I'd like to thank you for the careful way you are going about
your task. When I heard that positions on the Citizens' Assembly
were going to be assigned by means of a lottery, I told my wife
that I would buy a 6/49 ticket that week so that if I was
disappointed in my hope to participate in the Assembly, then at
least we would have the consolation of a million dollars. But then
we didn't win the million either. Anyway, even though I didn't get
to work with you, I admire the work you are doing.
I'm speaking tonight in favour of the Assembly recommending and the
Province of BC adopting a mixed member proportional [MMP] electoral
system. I've voted NDP all of my life so far. The CCF/NDP has been
disappointed and benefited from our single member plurality system
but I have never considered it a fair system. I believe it creates
a political culture that is more divisive and polarized than it
needs to be. Too much political energy is spent pursuing
ideological dreams and there is too little energy left over for the
building of collaboration and fluid coalitions around the things
that matter in the everyday lives of the people. A political party
can go on for years never having to please more than between 38 and
50 or 55% of the decreasing number of people who decide to vote.
I believe that a mixed member proportional electoral system does
the best job of assuring that the greatest number of citizens has
the greatest chance to feel that their votes meant something in the
outcome of the election. I believe that a MPP system will require
more collaboration among the political parties. I like the
experience of other countries that suggests more women and minority
representatives will be elected with a MPP system.
The last time BC experimented in electoral reform was in 1952 and
it was put in place out of cynical expedience and they were dropped
the next year for the same poor reasons. You have the opportunity
to recommend changes that reflect principles that lots of people
can get excited about endorsing.
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