We have before us a rare accident with first past the post, a good example of how proportional representation is designed to be every time: it exaggerates the power of the minority. No surprise, the Green Party thinks it's the eighth wonder of the world.
It is a system whereby a party with three MLAs can threaten to bring down the government over every minor dispute. Green Party leader Andrew Weaver has threatened or hinted at doing so over natural resource and infrastructure projects, although he has yet to follow through.
The situation would be the same if the Greens had the twelve B.C. seats proportional representation would give them: it is the power to extort promises from the majority. Spending goes up when governments are formed using a PR system; countries that have converted to proportional representation experience increased spending.
But will it always be the Greens who benefit from extortional representation? Not for long: countries that have been talked into this system where the tail wags the dog soon experience a rise in other fringe parties that are quick to grasp how balance of power politics can amplify their views: nationalist, religious and ethnic factions among others.
Don't buy the Green sales pitch that proportional representation is fair, there is nothing fair about 15 per cent of the popular vote holding the other 85 per cent ransom.
Brett Blaikie,
Prince George
