Submission WOODWORTH-1121 (Online)

The most fundamental question in a democracy is "what do the people want?" This question takes priority over the question, "who (or what party) do the people want?"  Therefore, when a party is entrusted with the mandate to govern, it should be listening to, and know how to determine, what the people want on fundamental issues, not just at election time, but during its governance.

The opportunity given to British Columbians through the Citizens' Assembly, in which they can directly participate in shaping a new electoral system, is an excellent beginning towards determining what the people want -- now, and in the future.  To build on this first step towards more effective democracy, the following must be addressed:

1. Citizens' Assembly decision

A decision should be made by the Citizens' Assembly as to which system of electoral reform best reflects the citizen imput gained from the presentations. The key point is that "all systems of PR are designed to ensure that the range of opinion in the legislature reflects the range of opinion in the electorate." (Citizens' Assembly Fact Sheet #10).  This point indicates that any PR system would improve legislative connectivity to what the people want. Thus it is logical that some form of PR will be recommended by the Assembly, based on citizen input, and offered to the people in May, 2005, for approval.

2. What is most important in choosing a PR system?

Canadians, including British Columbians, are facing a crisis of disempowerment, as evidenced by the historically low voting turnout in the recent federal election. Canadians are skeptical about both the electoral process, and about party politics. Citizens are feeling disconnected from decision-making and need a more direct link to it.  To attract these alienated voters back into participation, the new system will need to be:

A single transferable vote [STV] system addresses both these requirements. It transfers citizen authority from parties to elected individuals. It keeps MLAs linked to the people who voted for them. Most voters can identify a representative that they personally helped to elect and with whom they can feel affinity. Such a personal link also increases accountability. Especially important is that there is no need for tactical voting. Voters can cast a positive vote and know that their vote will not be wasted, whatever their choice is. People can vote for what they want, rather than feeling cornered into voting against what they do not want.

The system is simple for the voter, and the counting is handled by the election officers. "Electors are perfectly able to cope with STV ballot papers. The first Northern Ireland Assembly election under STV in 1973, which produced a 70% turnout, is a good example. The voters elected representatives from both sides of the community in every constituency." (see http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/votingsystems/systems3.htm).

3. How can voters influence fundamental decisions during governance?

Many reflective citizens despair that they cannot influence such essential issues as:

It is extraordinary that collective ownership of essential services and institutions can be transferred to private or foreign hands without referenda submitted to the body politic. It should be constitutionally impossible to make such transfers without referenda. We, the citizenry, should own and control the management of our public institutions. The Internet has now been with us for over ten years, and it is high time that referenda were submitted to the populace via Internet over a secure connection (Internet is available to everyone through libraries and cafes) on such elemental issues. This is an election reform issue and should be addressed in tandem with the PR issue.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to express my views.