Letter to the Editor

I am truly appreciative of all the voters who have contacted me because they are trying to figure out for themselves how they might vote in this important referendum. I voted for Proportional Representation.

Why? Because I am a Green Party supporter? No. I grew up in the UK under both Conservative and Labour governments, which were so ideologically divided that political ideas were rejected not on their merits, but because either the Labour Party or the Conservatives were introducing them.

When I look at our neighbours to the south I see that the political divide is now so great, there is a real danger they could end up in a second civil war. And I felt the same way about the debate between Premier Horgan and Opposition Leader Wilkinson the other night. Neither side was prepared to concede any points to the other or properly explain the merits of what they believed in.

Under a proportional voting system, I believe, each voter will have the opportunity to vote for the person they wish to represent them at a constituency level, and then for the party whose ideas they wish to be represented by in the B.C. Legislature. Sometimes a voter may end up supporting someone from a different party at a constituency level, than from the party they usually support, while using their second, or list vote, to support the party or Independent of their first choice.

Above all I look forward to new ideas and reforms being introduced based on their merits, rather than based on who is introducing them or opposing them. Having taught political science at Selkirk College and Okanagan University College from 1989 to 2005, I am very familiar with all the voting systems used around the world, and believe that two of the three options in the second question in this referendum are worth our consideration: Rural-Urban and MMP.

Please take the time to make an informed decision, and if you have not received a ballot, please phone Elections BC (1-800-661-8683) to obtain one, or simply go to the nearest Government Agents Office to obtain the package.

Above all, please vote as this is your opportunity to make the voting system fairer and more proportional in allocation of seats in the BC Legislature to the number of votes a party receives in an election.

Andy Shadrack,

Kaslo

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