In a new poll, British Columbia voters are being asked if they want to stick with the current First Past the Post (FPTP) voting system or adopt proportional representation (PR).
A second question asks for a ranking of what type of PR system voters want out of dual-member PR, mixed-member PR and rural-urban PR.
How will the outcome of the poll affect a rural area like 亚洲天堂 Lake and the wider region of Bulkley-Nechako?
For Liberal MLA of Nechako Lakes John Rustad, the smaller population of northern B.C. could see its political representation decrease under PR.
鈥淣orthern B.C. has about six per cent of the province鈥檚 population,鈥� Rustad told Lakes District 亚洲天堂. 鈥淐urrently we have about 11.5 per cent of the MLAs, 10 out of 87. If [we adopt] true PR does that mean that we鈥檒l lose a third or a half of them? Do we go from 10 to 6?鈥�
He also said PR is a system that prioritizes party concerns over local concerns, with the possibility that a party might appoint a local representative if one is not elected.
鈥淲hat if someone is appointed who doesn鈥檛 [directly represent local issues]? I鈥檓 sure they鈥檒l do their best but the reality is they鈥檙e not from the area or directly elected. If you鈥檙e not directly elected you鈥檙e not directly responsive to the electorate that sent you there,鈥� he explained.
But to Peter Ewart, spokesperson with Stand Up For The North Committee in Prince George, the power given to political parties is among the problems of FPTP.
鈥淧R means no more false majorities, whereby a party can get 38 or 40 per cent of the vote yet gets a majority of the seats and 100 per cent of the power,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou have a situation where representation is dislocated, focussed in one region or another region.鈥�
PR also gives voters more choice in who represents them, Ewart said.
鈥淚n your region you will have a local MLA who is elected to represent you. But with two of the options [in the poll] you鈥檒l also have regional representatives to represent you with the regional MLA.鈥�
However, aside from the practicalities of voting systems, Rustad suspects the public hasn鈥檛 been sufficiently informed of the choice they face.
鈥淲hat I鈥檓 worried about now is people will ask, 鈥榳hat鈥檚 this?鈥� Are they concerned about it? Do they care? There hasn鈥檛 been a process to engage people and inform people and that hasn鈥檛 been done independently.鈥�
In Ewart鈥檚 view, British Columbians are unsatisfied because they want change.
鈥淭here鈥檚 always been a strong current in B.C. to replace the FPTP system. A lot of people are dissatisfied with the FPTP system and鈥he low vote turnout shows how dissatisfied people are with the system.鈥�
The postal ballot vote takes place from Oct. 22-Nov. 30.
