News release

Two members added to Assembly

GOLDEN – British Columbia’s Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform added two new members Monday from the provincial electoral district of Columbia River-Revelstoke.

Selected by random draw at a public meeting in Golden were Michelle Miller of Kimberley and Paul Galbraith of Spillimacheen.

Miller is a 41-year-old teacher, working as a youth program social worker, and mother of three daughters. Galbraith is 55, a rancher who recently retired as a manager of intergovernmental relations for Parks Canada.

They brought the Assenbly's membership roster up to 48. By Nov. 25, the Assembly will have 158 members from all over B.C. – one man and one woman from each of the 79 provincial electoral districts. 

Beginning in January, the Assembly will spend much of 2004 examining electoral systems used around the world and will decide if they should propose a change to B.C.’s current system of translating votes into seats in the Legislature.

If Assembly members recommend a change, B.C. voters will decide in a referendum on May 17, 2005, the date of the next provincial election.  Any change approved by the voters would take effect with the 2009 B.C. election.