Thoughts on BC Politics and More

Describing the basic flaw of Proportional Representation (PR) is challenging because advocates of PR offer at least a half dozen or more PR variations without ever specifying which one they propose should be implemented if we ditch ‘first past the post’ (FPTP), so agreeing to ditch FPTP in favour of adopting PR is like buying a pig in a poke. That said, PR generally assigns legislators to Parties based on the Parties’ share of the popular vote, in addition to legislators directly elected to represent specific constituents, contributing in at least two ways to increased power to Party bosses.  First, the extra legislators are accountable mainly to their Party rather than being representatives for any specific electors, since they owe their appointment to their Party. Legislators who act as if they are beholden to their Party rather than to electors are already a huge contributor to lack of democratic legitimacy in Canada’s electoral system today, and the question is whether we wan...

Over the past several weeks, I have made no bones about the fact the BC Liberals are wrong when it comes to telling us not to vote on questions #2 of the referendum currently underway. As I have stated, their mantra is One and Done , to which I have said … THEY ARE MISLEADING THE PEOPLE OF BC. What they are recommending that you do is to potentially relinquish the opportunity to have a say in how you get to vote in the next election … the following two … and perhaps even more. I cannot believe that they would do such a thing, however it seems that their goal is to simply drive down the number of referendum ballots being completed … by creating a false sense of confusion on the ballot itself. THAT SHOCKS ME … and it should shock you as well. First Past the Post (FPTP)? If that is your preference then by all means, vote to retain it. BUT, for heavens sake, make sure you also complete the second half of the ballot regarding Proportional Representation options (Pro-R...

Today I completed filling in my ballot for the Referendum Vote – and NO, I did NOT “ Vote One and Done ”, as the BC Liberal Party is recommending you do.  In so doing, each and every one of them is recommending an erroneous suggestion, which could alter your democratic right to be heard, and to have a say in any future voting system we may have for the next provincial election! Todd Stone, Peter Milobar, and every other BC Liberal MLA in the province –- including their leader Andrew Wilkinson -- want you to believe that the Electoral Referendum, currently underway, is complicated ... IT IS NOT. Day after day, you are hearing the BC Liberals tell you the referendum is complicated – and that is likely having you wonder, ‘ How can Alan possibly say it isn’t ?’.    I can, because for starters, there is plenty of unbiased information available at Elections BC … and secondly, if you check out this short 4 minute 28 second video , I can guarantee you’ll s...

Guest Commentator Ian MacLeod -- see full BIO below -- Today, we have a Guest Post from Ian MacLeod, who says ... the Proportional Representation (PR) referendum before BC today must be defeated, both due to the rigged and deeply flawed process and on the long-term damage a yes vote would do to BC.  Here's why ... FIRST , the process is rigged and fatally flawed, and fails on at least 3 counts: “A pig in the poke”: Unlike 2005 and 2009, there was no real consultation as to the options. If we vote yes to PR on this incomplete package, we then have to choose from three options without the real and meaningful details (size of ridings, number of members per riding, method of selecting PR “top-ups”, etc) – a real “pig in the poke”. A rigged choice: It is rigged to support the extorted deal with the Green Party. Proportional Representation (PR) is the only option offered, not surprisingly, the one most suited to the Greens. The Greens have never earned more than 17%...

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 governme...

MEL ROTHENBERGER: There are so many things wrong with the referendum on proportional representation, it would take as long to cover it all as it would to explain the convoluted and foggy alternatives on the ballot. So let’s just talk about the hocus pocus of proportional representation (also known as prop rep, pro rep or PR) math. This one giant flaw should be enough to make us run, not walk, away from prop rep. Throughout the months leading up to this vote, prop rep boosters have relied heavily on a simplistic abracadabra formula to convince us their system makes sense. Their favourite line is “40 per cent of the votes should equal 40 per cent of the seats,” or variations thereof. With the current First Past the Post, they say, “39 per cent of the votes = 54 per cent of the seats = 100 per cent of the power” but with PR “39 per cent of the vote = 39 per cent of the seats = Compromise, cooperation, collaboration.” This is labeled “Proportional Representation Math.”...

Victoria resident Bernard von Schulman was born in Vancouver, but says at heart he is an interior guy, and an exile from my home of heart, Lillooet BC On Monday (Oct 15 th ) my friend Bernard von Schulman said, “ Time to open a can of worms .”   And with that he proceeded to say: I have wanted to see a better electoral system for BC for close to 40 years but the more I look at this referendum the more I am not comfortable with the alternatives being offered. There are good PR systems out there but for some reason, the government decided not to offer them on the ballot. Denmark, Sweden, and Ireland all have good PR systems. None of these are on offer. I really dislike the lack of detail about the three alternatives. All we are offered is a name of a system without explaining how it would work if adopted. MMP is notoriously complex and slight differences in this hybrid model really change the outcomes. The primary reason I might vote yes is t...