Judging by the revival tent rhetoric at their recent rally, the NDP and the Greens expect B.C. voters to blindly vote for Proportional Representation, and then trust some unknown legislative committee to work out the details later.
If there’s one thing missing in BC politics it’s trust of politicians, and no, I won’t vote for a new election system until I understand exactly what I’m voting for.
Please don’t vote for something you don’t understand. And if you and I don’t fully understand the three PR options, I’m pretty sure most of our politicians don’t either.
Don’t vote to change B.C.’s voting process unless the recommended new system is acceptable to all parties in the legislature. Otherwise, it’s just the same old story of the governing party trying to put something in place that favours them, and disadvantages their opposition.
Don’t vote for a fundamental change to our voting process with a 50 per cent Plus One approval threshold. With a 40 per cent voter turnout, it would allow 20 per cent of voters to change the way B.C. votes for years to come!
Don’t vote for a system where you can’t see clearly how your vote helps elect or oust the MLA in your riding. Once the voting system starts awarding those provincial PR MLA seats, direct MLA accountability in your riding disappears.
Don’t support an election process that makes it even harder for the voters to successfully recall an MLA. There is no process in place to recall an MLA seated under PR.
Don’t support a voting system that purports to give voice to independents and smaller political parties when in reality, PR will disadvantage them in favour of the larger full province political parties.
Until all the parties in the legislature can agree on a proposal for changing the way we vote, I’m staying with First Pass The Post.
Bruce Fowler
Victoria
