That was very interesting Evan, but I must disagree about a federal election. Depending on where those additional seats are located will make a big difference in the government. If many of them come from Saskatchewan and Alberta I think the resulting cabinet shuffle would change the governments priorities tremendously.
The Quebec election could be very interesting and could ultimately resemble the Italian parliamentary model, with a minority government and four recognized parties represented in the National Assembly. However, it could also end with the Parti Québécois winning a majority government despite securing only a low-30% share of the popular vote.
The first past the post system undermines democracy. Representation by population needs to happen. It's funny that CAQ is seen as a federalist party in this article.
Truth to tell, Colin, Rep by Pop terrifies me. FPTP definitely has it's problems but the alternative that you identify just isn't democratic in my mind.
Say Party A wins 30% of the votes so they become entitled to 30% of the seats. Sounds democratic, right? Nope. Question 1: how are the lucky 30% of the new MPs chosen? Oh, by a list put out by the party? Question 2: currently, each MP nominally represents a particular riding. In your favored system, when the party puts out the "list" of the "winners" just which ridings are they representing? Question 3: if the party puts out the "list" and "Joe" from Toronto is a "winner" and is assigned to "represent" my Calgary riding, how can I reasonably expect that he will understand what I and the many other folks in my riding really expect and want? Question 4: if you are picking the "winners" from a party "list" that makes sense (well, in this stupid example) but in what way can independent non-aligned individuals be a "winner" when they are not affiliated with any party?
Yes these are all great questions. My personal view is only a modest modification of the current system. Riding winners get seats up to the pop vote results. Then parties that did not get the seat numbers are rounded up to their pop vote from unsuccessful riding candidates from that party. Could be done regionally. So Quebec, Atlantic, Ontario ect to ensure geo balance. That's a rough outline of my view. Ridings firsts then round up or down to get to pop numbers.
1. If the Quebec Conservatives dissolved tomorrow, whom would their voters vote for?
2. What motivates 13% of the population to vote for this party? QS sort of makes sense to me, at least they will win a few seats to shout from and I'm used to leftists making dumb protest votes. Why are rightists behaving like this?
The Quebec Conservative vote is highly concentrated in and around Quebec City, particularly on the south shore. Its geographic distribution largely mirrors that of the federal Conservative Party’s strongholds in Quebec. Elswhere in QC the conservative votes is largely marginal. It is difficult to predict where this vote would go, as the broader Quebec City region has supported parties across the political spectrum since the 2000s, before trending more to the right in recent years. It is also interresting that this region is the main conservative reigon in the whole province, given it includes probably riding with the highest share of provincial public servants in the province.
That was very interesting Evan, but I must disagree about a federal election. Depending on where those additional seats are located will make a big difference in the government. If many of them come from Saskatchewan and Alberta I think the resulting cabinet shuffle would change the governments priorities tremendously.
The Quebec election could be very interesting and could ultimately resemble the Italian parliamentary model, with a minority government and four recognized parties represented in the National Assembly. However, it could also end with the Parti Québécois winning a majority government despite securing only a low-30% share of the popular vote.
The first past the post system undermines democracy. Representation by population needs to happen. It's funny that CAQ is seen as a federalist party in this article.
Truth to tell, Colin, Rep by Pop terrifies me. FPTP definitely has it's problems but the alternative that you identify just isn't democratic in my mind.
Say Party A wins 30% of the votes so they become entitled to 30% of the seats. Sounds democratic, right? Nope. Question 1: how are the lucky 30% of the new MPs chosen? Oh, by a list put out by the party? Question 2: currently, each MP nominally represents a particular riding. In your favored system, when the party puts out the "list" of the "winners" just which ridings are they representing? Question 3: if the party puts out the "list" and "Joe" from Toronto is a "winner" and is assigned to "represent" my Calgary riding, how can I reasonably expect that he will understand what I and the many other folks in my riding really expect and want? Question 4: if you are picking the "winners" from a party "list" that makes sense (well, in this stupid example) but in what way can independent non-aligned individuals be a "winner" when they are not affiliated with any party?
Yes these are all great questions. My personal view is only a modest modification of the current system. Riding winners get seats up to the pop vote results. Then parties that did not get the seat numbers are rounded up to their pop vote from unsuccessful riding candidates from that party. Could be done regionally. So Quebec, Atlantic, Ontario ect to ensure geo balance. That's a rough outline of my view. Ridings firsts then round up or down to get to pop numbers.
Two questions for those who know:
1. If the Quebec Conservatives dissolved tomorrow, whom would their voters vote for?
2. What motivates 13% of the population to vote for this party? QS sort of makes sense to me, at least they will win a few seats to shout from and I'm used to leftists making dumb protest votes. Why are rightists behaving like this?
The Quebec Conservative vote is highly concentrated in and around Quebec City, particularly on the south shore. Its geographic distribution largely mirrors that of the federal Conservative Party’s strongholds in Quebec. Elswhere in QC the conservative votes is largely marginal. It is difficult to predict where this vote would go, as the broader Quebec City region has supported parties across the political spectrum since the 2000s, before trending more to the right in recent years. It is also interresting that this region is the main conservative reigon in the whole province, given it includes probably riding with the highest share of provincial public servants in the province.