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Submission MILLER-0258 (Online)

Submission By Jack Miller
AddressPort Clements, BC,
Organization
Date20040502
CategoryElectoral system change
Abstract
With the MMP system, there would be a recognisable chance of small parties being elected, which in turn might force in-depth public discussion of issues, hopefully smoking the other parties out and into policy debate. [2 pages]

Submission Content
I am in favour of the MMP system of voting. In the last three Federal elections and the last five Provincial elections, I have either defaced my ballot, or voted for a nonsense party both options being considered legitimate, registered forms of protest.

In my opinion, the only parties today that run on a clearly defined set of policies are the small ones, such the Green Party, or the various Christian ones. Alternatively, the three main parties the NDP, the Liberals, and the Conservatives strive very hard to look like each other, all seeking that perhaps only legendary middle-of-the-road voter who won't be frightened by so-called radical policies.

The result of that process is seen in BC's so-called Liberal Government which ran on a conciliatory, middle-of-the-road election platform, but which once in power, enacted the extreme, right wing policies of its MLAs who couldn't have gotten elected if they had run as the Socreds or Reformers they really are. A similar potential exists with the Federal Reform/Alliance-now-Conservative Party, which is being very very careful not to make public it's extremist beliefs. While I don't consider the NDP's policies extremist, they are similarly chary of broadcasting them, and you will perhaps notice Mr. Martin is being pretty vague himself.

On what basis, then, is the voter to make a choice between these people? As I noted above, the smaller parties run on clearly defined platforms. With the MMP system, there would be a recognisable chance of their being elected, which in turn might force in-depth public discussion of issues, hopefully smoking the other parties out and into policy debate instead of name calling. Similarly, once elected, small parties could force the focusing in on issues if for no other reason their goals might be achieved through coalitions.

I am not the first to note our democratic process has become so degraded by the bread and circuses style of today's politics that it is illusory for any citizen to put any faith in it. Until recently, I put public apathy as the cause. I now see that is only the effect.

The MMP voting system presents an opportunity to change that, and we should take that opportunity.

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