Letters, Sept. 5

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This article was published 05/09/2023 (952 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Rethink who chooses election system

Manitoba Liberal leader Dougald Lamont announced his party would ditch first-past-the-post in favour of ranked voting if elected. The Greens favour proportional representation and the NDP and PCs quietly prefer the status quo. Unsurprisingly, each party favours a having an electoral system which best benefits their political interests.

Manitobans, let’s take a step back: isn’t it a tad bizarre that the politicians who win the election are the same people who can change the rules for the next? If we elect them to make decisions does it follow that this conflict of interest is just inevitable? Absolutely not! Let me explain.

The great thing about our system of government is that it is based on the notion that we voters are ultimately in charge; for simplicity we hire politicians to make decisions on our behalf. Yet in an absurd twist, those we hire decide themselves the specific terms of their employment such as codes of conduct, responsibilities, expectations, appointment process, holidays, and pay, all matters which are typically the prerogative of the employer.

Is it possible voters are served well by this arrangement?

It is hard to imagine how this could be the case. If such a scenario existed anywhere else it would be immediately rejected as inappropriate. It is akin to a contract worker deciding their pay rate and contract renewal criteria unilaterally, or a sports league where the reigning champions get the opportunity to change the rulebook for the next season.

Our politicians act as anyone would in such an advantageous position and, when it comes to questions of democratic reform and accountability, they prioritize their own wallets and political prospects. Instead of taking an assertive role on just what our democracy should look like, voters have been duped into the position of absentee boss while our privileged employees run the legislature like they own it.

The good news is that to address this problem proven solutions are available. If we look across the border at gerrymandered districts down south, we can see it was the right call to take the power to draw electoral boundaries from politicians and entrusted it instead to an independent commission. This valuable lesson must be applied to our democracy as a whole.

A permanent commission composed of Manitoban voters could be tasked with holding public hearings, and examining and amending legislation tainted by this conflict of interest. In this way, voters could bring a firm hand down on the excesses and self-serving behaviour of our wayward employees while updating our democratic institutions to better serve us. This is just one common sense solution that would work.

It’s time the Manitoba Liberals and the others acknowledged there is an inappropriate conflict of interest with ruling politicians legislating electoral reform. Our democratic institutions need updating, and it’s time to give Manitoban voters a direct say in how they could be crafted to better serve us.

Kieran Szuchewycz

Winnipeg

Time to turf Pallister era

All this talk about Stefanson lately and 3.3 per cent, 3.6 per cent, and 3.6 per cent. Add those numbers together and they equal 17 per cent apparently. She wishes her approval ratings were that high.

And you know it’s a sad day for her when people in her camp probably start to think a photo op with Brian Pallister could actually improve her numbers. Or better yet… another video of the two of them going for a walk through the park together drawing lines in the dirt while he teaches her how to look indignant and heartless at the unwashed masses asking for more.

Just a couple of millionaires going for a stroll, while the rest of us count nickels and stretch dollars, telling us we aren’t doing enough to lift ourselves up… and how dare we ask for more than the scraps they graciously leave out for us to fight over.

All I can say is one down and one more to go. This October is our chance to finally be done with the two of them. Pallister’s legacy and the minion of it.

Brian Spencler

Winnipeg

Politics no game

Re: Federal Liberals intent on self-defeat (Think Tank, Sept. 1)

The latest of Royce Koop’s columns, “Federal Liberals intent on self-defeat”, just reinforces the impression I have received from his previous columns; his writings are more those of a political sportscaster, playing up the political theatre of the moment. This really isn’t very helpful, and not what I expect of a political science PhD.

Perhaps I’m wrong in this, but I would think a political scientist should be submitting articles that help improve our political environment, by presenting ideas to the public about how we, as a country, might improve our political system.

Heaven knows our Canadian politics — both federal and provincial — are a mess; we are becoming more and more polarized and extreme as time goes on, the public is getting more and more turned off by blatantly self-serving parties and politicians, no party in power now ever tries to get the best outcomes by encouraging and accepting input from the so-called opposition parties instead of trying to ram through their own political dogma, and the awful election system we have where a ‘majority’ can — and usually does — mean the winning party got nowhere near a majority of the votes cast.

We don’t even get to tell the parties we don’t like the bunch of puppets they put up for us to choose from by voting “none of the above” at the bottom of the ballot.

Political theatre may be fun, but it is well below my expectations for a real political scientist. Please, Mr. Koop, try to help by putting out some ideas on how we might fix these problems, and not just commentate on the pugilism happening at the moment.

Barry Pask

Winnipeg

Keep it simple on 24 Sussex

Re: Feds say PM’s residence at 24 Sussex may be replaced rather than restored (Aug. 30)

All these buildings were once private dwellings that were simply purchased by the government of the day to keep them from being torn down.

In that spirit, let’s apply the KISS principle: Stornoway House becomes the official residence of the Prime Minister, while the Opposition Leader (if they truly need a mansion at taxpayers’ expense) moves to Rideau Cottage. Then the grounds of 24 Sussex can be designated protected green space for all Canadians to enjoy.

Joan Stephens

Winnipeg

Lake’s state a pity

I’ve lost count now of how many years we are not able to swim in Lake Winnipeg. Algae blooms and zebra mussels this year again are sickening. No kids or dogs in the water. No fishing from shore.

Where is the money to save the health of our Prairie Ocean going? I’m sure the pig farmers are banking their money.

Teresa Kuzyk

Winnipeg