Referendum is what it is; just deal with it

In case you haven’t heard, we are less than three weeks away from a referendum that could profoundly overhaul B.C.’s system of democracy.

Ballots in the referendum on proportional representation will be mailed out Oct. 22. You will have until Nov. 30 to vote and mail them back in.

Even at this late date, some are freaking out about the potential consequences of the referendum and want the whole thing called off.

“Our members are asking for more time,” said Anita Huberman, CEO of the Surrey Board of Trade.

The board is calling on the government to postpone the referendum because it’s confusing and people don’t understand the implications of moving to a pro-rep voting system.

But the implications are clear enough to B.C. politicians and political parties. A pro-rep voting system would boost the number of MLAs from smaller parties like the B.C. Green party.

Not surprisingly, the Greens are all for it. So is the NDP, their governing party in the minority legislature in Victoria.

The Liberals, who had a lock on power for 16 years under the current first-pastthe-post system, are dead-set against pro rep. The Liberals fear the NDP-Green alliance would maintain their hold on power under a pro-rep system if current voting trends persist and elections produce more minority governments.

But anyone who thinks the NDP is going to postpone this referendum because it’s “confusing” is confused themselves. For one thing, the courts have already refused to stop it.

In August, a B.C. Supreme Court judge rejected another business group’s demand to halt the referendum.

“We’re working very hard with Elections B.C. to ensure the referendum is held as planned,” Attorney General David Eby said Wednesday in a statement that should surprise no one. Make no mistake: Eby’s government has crafted this thing to give the best chance possible for the pro-rep side to win.

A result of just 50-per-centplus-one — a bare majority — is required for the referendum to pass (compared with the 60-per-cent threshold required in two earlier referendums that failed.)

There is no “super-majority” of ridings required. No minimum voter turnout. And no maps have been produced to show how a pro-rep system would redraw riding boundaries, something that hurt the pro-rep cause in the last referendum. Unfair? Maybe. But it is what it is. And no amount of complaining by business groups or other organizations that support the B.C. Liberals will change it.

The best thing to do now is get informed about this referendum. Check the Elections B.C. website for details. Then watch for your ballot in the mail and make sure you vote.

Complaining is just a waste of time.