When I first learned about the work you would be doing, I thought
it was the most hopeful thing I'd heard in years. Later, the
publicized picture of all of you listening intently in your initial
sessions was moving for me to see. I am sorry that I couldn't make
an in-person presentation, but thank you for providing me with the
opportunity to share my views.
I was a public servant for 7 years, serving in the Ministry of
Environment, which became the Ministry of Water, Land and Air
Protection. I left during the major purge that happened soon after
the Liberals formed their government. During my time in government,
I came to learn about the extreme waste of effort and money that
occurs when the Province swings from one party to the next.
Perfectly good and necessary programs are abandoned because the new
government was not the one to think of them, or because of the need
to be perceived as 'starting fresh'. It is devastating to morale to
work on an important project for years, and then suddenly have it
become meaningless, only to be revived years later, when most of
the work needs to be redone. I am very glad to have been laid off,
because morale in the Ministries is still very low. Clearly, this
waste of money and effort serves British Columbians as poorly as it
does public servants. We are talking about millions of dollars
wasted! I believe that some form of proportional representation
will force parties to work together more, and bring more reason
into the process of governing. The alternative is what we have now,
where each party rushes to change things for the brief time they
have in power, until British Columbians become disillusioned with
them, too.
As a voter, I am ecstatic at the possibility of a change towards
proportional representation. I am so tired of trying to vote
strategically, and knowing that my vote will likely be meaningless
in any case. I want to vote for what I want, not against what I
don't want! I believe that a party without a majority of votes
should not have unimpeded power to govern all British Columbia. No
wonder we vacillate from one party to the next the majority is
always dissatisfied!
I realize that local representation can be as important as which
party is in Victoria. That is why I hope that the Assembly will
consider recommending some form of mixed proportional
representation [MMP].
Thank you so much for doing this important work! You are setting a
model for the world to follow.
|