Mr Miller missed yet another chance to tell voters how the Conservatives would improve our democratic deficit by skipping out of a public forum on proportional representation in Flesherton on August 12.
Briefly stated, PR is simply a way of voting that more accurately reflects the wishes of all voters than does our current 'First Past the Post' (FPTP) system.
Some form of proportional representation is currently is use in 85% of OECD countries (countries with mature democracies and modern economies). There are different forms, and the form that Mr Miller described in a letter to the SunTimes is known as 'closed Mixed Member Proportional' (MMP). He's right, voters cannot see who will represent them, and I agree that method is open to abuse.
That is precisely why the NDP rejects that method and supports Open MMP or an Open Ballot. On an open ballot you get to vote for your MP just as you do now. But you also get to vote for candidates who have been nominated by the parties to represent your region.
All the names are on the ballot (that's why it's called Open MMP). All candidates would have to go through a transparent nomination process. All those whom the voters send to Ottawa are accountable to their constituents.
Open Mixed Member Proportional representation has several advantages:
It will be nearly impossible for a party to form a majority government with less than 40% of the popular vote (as the Conservatives have in Ottawa, the Liberals in Ontario and the NDP did recently in Alberta). I don't see how Mr Miller can object to that.
Open MMP will alleviate the need for strategic voting. If your vote for your local Member of Parliament doesn't count, your vote for a regional rep will.
There is less concern about splitting the vote because every party will return members in roughly the same proportion of the popular vote they get.
You will have better representation. If your local MP won't help you, your regional MP might—and the local MP knows it.
Beware of other methods of voting being talked about. Preferential ballots and ranked ballots are not proportional representation.
I was surprised Mr Miller did not show up at the Flesherton Kinplex on Wednesday night. Some 60 people, of all political stripes attended. There was plenty of opportunity to talk to small groups and one-on-one, which is a format Mr Miller has said he liked. I asked folks how many had come with their minds made up. Only about a quarter put up their hands.
Mr Miller would also have learned about the true nature of Proportional Representation and why it is popular in other countries. Perhaps he would not have the mistakes he did in his letter to the press—mistakes which damaged the discussion on democracy now going on in our riding.
As I've said before, all candidates should stand in front of voters and state their views on the issues (such as how to best do democracy) and have those views challenged. I hear there might be another PR forum in Hanover, so Mr Miller has a third opportunity to do just that.
David McLaren
Neyaashiinigmiing (Cape Croker)
David McLaren is the federal NDP candidate for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound
