The only way to top this method is to play poker for the seats. Because then you know your getting a good liar.

Then again, I’m of the belief that all politicians are necessarily venal so the least bad option probably exists in any system.

Anyway…hope the referendum passes!

And one huge, huge disadvantage to FTPT which we had major problems with in NZ before the switch is that an FTPT government is all too often an “elected dictatorship” that does not have the support of a majority of voters- the inconsistency at the local level that you pointed out often translates into parties having a majority of seats in parliament despite having one less than 50% of the vote.

Of course, under MMP, if a party won more than 50% of the party vote, that party would be able to function like an FTPT-style elected dictatorship, but a) they’d have the support of a majority of the people- that’s how they got more than 50% of the party vote; and b) that is highly, highly unlikely to actually happen.

It should be noted that the job of a list MP is to represent their party, not any particular constituency or local area. Of course, many of them will set up offices in the local areas and claim to be the “Ontario Sasquatch Hunting Party representative for Toronto” or whatever, but they are in fact only in parliament to represent their party. As a result, anything they say or do must be taken with a hefty grain of salt, especially when they claim to represent a particular area or constituency other than their party.

You’re right, it’s far from a perfect system, but MMP is vastly superior to FTPT.

I do understand that there is the possibility of having two or more MPPs in a electoral district, but that chance isn’t high (39 to 90).

The reason I think local representation will be lower is that to get those 39 list-filled seats they’ve had to cut the electoral districts by 17 – and therefore make them larger areas.

The truth is, I’ve yet to hear of an elected politician that did an exceptional amount locally after being elected – so to me which party gets in power is a bigger deciding factor on my vote than which local boy (or girl) is kissing babies in my neighbourhood.

Every voter, every constituency, and every part of the province, will be better represented under MMP.

I agree, however, I don’t feel it’s perfect – just ‘better’, and ‘better’ can have a whole lot of gradations.

I respect that a certain amount of hype needs to go into something to get people to gravitate to the idea – but I also feel that without a clear picture people can’t make a clear decision.

Just one thing. We don’t “sacrifice local representation” under MMP. Our current system gives us lousy local representation. As you pointed out, most of us are “represented” by someone we voted against.

Under MMP, every vote counts, no matter where you vote or how you vote. Even a few votes in a region will help a party elect list MPPs. Parties have to pay attention to voters in every part of the province, instead of just a few swing voters in a few swing ridings.

Under MMP, every party will elect MPPs in every part of the province. Most list MPPs will be opening constituency offices where they live. Every voter will have access, not just to one MPP, but to MPPs from every party, in your region.

Every voter, every constituency, and every part of the province, will be better represented under MMP.

Vote for MMP on October 10.