I agree with you. This is a problem and I have the same concern about the Prime Minister. I may like the program of a party, but the leader of the party may be a complete jerk. A separate vote for the party and the Prime Minister would be preferable.

However, we have the advantage of having more than 2 parties represented at the parliament. Currently, both juridictions (provincial and federal) are minority governments and I absolutly love it :) They can't take decisions without having the support of at least one opposition party and that force them to make compromises that satisfy a larger segment of the population. I wish it will stay that way in the next elections.

>And, to my mind, that's the weakest point in a parliamentary system. What if, in my district, the candidate of the party I prefer, is a jerk? Do I hold my nose and vote for him so that my preferred party has a better choice of ruling, or do I vote for the better opposition candidate?
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>In the US system, my vote for a Congressman is independent of my vote for President.