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Home › Blogs › admin's blog
Mon, 05/28/2007 - 23:00 — admin

Note: This is from Fair Vote Canada, not FVBC (reproduced by permission)

FAIR VOTE CANADA - May 29, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Once again, last night's election in Prince Edward Island has delivered a provincial legislature vastly different than the wishes expressed by voters at the polling station. With slightly over half the popular vote, the Liberals under Premier-designate Robert Ghiz swept to power, winning 23 of 27 seats.

"The Liberals won 52.9 per cent of the popular vote and deserve a majority government, but not 85 per cent of the seats", said Fair Vote Canada President Stephen Broscoe. "The First-Past-the-Post electoral system routinely produces huge, exaggerated majorities that do not accurately reflect the will of the electorate."

"In past elections, Prince Edward Island has been subject to some of the worst distortions of all provinces, with a huge number of government members, very little opposition and no representation at all from smaller parties", stated Fair Vote Canada Executive Director Larry Gordon. "Tonight's election is no exception. And a relatively small change in public opinion has resulted in a huge shift in seats."

"Prince Edward Island chose not to endorse a change to a new voting system in a non-binding plebiscite in November 2005", continued Gordon. "But given tonight's results, we encourage Islanders to continue the discussion and debate about electoral reform. Fair voting systems accurately reflect the will of the electorate, are generally better at electing women and minorities than First-Past-the-Post. With a referendum on electoral reform in Ontario later this year and another in British Columbia in 2009, it is likely that other provinces in Canada will adopt new, fairer voting systems in the near future, which will produce a new context for Islanders to consider their own options."

"During the election campaign, Premier-designate Ghiz promised to convene a citizens assembly to undertake broader consideration of electoral reform that is citizen-focused", concluded Broscoe. "We congratulate Mr. Ghiz and the Liberals on their victory and look forward to the establishment of the PEI Citizens Assembly on Electoral Reform in the near future."

For More Information:
Stephen Broscoe, President
604.817.5400
stephen.broscoe@fairvote.ca