Evidence of meeting #30 for Electoral Reform in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was yukon.
4:30 p.m.
As an Individual
One member for 8%: yes, that's the last seat. Those are the last seats that go. But—
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
4:30 p.m.
As an Individual
Do you think that 6% unrepresented votes is worth more than 8% unrepresented votes? That's....
I don't understand the question. I'm sorry.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
We'll see if Ms. Sahota can get some clarity on this.
Ms. Sahota, it's your turn now.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON
Hello, Mr. Brekke. It's so nice to see you here today.
Mr. Brekke visited me in my riding of Brampton North not too long ago, and we had a good conversation about his proposal for electoral reform.
I'd like to congratulate you on winning the silver medal in the Canada 55+ Games. Yukon did very well; it sent about 98 participants to the city of Brampton for the Canada 55+ Games. They won 63 medals—28 gold, 25 silver, and 10 bronze, so the territory did quite well. I'd like to congratulate you and the territory of Yukon for doing so well in the games and for representing yourselves so well.
Mr. Brekke, we've heard so many proposals since the day the two of us met that things are starting to almost blur a little. I find your proposal quite fascinating. I have liked all the proposals that have been more innovative and that have really shown a bit of thinking outside of the box and thinking about Canada's specific unique needs. I appreciate your effort in that.
There's one thing I need clarification on. I understand the assigning of the point system and how that correlates with the the full percentage and the two separate portions of the ballot, on one of which you would be ranking the party and on the other of which you would be ranking the party candidates. However, you were saying that for the proportionality vote, it would be somebody who did well as a candidate, a runner-up or somebody—
4:35 p.m.
As an Individual
They would be the candidate from their party who did the best in their riding.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON
In order to figure out the percentage, to determine how well they did, would you be looking at the party votes? I don't understand why we need the two sides of the ballot if you're just looking at how well they did amongst the other candidates.
4:35 p.m.
As an Individual
Well, that's when the seat is decided, but to see how the party is seen in the area, the preferential vote would be...and we would try to match seats to the proportional vote.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON
Okay. So for the proportional vote, you would look at how well the party votes did in that region, in that area.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON
Let's say the NDP did second-best after all the ridings were won, I guess.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON
The constituency ridings or whatever you want to call them were won, and let's say the next highest percentage was to the NDP. Would you then look at how the NDP candidate ranked within the...?
4:35 p.m.
As an Individual
Yes. It's the popular vote that determines whether the party wins a seat. Then we look at who's going to fill it. It's not from a list; it's from the—
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON
You mean the popular vote from within that region, not from across the country.
4:35 p.m.
As an Individual
Yes. In 2008 it seemed like the Greens had roughly 6% of the vote, and they had roughly 6% of representatives. Out of 138 ridings, the Greens would have won nine.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON
Okay. So say the NDP does the second-best on the party side of it, but the candidates are fifth. Does that usually happen with this system?
4:35 p.m.
As an Individual
What I'm trying to do is give meaning to people's votes. First of all, we have the riding seats, so every time a riding seat is won, we've got some votes for that party represented, so we just subtract whatever they have in seats and votes.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
4:35 p.m.
As an Individual
Yes. What we're trying to do is give meaning to everybody's vote, so it's the party with the most unrepresented votes that wins like the last seat; there's at least one that is only partially represented.
4:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
I think it will become clear when you see the document, because I have it in front of me, and it is a bit clearer.
We'll have to go to Mr. Cullen now, please.
