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| Bill Tieleman and Suzanne Anton - at CBC Radio launch day |
NO BC
PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION SOCIETY
No to
Proportional Representation in BC
I am pleased to share our first news release of the campaign to stop Proportional Representation in BC and keep our current electoral system - First Past The Post - that has served British Columbia well.
NEWS RELEASE Wednesday January 10, 2018
Former Attorney General
Suzanne Anton, ex NO-STV President Bill Tieleman, and retired veteran deputy
minister Bob Plecas set up new society to fight Proportional Representation in
2018 vote
Former BC Liberal Attorney General Suzanne Anton, long-time
BC New Democrat Bill Tieleman – who successfully led opposition to the Single
Transferable Vote electoral system in the 2005 and 2009 provincial referenda,
and Bob Plecas, who served as a deputy minister in multiple portfolios under
several BC governments – have formed the No BC Proportional Representation
Society and serve as its three directors.
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| Bob Plecas |
The Society will work to defeat any proportional
representation system proposed for the fall 2018 referendum schedule and
support the current First Past The Post electoral system that has served BC
well.
Anton, Tieleman and Plecas say that proportional
representation systems put political parties ahead of voters; are confusing;
cut directly accountable locally-elected representation – especially in rural
areas – and promote extremist parties who can hold the balance of power in
perpetual minority governments, and decide who governs, and with what policies.
“Proportional representation electoral systems put parties
ahead of people,” said Anton. “Pro-rep systems where 30 to 40 per cent of
elected officials come from a party-chosen list means that party bosses choose
legislators and not people. Those legislators are not from geographic ridings
and are not accountable to citizens.”
Tieleman says the rise of extremist parties in Europe is
aided by proportional representation, since as little as 1 per cent of the vote
is enough to elect legislators.
“Our First Past The Post electoral system forces winning
candidates to gain the support of their ridings and be held directly
accountable to them or face defeat,” says Tieleman. “But proportional representation
systems allow parties with extreme positions of the right or the left to be
elected with a tiny percentage of votes – and then use that validity,
legitimacy and platform to further their cause.”
Plecas says his experience working with governments ranging
from Social Credit Premier Bill Bennett to NDP Premier Glen Clark showed him
that the First Past The Post system serves British Columbia well, whatever
their politics.
“Our current electoral system encourages parties to gain
broad-based support and take into account all regions of the province and all
perspectives – or face defeat,” Plecas said. “It is particularly
important that non-urban voters have locally elected representatives who they
can hold responsible – and ensure their interests are not lost in a rush to
gain urban votes.”
Tieleman and Plecas both helped organize opposition to the
Single Transferable Vote proposed in the 2005 and 2009 referenda, building a
wide coalition with support from all political perspectives. In 2005, STV
was narrowly defeated but in 2009 after a much more significant public debate,
voters strongly rejected STV, a form of proportional representation, by 61 per
cent to 39 per cent.
Tieleman, who also helped lead opposition to the Harmonized
Sales Tax that was eliminated in a 2011 referendum, warns that the 2018
electoral system referendum will be a difficult test for those who support the
First Past The Post.
“The requirement in 2005 and 2009 that 60 per cent of voters
approve of such a fundamental change is now gone and only 50 per cent plus one
could give us a disastrous electoral system with endless minorities, backroom
deals and unaccountable politicians forever,” Tieleman said.
“We have our work cut out for us to defeat proportional
representation and not end up like Italy, Israel, Austria or other countries
where the electoral system promotes extremists and damages democracy.”
Anton agreed, saying the No BC Pro-Rep will encourage
British Columbians from every perspective and community to join together to
reject proportional representation.
“I’m pleased to work with Bill Tieleman because this
referendum is too important for partisan politics,” Anton said. “We will be
building a strong, non-partisan team that supports our current electoral system
and rejects a system that puts parties ahead of people.”
Plecas, Tieleman and Anton say No BC Pro-Rep will seek to be
the official proponent group opposing proportional representation and
supporting First Past The Post in the provincial referendum, and that they support
equal public funding for both sides.
“Voters need to hear the arguments for and against
proportional representation and First Past The Post in order to decide for
themselves what’s best for BC,” Plecas said. “The most effective way to do that
is by the government ensuring fair, adequate and equal funding to both sides
for public awareness campaigns, as well as sponsoring debates around the
province.”
