Mixed Member Proportional in Canada

2626 Words6 Pages

There is a fundamental problem with the democratic process in Canada. This problem is rooted within our electoral system. However, there is a promising solution to this issue. Canada should adopt the mixed-member proportional representation electoral system (MMP) at the federal level if we wish to see the progression of modern democracy. The failure to do so will result in a stagnant political system that is caught in the past and unable to rise to the contemporary challenges that representative democracies face. If Canada chooses to embrace the MMP electoral system it will reap the benefits of greater proportionality, prevent the centralization of power that is occurring in Parliament and among political parties through an increased emphasis on cooperation, and the government will attain greater legitimacy with the ability to positively influence the representation of minority groups.

Canada’s current electoral system is referred to as single-member plurality (SMP), or first-past-the-post (FPTP). The structure is fairly simple. One candidate is elected in each of the 308 ridings across the country. The candidate that receives the most votes in each riding wins (Law Commission 2). No majority of votes is necessary, securing a plurality of votes provides the winning candidate with one-hundred percent of the representation in their constituency. A report prepared by the Law Commission of Canada, with assistance from professionals in a number of fields, such as the esteemed political scientist Dr. Paul Nesbitt-Larking, took on the task of analyzing possible paths of electoral reform. It concluded that Canada’s political, cultural and economic reality has changed substantially since Confederation, and that adding an eleme...

... middle of paper ...

...MP and the Constitution." New Zealand Journal of Political and International Law 7.1 (2009): 111-134. Hein Online. Web. 16 Mar. 2012.

Karp, Jeffrey A., and Susan A. Banducci. " Political Efficacy and Participation in Twenty-Seven Democracies: How Electoral Systems Shape Political Behaviour." British Journal of Political Science 38 (2008): 311-334. Cambridge Journals. Web. 16 Mar. 2012.

Law Commission of Canada. Voting Counts: Electoral Reform in Canada (2004). Web. 15 Mar 2012.

Tanguay, Brian, and Steven Bittle. "Parliament as a Mirror to the Nation: Promoting Diversity in Representation through Electoral Reform." Canadian Issues (2005): 61-63. ProQuest. Web. 20 Mar. 2012.

"Voter Turnout at Federal Elections and Referendums." Elections Canada On-line. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. .

Open Document