RE: ‘Viewpoint’ (PQB News, Oct. 2)
I’ve been following Liberal MLA Michelle Stilwell’s directive to get informed for 50 years.
The first-past-the-post dinosaur has brought us to a point where, in too many cases:
· Governments are accountable to someone, but it’s not citizens.
· The entities that regulators are supposed to regulate are instead their “partners”.
· In Canada the revolving doors between politicians, civil servants, corporate boards and executives are well-oiled.
· If rules that prevent retiring government officials from going almost directly to corporate positions still exist, they most certainly are not enforced.
· Conflicts-of-interest are not challenged by the media, let alone by opposition parties for example. (Be careful if you want the same payoffs when it’s your turn.)
Proportional representation won’t fix all our woes, but it will be a step in taking back our democracy.
Stilwell did not point out:
There’s two questions on the ballot. You need only answer the first one (yes or no to change). The other question is optional (which form of proportional representation? If you’re unsure, you can leave it blank. Go one step at a time.).
It doesn’t get much simpler than that.
I’d like to thank the government of Premier John Horgan and our chief electoral officer, Anton Boegman, for the Electoral Reform Referendum 2018 Act. We may yet make it into the 21st century!
Sandra Finley
Qualicum Beach