What did you think about the unusual wave of floor crossings? In the aftermath of Conservative MP Gladu’s floor crossing, Prime Minister Mark Carney said, "If you really want to unite the country, you want people with lots of different views." This applies most clearly to elections, when diversity within a party is built transparently. After elections, when diversity is gained through defections, it can raise questions about legitimacy.
When someone crosses the floor, it blurs the connection
between how people voted and who governs. That dynamic is sharper under
first-past-the-post, where even a small shift can have outsized effects on
power. This strengthens the case for proportional representation (PR), where
seats reflect how people actually voted. Similar shifts would be less likely to
dramatically alter who governs because power is usually shared among multiple
parties and coalition agreements.
While majority governments elected with less than majority support may “get things done,” the policy lurch that follows can undo those gains and create uncertainty. GPC Leader Elizabeth May points instead to Lester B. Pearson’s minority governments, which worked closely with Tommy Douglas and the NDP to help deliver Medicare, the Canada Pension Plan, and major expansions of social programs.
Canadians cast ballots for representation, not surprises. PR
would make sure the democratic math still adds up after election day.
Support electoral reform with PR. Visit FairVote.ca or CharterChallenge.ca to
learn how.
35% votes = 35% seats—simple math, fair representation
