There is one electoral reform proposal that is not being considered. I have to admit the very nature of it is probably the reason why the political parties will not allow it to be considered.
Mixed-member proportional and many of the other suggestions all have the same fatal flaw. They all allow political parties to have a significant say in who runs, what the candidate thinks and, of course, how to vote once elected.
In the early 1900s, B.C. had no political parties controlling the legislature. Our parliamentary tradition is based on no political parties. The concept of the prime minister or premier is the one that has the confidence of the house is given lip service today; unfortunately, the whipped vote destroys the possibility of a true vote of no confidence.
For many, it is a significant compromise when choosing who to vote for: the person running for the party that has the best leader, the party with the politics one believes in or the individual one feels will best represent them. If we had three votes, maybe that would work. Unfortunately, one too often has to make a decision on one of the three points and hold their nose on the other two.
Simple solution: Ban political parties and vote the individual who best represents one’s own ideals and is capable of carrying one’s views forward. Rather than striving for a complex method of electoral reform, why not simplify it by removing some of the complexities?
Norm Ryder
Victoria
