Letter to the Editor: My personal fact check
Electoral Reform : My Personal Fact Check #1 Having read through the selection of ‘news and reports’ on the nobcprorep website, there are a few claims that lack support: one is that proportional representation will lead to a string of minority governments along with economic instability. I also just skimmed through the World...
Letter: PR levels playing field
To The Editor: One of the things that first attracted me to proportional representation, PR, apart from the fact that it just made sense, is that it is supported by people across the political spectrum. At my first PR meeting in 2004, I sat next to someone from the Canadian Rate Payer's Federation and Andrew Coyne was the...
COLUMN: AstroTurfing -- fake grassroots campaigns should be uprooted
AstroTurf looks and feels like grass — in an all-too-perfect way. But it’s not grass. Now the well-known artificial turf’s brand name has taken on a new meaning, referring to purported “grassroots” efforts that are actually funded and supported by industry and political entities. Some people, organizations and campaigns around...
Editorial: Our Choice of Voting Systems -- Part Six
Life is never simple, and one decision is generally followed by more decisions. If a majority of voters choose a change to a proportional representation system for BC, more decisions must be made. Here, we explain how the referendum will be held and what decisions may follow – depending on the outcome – and who will make them....
Editorial: Our Choice of Voting Systems -- Part Five
Last week, I promised to summarize in this part the differences between our current voting system, called First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) and Proportional Representation systems. Most people understand how we vote now, with FPTP: We put a check or an X on the ballot beside the name of the person we’d most like to see...
Review: the 2018 Gold Fever Follies
Rossland’s Gold Fever Follies is a community summertime tradition, enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. This year’s version does not disappoint. Romance, song and dance – the can-can – skiing and hockey; who could ask for more? On the well-attended opening night, the cast was short-handed by one actor – Molly Jamin -- who...
COLUMN: From the Hill -- and home, by train.
When the House of Commons rose in late June, my wife and I decided to take the train home from Ottawa instead of flying straight back. It’s always been on my bucket list and I thought the trip would be a good way to unwind after a hectic June on Parliament Hill. I had some trepidation—things can always go awry when you’re...
Editorial: Our choice of voting systems -- Part Four
This is Part Four in the series on the upcoming referendum and the voting systems we can choose. To recap briefly, the referendum this fall will offer us a choice between staying with our current system of voting, usually called First-Past-the-Post (FPTP), or moving to a system of Proportional Representation. People who want...
COLUMN: From the Hill -- Cannabis
On June 20th, the House of Commons rose for the summer break. One of the last votes we took dealt with the message to the Senate regarding their proposed amendments to Bill C-45, the bill to legalize marijuana. And the final motion to adjourn included a message to the Senate regarding Bill C-46, which covers new...
Editorial: PART THREE -- on the upcoming referendum, and those PR voting systems
As promised, this Part will describe the Mixed Member Proportional system to achieve proportional representation in the BC Legislature. Part Two described the Dual-Member Proportional system, which would make most electoral districts larger, and assign two MLAs to each district by a system designed to achieve proportionality....
