Unbalanced Ontario legislature demonstrates need for reform

'A phony-majority government facing a weaker opposition than Ontarians voted for.' - OPSEU

Toronto (14 Oct. 2007) - Last week's Ontario election graphically illustrates the need for reform, despite a referendum vote to retain the existing first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system, says the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/NUPGE).

"(The) election once again produced results mismatched with voter preferences, and a phony-majority government facing a weaker opposition than Ontarians voted for," the union says.

"The 58% of Ontarians who voted for opposition parties received only 33% of the seats, significantly weakening the checks and balances needed for accountable and effective government. Meanwhile, the party receiving just 42% of the vote has been given a false 'mandate' to act as though it enjoyed majority support of the electorate."

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 different, and more in line with voters' choices.

Instead, the breakdown would have come out as follows, OPSEU says:

• 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.

OPSEU notes that the citizens' committee promoting MMP was handicapped by poor funding.

“Unfortunately," notes Rick Anderson, chair of Vote for MMP, "Ontario's historic referendum opportunity was marred by a pathetically-inadequate public education campaign by the Legislature and Elections Ontario (EO).

"A cornerstone of democratic decision-making is the concept of an informed voter. But neither the Legislature nor EO ensured that voters had the substance of the Citizens Assembly’s report," Anderson said. NUPGE

More information:
? Ontario voters reject proportional electoral system
? OPSEU urges members to vote for electoral reform
? OPSEU calls on members to vote in their own best interest