Here’s what Christy Clark said recently about municipal referendums.
Premier Christy Clark is sticking to her guns that a referendum on increased transit funding in Metro Vancouver should take place at the same time as the November municipal elections despite concerns from mayors.
“Elections are supposed to be about issues,” Clark said, adding transit is clearly one of the top three issues facing local government in the region.
“It’s absolutely the right place for it to be,” she told reporters. “The referendum in the midst of a municipal campaign means that every voter, every politician will be focused on one of the most important issues for people in the Lower Mainland.”
Clark said she hopes it improves the low voter turnout that typifies civic elections.
“They’ll know where their local politicians stand on that issue, and they’ll turn up to vote because they’ll know that it matters.”
For Vernon elections and referendums, I totally agree with Premier Clark. This is what democracy is all about. More voters mean a better democracy. This is true for all referendums.
Instead of having separate voting for elections and referendums, where special interest groups make the majority of votes. Perhaps our taxes would be a lot lower if this happened for all referendums.
Let’s hope the art gallery and museum referendums happen at the same time as the elections for a greater selection of voters.
Peter Wright
Vernon
