For prof xavier only please do not send me handshake!!!!! —canadian
THIS IS A GROUP ASSIGNMENT WE HAVE FINISHED MOST BUT WHAT I WILL NEED YOU TO DO IS FINISH MY PORTION OF THE ESSAY IN WHICH YOU WILL BE PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE FOLLOWING;
REPRESENTATIVE
FAIRNESS OF REPRESENTATION
STRONGER VOTER PARTICIPATION
WE HAVE DECIDED TO USE AN ALTERNATIVE VOTE SYSTEM (AV)
A proposal for a new electoral system for Canada
This group project will develop the details and arguments for a new electoral system for Canada.
You should focus on changing the electoral system only while maintaining the current arrangements for other institutions such as the parliamentary system. Groups of no more than 5 students will discuss and devise a new electoral system for Canada, present its details and the arguments for its adoption. There is a great deal of information on electoral systems available on the internet and in the library. Citizen Assemblies on electoral reform recently held in British Columbia and Ontario, similar commissions in other countries and Fairvote Canada, an interest group for electoral reform, have all produced research and ideas on the subject and there is a massive amount of research material to help you complete the project. It is an ambitious project, but it is also feasible, as citizen assemblies have recently shown.
The assignment has two components:
- A 10 minute in-class presentation of your proposed electoral system in the final two classes of the term.
- A 10 page paper that presents your new electoral system and shows how it improves on the problems of the current system and advances arguments for and against your proposal.
Written paper
The final 10 page paper, from which the in-class presentation can be abstracted, should present the proposed electoral system, explain how it meets the 8 criteria set out in the Ontario Select Committee on Electoral Reform, describe how it will affect the behavior and internal structures of parties, present arguments for why the new system is an improvement and discuss what aspects of the new system will be most contentious.
Representatives
The connection between an elected representative and the people she represents can differ from one to another electoral system. Our current first past the post system, properly referred to as a single member plurality system, has one member per district. Other systems have multi-member districts that fundamentally alter the relationship between a voter and their representative or representatives. It is important to think about the relationship between the representative and the represented when you design your new system.
TO FIND INFO ON STRONGER VOTER PARTICIPATION IN CANADA AND FAIRNESS OF REPRESENTATION PLEASE CHECK THE ONTARIO SELECT COMMITTEE ON ELECTORAL REFORM ONLINE AS LISTED BELOW
The Criteria
The Ontario Select Committee on Electoral Reform identified 8 criteria for a new electoral system for Ontario and you must use the same criteria when addressing your proposed electoral system. You can read about the criteria in the Report (pp. 13-18) but they included:
- Fairness of representation
- Stronger voter participation
A 2-3 PAGE PAPER DISCUSSING OUR NEW ELECTORAL REFORM (WITH THE BASE OF AN AV SYSTEM). PLEASE DISCUSS REPRESENTATIVES, FAIRNESS OF REPRESENTATION AND VOTER PARTICIPATION IN AN AV SYSTEM. YOU ARE WELCOME TO PROPOSE MINOR CHANGES IN THE AV SYSTEM IN WHICH YOU THINK WILL FIX OR HELP THIS SYSTEM
UNDER VOTER PARTICIPATION PLEASE INCLUDE THE IDEA OF OUR HOW TO VOTE CARD AND HOW IT IS SENT OUT PRIOR TO ELECTIONS WHICH WILL PROMOTE VOTE TURNOUT AND GIVE FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS FOR NEW VOTERS
PLEASE ALSO DISCUSS A $30 FINE FOR ANYONE WHO DOES NOT VOTE IN WHICH INTEREST WILL BUILD ON IF NOT PAID ALL MONEYS GOTO ELECTION FUNDING
- All parties are welcome to run
- Eliminate donkey voting- order effect
- Ie) each ballot will have the candidates names in different order
UNDER FAIRNESS OF REPRESENTAION PLEASE DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING
- Representation by population – requires that each vote carry an equal weight in electing Members and a government.
- The voter has the chance to rank the candidates in order of preference.
- The voter puts a ‘1’ by their first choice a ‘2’ by their second choice, and so on, until they no longer wish to express any further preferences or run out of candidates.
- Proportionality – our parties seat share in the legislature will reflect its vote share in the election.
- Social representation – requires that the make-up of the legislature reflect the social characteristics of the population at large.
- Full support of both majorities as well as minorities
- Not excluding gender equality, same sex marriage, sex education, cultural diversity as well as the ongoing issues surrounding aboriginal peoples
UNDER REPRESENTATIVES PLEASE DISCUSS ANYWAYS IN WHICH YOU THINK CAN BETTER THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE REPRESENTATIVE AND COMMUNITY
PLEASE SEARCH AND READ THOROUGHLY ON ALTERNATIVE VOTE PARTIES IN CANADA BEFORE STARTING THIS ASSIGNMENT
