The Pros And Cons Of Canadian Electoral Reform

The Pros and Cons of Canadian Electoral Reform: A Critical Analysis

The topic of Canadian electoral reform is a pivotal and controversial issue in Canadian political discourse, with advocates contending that it will result in enhanced representation and stimulated voter engagement. The heart of the discourse lies within the topic of removing the first-past-the-post system in favour of a proportionately representative system. A change would result in enhanced democratic representation as well as an increase in voter engagement. While those in support of the first-past-the-post system convey that this system maintains stability and accountability within the democratic environment, critics voice concerns over hindered inclusivity, especially

Figueroa v. Canada is an especially important example of the complexities of shifts to the Canadian electoral system and electoral reform in general (Katz, 2011). Figueroa v. Canada, a 2003 decision of the Supreme Court to remove the previous requirements for political parties to nominate 50 candidates in unique constituencies to receive registered party status. This case, being the only case in Canadian history to require legislative amendments on four occasions, was built around the leader of the Communist Party of Canada, Miguel Figueroa, and his desire to have his party’s name established on the ballot for the upcoming election at the time. The resulting decision of 50 candidates being unconstitutional has carried major implications for future changes to the electoral system. While this decision of the Supreme Court of Canada does not directly affect the specific electoral reform issue of the electoral system, this case directly shows the complexities of working around specifically stated measures within Canadian jurisprudence. Libman v. Quebec, Longley v. Canada, and Harper v. Canada, all related to the electoral process or voter rights, were circulating the legal system similarly debating the legality of specific parts of the electoral process that

By examining their respective statistical outcomes and implications on the political landscape, the perspective of system effectiveness can be determined. It is also important to understand that in the event of a change in electoral systems or any case of electoral reform, voter engagement and response to electoral issues and events will be altered compared to the original format and experience. Historically, in periods of increased popularity toward electoral reform, there are certain benchmarks that tend to stay constant. Voter turnout tends to follow a significant decline in such periods of time as well as significant increases in opposition support for electoral reform in the same period (Leduc, 2009, 23; Elections Canada, 2019). However, the Ontario Citizen’s Assembly, a group of randomized Ontario citizens designed to educate the selected group members and create a proposal for whether electoral reform in Ontario would be beneficial and the specific type of electoral reform that would be the most beneficial. Through months of education, deliberation, and study of all the data and information available, the recommendation came forward to be a form of proportional representation called mixed member proportional. Mixed member