We’ve received more than 70 letters on the pros and cons of proportional representation over the past few months. (We’ve published some.)
Frankly, we wouldn’t blame you if your eyes glossed over at the mere sight of yet another letter with ‘PR’ in the headline. For the most part, it’s been a divided push for each side’s preference with very few compelling and objective arguments made in this space.
This is not surprising, given persuasive writing arguments are made to do just that. But it feels like a wasted opportunity to throw the same rhetoric on the flaming pile over and over again in hopes that a final heave of an argument will sway a vote.
There have been few compelling cases made on either side that haven’t involved overheated rhetoric and allusions to Hitler or the Nazis.
It also feels as though the introduction of the options and the descriptions for the choices and their ramifications were needlessly complex and possibly intentionally opaque.
Three pro rep options? Really?
How was this seen as the way to go? There should have been a yes/no, pass/fail approach. The average person not fully versed in election-ese will look at the wording around each option and likely drop a WTH with a shrug emoji.
Try reading the descriptions in the mailout. Go ahead. We’ll wait. Here’s the link: https://elections.bc.ca/referendum/
OK, are you more confused now than you were before?
Yup, us too, and we get paid partially to ingest, understand and disseminate difficult-to-decipher policy and rhetoric.
It is frustrating and sad to see Elections BC proceed with a referendum this important to the makeup of future governments in such a confusing manner.
Here’s wagering the returned ballots will number somewhere south of 25 per cent.
-Black Press
