People should have a say in choosing our voting system
Re: Coalition could be proportional-representation test run, Opinion, May 23.
Columnist Terry Robertson overlooks certain facts when he refers to New Zealand’s switch to proportional representation.
First, New Zealand has a Mixed Member Proportional system (half the members elected first-past-the-post and half from party lists).
Second, they made the switch through a series of referendums. In other words, the people had the final say in how they were to be governed.
Third, there was a groundswell from the public in favour of reform. Other than from Andrew Weaver and John Horgan, does such a groundswell exist here?
Weaver wants the system implemented without a referendum, then he would hold a referendum after the next election. That’s an elitist’s view from someone who should know better. Horgan simply refers to PR without defining what that means.
By all means let’s do what New Zealand did. A referendum asks a yes/no question — do we want the system reformed? If the answer to that next question is to what — then various systems are listed, excluding FPTP.
Whatever system receives more than 50 per cent of the votes then faces off against FPTP in a final question. That isn’t nearly as complicated as it sounds, since Questions 1 and 2 are on one ballot.
But, what is important in all of this is that it should be prefaced by an education program so voters understand what each of the systems means. Bill Richardson, West Vancouver
It’s good to follow dreams
Re: Life is a highway now for this couple, May 23.
Good for Patricia and Arleigh MacNeill for following their dream of travelling in an RV through the U.S. and Canada. The life experiences, knowledge, skills and memories they pick up will last a lifetime.
And their horizons will no doubt be expanded, and priorities maybe rearranged. A good, interesting read that may leave some of us wishing we could do the same thing. Mary Lem, Chilliwack
More important events
I think you and your staff should be embarrassed about what you focused on as your front page today. You chose to report on a couple buying a motorhome rather than a significant world event.
The tragedy that involved terrorists and the lives of children should have been frontpage news rather than Page 17. The innocent victims deserve that respect. Lisa Ferguson, Burnaby
Credit hard-working citizens
The nonsense that diversity is Canada’s greatest strength is oft-repeated in the media. Diversity isn’t a strength. Canada is strong because of honest, hard-working citizens and like-minded government. Russ Riffell, Richmond
Both main parties rebuked
John Horgan seems to think the NDP should lead the next government because the Liberals only received 40.84 per cent of the popular vote, an obvious rebuke by the voters. He fails to mention that the NDP received 39.86 per cent of the vote, which certainly isn’t a glowing endorsement of him or his party.
The only winners were the Greens, whose only claim to fame will be to force another election. Rick McGill, Port Coquitlam