By Wayne Broughton
If B.C. voters judge on merit, proportional representation (Pro Rep) should trounce the current system in the upcoming referendum.
There香蕉视频直播檚 expert consensus on Pro Rep.
Canada is being left behind: most advanced democracies use Pro Rep, and experts agree it香蕉视频直播檚 more democratic. Polls show citizens with Pro Rep are more satisfied with their governments, because those countries tend to have:
香蕉视频直播� Higher scores in health, education, and standard of living
香蕉视频直播� Lower debt, lower corporate taxes, and better long-term economic growth
香蕉视频直播� Greater civil liberty and better privacy protections
香蕉视频直播� Less government corruption 香蕉视频直播� Better environmental stewardship
香蕉视频直播� More women/minorities participating in politics.
RELATED: To change, or not to change, that is the proportional representation referendum question
Why does Pro Rep produce these benefits?
Decision-making is better when everyone香蕉视频直播檚 at the table and co-operation is necessary.
Under FPTP, a party can win a majority of seats and 100 per cent of the power with a minority of votes. Almost every B.C. government since the 1950s has been a 香蕉视频直播渇alse majority香蕉视频直播� like this. Each government dismantles the previous government香蕉视频直播檚 programs, creating rollercoaster policy swings.
With Pro Rep, a party that wins 40 per cent of the votes gets about 40 per cent of the seats. Parties must cooperate to develop policies, which means better decision-making and more stable policy.
Under FPTP, it香蕉视频直播檚 normal for over half our votes to be wasted.
If you didn香蕉视频直播檛 vote for the sole winner in your riding, then your vote didn香蕉视频直播檛 help elect anyone. With a Pro Rep system, most votes do help elect someone香蕉视频直播攕o more citizens are represented.
In the past, you may not have bothered to vote because the result in your riding has been a foregone conclusion. With Pro Rep, when your vote doesn香蕉视频直播檛 help elect the front-runner, it can still help elect the second or third most popular candidate.
So Pro Rep means you don香蕉视频直播檛 have to vote strategically. You can vote for who you like, knowing your vote will matter.
RELATED: B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 proportional representation referendum: The case against switching to PR
Why does the No side have any support, then?
First, 香蕉视频直播淏ig Tent香蕉视频直播� parties are worried about losing votes to smaller parties that many of their current supporters actually prefer.
Second, Pro Rep hampers the ability of wealthy elites, who dominate the No side香蕉视频直播檚 funding, to swing elections with expensive attack ads.
Opponents of Pro Rep with vested interests in the status quo have scare mongered with false claims.
Here香蕉视频直播檚 the truth:
香蕉视频直播� Pro Rep will maintain the regional balance of power because no region will lose MLAs.
香蕉视频直播� Candidates will not be 香蕉视频直播渄ropped in香蕉视频直播� by parties; they will be nominated in local/regional meetings, just like today.
香蕉视频直播� Moderate parties will dominate because they need five per cent of the vote to elect members.
香蕉视频直播� Pro Rep is sufficiently simple for 80 per cent of advanced democracies. We香蕉视频直播檙e smart enough too.
For more information go to prorepfactcheck.ca.
Please help improve our democracy and vote Yes on question one: We need proportional representation. All the Pro Rep systems in question two are moderate and vastly better than FPTP.
The choice is clear: Voting for proportional representation is voting for real democracy.
Wayne Broughton is an associate professor of mathematics at UBCO and a spokesperson for the Kelowna chapter of Fair Vote.
