News release

Should We Change B.C.’s System of Voting?

158-Member Citizens’ Assembly Ready to Examine Electoral System

 Vancouver, BC - The independent, non-partisan Citizens’ Assembly examining British Columbia’s electoral system is ready to begin the random selection of the 158 provincial voters who will make up the assembly and decide whether to recommend a new electoral system for the province.

The Citizens’ Assembly, which is chaired by Jack Blaney, former president of Simon Fraser University, was created by the Government of British Columbia in April with the unanimous support of the Legislature. The assembly will report back with its recommendations by the end of 2004.

Meanwhile, the selection of the 158 voters -- two from each constituency -- will begin by random draw in September, following a province-wide information campaign to ensure eligible voters are on the provincial voters list by August 22.

"Next week, 1.4 million households across the province will begin receiving an information pamphlet about the assembly’s work and how people can ensure they are on the voters list by August 22, in time for the selection process in September," said Blaney. "The Government of British Columbia has taken the unprecedented step of creating an independent assembly of 158 British Columbians to examine our voting system. Anyone on the voters list could be selected.

"This assembly is unique in Canadian history. If the members of the Citizens’ Assembly decide to recommend a new electoral system, it will be put to the voters as a referendum during the next provincial election in May, 2005."

Blaney said individuals whose names are drawn at random from the voters list will be contacted and asked if they wish to participate. The assembly will begin meetings in January, 2004.

"This is an incredible opportunity to help decide how we’ll vote in the future," noted Blaney. "If the assembly decides to recommend a change, voters will decide by referendum in May, 2005. If the referendum is approved the electoral changes would be put in place in time for the 2009 election."