There are Canadians I know in the Jewish community who tend to come down hard on me if I criticize Israel. It just cannot be helped though when that country’s government, the Knesset, is such an interesting example of proportional voting. It looks now as though Mr. Netanyahu and his Likud party cannot form a government out of the 13 parties elected in the most recent of five elections in about two years. And people wonder why proportional representation would be a destructive way to elect our governments in Canada.
Quite frankly, proportional representation in Canada would be a disaster. Can you just imagine the potential number of political parties we would have? I can assure you that the Toronto liberals would have no truck with those Tories in Quebec who call themselves liberals. And Albertans would have their own gun-toting right-wing cowboys and cowgirls. I figure there are at least three potential parties currently holding the Bloc Québécois together. And the Ontario rural voters would resurrect the latent farmers of Ontario party.
It is mind blowing to think of the different interests and potential demands of the number of small parties needed to create a workable government. And that, in essence is the problem in Israel. Now, you could argue that we might not have a situation such as Mr. Netanyahu’s, where he has the largest group of supporters in the Knesset, but is also under some form of indictment for corruption at the same time.
You would think that Mr. Netanyahu’s Likud would also suffer from his hard right-wing attitude. You have to admit though that it is extremely difficult to maintain a graceful approach in a region with millions of people who dislike and distrust you. You can assume if he held out an olive branch, he would probably lose his arm along with the branch.
But if you want to balkanize Canada and turn it into a bunch of inconsequential states the size of Israel, just keep on trying to switch us to proportional voting. Think of what can build this country. Think of how we can get the leadership this country needs so desperately.
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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry
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