[To see the submission in its original format, see
the linked document below]
I would be grateful if you would consider the needs of British
Columbians, rather than those of political parties when
deliberating the future of our legislature. The last thing we need
is more politicians representing their parties. Yet
that’s what we’ll have if
a system of proportional representation is implemented.
I would like my MLA to represent me. What we need is accountability
of lawmakers to their constituents. Most of us recognize
that the present system of “first past the
post” is the worst possible scenario. I
think we can make it better if we consider the
following:
1. Voters should be able to cast their
ballots as a two step process. If the first choice listed is
running third, the vote would be cast for the voter’s
second choice. In this way, we can minimize vote splitting among
two left or right leaning parties. The Conservative Party of Canada
held its leadership race using this type of ballot.
2. Political parties would not be
allowed to run candidates. They would become organizations for the
formation of policy alternatives.
3. Party discipline should be
abolished. MLAs must be accountable only to their constituents.
4. The premier should be selected not
by a political party but by a vote of all MLAs. He or she would
have to be reconfirmed at mid term. The same would hold true for
the cabinet ministers. Hopefully this would promote government by
consultation, instead of our present system of popularly elected
dictatorships.
5. MLAs would be elected in stages,
with half the house being elected two years after the
first half. This would be a moderating influence on an unpopular
government. Implementing this for the first time could be done by
having half the MLAs elected for a two year term only.
I doubt that there is a government anywhere in the world that is
run according to those five principles. It would be sure to be a
messy system, and would probably be inefficient. It
would also be more representative of the views of our citizens than
the present system.
I’d also like to make the point that you get what
you pay for. Our present system of paying MLAs by forcing them to
vote for their own pay raises is obsolete. This should be replaced
by a tribunal that would be convened every three years to review
the compensation of elected officials.
Thank you for your attention. Please make sure that our elected
officials are accountable only to the individual citizens of the
province, not to their parties.
levelCMS