One could certainly argue the 22 seats won by the Liberals in Monday’s provincial election was not the result many Islanders wanted. The party garnered 51.4 per cent of ballots cast, or 38,304 votes, while the Conservatives, with a hefty 40.2 per cent and 29,948 votes, only could win five seats. One could also argue that more than 47 per cent of Islanders (35,548) did not vote Liberal when you factor in the Green Party’s 4.4 per cent (3,239 votes) and NDP’s 3.2 per cent (2,355 votes.)
It helps make the argument that our ‘first past the post’ electoral system distorts the process, as pointed out by Fair Vote Canada and the provincial NDP party. In their arguments, Monday’s vote should have resulted in a legislature looking something like this: 14 Liberals, 11 Conservatives, 1 Green and 1 New Democrat.
But while the outcome in seats seems to reflect an unfair return for other parties, the result is exactly what Islanders voted for in overwhelming numbers in a 2005 provincial plebiscite. In that plebiscite, almost 64 per cent of Islanders voted to retain the current system and rejected a modified system of proportional representation. Monday’s result is what Islanders wanted and it was what Islanders got.
Granted, the turnout in the 2005 plebiscite wasn’t huge. In two electoral districts the turnout was below 50 per cent. It is also interesting to note that the greatest rejection of proportional representation came from Souris and Tignish districts, where 88 per cent of the voters didn’t want a change in winner take all. Those two districts ousted Liberal cabinet ministers in narrow Conservative victories Monday.
An Electoral Reform Commission established in 2003 did all it could to give Islanders an informed opportunity to endorse changes to the electoral system. Islanders refused to be swayed. Fair Vote Canada and other groups can criticize all they want, but a majority of Islanders like the present electoral system just the way it is.
And the system will continue to exclude other parties from representation in the legislature for the foreseeable future. Islanders seem to think we have been well served to date by the system and it’s highly unlikely that any government would willingly introduce legislation that could weaken its hold on power. It means that other parties must work more diligently to get members elected and not depend on seats being awarded by a proportional system that most Islanders don’t trust or understand.
Can one really argue that the Greens and NDP deserve a seat in the P.E.I. Legislature with 4.4 and 3.2 per cent of votes cast? That’s not to the say the legislature would be more interesting and democratic if Green leader Sharon Labchuk or James Rodd of the NDP were inside the railing. The debates and different points of view would be welcome.
Rodd says the 2005 plebiscite failed because the Conservative government and the Liberal Opposition worked to make it confusing to the public and it was set up to fail. It sounds like sour grapes. Rodd did make a valid point this week when he suggested the date for provincial elections should be changed to the first Monday in November. It would make it better for post-secondary students, families with school-aged children, farmers and fishers, and would also be consistent with the date used for municipal elections. That date could only help reverse a declining trend in voter turnouts.
When Premier Ghiz said proportional representation is not a priority for his government, nor is he interested in looking at electoral reform, he’s just reflecting the views of a majority of Islanders.
And every jurisdication whose people freely voted said NO. No means no. Review the issue in 10 years; not every time some one feels oh so democratic!