Filed under: - 2007 ON Election, - Electoral Reform, Canadian Politics
So much for the anti-MMP crowd’s overblown rhetoric about how “list” candidates will be “appointed by party bosses”. As of today, the four largest parties in Ontario (Liberal, PC, NDP, Green) — accounting for 98.6% of the votes in 2003 — have all officially committed to holding democratic nominations for list candidates under the recommended mixed-member proportional (MMP) system. List candidates will have to do exactly what local candidates do now (and will continue to do under MMP) — rally support in their area, get their supporters to vote at the nomination meeting to secure the nomination, then face the general voters, who choose their preferences, rewarding effective individuals and parties, and punishing ineffective ones. So let’s cut the crap about appointed candidates, party hacks, etc — local candidates are accountable to their localities and list candidates are accountable to their regions. If your local MPP is a jerk, you now have the option of going to your regional list MPP for help. Competition: bad for politicians, good for voters and good for accountability. End of story.
If your comment doesn't appear, it is because our automatic anti-spam software is blocking it. If so, just send us an email and we will post it for you.
