I am definitely in favour of the proposed Mixed Member Proportional system for Ontario, and would love to see it implemented in every province and for federal elections as well.
The proposed MMP system is substantially more democratic than the antiquated first past the post system we currently have.
The citizens of Ontario considered the existing system and opted for the MMP, and for good reason.
The MMP combines, in an elegant manner, representation of geographic units, as well as specific individuals.
The MMP will give 'voteless' citizens a vote, unlike the current system, which has resulted in massive majorities for minority parties. This system debases the value of votes, as shown by the totally distorted results in Alberta.
Parliaments elected using the MMP system will far better reflect the true intentions of the voters, with a much wider spectrum of views gaining representation.
The fact that the MMP system proposed does not lay out rules for the names on the individual list being chosen is not a negative at all. In fact, it allows individual parties to decide on their own criteria, and voters will be better served by this happening. If you feel that the Liberals are not doing enough to ensure that women are represented in Parliament, and their list continues this trend, but the Tories, for example, are, you can cast your vote accordingly. Only those who fear the power of the ordinary voter should be running scared of this wonderful grassroots democratic option.
The opponents of the MMP have to date failed dismally to provide substantive reasons for not supporting the system. You cannot have it both ways: Ontario has a chance to strike a blow for a better democracy; the option of staying with the current first past the post system is a far worse result.
So the Cat calls on all true liberals to vote and work to support the passage of the PPM system in Ontario. Let's not fear the advance of democracy; let us rather step into the vanguard, and help it along!
