Re: Ron Johnson’s Jan. 4 letter, Current electoral system best bet for stable government.
Yes, our government is so stable because 39 per cent of the voters can elect a dictator (called prime minister) with enormous powers, which the powerless opposition cannot effectively counter, since the Parliament can always be prorogued, as done twice under Harper with the consent of the Crown.
And usually dictator No. 1 cancels what No. 2 has established and works equally hard for a replacement. Does Obama and Trump ring a bell? What a waste of energy and thought.
What kind of democracy do we have in Canada? Merely uttering a personal opinion is not enough, Mr. Johnson. One has to study and compare alternatives before deciding to “stay with the winner’s list.”
In many countries, often politically more advanced than Canada or the U.S., the proportional voting system, including clauses to keep minority splinter groups out of parliament, works especially well, especially in New Zealand and Germany.
Coalition negotiations between various substantial parties and the relevant values they represent are an important element of the democratic process, since they provide the preliminary scenery for the always necessary compromises, which then will be discussed and decided upon publicly in Parliament. For our so multi-ethnic country, this certainly would be the “best bet.”
Helmut Brause
Saanich