Apr. 23rd Articles

The Incurably Elitist Logic of the Globe and Mail
Opinion 250 (Prince George)
Thursday, April 23, 2009
by Peter Ewart
http://www.opinion250.com/blog/view/12652/1/the+incurably+elitist+logic+of+the+toronto+globe+and+mail

Make every vote count
Peace Arch News
April 23, 2009
by Daryl Sturdy
http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/peacearchnews/opinion/letters/43588502.html

BC-STV: Fair results and stable government
Surrey Leader
April 23, 2009
http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/surreyleader/opinion/letters/43586162.html

Editorial - More choice offered with STV
Langley Times
April 23, 2009
http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/langleytimes/opinion/43586687.html

STV webcast April 30
Surrey North Delta Leader
April 23, 2009
http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/surreyleader/news/election/43583632.html

STV will clean up B.C. politics
Nelson Daily News
Thu 23 Apr 2009
Page: 7
Section: Editorial
Byline: Marty Horswill

To the Editor:

Last week I ended my letter about the upcoming referendum on changing BC's election system by saying, "I'm voting for BC-STV and all British Columbians fed up with BC politics as usual should do likewise."

I've had lots of positive feedback about that letter but my critics have said, "Whoa, hold on a minute Horswill, you can't toss out a sweeping generalization like 'British Columbians fed up with B.C. politics as usual' and not expect to be challenged to defend your charge with some evidence."

OK, I agree. That was a bit too glib a comment and deserves to be challenged. So here's my explanation.

First let me describe what I mean by "fed up with B.C. politics as usual."

I'm fed up with the childish, school-yard-bully type, name-calling that substitutes for reasoned debate in our Provincial Legislature. This ugly caricature of intelligent debate debases all the politicians involved in it and is a major contributor to the public's growing disrespect for politicians. Both sides play this game and are equally at fault.

I'm also fed up with the mindless polarization of B.C. politics that in no way reflects how British Columbians see themselves or how we want our province to be governed. Most of us are reasonable people willing to hear the other guy's point of view and we don't see why our politics can't be similarly civil and fair-minded.

I'm fed up with electing politicians to represent our needs only to see them cudgeled into silence by Party discipline as soon as they reach the Legislature. We need MLAs of every political persuasion who aren't afraid to speak up for their constituents' interests regardless of the impact on their party's policies or leadership.

I'm fed up with the gradual debasement of our elected representatives authority in the Legislature. I'm fed up with the Legislature's power being usurped by the Office of the Premier. I'm deeply worried that between elections our government is slowly sliding into a form of parliamentary dictatorship by the Premier's Office. Here again, no one party is solely responsible for this trend.

So how will reforming our electoral system change any of this? What will BC-STV achieve that our current first-past-the-post system cannot?

For starters, let's consider our general B.C. politics, mired in polarization -- how would BC-STV change that?

The three principal hallmarks of BC-STV are: 1) every political party's share of seats in the Legislature is roughly equal to its share of the province-wide popular vote; 2) each voter ranks all the political party's candidates on his or her ballot and all those rankings affect who gets elected; 3) the voters in each constituency determine which of each party's candidates are elected to the Legislature.

Under this system politicians will need to sharply alter their style of politicking; a) if they want to get elected in their own riding and; b) if they want their party to stand a chance of being involved in the government. Under BC-STV appealing only to your own narrow political base while ignoring or insulting other viewpoints won't get you elected. Since every voter will rank every candidate on their ballot and every voter's ranking will count in determining who gets elected, the successful politicians will be those with the broadest base of public support - i.e. non-partisan support.

Likewise, since each party's representation in the Legislature will be proportional to its share of the popular vote, the political parties that can actually form a government will be those that demonstrate their ability to cooperate and collaborate with other parties and who are able to seek the middle ground that the largest number of party's and elected MLAs can support.

To me, this sounds like the fair-minded, thoughtful, pragmatic approach to getting things done that we all apply every day to our own lives - a refreshing change from the ugly, counter-productive polarization we see in B.C. politics today.

The political realities of BC-STV will enforce this badly needed change on our politicians' behavior and, I suspect, the best of them will be the happier for it.

Marty Horswill

Nelson, B.C.

Making your vote matter
Nelson Daily News
Thu 23 Apr 2009
Page: 7
Section: Editorial
Byline: Harvey Armstrong

To the Editor:

Imagine if voting felt good and elections were fair...

I usually don't send out messages like this to my friends, but I am making this exception because on May 12 we will have an important second referendum opportunity to improve the way we vote and because I am confident that if you have a look at the facts, you too will want to vote for a fairer electoral system, for BC-Single Transferable Vote.

For detailed information, click on the links in this email or go to: stv.ca

The Citizens' Assembly chose BC-STV as the best system for B.C. BC-STV makes better government because it is proportionally fair, offers more voter choice and more accountability from MLAs with BC-STV your vote counts!

Currently, our First Past The Post system is alienating voters. Voter turnout is chronically low, people feel they must either vote strategically or risk wasting their vote. In BC in 1996, the party with the most votes lost the election. Then in 2001, the party which got 57.6% of the vote received 97.5% of the seats.

I have sent this to you in the hope that you will find STV important enough to forward this email to your BC contacts. This way we will encourage more voters to learn the advantages of BC-STV and to help make politics in BC better. In 2005, a large majority of 57% already voted FOR BC-STV. Only 3% more are needed to pass the referendum. We can do this!

Let's make history this time, vote for better democracy, vote for BC-Single Transferable Vote.

Harvey Armstrong

Kaslo, B.C.

NO STV releases Ipsos Reid poll showing both sides essentially tied in vote on Single Transferable Vote; releases TV ad
Bill Tieleman
Blog: Bill Tieleman
Thursday, April 23, 2009
http://billtieleman.blogspot.com/2009/04/no-stv-releases-ipsos-reid-poll-showing.html

Try BC - STV for the Constituency of North Vancouver
John Sharpe
Blog: North Vancouver Politics.com
Thursday, April 23, 2009
http://northvancouverpolitics.blogspot.com/2009/04/try-bc-stv-for-constituency-of-north.html

Conservation Voters of BC Endorse STV and
Chrystal Ocean
Challenging the Commonplace
Thursday, April 23, 2009
http://challengingthecommonplace.blogspot.com/2009/04/conservation-voters-of-bc-endorse-stv.html