Dear editor,There are still people who complain that 60 per cent of Canadian voters cast their ballots for somebody other than Stephen Harper. That in someway that makes the current government less legitimate. I think they do not know their Canadian history.Only five of the elected 22 prime ministers have not had the majority of Canadians voted against them. Of the 41 federal elections since Confederation 30 times it was majority government but only six times has the majority of Canadians actual voted for the prime minister; Wilfrid Laurier with 50.25 per cent in 1900, 50.88 per cent in 1904; Borden 56.93 per cent in 1917; Mackenzie King 51.32 in 1940; Diefenbaker 53.66 per cent in 1958.The most recent time a majority of the voters voted for a prime minister was Brain Mulroney in 1984 with 50.03 per cent of Canadians voting for him.In the past 72 years, despite having nine majority governments, the Liberal prime ministers have always had the majority of Canadians always voted against the Liberal party. Chretien had at least 58.76 per cent of Canadians vote against him in each of his three majorities.Trudeau had at least 54.63 per cent of Canadians vote against him in his three majorities. No Liberal prime minister since Mackenzie King in 1940 has had most the Canadian voters vote for them.Of course, moving to a proportional representation will almost ensure that the majority of Canadian will have cast their ballot for somebody other than the prime minister.Nina Usherwood,Comox

Comox Valley Record