News release - Kamloops public hearing

Proportional representation opposed

Amid a chorus of calls for proportional representation in the election of B.C.'s MLAs, the voices of Darren Blois, Marc Gregoire and Don Cameron rang out in opposition Thursday night.

Addressing a public hearing of the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform in Kamloops, Blois said:

"I recently heard an argument in favour of proportional representation that went: 'The only democracies in the world not to have some kind of proportional representation are Canada, Britain and the United States.'

"In fact, that is the best argument against proportional representation. Canada, Britain and the United States are the three oldest, most stable democracies in the world, and are shining lights for the world. Why would we want to move away from it?

"Proportional Representation comes from people like, with respect, the Green Party, who say that if they get 5% of the vote then they should get 5% of the seats (in the legislature) or it isn't fair. Who says a political system is about being fair? It's about electing government."

Two members of the audience of 109 people pointed out that Blois spoke in his presentation only of a "pure" PR system. What about mixed or hybrid PR systems that, they said, worked well elsewhere; for example, in New Zealand.

Blois shot back: "The World Bank almost had to step in and bail out New Zealand, but there you go." (But that was 10 years before New Zealand adopted PR, said New Zealander Cam Murray, making his own presentation later in favour of New Zealand's system.)

Gregoire said mixed systems (with some seats going to constituency members and some to members from party lists) create different classes of members, and voters can't tell where the power really lies. And governments "tend to be formed of lots of smaller interests, with the final decisions of government policy hammered out after elections, rather than presented to voters for their decision."

As for New Zealand, he said: "The first election (under PR) was held in 1996 and for two months they were unable to form a government. The one that ultimately developed combined two parties from the right and from the left, causing great shock to the voting public.

"New Zealand has conducted a review of their system, and decided that more time needs to be given to fairly assess it. I concur entirely. Let us wait another decade to see how well the Mixed Member Proportional system works for New Zealand, and then decide whether it would be appropriate for B.C."

Gregoire supported the Alternative Vote system as used in Australia (and in B.C. in 1952 and 1953) in which the voters rank candidates by preference.

Don Cameron, former Conservative MP, linked PR with minority and coalition governments. These, he said, lead to small parties demanding government spending on their favourite programs in return for support. He cited examples from his own experience as an MP.

"The cost is atrocious."

One member of the audience broke in: "But those small parties got into the House under our current electoral system, not under Proportional Representation."

And another said: "Small parties pushed for, and got us, pensions (the Canada Pension Plan), EI (the Employment Insurance program) and medicare."

Among those calling for greater proportionality in the electoral system was Carole James, B.C. NDP leader.

"The shortcomings of the current voting system go beyond the odd anomalous election result. In our view, the system is inherently flawed. Its biggest defect is the lack of proportionality.

"While larger parties routinely win a disproportionately large number of seats, in relation to their share of the popular vote, supporters of other parties and candidates are left with little or no representation in the legislature. Meanwhile, in most ridings, most of the time, a majority of electors are represented in the legislature by a member for whom they did not vote."

James and the NDP did not propose any specific electoral model, but she said any new system should be proportional, should treat all votes equally, should encourage voters to follow their actual preferences rather than strategic considerations, and should preserve strong regional representation.

"A new electoral system cannot be chosen off the peg from among those now in force in other jurisdictions. We need a made-in-B.C. solution that addresses B.C.'s specific challenges."