And lessons from the U.S. - and Ontario - as to why 'first past the post'   
   doesn't represent the majority of voters.  OR protect us from "fanatics".   
   _________________________________   
      
   North Shore News - October 30, 2018   
      
    Dear Editor:   
      
   As predicted, proponents of the “No to proportional representation” are   
   trying to scare voters from supporting much needed changes to our electoral   
   system – yet again.   
      
   They claim that:   
      
   1) B.C. voters are just not smart enough to understand proportional   
   representation, even though the vast majority of OECD countries have   
   proportional representation systems, and none has ever reverted back to the   
   current “winner-take-all” system.   
      
   2) “Extremists” will end up wielding power and exerting their will on an   
   unwilling public.   
      
   Clearly the “No” side doesn’t view Donald Trump, elected under first   
   past the post, to be an extremist.  Contrary to such assertions, with a   
   proportional system power is distributed, and we will be safeguarded from such   
   fanatics.   
   ________________________________________   
   {a voice from the right wing Social Credit Party of BC's past]:   
      
      
   Proportional representation curbs extremist movements   
      
   I will vote in favour of proportional representation (Pro Rep) in the   
   referendum on electoral reform this fall, because Pro Rep is more effective at   
   keeping extremists from government than the existing voting system.   
      
   In Canada, we’ve avoided extremists in government not because of strong   
   institutional safeguards, but rather because Canadians themselves have largely   
   shunned extremists.  Now that is changing.  Today, all around the world,   
   extremism is on the rise.    
   That’s why now is the time to strengthen our institutions.   
      
   Pro Rep is an opportunity to take pre-emptive action, lest a Donald Trump or   
   Doug Ford take power in Victoria.   
      
   Don’t think it can’t happen here: in B.C., we have exactly the same system   
   that elected these two extremists.  Trump won control of the executive branch   
   of the U.S. government even though the majority of US voters—54 per   
   cent—did NOT vote for him.   
      
   In Ontario, Ford’s Conservatives gained control of government by increasing   
   their vote-share seven per cent, but incredibly, received only 41 per cent of   
   the votes. It is our system that produces wild swings in government like this.   
      
      
   The weakness of B.C.’s status quo voting system is two-fold: only some votes   
   count and governments get elected with a minority of the vote.   
      
   Under Pro Rep, all votes count and governments get elected on legitimate   
   majorities.  Under Pro Rep, neither Trump nor Ford would ever have a chance to   
   form a government.  Changing our voting system to Pro Rep almost guarantees   
   that no extremists will    
   come to power.  If you are apprehensive of the likes of Trump and Ford, vote   
   in favour of Pro Rep to make our voting system more robustly democratic, and   
   keep extremists far from the levers of power.   
      
   B.C.’s referendum proposal has built-in mechanisms to keep extremist and   
   fringe parties from gaining control.  Parties must win a minimum of five per   
   cent of the popular vote to win seats in the BC Legislature.  Even then,   
   winning seats in parliament    
   is not the same as controlling or influencing government.   
      
   Europe:   
      
   In recent years, European far-right parties have increased their vote-share   
   and gained more seats.  But significantly, and with few exceptions, extremists   
   have not gained influence on government.  The most recent example is Sweden,   
   where a far-right    
   party increased its seats, but still has no part in government.   
      
   In his landmark study of 22 democracies, Arendt Lijphart, the world’s   
   foremost scholar of voting systems, tested the effectiveness of small parties   
   and concluded that in nearly all instances, parties have influence   
   commensurate with their numerical    
   strength and no more.  Our own experience in B.C.’s current coalition   
   government bears that out.   
      
   Under Pro Rep, all significant political interests and diversities exert   
   pressure on the tiller of the ship of state in proportion to their numerical   
   strength.  In contrast, under the current voting system, the captain, elected   
   on a minority of the vote,    
   takes over the helm and orders everyone else off the bridge.   
      
   Everywhere democracy is in retreat.  Fuelled by fears, people look for strong   
   leadership.  But what is strong leadership?  I will vote for strong leadership   
   based on inclusion, consensus, cooperation.  The best guarantee against abuse   
   of government power    
   is to share that power among the many, rather than the few.   
   __________________   
      
   Nick Loenen is a former Richmond councillor and Social Credit MLA, co-founder   
   of Fair Voting BC and author of the 1997 book Citizenship and Democracy, a   
   case for proportional representation.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)