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Green MLA Calls for Proportional Voting System

by Jill
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December 1, 2023

FREDERICTON – Today in the Legislature, Kevin Arseneau, Green MLA for Kent-North, proposed a motion urging the government to implement a proportional representation voting system for New Brunswick.

“The major issues of our time – like climate change and healthcare – need a sustained and shared effort from our elected officials,” said Arseneau. “We don’t get that from the partisan politics that first-past-the-post fuels.” 

In 2020, the New Brunswick election resulted in a Conservative majority government with 100% of the power, despite only receiving 26% of the vote among eligible voters.

Two reports commissioned by the New Brunswick government in the past 20 years have recommended a proportional representation system for New Brunswick. Despite this, none of the Liberal or PC governments in the past have taken any steps to transition to a proportional system.

“The first-past-the-post system doesn’t work for New Brunswickers, but it works for the Liberals and Conservatives and they’ll always look out for their interests first,” added Arseneau. “New Brunswickers want to see legislators working for the common good, rather than the best interests of their party.”

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