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Submission CAMPBELL-1431 (Online)

Submission By Alexander M Campbell
AddressKelowna, BC,
Organization
Date20040830
CategoryElectoral system change
Abstract
I support MMP (with a threshold of 6%) to foster support for the electoral system within the community, to produce representative government, to have an electoral system that is readily understood & not be costly to implement. [2 pages]

Submission Content
INTRODUCTION

The Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform is a welcome and inspiring exercise. I appreciate the invitation to make a submission.

SUMMARY

I recommend:

  1. the development of a Mixed Member Proportional System (MMP) for the election of members of the Legislative Assembly;
  2. the ratio of directly elected seats to proportional representation (PR) seats should be 60% to 40%;
  3. a threshold of at least 6% of all votes cast should be the hurdle for a small party to clear before participating in the allocation of PR seats;
  4. voting should be made compulsory in the way that participation in the national census is compulsory.
CRITERIA

In order to foster support of the electoral system within the community the system must  produce representative government, the process must be readily understood, not be costly to implement and be the same as the Federal system.

COMMENT

  1. I have read the "Preliminary Statement" of the Citizens Assembly and am persuaded by the arguments advanced there and in the "International IDEA Handbook of Electoral Systems Design" for a PR system.
  2. Canada has a well developed liberal culture supported by common law and legislation, including the Charter of Rights and Freedoms which provides protection for minorities and covers the right to form political parties. So it is not necessary to structure the electoral system to provide additional support for minorities. Hence the recommendation for a threshold of 6%. This is also the point at which a political party starts to receive Federal subsidies to support its work. 
  3. The Assembly should have as one of its criteria the cost of implementing its recommended system. In particular it should consider the cost of support and  remuneration including pension rights of any significant number of additional new MLAs and civil servants. The recommended system should not come to be seen as another costly scheme providing employment for civil servants, and only intangible benefit to taxpayers.
  4. The Federal Government Commission on Electoral Reform favours a MMP system and I think the Provinces should implement the same sort of system to promote unity through uniformity across the country.
  5. I consider the right to vote for the election of members of the Legislatures a valuable privilege, which should be given with care and which should carry a corresponding duty to vote. Elector participation possibly could be increased by rewarding those who vote and/or penalizing those who do not.
CONCLUSION

The Assembly's final report is eagerly awaited; with the hope that the recommended co-ordination with a new Federal system would not delay progress in British Columbia.

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