Electoral Renewal Canada on Bluesky
With all the talk of US-Canada trade, did you know the first Canada-US Free Trade agreement hinged on our election system?
Turner's Liberals and Broadbent's NDP opposed the agreement, while Mulroney's PCs supported it.
The election was called after the Senate refused to pass the agreement.
The PCs were carried to victory by their seat margins in Quebec and Alberta. With just 50% of the vote, they elected 87% of the MPs.
That's how a party can win a majority government with just 43% of the popular vote in Canada.
The purpose of this not is not to question the merits of free trade, it's to emphasize that elections have consequences.
When consequential decisions need to be made, like the ratification of a trade agreement (and more!), it's important that the legislature accurately reflects the voters.