Canadians want Proportional Representation – and a Green voice at the table

The Green Party of Canada supports a broad coalition of groups advocating for proportional representation to replace the First Past the Post electoral system.

“The vast majority of modern democracies – including the five most prosperous countries in the world – use one form or another of proportional representation,” said Elizabeth May, Green Party Leader (MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands). “PR gets higher voter turnout, higher levels of women in political office, and more diverse ethnicity within Parliaments. I await an invite from Minister of Democratic Institutions Maryam Monsef to an all-party committee on electoral reform.”

Canadians want every vote to count and expressed this desire last November when 67 percent of voters chose a party that proposed an end to First Past the Post.

“Justin Trudeau promised the 2015 election would be the last under First Past the Post, but he has indicated a preference for Preferential Voting, which would favour the Liberals,” said Bruce Hyer, Green Party Deputy Leader and Electoral Reform Critic . “I call on the Prime Minister to listen to Canadians, who want a diverse, inclusive and democratic Parliament with real Proportional Representation. Preferential Voting (Ranked Balloting) is not proportional. If 20 percent of Canadians vote for a party, then that party must receive 20 percent of the seats. PR is the only system that can achieve these fundamentally Canadian values.”

-30-

For additional information or to arrange an interview, contact:

Dan Palmer
Press Secretary | Attaché de presse
dan.palmer@greenparty.ca
m: (613) 614-4916