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Overview of Canadian politics
Jul. 6th, 2007 06:49 pm(I'm just posting this here for now so later I can laugh at how little I knew when I arrived.)
Wikipedia Link.
The Township of Wilmot is in the Kitchener-Conestoga riding, which is currently held by Progressive-Conservatives (a more moderate provincial version of the federal "hard right" Conservative party). This area is considered winnable by the Liberals because they lost the last election by only 3%.
The NDP (New Democrats, the "Dippers") have been pushing for proportional representation (like what Germany and New Zealand already have). Ontarians will be voting on it this October. About 60% of the electorate are in favor of it, but the Liberals (= "Grits"), in order to protect their vested interests, have required that the proposition must pass by at least 60% overall and 50% in most ridings. Using similar rules, several other provincial governments have managed to block this change despite popular support, but it seems the days of American-style "winner take all" elections are numbered in Canada.
Officially, the Liberal government is neutral on whether Ontarians should vote for change, while the Conservatives (= "Tories") are against it because they don't want to have to state before the election who would get their apportioned seats in Parliament! In some ways the Tories are quite like the Rethuglicans, but with much less Fascism.
The word "riding" is derived from old Norse "Þriding", which was a 'third' of a district. It is unrelated to members of Parliament riding horses to/from their districts!
Wikipedia Link.
The Township of Wilmot is in the Kitchener-Conestoga riding, which is currently held by Progressive-Conservatives (a more moderate provincial version of the federal "hard right" Conservative party). This area is considered winnable by the Liberals because they lost the last election by only 3%.
The NDP (New Democrats, the "Dippers") have been pushing for proportional representation (like what Germany and New Zealand already have). Ontarians will be voting on it this October. About 60% of the electorate are in favor of it, but the Liberals (= "Grits"), in order to protect their vested interests, have required that the proposition must pass by at least 60% overall and 50% in most ridings. Using similar rules, several other provincial governments have managed to block this change despite popular support, but it seems the days of American-style "winner take all" elections are numbered in Canada.
Officially, the Liberal government is neutral on whether Ontarians should vote for change, while the Conservatives (= "Tories") are against it because they don't want to have to state before the election who would get their apportioned seats in Parliament! In some ways the Tories are quite like the Rethuglicans, but with much less Fascism.
The word "riding" is derived from old Norse "Þriding", which was a 'third' of a district. It is unrelated to members of Parliament riding horses to/from their districts!
