[To see this submission in its original format, see the linked
document below]
Proportional
Representation
Why are people so dissatisfied about the elections? We blame the
party leaders for the results or we give credit to them when it is
not due to them, but it is not their doing that changes the
political scene. It is the election system
that we use here in Canada, the election system needs to be
changed. Because of the voting system we are now using in Canada
makes it so that we do not have a fair representation
at all. Look at what happened in the last provincial
election 57.6 % voted Liberal which gave them 77
seats. On the other hand 42.4 % voted for the other
parties and ended up with only 2 seats out
of the total of 79 seats for the provincial legislature. This
shows a party which close to 58 % of the votes did get
97.5 % of the allotted seats, as to the other parties with 42.4 %
did get only 2.5 %of the allotted seats.
If this is democratic, then we should be ashamed of ourselves,
that we are letting these things happen from election to
election. No wonder that our voter turnout is getting
lower and lower by each election, as people get more and more
frustrated with the way things turn out How long will it take for
the government to change this system of voting to a more democratic
system. The change will not be so difficult at all.
Following find a copy of a proposal for proportional representation
in elections.
PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
The solution to this voting system is not as difficult, as some do
make it. There is a very easy way To accomplish this
voting system. Each person would vote for the party of
his or her choice. The Provincial parties would have a
slate of candidates selected to fill all seats if
necessary and Would have them in the following order, candidate #1,
candidate #2 and so on , up to candidate #75 or #79
although most likely a party would only need up to candidate #50.
to be selected by their own membership. Any one who wanted to have
a say in the selection of those candidates must be a member of that
particular party. But one from each riding, arranged so
that there would be an average representation from all over
the province. Just to make sure that there will be at
least one candidate from each region.
The party that would form the government would have to have
a constituency office open in each riding
after the election to form a direct link from the people to the
government. Parties not
elected could have offices in places of each
region if they choose to do so.
In the election of 1996 in B.C. there were a total of
1,582,704 votes cast. There was a total of 75 seats in
the legislature. Thus it would take about 21,000 votes
for one seat if everything was divided equally. In
other words it would take 21,000 votes for a party to
get one seat in the Provincial legislature.
This system would guarantee to get the best candidates a party
would have to be holding a seat, for as soon as 21000
votes were cast for this party, candidate #1 would be elected. The
next 21,000 votes for this party, candidate #2 would be
elected and so on, till there would be not enough votes left and
the
percentage would then be rounded off.
Under this system all votes will count and there is
hardly any waste of votes, The waste of votes is under 49/100 of a
percent or less.
Following is a list as to what would be the outcome if this system
had been used in 1996.
Party
Total
votes
% of
vote
seats (rounded)
Liberals
661,929
41.82
% 31.36 (31)
Libertarian
party 2,041
0.13
%
0.10
(0)
Social
Credit 6,276
0.40
%
0.30 (0)
Fam.Coalition
4,150
0.26
%
0.20 (0)
Green
Party
35,511
1.99
%
1.49 (1)
Natural
Law
2,919
0.18
%
0.14 (0)
New Dem.
Party
624,395
39.45
%
29.59 (30)
Prog.Dem.
Alliance
90,797
5.74
%
4.31 (4)
Reform Party
B.C 146,734
9.27 %
6.94 (7)
Other
Affiliations
11,952
0.76
%
0.57 (1)
Totals
1,582,704 100.00
%
75 (74 + floating
seat)
Floating seat for the next highest part of a seat
being 0.49 for the Green Party,
Total candidates
elected 75
Next is the list as to what the results would have been
if this system had been used in 2001.
With 20,600 votes for each candidate to get a seat etc.
Liberals
916,888 57.62
%
44.51 (45)
B.C.M. 51,206
3.23
%
2.49 (2)
Green
Party
197,231
12.39
%
9.57 (10)
New Dem.
Party
343,156
21.56
%
16.66 (17)
Unity
Party
51,426
3.23
%
2.50 (3)
Other
Affiliations
31,399
1.97 %
1.52 (2)
Totals
1,591,306
100.00%
77.25 (77 + 2 floating seats)
Total candidates
elected 79
This is quite a difference as to what the results are under the
old system, where the Liberal party ended up with 77 seats
and The New Dem. Party with only 2 seats not
proportioned at all as to the votes cast.
We do not need all those different ridings, because if we as
voters vote for the party of our choice it does not make any
difference if that vote would come from Vancouver or from Fort St
John it would count the same. And in the light as we
have set out before that the governing party would have to
set up offices in each region or cities or major towns,
this could reduce the number of seats in the government. Instead
off 5 ridings in the Okanagan, there would be 3. Such as Penticton,
Kelowna, and Vernon as an example. This could be done
for the whole province on a similar basis. Voters would
still have a direct link with the government through the local
office in each place.
For further questions on this subject.
E-Mail Norelco@myexcel.ca
Hans Norel
5014 Booth Rd
Kelowna, B.C. V1X-7V7
ph.250-765-6638
fax.250-765-6383