News release - Whistler public hearing

From fractional voting to fractious legislators

Members of the Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform heard a variety of views Thursday evening at the public hearing in Whistler, but one common theme – proportional representation. 

Ideas and issues covered the political landscape, ranging from fractional voting – where MLAs' voting power in the legislature is weighted according to the size of their riding – to disgust at the conduct of elected officials.

Speakers included a silver-haired man, who said he considered voting under the current system to be an “exercise in futility,” to a 28-year-old woman, who said she had recently become more politically active and felt it was “important to try to have a say” in political affairs.

Sara Jennings said youth would vote more if they felt their vote would count and that “the result would somehow resemble their views.”  She endorsed a mixed member proportional system (MMP), a system that incorporates both local representation and proportionality – where a parties’ share of the seats in the legislature closely reflects its share of the popular vote.

Rupert Merer, a Whistler resident who has lived in a number of different countries and provinces, said “I’ve been frustrated with the voting system for a long time.”  He said he had been a staunch supporter of proportional representation (PR) for 25 years.  Merer promoted proportionality, particularly MMP, because it allowed a variety of opinions, however diverse, to be heard in the legislature.

Doug Morrison’s idea of fractional voting seemed to be well received by hearing attendees, since it would allow citizens in ridings of different population sizes to have the same voting power.  Morrison, from Garibaldi Heights, also advocated an MMP system, but with local representatives elected by preferential ballot – a ballot that allows voters to rank their choices rather than make a single choice.

“One of my core beliefs,” stated Perron Stephane, another MMP supporter “is that diversity … is nearly always a good thing,” so electing governments that reflect the diversity of society is also a good thing.  He liked the fact that more proportional systems are more likely to result in minority governments that could only act by building coalitions.  “Personally, I would favor a government that moves slowly and steadily, rather than fast and erratically.”  Stephane also stated that a more proportional system would encourage more citizen participation and “restore people’s faith in government.”

Myson Effa, from Pemberton, was also concerned about voter disengagement.  “We don’t have a democracy if your voice can’t be heard.”   He supported an electoral system that encouraged more participation in democracy.

A member of the audience suggested that perceived voter apathy was, in part, voter disgust.  Citing elected officials’ behaviour in the House, he said, “our members of parliament must conduct themselves like statesmen” in order to restore people’s respect and encourage a return to the polls.
 
Other ideas and issues raised by hearing attendees included:

The next public hearings, in Abbotsford and Sechelt, are both on Saturday, June 5. 

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.