New BC electoral reform plan (September 13, 2005)
September 13, 2005
PREMIER CAMPBELL'S NEW ELECTORAL REFORM PLAN: "RIGHT DIRECTION, WRONG YARDSTICK"
B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell has committed to a second referendum on a proportional representation voting system, but is drawing fire from electoral reform advocates for imposing yet another unprecedented and unfair threshold for enactment.
In the September 12 throne speech, the Premier pledged to have an Electoral Boundaries Commission set new riding boundaries for both the current voting system and the proposed BC-STV voting system. Voters will then be asked to choose between the two options in a referendum to be held with the November 2008 municipal elections. The system chosen in that referendum will be used in the 2009 provincial election.
The first referendum was held in conjunction with the May 17 provincial election, with nearly 58 percent voting in favour of electoral reform, slightly below the 60 per cent threshold set by the government. Meanwhile, Premier Campbell's government attracted only 46 per cent of the vote.
"Governments routinely make far-reaching legislative decisions based on simple majority rule," said Fair Vote Canada President Wayne Smith. "Last May, far more people voted for electoral reform than for the government. Incredibly, that government is still saying the rules for citizens and the rules for politicians are different. Another way of looking at it: under Premier Campbell's rules, a minority of voters can block democratic reform for everyone."
"We commend the Premier for his continuing commitment to a citizen-driven reform process," said Smith, "but we strongly condemn his double standard when citizens rather than politicians make decisions."
Not only is the standard unfair, it is completely out of line with Canadian political practice. Since 1898, British Columbians have voted on 15 separate ballot questions, all settled by simple majority. Newfoundland's referendum to join Canada and Quebec's referendums to leave Canada were decided by simple majority. The three national referendums in Canadian history, most recently on the Charlottetown Accord, were settled by simple majority.