Post-referendum message: the fight for fair voting continues!

Fair Vote Ontario:  info@fairvote.ca or 416-410-4034

Note: The FVO Council and campaign riding captains recently completed a multi-faceted assessment of the Fall 2007 Vote for MMP campaign (see Dec. 15 news item on this site). The FVO council is currently focused on developing an Ontario strategy and action plan for 2008. 

The message below was issued to campaign supporters shortly after the October 10 referendum.

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For the past several months, thousands of us joined together in an effort to make the October 10, 2007, Ontario referendum the breakthrough event for fair voting in Canada.

We fell short on winning that immediate victory, but should not ignore what was accomplished. Despite a pathetically inadequate public education program from Elections Ontario, more than one-and-a-half million Ontarians cast ballots for mixed-member proportional (MMP). More voted for MMP than for three of the four major parties.

Unfortunately, more people cast votes for first-past-the-post, but no one should interpret that tally as votes for the status quo. Mixed in that tally were many votes from people who did not have the information available to evaluate the alternatives, as well as those who supported some type of proportion voting reform, but not the version on the ballot.

Not only did our campaign mobilize an energetic and highly motivated grassroots network in recent weeks, but MMP supporters included an amazing number of notable Ontarians. Those of us who voted for MMP were in good company.

In a message to local volunteers, Peter Black, the Ottawa campaign manager, put it this way: "Well, 37% voted for MMP and the press called it a resounding defeat. Only 42% votes for Mr. McGuinty and the press call it a resounding victory. That's first-past-the-post for you!"

And since we're doing quotes, those who have been active in the Fair Vote network since its inception in 2001 will enjoy this one from Mahatma Gandhi: "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." 

Back in 2001, we were in the "ignore" stage, quickly followed by the "laugh at you" stage. Beginning with the BC referendum in 2005 and in the past few months in Ontario, we moved into the thick of the fight.

In our October 11 press release, Rick Anderson, our campaign chair, noted why we should all remain optimistic that voting reform is not a matter of "if", but "when".

"Several days ago, a poll illustrated a huge generational divide on the electoral reform issue. Had this referendum been limited to voters between ages 18 and 34, we would have easily exceeded the 60% threshold, according to the poll. The younger generation is clearly not going to tolerate the antiquated political machinery of a bygone era," said Anderson. "Electoral reform is now on the agenda of the nation and even skeptics, such as Professor Nelson Wiseman, concede that the introduction of proportional voting in Canada is now just a matter of time."

After the dust settles and we all have a chance to rest and recharge, we'll begin gearing up for the next round in the fight for fair voting. 

The BC referendum is just two years away, a charter challenge against first-past-the-post may be on the horizon, and other opportunities will be emerging as we move forward.

In the meantime, on behalf of the campaign team, thanks for your support, hard work and enthusiasm.  

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An archive of the Ontario Vote for MMP campaign website is available here: http://archive.voteformmp.ca/en/welcome.