LETTER: Learn more about proportional representation
By Letters to the editor
To The Editor:
After studying Proportional Representation for upwards of a decade, I’ve come to realize that it is the best way to ensure the diversity of voter’s voices is heard in Victoria. Under our present system, parties regularly garner 100 per cent of the power with only 40 per cent of the vote. Our present system sees swing ridings getting way too much attention from party leaders. Our present system forces some people to hold their noses while they vote, hoping to keep Candidate A out of power, instead of supporting Candidate B. We have seen, especially elsewhere in the country, how our present system allows extremists to take full control of major parties, and then full control of legislatures or parliament.
British Columbians deserve a system where every voter counts, and where every voter has an influence on the make-up of our Legislature in Victoria. Presently half of our votes are meaningless because they don’t elect a candidate. But someone who votes for the Yellow Party, even though the Purple Party is all but guaranteed to win a seat, still deserves to have their vote count.
The principle underlying proportional representation is that the make-up of the Legislature shoul correspond to the amount of support each party earned across the province. Under proportional representation, 40 per cent of the vote would translate to 40 per cent of the seats and 40 per cent of power. Then parties will be required to collaborate and cooperate to find policies that work for the majority of British Columbians. Proportional representation ends the era of a minority of voters imposing their policy preferences on the majority of British Columbians who didn’t actually vote for the party in power.
To learn more, readers are invited to a presentation at Castlegar United Church at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, Nov 4. Questions can be directed to castlegar@fairvote.ca.
Greg Powell, Castlegar
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