U.K. residents are heading to the polls today to answer this question: "Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?"
They are being asked to check a box beside one of two answers to that question:
"Remain a member of the European Union."
"Leave the European Union."
This is a smart way of conducting a referendum. The voter is choosing a response that states their view about the U.K.'s continued involvement in the EU.
Five years ago this month, B.C. residents voted in their own referendum about the Harmonized Sales Tax. The question was: "Are you in favour of extinguishing the HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) and reinstating the PST (Provincial Sales Tax) in conjunction with the GST (Goods and Services Tax)?" The two possible answers were yes or no.
The problem with the HST referendum was it was asking not one but two questions.
Are you in favour of extinguishing the HST?
Do you support reinstating the PST and the GST?
Someone could easily say yes, they're in favour of gassing the HST but no, they don't support bringing back the PST/GST combo. Far less likely but still a possibility would have been those wanting to pay even more taxes by voting in favour of keeping the HST and supporting the return of the PST, too.
The proper wording for the HST referendum ballot should have been: "Should B.C. keep the HST or should B.C. eliminate the HST and return to the PST?" with the two answers being keep or eliminate, not yes or no.
The problem with yes or no questions is the possible contradictory responses, like the HST referendum, or the misleading inference that can be taken from certain yes/no questions. What is the proper yes/no response from a male candidate for public office asked: "Have you stopped beating your wife?"
The Brexit poll before U.K. voters eliminates this kind of confusion but it's still not perfect. A vote to stay implies the EU is perfect the way it is and the best thing to ever happen to Britons. A vote to leave implies the EU has been nothing but disastrous for the country. If some of the English commentary is any indication, many of them would like to answer "remain in the European Union and get a better deal for Britain." Unfortunately, that middle-of-the-road response is unavailable, leaving only one of the two unconditional extremes to choose from.
The two sides in the debate have gone out of their way to portray their opponents as extreme and unreasonable. EU supporters have labelled the Brexit proponents as backwards racists opposed to immigration and globalization. EU opponents have labelled their counterparts as traitors to British heritage, willing to sell national autonomy to Brussels for a price.
Common sense voters looking for clarity on how to vote won't find it in shouting and accusations. Meanwhile, the rhetoric has evaporated the middle ground and made it difficult for anyone to hold an alternative viewpoint. It is not racist to point out there are problems with immigration policy. Criticizing globalization doesn't mean a blanket opposition to international trade. It is not anti-British to encourage new immigration nor is it anti-Westminster to support the EU setting standards on the environment, health and education.
The British are certainly not alone in their disdain for nuance and measured debate on emotional political issues. Americans and Canadians expressing serious concerns with Hillary Clinton as a presidential candidate are labelled as Trump-loving misogynists. B.C. residents opposed to Christy Clark are portrayed as anti-business, tax-and-spend tree huggers.
With no better way to decide the merits of EU membership or the HST, voters there and here were left with either-or, this-or-that decisions that are far less significant in the long-term than the short-term acrimony would indicate. The HST referendum was about choosing between the collection method of two largely similar consumption taxes. The U.K. will still allow immigration and international trade should Brexit go ahead but it will just be done differently.
Put another way, the perceived fork in the road isn't a choice between going east or west. Rather, the Brits are merely deciding which tine on the same fork looks best.
-- Managing editor Neil Godbout
