16 October 2008

Electile Dysfunction Worsens in 2008

The disproportionality of our so-called representative democracy worsened in 2008.

Among the astonishing facts: The only party to have gained votes in Federal Election 2008 was also the only party not to have won a single seat to the House of Commons.

All other parties LOST VOTES. The following table, whose data was obtained through Fair Vote Canada, visually highlights how deeply eroded our democracy has become.







 20062008Vote ChangeSeat Change
Cons5,374,0715,205,334down 168,737 votesup 19 seats
Libs4,479,4153,629,990down 849,425 votesdown 27 seats
NDP2,589,5972,517,075down 72,522 votesup 8 seats
Bloc1,553,2011,379,575down 173,636 votesdown 1 seat
Green664,068940,747up 276,679 votes0 seats in HoC


Given the Conservatives gain of 19 seats (by our ridiculous and archaic first-past-the-post voting system), Stephen Harper claims to have received a "stronger mandate" to govern. On the contrary: In losing almost two hundred thousand votes, his party lost favour with Canadians.

Not only does Election 08 go down in history for the first in which voter turnout fell below 60%, it may also have gone down in history for delivering the least democratic result since the formation of Canada.

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