By Ken Wells

Proportional representation would encourage extremist parties, massive ridings

Jun 14, 2018 | 11:34 AM

The PropRep people are trying to sway your opinion again, trying to encourage us to change our electoral system to one of three types of Proportional Representation, two of which have never been tried. Also PropRep has never been tried at a provincial level, and the countries that have it, seldom enjoy a majority government. Apart from the huge projected cost $13 billion per year, according to the BC Liberals, this type of representation will enlarge our district to include Williams Lake to the north and Vernon in the south. 

It will also encourage extremist parties from both sides of the political spectrum to run candidates, whereas now they wouldn’t have a hope of sitting in the legislature. Israel is a good example. Far right parties demand far right government policies so the governing party can stay in power. We’re getting a small glimpse of that now in BC, with the three Green seats exerting a disproportionate amount of influence on the NDP government on a number of issues. How would you feel if a far right party did the same on important social issues that would affect your family? 

Lastly, PropRep would ensure that you’re represented by some politician that you’ve probably never even heard of, somewhere in the Lower Mainland because that party got a certain number of votes in this area. My advice when you receive the biased questionnaire for this referendum: vote ‘No’ on the first question, and don’t answer the second question at all.