The process of winning full democracy is incomplete, however. There are at least fifty steps on the ladder of democracy. In BC, twelve or thirteen steps have yet to be taken. In America, depending on where you live in, as many as twenty-eight steps remain. Thanks to the campaign finance legislation that was passed in BC in 2017 by the NDP/Green Party Alliance, the corrupting influence of money has been finally stripped from provincial politics.
The chance to take the next step up the ladder (Step 39) comes before us in British Columbia this fall, with the opportunity to vote for fair proportional voting.
First-Past-The-Post stinks. It carries the foul odor that comes from voting for a candidate or party you dislike for the sake of preventing another candidate or party who you dislike even more from being elected. It makes you hold your nose when you vote, and it corrupts the political soul.
Using the first-past-the-post system of voting, in Ontario, Doug Ford's Conservatives suffered a massive defeat this summer. 58% of Ontarians voted against him, and yet his party now governs Ontario. How can that be?
In 2015, Britain's Conservative Party suffered a similar humiliating defeat when 63% of the British voters voted against them. And yet they too were able to form a government. In British Columbia, only four out of thirty-two elections since 1900 have been won by the party that won the support of most voters. Only four. In every other election, more people opposed the winning party than supported it.
This system of voting dates back to the days in Britain when there were only two parties, and only 2% of the people was allowed to vote. One set of aristocrats supported the Whigs, the others supported the Tories. Proportional voting guarantees that if 5% of the voters support the Rainbow Party, they will win 5% of the seats, and false majorities will be no more.
Which should British Columbia use for provincial elections? The current First Past the Post voting system, or a proportional representation voting system?
Voting on the second question is optional, and it won't invalidate your ballot if you don't vote.
So there you have it. To learn more, visit Fair Vote Canada BC, which is the source of these graphics. And here is a response that debunks that ProRep is too confusing, that it will give a voice to extremists and that it will encourage backroom deals between the parties.
First published in a shorter form in The Green Gazette, September/October 2018.
We are developing a Centre of Sustainable Development in Northern Ontario using many of the principals you have voices. The Centre will focus on traditional and contemporary rural skills in a zero carbon vision.