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The most significant decision to be taken by the new government will likely be its choice of a new electoral system. First past the post, which governed our elections since 1867, is to be replaced.

The likely alternatives are proportional representation or the ranked ballot, which has the voter in each riding put a number indicating the order of preference beside the name of each candidate listed on the ballot.

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Each electoral system imposes its own inner logic. First past the post is familiar and usually results in majority governments. But it works best when two relatively equal national parties compete for power. Add a third, a fourth, a fifth party able to get elected to the Commons and first past the post produces election results grossly out of sync with the vote count or even perversely contrary to what a majority of voters wanted.

From 1867 to 1911, in 12 federal elections, Canada enjoyed a two-party system. The winner and the official Opposition, Conservative or Liberal, each got 45 per cent or more of the vote. Elected independents or third-party members were none or few: one in 1874, two in 1911, three in 1887, 1891, 1900 and 1908 and seven in 1896.