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Submission MASON-1330 (Online)

Submission By Brian Mason
AddressVictoria, BC,
Organization
Date20040813
CategoryElectoral system change
Abstract
A PR system of election would help promote a wider variety of issues and ideas being debated during each election.  We need a system that promotes the power of ideas rather than the idea of holding onto power at whatever cost. [1 page]

Submission Content
I support a change to some type of proportional representation [PR]. Although some submissions have argued that our current system has in many ways worked well and gotten us this far, this position glosses over several emerging and historical weaknesses with the current system:

  • decreasing voter turnout
  • inability of smaller parties to gain any representation
  • tendency to favour or be biased toward a two party system, something we almost take for granted but which is a very narrow expression of voter desires
  • unfairly rewarding the first-past-the-finish line candidate.
Introducing a system of proportional representation can be viewed as a straightforward next-step in improving the electoral process. And it clearly needs fixing. Our current system is simply not generating the ideas, leadership, policies, style of politics, interest or clout needed to deal with the critical issues we face. Witness the almost complete absence of any debate or platforms during the last provincial (or federal) election dealing with the number one issue we all must soon confront: environmental crises and ecological collapse. A proportional system of election would help promote a wider variety of issues and ideas being debated during each election than the currrent system which has resulted (though perhaps not consciously) in a situation where the party in power and one major opposition party control all the action. We need a system that promotes the power of ideas rather than the idea of holding onto power at whatever cost.

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