The Green Party of Canada says the latest floor-crossing \u2014 which leaves Prime Minister Mark Carney\u2019s Liberals just one seat short of a majority \u2014 underscores a long-standing democratic problem: under first-past-the-post, a small change in caucus numbers can hand a government sweeping power that is not matched by majority public support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Floor-crossings are a normal feature of parliamentary democracies. Canadians may disagree with an MP\u2019s decision, but the deeper issue is structural: first-past-the-post inflates seat totals and can turn a minority Parliament into a near-majority \u2014 or a majority \u2014 on the strength of a single defection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCanadians should never be put in a position where one MP\u2019s change of jersey can determine whether a government gains \u2018majority\u2019 control,\u201d said\u00a0Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada. \u201cOnly a party supported by a majority of voters should be able to wield 100% of the power \u2014 yet first-past-the-post routinely produces the opposite result.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Green Party is calling on Parliament to treat this moment as a wake-up call and to advance democratic reform without delay \u2014 including proportional representation, which aligns seats with votes and keeps governing authority anchored in the electorate\u2019s actual choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs Critic for Democratic Reform, I\u2019ve heard the same message from people across the country: they want a system that reflects their votes and their lives,\u201d said\u00a0Simon Guthrie, Green Party Critic for Democratic Reform. \u201cWe can disagree passionately in a democracy \u2014 but the rules must be fair, transparent, and built to reflect Canadians\u2019 needs and aspirations, not reward distortions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Greens note that the House of Commons already has a clear pathway to move from discussion to action. A new citizen-driven petition,\u00a0House of Commons Petition e-6993, calls on the House to recognize that extensive electoral reform consultations have already been completed, and to commit to implementing proportional representation before the next federal election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhile the Prime Minister continues to recruit floor-crossers and Canadians brace for possible by-elections, Parliament has a responsibility to tackle the rules that let power swing without voters having their say,\u201d said\u00a0Dave Hamelin-Schuilenburg, a Vaudreuil Green and initiator of the petition. \u201cThis petition is a practical push to move electoral reform from \u2018someday\u2019 to a real, time-bound commitment \u2014 before the next election.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Green Party of Canada is urging all parties to work together to move democratic reform forward this session, so that future Parliaments reflect how Canadians actually voted \u2014 and so that \u201cmajority government\u201d genuinely means majority support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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