VOTE-SYSTEM-FAIR ?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Another unbalanced legislature demonstrates need for electoral reform TORONTO – October 11, 2007: Yesterday's Ontario election once again produced results mismatched with voter preferences, and a phoney-majority government facing a weaker opposition than Ontarians voted for.The 58 per cent of Ontarians who voted for opposition parties received only 33 per cent of the seats, significantly weakening the checks and balances needed for accountable and effective government. Meanwhile, the party receiving just 42 per cent of the vote has been given a false "mandate" to act as though it enjoyed majority support of the electorate. "This week's election results in both Ontario and Newfoundland underline the need for the electoral reform process to continue in Ontario and across Canada," said Rick Anderson chair of Vote for MMP, the campaign that supported the mixed member proportional alternative proposed by the Ontario Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform. Had the mixed member proportional (MMP) system proposed in the referendum been used in this election, with similar voting patterns the resulting Legislature would have been very different, and more in line with voters' choices: - The Liberals' 42% would have earned approximately 59 seats, rather than 71.- The Progressive Conservatives would have had about 39 seats, rather than 26. As in 2003, the Tories would have gained more under MMP than any other party and been much better able to provide numerically-effective opposition to the Government - The NDP would have had about 21 seats rather than 10.- The Green Party, whose 352,000 voters are today totally unrepresented in the Legislature, would have earned about 10 seats. . . . . . . .. . .. . . .. . .. . . . . . . .I HAVE TO AGREE WITH THE SENTIMENTS OF THE ABOVE OPINION BY MEMBERS OF THE MMP TEAM. . . . THE NEW SYSTEM IS LONG OVERDUE . . . . MY HOPE IS THAT IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO UNDO THE DAMAGE THAT THE EXISTING SYSTEM HAS FOISTED UPON US IN ONTARIO.

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