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“Tiny P.E.I.” may soon send “a big message” to the rest of Canada about electoral reform, a Canadian Press story suggested earlier this week.

Maybe, but whether or not voters make history in the upcoming referendum by scrapping the current first-past-the-post system in exchange for mixed member proportional representation (MMP) – a system that awards some of the seats based on the party’s percentage of the popular vote – the dynamic within our provincial legislature is already changing.

It’s because competitive third parties have emerged, most notably the Greens who have elected two members under the existing system, where the candidate with the most votes in each district wins the seat. Recent opinion polls suggest the Greens have a slight edge over the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives in the leadup to the next election.

This is political ground that’s never been tilled before in P.E.I. Ever since the province joined Canada in 1873, the only governments elected here have been Liberal or Conservative – too often with lopsided majorities. Before the Green Party breakthrough in 2015, only one other third party member had ever been elected.

So in the next provincial election – widely expected to be held later this spring but, as yet, unannounced – change will be in the air. History will be made if voters opt to replace the current electoral system. It’s never happened before in Canada, and was voted down as recently as last fall in a referendum in B.C.

But regardless of the referendum result, there could be an historic change if more third party members are elected under the existing system.

Given recent polling, it’s not unreasonable to project the Green Party will hold its two seats, one held by leader Peter Bevan-Baker and the other by Hannah Bell, who was elected in a 2017 byelection. Having their voices inside the legislature has helped to raise the party’s profile and credibility, and by targeting districts where the party is competitive, a few more Green MLAs could be added to the fold.

The NDP, mired in single digit support since the last election, isn’t likely to be a factor Island-wide but its leader, Joe Byrne, will be a strong candidate in his own Charlottetown-Victoria Park district. If the party concentrates on a few key districts, an NDP seat isn’t out of the question.

In my view, MMP is the best way to bring new voices and views into the legislature. Still, the Greens are showing it’s finally possible to do that under first-past-the-post. I hope all voters will take the time to weigh the pros and cons of each option so they can make an informed decision.

It’s clear that traditional voting patterns are changing and that there’s an appetite among an increasing number of Island voters for a credible third or fourth choice on the ballot. That may well translate into more seats going to non-traditional parties in the next election.

If there’s a message for the rest of Canada on election night, perhaps it will be that Islanders have opted for historic electoral change. Barring that, it may simply be that we’re expanding our political horizons and moving away from a two-party system that has served us long, but not always well.

Either way, it’s positive change.

Wayne Young is an instructor in the journalism program at Holland College in Charlottetown.