The B.C. NDP-Green government is pressing ahead with its plan to change the voting system in time for the next provincial election, and is facing bitter opposition from the B.C. Liberals.

MLAs have been debating two major changes, one to replace corporate and union donations with a public subsidy based on previous votes, and another to adopt a still-undefined system of proportional representation.

The system is to be defined by the government and put to a referendum to be held by the fall of 2018. Unlike the past two province-wide votes on the issue, this referendum is to be decided by a simple majority of all participating voters, without requiring support from a majority of constituencies.

Without regional support, the referendum will likely be decided by the southwest corner of the province, where three quarters of the population resides. Metro Vancouver alone is home to more than half of B.C.害羞草研究所檚 4.6 million people.

害羞草研究所� John Rustad (@JohnRustad4BC)

Debate has been harshly divided. Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Mike Morris is among the opposition members accusing the NDP and Greens of a 害羞草研究所渂ackroom deal害羞草研究所� to remake the voting and party financing system to favour themselves.

害羞草研究所淭hey say that the choice of an electoral system is one of the most important institutional decisions for any democracy, but here we have this government that is rushing this legislation through without any public consultation,害羞草研究所� Morris told the legislature Nov. 2. 害羞草研究所淵et they害羞草研究所檙e consulting on ride sharing. They害羞草研究所檙e consulting on Site C. They害羞草研究所檙e consulting on the Massey Tunnel. They害羞草研究所檙e consulting on the foreign buyers tax. They害羞草研究所檙e consulting on ICBC.害羞草研究所�

Premier John Horgan has promised that rural representation will be protected in a new system, but that too has yet to be defined.

B.C. already has a law that requires regular judicial review of the distribution of MLA seats. In the last two reviews, the former government required that rural and northern seats not be merged or eliminated due to low population. Stikine, home of Forests Minister Doug Donaldson, is a vast northwest region with a population of fewer than 21,000 people, 60 per cent fewer than the average of B.C.害羞草研究所檚 87 constituencies. Surrey-Fleetwood has a population of more than 60,000, after new seats were added to Surrey and Richmond for the 2017 election to reflect their growth.

害羞草研究所淲e have deviations in our seat sizes in terms of population that are completely out of whack with other jurisdictions in Canada,害羞草研究所� Horgan told Black Press. 害羞草研究所淪o I害羞草研究所檓 not surprised that there is concern that we take every step to preserve rural representation. It害羞草研究所檚 fundamental to British Columbians, and I害羞草研究所檓 committed to make sure that happens.

害羞草研究所淏ut I害羞草研究所檓 not going to shy away from the need to change a system that fundamentally gives 100 per cent power to less than 50 per cent of the voters.害羞草研究所�

tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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