Re: “PM tosses electoral reforms,” Feb. 2.
I’m appalled that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has abdicated on his promise to make 2015 the last election under first-past-the-post. Thousands of Vancouver Island citizens spoke up at public consultations, canvassed voters, researched the issue and wrote letters to the editor.
We all wanted a form of proportional representation, and we weren’t alone. Eighty-eight per cent of the expert witnesses agreed, and so did 80 per cent of those who attended similar consultations across Canada. No fewer than 13 federal and provincial commissions have called for some form of proportional voting.
We feel betrayed. If Trudeau had won a minority government, would he have acted differently? Why does power always seduce? It seems we just can’t trust politicians to reform a system that rewards them.
And yet 85 per cent of western democracies have brought in PR, so why can’t Canada? It would protect us from petty dictators and phony majorities.
I won’t be voting Liberal in 2019. And I’ll vote for a provincial party on May 9 that guarantees it won’t flip-flop on electoral reform.
Terry Dance-Bennink
Victoria
