Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
ACLA writes editorial to Toronto Star
Re: Why I’m voting against MMP
Sept. 28, 2007
Dear Editor,
The Asian Canadian Labour Alliance (ACLA) and the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) believe that a “more dynamic, forward looking analysis” as suggested by the Toronto Star columnist, Ian Urquhart, ought to have given him comfort with an electoral system (MMP) that would give political representation to ideas with significant support in the population. Further, on mature reflection his democratic sensibilities may lead him to distance himself from our current first-past-the-post (FPTP) voting system that manufactures one-party majority governments without at least 50% + 1 of the popular vote. If the electorate does not give even a razor thin majority of its votes to one party, it may instinctively desire a coalition of parties to form a government. A majority-coalition government under the proposed Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) electoral system may more broadly represent the policy preferences and priorities of a majority of Ontarians as opposed to a one-party majority government with a plurality of the vote, for example, 45% of the votes.
Ian seems fearful of the potential political power of racialized voters who make up over 19% of the province’s population. There were less than 9% racialized MPPs in the recent legislative session at Queen’s Park. Over 43% of racialized Ontarians live in the city of Toronto. This demographic reality is not proportionately reflected in the racial identity of the political representatives who are elected from this highly racialized city. Based on the experience of many countries with the MMP system, racialized minorities, women, and other excluded groups are better represented in the legislative bodies than under FPTP. With the fairer MMP electoral system, this bloc of racialized votes will no longer be taken for granted, and treated like second class citizens.
Jenny Ahn, Co-President of ACLA and Ajamu Nangwaya, 2nd Vice-President, CBTU
Sept. 28, 2007
Dear Editor,
The Asian Canadian Labour Alliance (ACLA) and the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) believe that a “more dynamic, forward looking analysis” as suggested by the Toronto Star columnist, Ian Urquhart, ought to have given him comfort with an electoral system (MMP) that would give political representation to ideas with significant support in the population. Further, on mature reflection his democratic sensibilities may lead him to distance himself from our current first-past-the-post (FPTP) voting system that manufactures one-party majority governments without at least 50% + 1 of the popular vote. If the electorate does not give even a razor thin majority of its votes to one party, it may instinctively desire a coalition of parties to form a government. A majority-coalition government under the proposed Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) electoral system may more broadly represent the policy preferences and priorities of a majority of Ontarians as opposed to a one-party majority government with a plurality of the vote, for example, 45% of the votes.
Ian seems fearful of the potential political power of racialized voters who make up over 19% of the province’s population. There were less than 9% racialized MPPs in the recent legislative session at Queen’s Park. Over 43% of racialized Ontarians live in the city of Toronto. This demographic reality is not proportionately reflected in the racial identity of the political representatives who are elected from this highly racialized city. Based on the experience of many countries with the MMP system, racialized minorities, women, and other excluded groups are better represented in the legislative bodies than under FPTP. With the fairer MMP electoral system, this bloc of racialized votes will no longer be taken for granted, and treated like second class citizens.
Jenny Ahn, Co-President of ACLA and Ajamu Nangwaya, 2nd Vice-President, CBTU
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