Parties will learn to compromise

Dear Editor: It has been mentioned many times that a proportional representation system will, more often than not, result in a coalition government.

Several writers in your letters page seem to think that this either is not a problem or even a benefit.

It has to be remembered that, in negotiating a coalition government, both parties need to make some compromises on their party policies. Thus the result is a government operating on a policy that not one single person voted for.

New Zealand was the first country to switch to PR for their national government. I recall reading a few years ago that, after 20 years of PR resulting in coalition governments, many New Zealander MPs were of the opinion that not one single piece of legislation passed during that period was “fit for purpose,” having been amended, tweaked or watered down in order to satisfy the coalition partners and ensure that the legislation passed.

Some important legislation had had to be withdrawn because the coalition partners were unable to agree on the content.

FPTP may not be perfect but it usually produces stronger governments than PR. The last thing that BC needs is to enter into a decades long period of weak and ineffective governments. If you don’t like the party that is in power, you can always vote against them at the next election. Brian Butler Penticton