The Problem With Democracy (A Brief History): On Electoral Reform

Is this really the best form of democracy we’ve got? Should we seriously consider changing the foundations of the Canadian and American systems of governance? Well, in order for us to figure that out, first we need to understand how we got here. Let’s walk through a brief history of democracy across North America, compare different types of democratic voting systems (ie: first past the post, electoral college, proportional representation and ranked ballots) and take a wild guess why our elected officials don’t seem to want to prioritize the hot button issue of electoral reform. In Episode 135 of The Bill Kelly Podcast, host Bill Kelly discusses the complexities of electoral systems, particularly in Canada. He explores the historical context of democracy, the challenges of the current electoral system, and the ongoing debate surrounding electoral reform options such as ranked balloting and proportional representation. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding the system we have and the need for informed citizen participation in the electoral process.Become a YouTube channel member to hear Bill’s stories and life lessons from 50+ years as a broadcast journalist in his members-only series, MORAL OF THE STORY: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeUbzckOLocFzNeY1D72iCA/joinDon’t forget to like, follow and subscribe across our channels! Thank you.Listen to The Bill Kelly Podcast everywhere: https://kite.link/the-bill-kelly-podcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBillKellyPodcast/featuredBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/thisisbillkelly.bsky.socialFacebook: https://facebook.com/TheBillKellyPodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisbillkelly/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisbillkelly/SubStack: billkelly.substack.com/CHAPTERS00:00 Introduction to Electoral Systems03:02 Historical Context of Democracy06:19 Current Electoral Challenges09:13 Exploring Electoral Reform Options12:21 Debate on the Effectiveness of Current Systems15:16 Concluding Remarks and Call to Action16:32 Seriously Injured? Call Wissenz Law! 905 522 1102FURTHER READINGRecord-tying number of candidates running in Ottawa riding of Carletonhttps://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/more-than-50-candidates-on-the-federal-ballot-in-ottawa-riding-of-carleton/Administration as lord protector of Oliver Cromwellhttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Oliver-Cromwell/Administration-as-lord-protectorBehind the Ballot Box: Citizen’s Guide to Voting Systemshttps://fairvote.org/archives/behind-the-ballot-box/HASHTAGS #BreakingNews #News #Politics #democracy #newsupdate #canadanews #AmericanNews #CanadaElection #canadianpolitics #CanadianNews #podcast #NewsPodcast #PoliticalPodcast #Politics #News #PoliticalNews #BreakingNews #PoliticalCommentary #Election2025 #NewsUpdates #PoliticalDebate #PoliticalInsights #CurrentAffairs #NewsCommentary #PoliticalCommentary #TodayNews #NewsToday This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit billkelly.substack.com/subscribe