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Canada's first-past-the-post election system feeds hostility, says one expert (www.lakelandtoday.ca)

submitted 1 year ago by Beaver@lemmy.ca to c/canada@lemmy.ca

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[-] xmunk@sh.itjust.works 31 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

It isn't as bad up here as in America because we haven't yet devolved into a two party system but it feels inevitable with our election system. When you attack a political opponent you damage them and yourself - it never looks good to be focused on picking apart an opponent instead of boosting yourself... in a multi-party system this means that you're helping someone else more whenever you're running attack ads. Trudeau fear mongering about the CPC helps boost the NDP more than the LPC.

When you have a two party system that effect is removed. Both Trump and Biden are primarily running on how awful the other dude is without being held to account on their own policy stances... one of them is clearly worse but it's a deeply unhealthy political system.

(Just as an FYI, I'm a Canadian immigrant from the US - I'm now a citizen and I've experienced both systems).

[-] FunderPants@lemmy.ca 13 points 1 year ago

Trudeau isn't fear mongering about the CPC, they'll be every bit as bad and worse than the Liberals say.

[-] northmaple1984@lemmy.ca 0 points 1 year ago

Trudeau isn't fear mongering about the CPC, they'll be every bit as bad and worse than the Liberals say.

Could you also use that crystal ball to tell me next week's lottery numbers?

[-] FunderPants@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 year ago

Don't need a crystal ball, they aren't exactly an unknown quantity. CPC has party policy, a political philosophy and a governing history, I won't pretend I don't know how they'll act.

[-] northmaple1984@lemmy.ca -5 points 1 year ago

Last time I checked almost the entirety of that was better than the current Liberals. Lower housing prices, lower cost of living, lower immigration, lower homelessness, lower drug deaths, less crime, higher per capita GDP

[-] FunderPants@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

See this is the thing with arguing on the internet, a list of stuff and absolutely no thoughtful analysis. Like a bumper sticker that found its way onto the internet. Just one example, crime rates have fallen steadily since the 90s under all governments and continue to be near historic lows. In fact, most of Harper's tenure saw crime above or near the current levels. But you wouldn't know that if you got your information from some guy on the internet who just says "less crime".

Basically everything you listed is arguable at best, false at worst. But I know that won't stop ya.

[-] HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com 3 points 1 year ago

imma jelly of that if you live in toronto

[-] theacharnian@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

One major difference between Canada and the US is the Westminster parliamentary system and the fact that we don't have a quasi religious commitment to a piece of paper and founding daddy issues. The two party system will probably never become as ironclad as in the US because we don't have the Imperial Presidency where every election is an event of cosmic proportions. Instead our system has a lot more space for power sharing (minority governments, coalitions, supply and support, etc). Plus Québec, which is literally Canada's saving grace, no matter what Canadians think. (New Canadian who loves QC here.)