For me, the biggest reason why I support going to a more proportional system is because I hear way too often: "I live in an X riding, but support Y, my vote means nothing"

"My party can't win, so what's the point"

"I'm not voting for who I want, I'm voting for who can beat the person I hate the most"

"I'm voting for the lesser of evils"

"I'm voting strategically"

I want a system where people feel like they are represented. A system where people feel like their vote counts. A system where a couple big parties don't have water down everything they say or stand for because they have to try to appeal to everyone. In more proportional systems parties benefit less from being a "big tent" and benefit more from being able to reach across party lines to the other "smaller tent" parties and working together.

Those relationships, gasp coalitions, if you will gasp, are much less rigid and secure than current party unity and whipped votes. At least in theory.

Sidenote: That's why I think the current CPC is most opposed to electoral reform. I believe their party is at the biggest risk of splintering if a new system came in, and that they know this. Under Harper the talk was always about "keeping the SoCons onside"... under a system that's not FPTP, it's going to be much harder, if even possible to keep wings of big parties on side.

It could happen to the NDP as well, and it could cause vote bleed on both sides from the Liberals. More people would likely vote Green since it could actually "count". I see that all as good things.

Our country is massive. Our population is diverse. The notion that 3-4 political parties accurately represent us all is silly in my opinion. We should have more diverse parties speaking for our communities, but being able to put aside differences when it's time to work and craft laws. Then, be able to defend them from your smaller more refined ideological space when you go back home.