Challenges to MMP #1: But we'll end up having elections every 2 years if we adopt MMP!

A common misperception is that voting systems like MMP mean governments fall more easily thereby resulting in more elections. Bollocks!

Germany (and the former West Germany) have had just as many elections as Ontario has in the same time period (since the late 1948 there's been 16 in Germany and 16 in Ontario). Germany has had MMP since 1948 and Ontario has had our First past the post system for the same period (and longer). Germany is often used as an example because their electoral system is very close to the MMP system proposed to Ontario.

Others may point to Israel as an example where governments fall apart. However, Israel has a pure proportional representation system (PR) such that the entire country is basically one riding and people only vote for parties. The example of Israel itself is somewhat extreme since political tensions there are unique in the world.

New Zealand switched to MMP for their 1996 election and have had stable elections (every three years is their custom).

In short, switching to MMP results in stable governments. Perhaps the most import change is that governments who under our current system would be in a hurry to call an election if they are riding high in the polls would not under MMP since they would most likely not receive a majority government. Likewise, the opposition party who finds itself at around 36% in the polls would be less cautious in defeating the government since there's no guarantee that they'll win a majority government either.

MMP=stable government