As I am unable to attend the public hearing in my area to make
an oral presentation, please accept my online submission.
The Province of British Columbia is living proof of the
necessity for electoral reform. In 2001 the Liberals
won almost all of the seatd -- 77 out of 79 -- 97% of the seats,
with only 58% of the vote which left 42% of voters with little to
no representation. The Liberals now have too much
unrestricted power enabling them to ram through their agenda,
including legislation without consultation, with virtually no
restraint, checks or balances.
With the present “first past the post”
voting system, designed over 100 years ago for two-party politics,
citizens have literally dropped out of the process becoming
cynical, apathetic and disinterested.
During the summer of 2002 I was proud to be involved as a
volunteer canvasser in the Free Your Vote Campaign for Proportional
Representation. I estimate that I spoke with
approximately 3,000 people and everyone was in favour of, and
supported, a form of mixed proportional representation voting
system. People wanted to be
“heard” and wanted to ensure that they had
a local constituent working for them rather then just towing the
party line. They wanted their vote to
count. Just the thought of a change in voting, wherein
people wouldn’t have to “waste”
their vote, brought a light of hope to their eyes.
Personally speaking I am tired of confrontational
government. Just the word
“opposition” is adversarial.
The current system encourages negativity and
name-calling…not to mention juvenile
behaviour. Under a form of mixed proportional
representation there would be a sharing of power rather than an
elected dictatorship. Cooperation makes for more
debate, deliberation and forethought, especially before going into
legislation…for example The Rule of Law, under which
this country is governed, has been ignored contemptuously (Bill 19
and Bill 37) by the present Liberal government because they have
absolute power to write legislation undoing all the work of
previous governments.
I am aware that members of the Citizens’ Assembly
have before them all the pros and cons for different forms of
electoral change, so I won’t go into any more details
other than to say I favour a Mixed Proportional Representation
voting system for British Columbia and hope, in the final analysis,
you recommend it. I would also like to see a change for
mandatory voting just as Australia has.
The present voting system no longer serves society well because
the majority are not represented. People must be
empowered to take back the commons. Please give us the
tool to do this.
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