FELDSTED: Further strengthening their stranglehold over governance is not in the interests of those governed

The basic premise of democracy is governance of the people, by the people for the people. It was conceived to avoid rule by armies, cabals, churches, gentry or kings.

From October 22 to November 30, British Columbia residents will be asked to mail in a ballot in a Referendum on Proportional Representation. They will either vote to maintain the current First-Past-The-Post system or change to one of three proportional systems offered by the government.

Unfortunately, the only proportional systems on the ballot are ‘Party Systems’ in which parties choose some of the MLAs. There are proportional systems in which voters choose all the MLAs. Unfortunately, none of these will be on the ballot.

In 2004, the Citizen's Assembly, a randomly chosen group of voters, looked at all forms of proportional representation. They rejected the systems in which parties choose some of the MLAs and recommended a system called STV in which citizens vote for all their MLAs. The government has chosen to limit choices to proportional systems in which parties choose some of your MLAs for you.

Any proportional representation choice will see a significant shift of power from voters to political parties. This is of grave concern.

Political party executives, governance boards and hirelings are not elected. They are not responsible to the people of British Columbia. No matter how bad their decisions or how inane their influence, they cannot be voted out or replaced.

Our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, embodied in our constitution, states that:

3. Every citizen of Canada has the right to vote in an election of members of the House of Commons or of a legislative assembly and to be qualified for membership therein.

British Columbians have a right to vote for an elect a member of the BC Legislature. There is no provision for a political party or any other entity to change the results of an electors’ choice.

Political parties are already infringing on the Charter right to be considered for office. They hold internal contests for the right to run for office in a constituency, and can refuse to endorse or allow someone to run for office, if they do not adhere to party rules and ideologies. They are controlling the representatives chosen by the people, which is a violation of the basic premise of democracy.

Further strengthening their stranglehold over governance is not in the interests of those governed.

Political parties use the excuse that without party discipline, the legislature would be ungovernable. Anyone who has attended a session of the legislature, or watched question period on television, will confirm that a party disciplined legislature is a cacophony of competing interests devoid of common sense, decorum, ethics, etiquette, politeness and respect. British Columbians deserve much better.

The major proponents of proportional representation are minority political parties who claim that because they achieved 2% or 5% of the popular vote, they are entitled to a similar proportion of the seats in the legislature.

A quick look at the 2017 BC election results shows:

2017 BC RESULTS
PARTY	ELECT	PROP
Liberal	43	35
NDP	41	35
Green	3	15
Other	-	1
Indep.	-	1
	87	87

Redistribution by popular vote would favour the green party, but raises three important questions:

1. Which 12 electoral districts that did not elect a green party member would have their elected representative tossed? 
2. How will one person represent the 16 different ‘other’ parties involved? 
3. Which independent candidate will be awarded a seat (31 ran) and who will he or she replace?

Political parties are incapable of working out how proportional representation will operate, in the best interests of the people they claim to serve. Following an election, the public can look forward to months of party bickering over how the spoils will be divided while the legislature sits empty. If that rocks you boat, vote for a change, but remember:

“Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.”   ~~  Abraham Lincoln

John Feldsted

Political Consultant & Strategist

Winnipeg, Manitoba