Will the third time be the charm on amending B.C.’s election legislation to allow proportional representation?
That appears to be the hope of the Green-supported NDP government, which announced a mail-in referendum on the voting alternative in November, 2018.
Proportional representation would upset the current status quo and give the NDP and Green parties more political clout, especially if minority governments were the result.
The truth is proportional representation could also mean good news for the Liberal-Conservative coalition that forms the BC Liberal Party because it would mean people could run based on their own ideology rather than trying to conform under the big tent.
For those who prefer to see one party or the other take power, proportional representation would be a dramatic change. But politics in B.C. has exhibited much more dynamism of late and two parties may no longer reflect voters’ choices.
Most majority governments elected under the first-past-the-post system are actually elected without a clear majority of support anyway, which only serves to erode voter confidence. And many voters, especially younger voters, are tired of the ugly battles between the BC Liberals and the BC NDP.
They want to see politicians working together for the betterment of all rather than constant power struggles that result in negative advertising, personal attacks and constant belittling of each others’ policies.
As well, many voters are tired of the way the winner take all system results in huge ideological swings between hard left and hard-right governments, with one government building programs and the next dismantling them, with the result being a lot of waste and reinventing the wheel (not to mention the layoffs and severance when party friends are hired every time the government changes hands).
Would there still be loud and vociferous politics and politicians jockeying for votes? Yes. Would minority governments be forced to compromise on their election platforms to get results. Probably.
We have seen the NDP and Greens back down on some election promises to fulfill the mandate of their confidence and supply agreement.
But no party is going to completely renege on its party platform for fear of losing support.
Is B.C. ripe for change? Yes. Will people care enough to cast a vote in the mail-in ballot? That remains to be seen.
