Justin Trudeau’s decision to not go ahead with electoral reform, like he promised in the election, is incredibly short sighted and infuriating.
Has he forgotten he and the Liberals only got the support they did because Canadians didn’t want a repeat of Harper’s misuse of the majority power that our first-past-the-post-voting-system gave him?
Donald Trump’s first-past-the-post election rampage in the U.S. is a potent warning that Canada needs to strengthen our democratic system against the ravages of future megalomaniac leaders by having a strong diversified representational parliament.
A voting system with ranked ballots giving voters first and second choices, like Ontario’s next municipal elections will have, gives a clearer reflection of voter intent than our current system. That Justin just broke his promise to change to this or an equivalent system is short sighted for him, his party and Canadians.
It sets Canada up for a future repeat of the dangerous self-focused leadership we have just come through, and he’s damaged his and his party’s credibility and integrity hugely with this betrayal.
We expected better.
Ralph Johnston
Sudbury