I certainly agree that a need for electoral change is very much
needed.
Proportional Representation [PR] would be
a help but it is not the complete answer to our problems in BC. We
keep hearing "Democracy" over and over when in fact all we have is
a "Corporate Dictatorship" and our present government is a shining
example of this.
There are rumblings about passing a law that all must vote. This
will not solve our present problems. If people felt their vote
would count and be meaningful, the voter turnout would increase
dramatically. I have also heard that an idea has been
put forward to divide the province into urban and rural. This is
completely out of the question. We are one province and must have
one voting system throughout, not set one area against the other
any more than it already is. Under the present system, especially
during the last few years, the rural areas of BC have suffered
severely. I'm afraid if this split was put into effect it would
just about be the complete end to the rural areas.
What I would suggest and would like to see put in place:
-
Stop all donations to political parties with each bona fide
candidate would get an equal amount from provincial coffers, with
size and population taken into account. This would take away
corporate and/or big labour control of our government. This way the
elected government could govern for the good of the people and
province, which has not happened in BC for quite a few years. This
would actually cost BC less as political donations of $25 are now
tax deductible.
-
"Truth in advertising" should also be enforced. When a party or
candidate promises to do certain things when it is elected and then
does not make any attempt to live up to their promises, or turns
around and does the exact opposite, there should be severe
penalties. This is getting elected under false pretences. In
private life if a person gets goods or services under false
pretences there are severe penalties. Politicians should not be
exempt from this law.
If these changes were put into practice it would not be long
before many other jurisdictions would be copying us.
One must realize tinkering with the old system will not work. The
whole system must change or we will be in real serious trouble very
shortly. The system I've presented is the only one I've seen that
will give us a true
democracy and we certainly need it. The present system is failing
both individual people and the province as a whole.
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