Bryce Asks:
British Columbians are actually heading to two polls this year, municipal and we also have the mail-in referendum on Proportional Representation.
What's your position on Proportional Representation and why? Should Kamloops also consider some sort of electoral reform for municipal to ensure each area/neighbourhood of Kamloops gets equitable representation on council? Perhaps even lowering the municipal voting age to 16 to get youth more engage.
I have trouble wanting to support PR because of the situation the province is in now. A minority government is not effective. Here are some of the things I find wrong with PR
1.It makes things easier for extreme parties to gain representation.
Under the system of proportional representation, any party with a high enough percentage of the vote will receive a seat in the government. That structure makes it easier for extremist views to find official representation. The seldom receive access to the majority coalition and rarely earn an absolute majority, but there is always the possibility that their voiced opinions will gain traction with the general population.
2. It can create political gridlock, just like in any other system of government.
Coalition governments are encouraged to compromise and pursue centrist views. The reality of this type of governing, however, is that each party wants to have its own way with things. That creates a system of government that tends to be indecisive and weak because everyone argues for their own best interests. More gridlock, instead of less, can be created, especially if more than two parties are involved in the coalition.
3. It does not provide direct representation to specific communities.
Under the system of proportional representation, seats are not awarded based on community or district voting. That means those who serve in the government are less likely to focus on local issues as they have no local representation responsibilities. It creates a system of government where more voices can be heard, but fewer actually receive a listening ear. Many communities under this system can come away feeling like they don’t matter to the governing coalition.
4. It is not always wise to compromise.
Even in countries that have encouraged proportional representation, some of the largest changes that have occurred in those societies happened when an absolute majority was present within the government. There are times when a strong majority in the government is required to push through needed reforms.
5. It can be an unstable form of government.
Italy has proportional representation built into their government structures. Over the last 4 decades, the government has been forced to dissolve its parliament 8 times. In Belgium, the negotiations required after their 2010 election to form a governing coalition took 18 months to complete, leaving a crippled government in its place where nothing got done. Having more voices can be a good thing, but it can also create a discord that makes it impossible to government.
PR has certain benefits that allow for greater inclusion and variety. At the same time, greater inclusion can also lead toward higher levels of extremism within the government, while encouraging more gridlock if the political parties are unable to find a pathway toward compromise.