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Pros And Cons Of The Post System In Canada

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Much like the infamous Siberian snow leopard, the first past the post system is a predator in the way it targets small parties and causes discord amongst the Canadian people. But, also like the fierce Siberian snow leopard, the first past the post system does not belong in Canada. When Trudeau stepped into office he brought with him many promises he has yet to fulfill, one of which is to focus on the electoral system and looking into alternatives. Canada has been continuously playing themselves by using first past the post. Ever since the creation of the Canadian government in 1867, the Canadian electoral process has been exposed to manipulation through its chosen electoral process. This process has also caused problems for many Canadian citizens …show more content…

The system that Canada currently uses puts areas in groups called ridings, this leaves them vulnerable to gerrymandering. Gerrymandering causes there to be disproportionate representation because the boundaries of the electoral districts are manipulated to give one party an advantage over the other. Another method in which the first past the post system is manipulated in is the spoiler effect (Advantages and Dis…). The spoiler effect happens when people begin voting for a third party in hopes of changing the two-party system, this then causes the third party to take a percentage of votes from one of the main parties, often the one with similar ideas as the third party. This means that the party least like the third party will keep most of its votes and inevitably win. Now, although the spoiler effect is not always purposely implemented, you must keep in mind that one of the two main parties can support and fund the third party purposely so they end up taking potential votes from the other main party. This also plays into the creation of a two-party system, this is very well explained in Sarah John’s analogy, “vote splitting and the spoiler effect forces voters into an unacceptable “catch-22”-like position of having to decide whether to vote according to their conscience or strategically choose the lesser of two evils.” (John). To sum up, The first past the post system is an unsafe method of election that is highly exposed to the possibility of

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