Letters to the Editor, April 17, 2025
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FIRST-PAST THE POST NO MORE
I am passionate about the need for reform of Canada’s first-past-the post electoral system if our democracy is to thrive. I am joining many others from across Canada and calling for our governments to create a citizen’s assembly to discuss an evolution of our democracy at the federal and provincial levels. In Canada’s current first-past-the-post system, the candidate who gets the most votes in a geographical area gets a seat in Parliament. I favour a further evolution of our democracy to a mixed form of first-past-the-post and proportional representation. At the federal and provincial level, there would still be geographical ridings, and the candidate getting the most votes in each riding would get a seat in Parliament. This protects rural areas from being dominated by the cities that have a higher population. However, other politicians would be elected based on the percentage of votes cast for each party. This prevents governments from having absolute control to govern with, say, less than 35% of the votes cast. Here’s another suggestion: My MP and/or MPP must vote according to the party line, and does not have the choice to vote with how the constituents may feel. How does this represent them? Instead, the MP/MPP could balance the needs of the party, the needs of the constituents, and their own conscience when they decide how to vote.
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Myron Daniel Steinman Kitchener
(It’s always a source of frustration in our electoral system one party can get 40% of the vote and then have 100% of the rule. Reform will come about only if there is political will to do so. Currently that doesn’t exist)
CANADA, DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THE LIBS
How convenient that the Liberal platform now includes “conventional energy.” It’s not likely that they will be following through with any of their promises if they were to get elected, as they can’t even say the words “oil and gas.” I sure hope Canadians aren’t fooled by this nonsense.
Karla Thurber
(If the Liberals are given another term, it will be an extension of what we have endured for the last decade)
TARIFF TUSSLE
How can Trump’s tariffs damage us more than what 10 years of Trudeau Liberal policies have already done?
Tom Empey Belleville
(The tariffs will compound an already strained economy)
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