Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Proportional representation a fairer system

Bringing in proportional representation is British Columbia's chance to show Canada how to strengthen our democracy.
let-crowley.23_10222018.jpg

Bringing in proportional representation is British Columbia's chance to show Canada how to strengthen our democracy.

Our prime minister got into power largely because of his promise to bring in democratic reform across Canada but as soon as he gets into power, with a majority government, he reneges on that promise.

All of the Quebec opposition parties agreed, prior to their election, to bring in proportional representation without a referendum in Quebec. B.C. has opted to give us all a vote to decide in the upcoming referendum whether we want to stay with the status quo or move to a more progressive form of election and government.

One of the main fears the naysayers bring forward is to state that coalition governments don't work and the various parties can't agree on policy. However, nothing could be further from the truth. We enjoy Medicare and the Canada Pension Plan thanks to collaborative decisions from minority governments.

With the present first past the post system, a government can be elected with 35 per cent of the vote and yet have all the power in a majority government. MLAs are more beholden to their party than they are to their constituents.

Candidates are chosen by party members, a very small percentage of the local population. In ridings where the same party gets elected every election, the rest of us have no say in who is going to represent us so our voice is seldom heard. Democracy means government of the people by the people.

In a majority first past the post government, we are instead ruled by a virtual autocracy. In proportional representation, all our voices are heard and seats in government are allocated according to the number of votes earned.

If a party wins 40 per cent of the vote, they will have 40 per cent of the seats. How can it be fairer than this?

There is another fear expressed by the naysayers that PR opens the door to extremists but Trump, Ford and Brexit all came in with first past the post type systems.

Also a party has to have five per cent of the vote to be included in B.C.'s PR government. In the last provincial election, all the non-elected parties together didn't come close to five per cent of the vote.

The vast majority of OECD governments have already switched to PR. There are very few of us left still struggling under first past the post. It is time to bring ourselves into the 21st century, embrace diversity and govern by collaboration and consensus rather than the accustomed hostility and aggression.

Our present system produces very low voter turnout as many feel disenfranchised. In particular the young voter finds it difficult to align with the status quo. It is our duty to think to the future and make sure that the diverse views of the electorate are represented in our legislature.

If the referendum wins for proportional representation, we will enjoy this fairer system in time for our next provincial election in 2021. Please vote for PR to strengthen our democracy.

Hilary Crowley

Summit Lake