As a 69-year-old, I have watched citizenship and attitudes to
political life change greatly, especially over the past 10-15
years. Certainly in BC, throughout Canada, and, indeed, all of
North America, governments are less and less responsive to the
needs and wishes of citizens. Governments are not held accountable
for their deceptions and outright lies. Worse still, citizens seem
to now accept repeated lying as the political norm. I believe this
cynicism partly accounts for low voter turnout.
Please change the voting system in BC to some version of mixed
member proportional voting [MMP]. Please do
not divide the province between urban and rural areas
and give each a different voting system. It will only give a reason
for grievance between these areas -- rural BC already feels (and
currently is) hugely disadvantaged compared to the Lower Mainland
and Vancouver Island.
I have followed the deliberations of the Citizens' Assembly and
greatly respect the generosity and heartfelt desire of most of the
delegates to offer something good to the people of BC. Please trust
your own judgement more and don't be manipulated by those who
purport to know more than you 'ordinary citizens' or who claim
superiority because of their so-called experience.
If you go with some equitable form of mixed member proportional
representation, you will be choosing a system which is widely used
in the world and offers a lot of history for your examination. By
contrast, the Ireland model offers very little history.
My thanks to all of you. Now be the citizens we need you to be
and trust your own knowledge and judgment.
|
levelCMS