Stability and Harmony

 

"PICTURE IT" #7 STABILITY AND HARMONY: CANADA WITH PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION 

Picture it— Canada 2016. There is no need for a third all-party committee on electoral reform nor do the Liberals break Canadian hearts when they break their promise of electoral reform. There is no need because 1921 was the last election using the undemocratic, unfair, first-past-the-post system. Since 1925, our proportional representation system has promoted stability for harmony inside and outside Canada.

The last 100 years has seen the United Kingdom's policies lurching from left to right. In recent decades, the Conservative Party wins a majority and policy lurches to the right. Then the Labour Party wins a majority and policy lurches to the left. Meanwhile, in Canada, proportional representation minimizes policy lurch. Because the distribution of votes between parties is relatively stable election to election, the proportion of power between parties is stable. Parties collaborate with each other to produce thoughtful, long-term legislation. During elections, parties focus on honouring and winning voters, not humiliating and beating opponents.

Elections in Canada have high voter turnouts and between elections there is high civic participation. Rather than negative protesting, citizens find positive ways of engaging with their representatives. One of these was a national citizens assembly on peace. A Nobel Peace Prize winning outcome was that the government must prove to Canadians that it has exhausted all non-violent alternatives to war. 

Like other countries with proportional representation, Canada enjoys human security. Human security is a product of our political stability and diversity, social justice and safety nets, and environmental stewardship. However, Canada is aware that no one is safe until all are safe. It is leading a global security initiative based in nonviolent action which the Canadian military has embraced.

Canadian voters trust proportional representation to secure stability and harmony because it fosters stability and harmony within the political process.

If you wish this picture were true, help make it true. Support electoral reform with proportional representation.