Under the first-past-the-post system, candidates square off in riding-by-riding showdowns, with the winner elected to the legislature or Parliament. Critics say smaller parties with a significant number of votes province-wide often end up with no elected representatives.
The Green Party and the NDP are often proponents of proportional representation, under which a party is allotted seats depending on the percentage of votes it gets across the province.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060620.LORD20/TPStory/National
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N.B. Premier Wants Electoral-Reform Referendum
Posted on Tuesday, June 20 at 16:43 by drcalebContributed By
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All in favour now for MMP, the Mixed Member Proportional system - eventually also for Federal Elections.
Two suggestions though:
1. Do not set the referendum requirements too high.
2. Present an unbiased evaluation to the electorate, with proper ballot questions (not like Quebec's latest referendum on "separation")
New Zealand changed over after two separate referenda, about 15 years ago:
(1) Do you want a change? (in which a simple majority said "yes") and
(2) which is the electoral system you prefer? (in which MMP obtained 62% of the votes, notwithstanding the Government's own backtracking and misleading information campaign).
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If I stand for my country today...will my country be here to stand for me tomorrow?
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"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
(Albert Einstein)