Prince's Trust

Prince Edward Island is one of the most beautiful and picturesque provinces in Canada. It is also one of the most politically astute island communities in the country. Yesterday the electorate had a plebiscite on electoral reform. It was combination of the traditional "first past the post" system with proportional representation. Voters would essentially vote twice: once for the candidate and then for a runner up based on the percentage of votes in the pool. Seventeen members would have been elected in districts across the Island in the standard system. Ten more seats would have been awarded by the popular vote.
 
The people voted NO to this type of electoral reform. The spin from the Premier's office was that they weren't "ready" for the change. The Yes side, and they did have two camps arguing the case, said the government wasn't selling the proposition very well.
You have to understand that PEI’s politics is not run-of-the-mill. Everybody participates. The voter turn out in provincial elections is usually around 80 percent of eligible voters. That's a higher participation rate the Federal vote and considerably higher than most provinces.
 
The residents of PEI enjoy the process. They talk amongst themselves and they argue politics over the dinner table and picket fences. Perhaps the change in the system isn't strong enough or the people of PEI are satisfied that they are being heard by their government. Meanwhile, in the rest of Canada, the notion of proportional representation is popular. It even made the platform of the Federal NDP and has been discussed in Ontario. For some reason, the Conservatives are mum on the issue, which seems strange because it would favour them immensely.
 
One thing is certain: some Canadians aren't ready for electoral reform.
 
Pity.
 
That's just my opinion. I could be wrong.