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Canadas Electoral System

The document summarizes Canada's first-past-the-post electoral system. It explains that Canada's 338 electoral districts each elect one Member of Parliament and the candidate with the most votes in a district wins, even if they do not get a majority. This can result in a party forming the government even if they did not receive the highest national popular vote total. It provides an example of election results from 10 random ridings to illustrate this point.

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Tyrone Borja
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37 views2 pages

Canadas Electoral System

The document summarizes Canada's first-past-the-post electoral system. It explains that Canada's 338 electoral districts each elect one Member of Parliament and the candidate with the most votes in a district wins, even if they do not get a majority. This can result in a party forming the government even if they did not receive the highest national popular vote total. It provides an example of election results from 10 random ridings to illustrate this point.

Uploaded by

Tyrone Borja
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Social Studies 11- Government

The Electoral System


A n electoral system is the method used to elect members of partiament. The electoral system determines how
candidates are elected and how governments can be formed. Canada uses the first-past-the post electoral
system. Canada has 338 electoral districts or ridings. Candidates from political parties run in each of these
ridings. The winner of the riding wins the seat and becomes an MP. Those candidates who place second, or
third place receive no reward. This is a winner take all system. Below is an example of how this system works
in L0 randomly chosen ridings in Canada. The check marks represent the winner of the riding and elected MP.

,onstituencies Winnipeg Centre


1. Mary Liberals 4L"l
ancouver-Centre partv popular vote %

1. John Conservatives 4L 'J


2. David Conservatives 30
3. Gary NDP 26
2. Ted Liberals 34
4. Tom Green party 3
3. Susan NDP 20
Quebec- Centre
4. Maurice Green Party 4
1.Marie Bloc Quebecois 39 'J
Vancouver- East
2. Gilles Liberals 32
1.William NDP 59 ^/
3. David Conservatives 19
2. Janice Liberals 27
4. Fred NDP 9
3. Edward Conservatives 11 Pontiac
4. Duncan Green party ? 1.Jean Conservatives 40
oictoria
2. Luc Bloc Quebecois 38
1. Jennifer Liberals 36
3. Marc Liberals L4
2. Laurie Conservatives 35 4. Henri NDP 5
3. David NDP 29
St. John's- East
algary- Northwest
1. Don Conservatives 42 ''l
1. Rob Conservatives 61 '/
2. Patricia Liberals 35
2. Mike Liberals 25
3. Lawrence NDP 2I
3. Kyle NDP 10
Results:
4. Francis Green party 3
dmonton-South
Seats won % of pop. vote
1. Lance Conservatives 43 'J Conservativ€s- 33.6
2. Ian Liberals 28 Liberals- 2 29.4
3. Terry NDP 2L NDP. 1 23.6
4. James Green Party 6 Bq- 1 7.7
oose-Jaw Lake Centre Green Party -0 1.8

1. Chuck Conservatives 39 '/ Discuss with a partner how the Conservatives


were able to win most of the ridings even though
2, Larry NDP 36
they received well under 40% of the popular vote
3. Hugh Liberals 22

Read Counterpoints p. 253 The Electoral System

List the advantages and disadvantages of the first-past-the post electoral system
Advantages Disadvantages

Refer to Fig 10-10 on p. 254 as you answer the following questions:

L. ln which year did the governing party win 50 percent of the vote?

2. Briefly explain how the Liberal Party formed government in 1997 with less than 40 percent of the vote.

3. Briefly explain how in 1993 the Bloc Quebecois became the official opposition when the Reform Party
gained a larger number of votes? -\

The alternative to the first-past-the-post electora! system is proportional representation. ln this


system , used in many countries in Europe, the popular vote total of each'party determines the number
of seats in parliament. Normally candidates are chosen from party lists. ln other words a party which
receives 35% of the vote, will receive 35 seats in a 100 seat parliament.

What are the advantages and disadvantages oithis system:

advantages disadvantages

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