John Tory : Comments on MMP

In a recent National Post column, Ontario Progressive Conservative leader John Tory made some comments in reference to the proposal to move to the mixed member proportional (MMP) electoral system. Unfortunately, those comments seem to have been expressed without a true understanding of the proposal. Indeed, they appear to stem more from frustration with the existing system then with any real problems with the proposal.

These comments are especially unfortunate in light of Senator Hugh Segal's speech in favour of the proposal.

In the first case, Mr. Tory talks about the increase in the number of representatives.

"I'm very skeptical about a system that ... adds more politicians to begin with," Mr. Tory said. "I haven't met a single voter yet who has told me they're looking to add more politicians to the Ontario legislature, or any other place."

More politicians are a bad thing, only if they do not represent anyone. These new representatives will represent the province-wide will of the people to choose who wields legislative weight proportionately.

Further, as it would stand under the proposal, there would be 1 Member of Provincial Parliament for about every 95,000 Ontarians, with the total number of MPP's being 129.

By comparison, some other ratios are:

• Quebec has 1 Member for every 60,369 citizens (125 seats in the National Assembly; based on a population of 7,546,131).
• Alberta has 1 Member for every 39,643 citizens (83; population of 3,290,350)
• Manitoba has 1 Member for every 20,147 citizens (57; population of 1,148,401)
• PEI has 1 Member for every 5,031 citizens (27; population of 135,851)
• Nunavut has 1 Member for every 1,551 citizens (19; population of 29,474)

So, Ontario is and will remain still, the "least" represented province in Canada with far and away less politicians by capita.

Secondly, Mr. Tory talks about the accountability of list representatives.

I certainly haven't run into anybody who thinks it would be better to have MPPs, or any other kinds of politicians, who are appointed by party bosses and accountable to no constituents.

It's clearly a frustration with the current system that is leading Mr. Tory to believe this, but clearly he misunderstands the proposal.

The MPPs are not appointed by party bosses and are certainly accountable to Ontario. He is referring, of course, to the list candidates who would be elected to represent the province as a whole. Those MPPs will be elected by the will of the people.

It should be clear that no amount of political patronage is going to improve a list candidate's success in the province, if the people do not wish to be governed by that party.

Many conservatives that support MMP are also supporters of John Tory and the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. We believe firmly that Mr. Tory will ensure that the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party institutes a fair and accountable processes to select list candidates.

To that end, we invite Mr. Tory to declare that the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party will adopt a democratic and transparent process when determining the Progressive Conservative list candidates, should Ontario recommend that it adopt the mixed member proportional electoral system.