I learned more about proportional representation when I was
involved with the "Free Your Vote" Pro Rep campaign. Our province
has not been well served by the present "first past the post" form
of representation. If the proposed mixed pro rep system that we
were suggesting -- of which I imagine that you are exploring the
potential value -- had been in effect for the last election (with
the same votes cast), the Liberals would have won 43 seats, the NDP
16 and the Green Party 9 seats. Citizens of BC who did
not vote Liberal would have had some representation in the
legislature and I strongly believe -- with a viable opposition --
we would have had stronger, better government. I have no problem if
the Citizens' Assembly puts forward a different form of
representational electoral system than what we were suggesting. The
critical thing for me is that the citizens of BC are
offered a viable alternative in a referendum during our next
provincial election.
I find this idea of proportional representation gaining interest
and support across Canada and it would be wonderful if we
in BC took a lead in adopting it. I plead with
the Assembly to give us a chance to consider it. If
there does not appear to be much interest, it may be that people
are overwhelmed with all the immediate changes happening with the
present provincial government. This seems a more abstract issue for
many folks, and I confess that I had to "get my head around" an
alternative to something I had taken for granted. But I see it as
one of the most crucial issues facing us. Democracy is fragile and
not as "absolute" as many of us were raised to believe!
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