COURTENAY, B.C- The MLA for Courtenay-Comox believes that an election to the east could have gone much differently, if our electoral system was changed.
Ronna-Rae Leonard, who serves as the NDP member of the B.C legislature for the biggest communities in the Valley, touched on the election results in Ontario this morning.
The election saw the ruling provincial Liberals fall to the Progressive Conservatives under Doug Ford, with Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horvath becoming leader of the Opposition.
While Leonard was happy with the results for the NDP, she believed that things could have gone much differently if the voting system was changed.
“I think it’s very telling, again, why we need electoral reform, because once again we have a huge majority with only 40 per cent of the popular vote in Ontario,” said Leonard.
“I think it’s a good example for us to remember as we look forward to (the) proportional representation ballot question in the fall.”
British Columbia is looking at a change of electoral system in the near future.
Leonard was also concerned about the lack of a fiscal plan from Ford, as well as his rhetoric on tax cuts possibly impacting social programs.
“We would have probably seen, with the numbers, the way they’ve shaken out, probably a minority government situation, and possibly, it would have looked a lot different,” said Leonard.
She believed it would have been more representative of the popular vote. Overall, she believed the NDP in Ontario would do their best to serve in the Opposition.
“From coast to coast to coast, New Democrats share the values of making opportunities for people, no matter where they’re coming from,” said Leonard.
“Now it’s going to be up to them to hold the government to account, to try and achieve those goals.”
