away and we’re pushing back hard against Steven Del Duca’s self-interested plan to force winner-take-all ranked ballots in Ontario—and campaigning for a non-partisan Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform!

To have the best chance of success, Liberal candidates need to hear from local voters now!

Sign up here >


Share our new video pushing back against Del Duca’s Ranked Ballots

don't let one party decide on our voting system - push back against del duca's ranked ballots

In the two weeks since we launched our new video pushing back on the Ontario Liberal plan to force winner-take-all ranked ballots on Ontario, our TV ads have already been seen by millions of Ontarians!

Please watch and share the video via the links below:

Share the video on Facebook >

Share the video on Twitter >


GreenPAC report: MPs say electoral reform crucial for climate action

GreenPAC report - MPs say electoral reform is crucial for climate action

GreenPAC’s latest report,  “Environmental Leadership in Canada’s Parliament: Realities, Opportunities and Constraints”, has highlighted a key barrier in Canada’s fight against climate change: first-past-the-post.

Two thirds of the MPs interviewed believe that problems in Canada’s democratic system are holding back climate progress.

Read more >


Letters to the Editor 

Several citizens have made their voices heard on electoral reform and proportional representation lately. Here’s what they have to say:


fair vote toronto proportional representation electoral reform canada volunteer rendezvous

Winner-take-all ranked ballots (aka the Alternative Vote) are often claimed to prevent “wrong winner” elections—the perplexing scenario where the party that wins the most votes doesn’t win the most seats.

Results from Australia dispute this claim, however, as the country has experienced five wrong winner elections since 1954 despite using the Alternative Vote.

This is because single-member ridings often lead to an uneven spread of the vote, creating an ideal environment for a wrong winner scenario.

winner-take-all ranked ballots aka alternative vote often result in wrong winner elections