Strategic voting is bad strategy

0
118

A voter feeling going round is something like this: “I don’t especially want to, but I am voting for X because I don’t want Y to get in.”
The idea of strategic voting results from the fact that all power goes to the party that

A voter feeling going round is something like this: “I don’t especially want to, but I am voting for X because I don’t want Y to get in.”
The idea of strategic voting results from the fact that all power goes to the party that
wins the most seats in parliament, even if it represents only 40% of the vote – not very democratic! In a proportional representation system, all votes count, which better reflects the wishes of the people.
Last election, Justin Trudeau promised it would be the last using the first-
past-the-post-system. Once elected, he broke his promise and didn’t implement proportional representation.
So again we face the authoritarian principle posed by the two establishment parties: choose one of us, or your vote is disregarded. This is why Trudeau broke his promise, to preserve the first-past-the-post system’s forced choice of the Old Guard: Liberals or Conservatives only!
But don’t lose your vote! Make it count for something big and important, for expansive policies that will actually help the Pontiac.   
Pontiac needs a progressive, “for the people” kind of person, someone actually familiar with the issues of our riding (climate change, internet connectivity, farmers’ struggle to make ends meet, Chalk River radioactive waste proposal,) someone who is clearly bilingual, so we are understood. We need someone who has walked the walk – has worked within the system he or she wants to change or strengthen.  Listing their party’s talking-points (not their experience) is not good enough!
But “best candidate” can only win if people decide to choose the best alternative and vote to break the mould. Think hard about your choice, please – this is not a sports event, it’s an election that will determine our future!

Carl Hager
PONTIAC