To start with strategic voting is an idea that does nothing for individual voters.
The concept of having a vote is to ensure your voice is heard regardless. Why
would I vote for someone else to keep another person from getting into office
even if I didn't agree with who I was electing? Even if your candidate loses
your voice is still heard because the add the votes your candidate got. Do you
think the person who wins doesn't see how many votes they didn't get?
This is what tempers the ambitions of those who do get elected. Yes you may
have a large majority, but in a democracy the minority must be respected.
Why? Because next election, if you do what you please instead of what is right
those same people may well throw you out of office as they should.
As for not having fifty one percent of voters approving you it is nonsense. We
have a multi party democracy in a parliamentary system. It is call first past the
post who has the most number of votes wins. it is actually a good system as it
provides for differing opinions without having hundreds of tongue waggers babbling
incessantly and without end preventing decisions from being made that require
attention. The parliamentary system provides for differing opinions some discussion
and a vote on direction. We hear from the left, the center and the right and whoever
has the most votes wins.
No one got cheated in the last election, what happened was the people decided to
by a narrow margin of popular vote to maintain the government they had. In turn
they approved of a new opposition and its views to represent the devils advocate
as it were through her majesty's loyal opposition. The most interesting thing that
happened was the the Canadian Public completely rejected and repudiated the
Liberal agenda and direction for the country, and that has to be respected also.
Canadians approved of the ideas of the Conservatives and the New Democrats
and rejected the Liberals, and no matter how some whine about the outcome it was
the final outcome for those who cast a ballot. I for one don't like the idea of Harper
and his social conservatives having a majority. I also recognize that millions of
Canadians agreed with him. What conservatives have to realize is more and more
Canadians also agreed with many social democratic ideas, than ever before, and
the Liberal view was rejected.
What are the outcomes? It is now up to the voices of the opposition to convince
Canadians they have trustworthy ideas and their way is the best for the future.
It is how democracy works, if the New Democrats can do that in four or five years
time, they then deserve the right to govern. Incidentally the Federal term in office at
present is actually five years not four, but most governments go in four as it is more
advantageous to them to do so. Trudeau actually let one term expire after the five
years and it didn't serve him well.
No one was cheated, the results are what they are and in four or five years time we
will pass judgement on the current government, and who knows what our condition
will be like when the next vote is called.