Ontarians will have plenty of options to choose from on June 2nd as 25 parties have registered for the upcoming provincial election, including newcomers like the New Blue party, the Go Vegan party, and the None of the Above Direct Democracy Party. In fact, of the 900 candidates registered for the election, more than 400 are affiliated with minor parties, adding a hefty dose of political diversity to the ballot.
Unfortunately, the ballot is also where this diversity comes to an end as besides from the Greens, not a single minor party is forecasted to be elected. Their support is either too small or too spread out to win seats in our First Past the Post electoral system, leaving the people who voted for them with no way to raise their politics at Queen’s Park.
This lack of representation isn’t just limited to the minor parties, however, as most candidates will ultimately fail to win their seats, denying many Liberal, NDP and Progressive Conservative voters a local voice in the legislature.
A simple switch to Proportional Representation would fix this. By electing multiple representatives in each riding, PR would facilitate the democratic expression of almost everyone who voted and go a long way to accommodating the political diversity the people of Ontario so obviously desire. After all, every Ontarian deserves a seat for their party to speak from.
Party Platforms: Electoral Reform
The party platforms are out, and their different treatments of electoral reform are telling. While the NDP and Ontario Green Party support proportional representation, the Liberals are promising to implement the same disproportional system that Justin Trudeau championed unsuccessfully at the federal level, and the Progressive Conservatives are ignoring the need for reform.
Liberals put self-interest ahead of Ontarians with ranked ballot pledge
The Ontario Lberal Party and its leader have once again put party self-interest first.
Replacing first-past-the-post with another winner-take-all system is a phony reform that solves almost nothing, and could create more problems.
So, when your local Liberal candidate calls for donations or to ask for your support, let them know you’re not happy with their stance on electoral reform!
Help deliver door hangers for the Ontario election!
Our volunteer door hanger campaign last September was a huge success – so we’re doing it again! We need to get the message out that an independent Citizens’ Assembly is the only viable path to electoral reform in this province.
If you have some time before the June 2nd election day and would like to help out, please sign up by clicking below.
We’re Hiring: Volunteer Coordinator
Summer is on its way and with it comes outdoor events and rallies to attend! We’re looking for one or two dependable people to act as Volunteer Coordinators to help organize Fair Vote Toronto’s presence at these events.
This includes maintaining a list of rallies, farmers markets, and other events occurring this summer as well as organizing any volunteers who wish to attend.
If you’re up to the challenge, please reach out to us at fv***********@gm***.com or click here for more details.
Register to Vote in Ontario
Use eRegistration to add or update your voter information by May 23 to receive a voter information card in the mail for the June 2 election. Your voter information card will contain information about when and where to vote.
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:
- Canada’s New Democratic Party Wants to Lower the Voting Age
- Repercussions of BC’s 2020 Snap Election
- Letter: Troubling trend of voter apathy
Fair Vote Canada’s Gisela Ruckert and Matt Greenwood were at the 46th Annual Walk for Peace, Social Justice and the Environment in Kamloops, British Columbia on May 7th. FVC regularly attends events and socials during the year while promoting PR.
