British Columbians have now begun to cast the ballots to keep our current first-past-the-post (FPTP) system or adopt one of three new models of proportional representation (PR).
The BC Chamber of Commerce isn’t against PR, per se, but given how unclear the referendum process has been, we urge British Columbians to vote No.
A referendum of this magnitude needs to be simple and straightforward, and it should provide the clarity citizens need to make an informed decision.
Unfortunately, the reform question does anything but.
This vote is presented as a single referendum but there are actually two changes on the table: the first between our current system and the broader theory of PR; the second between three possible models, two of which have never been tested anywhere.
This process is needlessly complex and does not provide an apples-to-apples choice of which method is best for the province. There hasn’t been adequate education on how each model works and what each outcome would mean.
During the lead-up to the vote, there was a lack of engagement with the public. In the 2005 referendum, a Citizens’ Assembly worked together with the public, experts and indigenous communities to develop a single, straightforward choice for the ballot question. The current referendum saw no such process.
This vote is at a clear disadvantage to other votes on electoral reform. The 2005 and 2009 referenda required 60% approval overall, and a simple majority approval in 60% of the ridings.
This threshold ensured broad public support and provided legitimacy to a new system.
The current referendum requires just a 50% plus one majority for success. Lowering the threshold and removing the need for a majority of electoral ridings creates a system that only a slim majority support.
The mail-in ballot makes the low threshold even more worrisome. During the B.C. indigenous treaty referendum in 2002, only 35.8% of ballots were returned.
The 2015 Metro Vancouver Transportation and Transit referendum saw only 48.6%. If these voter turnouts are replicated, a mere 18% to 24% of the electorate could dictate a change.
And, as this is a two-step ballot, the number of votes that could potentially choose the new system would be even smaller.
This division of the votes may further undermine the legitimacy of the results, especially in rural and Interior communities, where voices could be silenced by larger, urban populations.
When it comes down to it, the merits and pitfalls of our electoral system are always open for discussion, but B.C.’s stable democratic institutions give our province a competitive edge.
It’s only fair that voters have a clearly understood choice, and a process so robust that everyone can trust it.
Val Litwin is president and CEO of the BC Chamber of Commerce.
