Wilkinson was helped by FPTP

Dear editor: Re: “Turnout needs to be at least 50 per cent,” by John Peter Christoff (Courier letters, Nov. 22).

Christoff takes umbrage at my stating that “if only 20 per cent of voters participate, that means the rest are content to let that 20 per cent make the decision.”

I don’t understand why he should be upset. It seems clear to me that that is how elections in a democracy work. We may not be happy about it, but we don’t annul a civic election because of low voter turnout.

Christoff wants to throw doubt on the outcome of the referendum because he wants his party to continue to win most elections with the stacked deck known as FPTP. He may wave the flag of democracy, but he is being disingenuous when he does.

He states that B.C. voters are not blind to this kind of cynicism, saying 20 per cent is acceptable. I would say that B.C. voters are not blind to the kind of tactics the BC Liberals are using to discredit PR.

B.C. voters are also not blind to the inherent unfairness in a party getting 100 per cent of the power with only 40 per cent of the vote. B.C. voters are cynical when the BC Liberal party uses a system other than first past the post to elect its leaders, while decrying PR.

Wilkinson would not be party leader if FPTP were used in the leadership race. What’s good for the goose. Daryl Sturdy Vancouver