For immediate release
April 1, 2012

Fair Vote Canada appoints Pierre Poutine to National Advisory Board

In a surprising development, Fair Vote Canada (FVC) has appointed infamous election fraudster Pierre Poutine to its National Advisory Board.

The Advisory Board is an impressive list of prominent Canadians from all walks of life who have given their endorsement to the national citizens’ movement and its campaign for fair voting reform. The list includes such well-known names as environmentalist David Suzuki and Walter Robinson, former director of the Canadian Taxpayers Foundation, as well as former members of Parliament from across the political spectrum such as Ed Broadbent, Stephen Owen, Ted White and Audrey McLaughlin.

So it is a startling departure for a quasi-mythical personality, whose claim to fame is attempting to rig a national election, to be added to this illustrious list.

“Mr. Poutine has performed a valuable service to the fair voting movement by illustrating one of the key flaws with our current voting system,” explained FVC Executive Director Wayne Smith.

“Under our current, winner-take-all voting system, most of us live in safe ridings. Elections are decided by a few swing voters in a few swing ridings. The current phony majority government hinges on about 6800 votes in close ridings.

“With today’s sophisticated computer technology, those voters are easily identified. If they are voting the wrong way, they can be sent across town on a wild goose chase to find a polling station that doesn’t exist.

“The current voting system pretty much invites cheating, as well as promoting vicious, cut-throat politics, because of its winner-take-all nature.

“Under a proportional voting system, every vote counts. Switching a small number of votes will not flip a large number of seats, as happens under the current system. Proportional voting systems are much more resilient against cheating.

“We have been promoting civil discourse and fair elections for years,” added Smith. “It’s gotten us nowhere. Our opponents have shown us the way. It’s much easier and more effective to spread FUD — fear, uncertainty, and doubt.

“So we’re going over to the dark side. From now on, we tell only lies, starting with this one.”

Happy April!