In September, British Columbians will be asked to vote on a proposed change to our voting system.
The new system is called Proportional Representation (PR) and will change how we elect our MLAs. As proposed, PR is extremely complex and requires detailed study to understand, the implications.
A business group in Vancouver (biv.com) applied the PR principles to the results of the 2017 election.
The PR system would have had a significant effect on the results, giving the Green Party an even greater stranglehold on the government. The seat count would have shifted from the NDP (36), and the Liberals (36) to the Greens (15); resulting in an even greater conflicted and ineffective government.
Next time someone tries to tell you that PR is a Fairer system….. Ask “Fairer for who?”
The PR option proposes a possible increase of eight seats in the legislature. A major deficiency to date is that the proposal does not define the required revised electoral map. Therefore it is impossible to determine where those additional seats will be assigned. One must assume that the backroom boys will make the determination based on a combination of the new (non-existent) electoral map plus the results obtained from the election.
PR tends to result in fragile coalition governments in which fringe parties often play the role of “kingmakers” and without consistent support from the “kingmakers,” the governments fail, leading to endless streams of elections and ineffectual governments. PR has a very poor track record and is one of the reasons that the Greek government faltered and has been responsible for the many dysfunctional governments of Italy.
If you are undecided, make sure you Vote NO. It is better to support the system that is working than to support a system that you do not understand. Keep in mind that PR has been demonstrably dysfunctional, leading to instability. VOTE NO to this risky experiment and make your voice heard.
Janet Green
