REFERENDUM, OCTOBER 10, 2007

“The Chief Electoral Officer has a responsibility to provide education on the referendum process, the referendum question and the content of the choices.”

Please visit the website for further information: www.yourbigdecision.ca


Sept. 13, 2007
THE REFERENDUM and the Standing Committees meeting
Ontario Council members have expressed considerable interest in the upcoming Referendum Question where the choice is between the present First Past the Post (FPTP) system and the new Mixed Member Proportional System (MMP) for electing Members of Provincial Parliament. Since CFUW has no policy on this issue, Ontario Council cannot make a statement about it. However, the members who attended the Standing Committee session on Saturday, September 15, had the opportunity to indicate anonymously how they would vote on the referendum on October 10.

Here are the results:

For FPTP - 10
For MMP - 42
Haven’t decided - 5
TOTAL 57

59% of those present responded. That is generally considered a very good response. What it indicates is that at least 54% of members present must understand the two choices because they have decided how they will vote on the referendum. Only 5% of those present indicated that they haven’t decided yet, and therefore, along with the 42% who didn't respond, may not understand the choices.
The Comments found in PDF

.

August 22, 2007

From CFUW Ontario Council

THE REFERENDUM - OCTOBER 10, 2007

CFUW and Ontario Council do not have policy on electoral reform, so neither Ontario Council nor the Clubs can make an official statement on the issue. However Clubs have been asking for information. We have therefore gathered some information and resources that we hope will be of interest to Ontario Council members. We have included a basic comparison of the two systems, and some websites to consult to get far more help.

THE QUESTION THAT WILL BE ON THE BALLOT
Which electoral system should Ontario use to elect members to the provincial legislature?/Quel système électoral l’Ontario devrait-il utiliser pour élire les députés provinciaux à l’Assemblée législative?

The existing electoral system (First-Past-the-Post)/L’actuel système électoral (système de la majorité relative)

The alternative electoral system proposed by the Citizens’ Assembly (Mixed Member Proportional)/L’autre système électoral proposé par l’Assemblée des citoyens (système de représentation proportionnelle mixte)

First-Past-the-Post, or Single Member Plurality System (SMP)

Canada inherited its system from Great Britain. It precedes Confederation and was first used to elect members to the Nova Scotia legislature in 1758. There are 3 main features that distinguish First-Past-the-Post from other types of electoral systems in the world:
  1. Candidates represent a specific geographic area called a riding;
  2. Only one member is elected in each riding;
  3. In order to win, a candidate needs to receive more votes than any of the other candidates in the riding.
POSITIVE FEATUESNEGATIVE FEATURES
  • Tends to produce stable, majority governments
  • Tends to produce a strong opposition.
  • Allows voters to support a local candidate who represents the geographical area in which they live.
  • Easy for voters to understand how the system works.
  • Tends to provide a clear-cut contest between two major parties.
  • Majority governments allows the party to implement policies that it campaigned on
  • Possible for parties with a smaller popular vote to win a majority of seats.
  • Very difficult for smaller parties with a national base to win seats (e.g. Green Party & NDP).
  • Smaller parties with a strong regional base may win more seats than their share of the popular vote (e.g. Bloc Quebecois)
  • Perhaps a source of voter apathy when vote constantly does not translate into seats
  • Historically women and minorities have been underrepresented in countries with SMP
  • In a majority government, the Premier has almost dictatorial powers.

Mixed Member Proportional System (MMP)

Mixed Member Proportional is a means of applying proportionality to the Single Member Plurality system. The main features that distinguishes it are:

  1. There will be one ballot where you will cast two votes. One for the Party of your choice and one for the candidate of your choice in your riding. They may or may not be the same.
  2. One of the votes you cast is for your preferred candidate in your riding and the winner is based on first-past-the-post system(whichever candidate wins the most votes wins);
  3. The second vote you cast is for your preferred party. This is the critical vote. Why? Read further.
    • Before the election, local ridings will nominate candidates as usual.
    • At the same time, each party will nominate their LIST of 39 candidates for the whole province (i.e. they are not connected to any riding).
    • The LIST will be given in the order of how valuable the candidates are to the party and therefore, how likely they will go to the legislature. Placing more women near the top of their list is an indication of how serious the party is about electing women. The same can apply to placing candidates from diverse backgrounds, diverse provincial regions, etc.
    • This LIST must be published in advance of the election so that voters can study its makeup (e.g. balance of men and women, fair distribution of the regions in Ontario and diversity of the province’s population). A party may be “punished” if voters see the LIST as unfair in its composition.
    4. If a party does not have enough local riding candidates elected to match its share of the party vote, it gets to “top up” their share of seats in the legislature from its LIST members. The list seats compensate for the lack of proportionality in the election of the local riding candidates.
POSITIVE FEATUESNEGATIVE FEATURES
  • The number of seats will reflect popular vote
  • Can vote for both an individual candidate and a political party
  • Allows for smaller parties to be represented; will only need 3% of the popular vote to access seats
  • Considered easier for minorities and women to get elected
  • Coalition governments encourage cooperation between parties
  • May increase voting turnout and decrease voter apathy
  • The system traditionally leads to minority governments.
  • Coalitions become necessary, and these are negotiated after the election.
  • May lead to weeks without a government (e.g. Germany in 2006)
  • The system can be confusing to voters.
  • The names on the List are determined by the party, not by the elected local officials.
  • Smaller parties may still be left out. Parties still require 3% of the popular vote.
  • Can create two classes of MPPs - one who represents his/her constituency (Riding/District MPP), another whose loyalty lies with the party leader (List MPP).

For information on the Ontario referendum, coming as part of our election on October 10th, the government has set up a non-partisan site with basic information on our voting system as it is now, and the reforms that were proposed by the Citizen's Assembly this spring. www.yourbigdecision.ca/en_ca/default.aspx


Elections Ontario
PRESS RELEASE
Aug. 1, 2007

Elections Ontario Launches Referendum Public Education Campaign
"Understand the Question"

  1. The Elections Ontario referendum public education website, www.yourbigdecision.ca launching today, provides voters with impartial tools to define and understand both the First-Past-the-Post and the Mixed Member Proportional electoral systems. You can also SIGN UP FOR ALERTS on this website.
  2. A public toll free information telephone line, 1-888-ONTVOTE (1-888-668-8683)
  3. A Facebook profile and group launches today to increase referendum awareness and provide another channel for voters to make information inquiries though the email address info@yourbigdecision.ca.
  4. A province-wide French and English newspaper advertising campaign and a further community and ethnic newspaper campaign in 25 languages will appear beginning the first week of September.
  5. A province-wide "Understand the Question" French and English radio campaign launches today and will run until August 13, 2007.
  6. Over 100 Resource Officers are being hired to deliver local community information sessions throughout the province. To request an information session voters may do so through www.yourbigdecision.ca, 1-888-ONT VOTE (1-888-668-8683) or info@yourbigdecision.ca.
  7. An online advertising program will begin in early September targeting high traffic Ontario portals of Canadian websites to encourage voters to visit www.yourbigdecision.ca for information.
  8. A province-wide "Understand the Question" French and English television campaign will launch in September, 2007. –
  9. A French and English direct mail information program will be distributed in September, 2007 to all Ontario voters. - Householders (unaddressed ad-mail) will be distributed to homes across the province immediately after Labour Day and again in the beginning of October.
Also visit the website of The Citizens Assembly: www.citizensassembly.gov.on.ca/en/default.asp



June 4, 2007
The Democratic Renewal Secretariat of the Government of Ontario announces the referendum question:

Which electoral system should Ontario use to elect members to the provincial legislature?/Quel système électoral l’Ontario devrait-il utiliser pour élire les députés provinciaux à l’Assemblée législative?

The existing electoral system (First-Past-the-Post)/L’actuel système électoral (système de la majorité relative)

The alternative electoral system proposed by the Citizens’ Assembly (Mixed Member Proportional)/L’autre système électoral proposé par l’Assemblée des citoyens (système de représentation proportionnelle mixte)

www.democraticrenewal.gov.on.ca/english/news/20070620_nr.asp


Winter 2006
The website - www.democraticrenewal.gov.on.ca/english - of Ontario’s Democratic Renewal Secretariat will have information concerning the upcoming referendum.