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Submission WORTIS-0166 (Online)

Submission ByMr Michael Wortis
AddressBurnaby, BC, Canada
Organization
Date20040412
CategoryElectoral system change
Abstract
The mixed proportional representation system with 50% of all seats directly elected and the remaining 50% distributed according to the overall popular vote is the best way to have the benefits of both proportionality and individuality. [2 pages]

Submission Content
I write to urge you to back a mixed proportional representation system similar to that presently used in New Zealand.

The key argument in favour of proportional representation is that it can give to all voters the sense that their views are represented in Government. At present, by contrast, the views of a large fraction of the BC population are not significantly represented in Government. This failure engenders a sense of cynicism, alienation, political distrust, and political apathy especially among younger voters which is bad for the Province.

There are many different sectors of political opinion in this Province. They all deserve to be heard in the corridors of power. Good government requires that those contending views be applied to each piece of legislation, which is, thereby, perfected to accommodate the wishes of as large a segment of the population as possible. Democracy cannot guarantee that each voter will agree with all legislation passed. No system can do that. Sometimes my view will prevail; other times, it will not. But, what democracy needs to provide to all of its citizens is the sense that their view is a part of the process of give-and-take that leads to legislation.

It is not enough that I can express my opinion every 3 to 5 years to vote for a single candidate. Depending on the make-up of my particular riding, this may not offer me any way of having my views reflected in government. I want my views to be part of the process all the time, even when they may be minority views in my riding.

In addition to giving to more people a sense of participation in their own governance, such a system has at least two other significant benefits. First, it will lead to better legislation, since each piece of legislation will be properly scrutinized from many different perspectives before enactment. Second, it might end the destructive folly of polar alternation which has plagued the Province in recent years.

In fairness, the single-riding winner-takes-all model has some advantages, too. Mainly the sense that I am voting for a particular individual, who is, thereby, in some sense responsible to me and responsive to my views. Politics succeeds when it does because individuals are willing to take on the job of representing their communities for the public good. It is hard work. One of the benefits is a special connection with the represented community.

The mixed proportional representation system with 50% of all seats directly elected and the remaining 50% distributed according to the overall popular vote seems to me the best way to have the benefits of both proportionality and individuality. Let's try it.

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