Lester Pearson antidote to myth of majority government
I almost laughed myself to death reading Tom Fletcher’s assertion that “the conquest of rural B.C. nears completion with proportional representation vote.” This kind of inflammatory language belongs more properly below the 49th parallel. Perhaps next we will be told there is an invasion of refugees funded by George Soros coming north to make us recycle, when what we are actually being told to recycle is an electoral system that routinely fails to represent the majority.
The last time a federal majority government in Canada actually had a majority of the votes was in 1984. Think about that. Given that a majority government has no need to seek support from the elected representatives of other parties, this means that we have been consistently and arbitrarily ruled by single parties that do not enjoy the support of the general public. How can this serve democracy? A single party without a popular majority has made every decision for the last quarter century. We snicker at the political chaos below the border, but has their gerrymandered system failed them any worse than ours has failed us? We have used different systems and achieved an equal lack of equality.
I have my reservations about proportional representation, but the biggest argument in favour is that majority governments will be almost impossible. This will benefit us all by creating a situation where whatever party or parties share office will have to retain the support of a legislature that accurately represents a majority of the electors. If a party cannot maintain that support it will be defeated without the public having to wait until its protective mandate expires.
Mr. Fletcher argues that proportional representation will hand power over to the established parties, which he should know is sophistry. They already hold all the power! How many independent MPs and MLAs are there? When was the last time they formed a government? I rest my case.
As for the myth of a majority government being needed to enact good policy, I offer this rebuttal. The most productive government of my lifetime was that of Lester Bowles Pearson, who was prime minister from 1963 to 1968. During this time Parliament passed acts that established Canada Pensions, the Canadian flag, universal health care, the student loan program, the Order of Canada and a host of other items that form the safety net we have all enjoyed for the last half century. No government since, regardless of party, has done as much for so many, yet Lester Pearson never once enjoyed a parliamentary majority. He had to earn support from opposition members for every one of his programs.
I just mailed my ballot today, and I voted for proportional representation. We can argue about the details later, but this is a rare opportunity to force our elected representatives to pay attention to every constituency, even between elections. Let’s not waste it.
David Lowther
Mesachie Lake