News release - Ucluelet public hearing

We need more consensual politics, say residents

The need to retain local representation in our electoral system and overcome a feeling of “voter alienation” amongst all people were among the key messages heard Saturday by members of the Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform at a passionate meeting in Ucluelet.

Residents on Vancouver Island’s west coast also told Assembly members that they would like to see greater proportionality in our electoral system, to help create more consensual governments.

Tofino resident Jayun Mcdowell felt her votes do not count under the current system. "You hear about disillusioned and disenfranchised youth, and I'm the same," she said. McDowell advocated a pure proportional representation system without ridings to stop voters like her from "dropping out".

Ken Faris of Ucluelet advocated a system that promotes cooperation so that politicians will "sit down and talk things out with each other”. "I'd like a system that forces opposing parties to work together," he said. While Faris supported greater proportionality, he was cautious though about choosing an electoral system similar to Italy or Israel where "they have a multitude of small parties".

Greg Blanchette, of Ucluelet, applauded BC's electoral system for successfully providing local representation. "We need someone we can call up who will go to bat for us." Blanchette saw electoral change as an opportunity to strengthen the voice of small communities. He criticized the current system's tendency to create "yo-yo mandates" because in "Ucluelet, when there's a switch in government, we bear the brunt of damage when there are wide swings in public policy".

Jeff Chilton, who traveled to the meeting from Roberts Creek, supported a proportional representation system like MMP which is used in New Zealand.  "We need government by consensus, where parties are working together, because that is a representation of the peoples' will."

Citizens' Assembly member F.W. Zens, from Port Alberni, observed that the "basic mood of this meeting was for change".

The next Citizens’ Assembly public hearings are in Chilliwack May 18, Maple Ridge May 19 and Langley May 20. A full schedule of hearings – as well as information on how to sign up to make a presentation – is on the Assembly’s website at www.citizensassembly.bc.ca.

The Assembly is an independent, representative, non-partisan group of 160 randomly selected British Columbians. They must decide by December 15 whether to propose a change to BC’s electoral system. If they recommend a change, it will be the subject of a referendum for all voters in the May 2005 provincial election.