Tag Archives: Pair Vote

I Want to be Represented by the Best of the Best; Not the Best of the Rest

By Jason Menard

I prefer to vote FOR something, not against it. No matter at what level, I’d rather vote based on conscience, not compromise. Most of all, I want to choose from the best of the best; not the best of the rest.

If you follow municipal politics in London, you’ll know that, for some, the Great Satan is Incumbency (well, Selected Incumbency). The talisman to ward of that perceived evil, of course, is quality opponents (with a Hail Mary thrown towards term limits).

Yet, in an odd twist, there those who once lamented a dearth of quality candidates are now wringing their hands over an overabundance of perceived quality – to the point where the Great Satan of Incumbency will rise up, Lazarus-like, to reclaim his or her throne, based on vote-splitting.

And, to combat this challenge, there has been whispers of what is to me an even greater evil. An evil that undermines the intent of the electoral process in its purest form.

Strategic candidate selection. Continue reading

Pair Vote, Vote Mob Misguided Solutions to a Bigger Problem

By Jason Menard

Two political events designed to stop a Conservative majority are noble in intent, but are simply two wastes of valuable time and votes, which really only work in an ideal world. Instead, these actions actually have the potential to do more damage to the Canadian election process and represent short-sighted solutions to much deeper problems.

Pair Vote represents everything that’s wrong with federal politics. First, it claims that its intent is “to prevent a false majority by the Conservatives.” The Conservatives have not had a majority, false or otherwise, since they’ve been in power. They have a plurality – there’s a big difference. Continue reading