Under our antiquated electoral system his government enjoyed virtual dictatorial powers winning 64 per cent of the seats in the legislature with only 45 per cent of the popular vote – most of this support concentrated in the right-leaning suburbs. He didn’t need to represent the province, just his political base.

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford smokes crack. Allegedly.

Almost every story of incompetent governance or corruption in politics is really a story about bad political institutions. In this case, an outdated electoral system that favors suburban and rural voters over urban voters has led to cosmopolitan Toronto being ruled by a series of right-wing suburban mayors, ill-equipped to run a major city.

Political institutions are boring and almost no effort is spent campaigning for their reform. Often that’s because the institutions favor one party over another. But how we vote, what bodies we vote for, and how the votes are counted are actually much more important forces than individual candidates and campaigns.

That’s why the most populous city in Canada has a drug smoking racist for a mayor.