The United States has taken much heat since 2000 over the weaknesses in its electoral college system.  But it is instructive to watch what is going on in Canada right now.  The current Conservative Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, was just, essentially, reelected as Prime Minister, but with fewer than 50% of seats in Parliament.

Now, the three major opposition parties, the Liberals, the New Democrats and the Bloc Quebecois have decided to take down Harper’s government.  They can do this because they have more than 50% of the votes.

The problem is that the largest of these three parties, the Liberals, have a party leader who just lost seats in the Canadian elections.  And he has promised to step down as party leader within the next three months.  This means that Canada is just about to give the leadership of their country to an immediate lame duck.

An additional complicating factor is the Bloc Quebecois.  This is Canada’s separatist party.  Its membership comes solely from Quebec.  It rarely, if ever, joins governing coalitions.  Why would they?  Their ultimate goal is to make Quebec a separate nation.  They don’t really want to govern Canada.  So, in addition to being a lame duck, the prospective new Prime Minister, Stephan Dion, will be beholden to people who want to destroy the nation.

I’m beginning to like the electoral college.

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