British Columbia’s political elites line up behind the status quo In November 2017, British Columbia finally banned corporate and union donations in politics. This was not an easy feat. Many politicians, donors and lobbyists worked very hard to make sure that ride did not come to an end. But everyday British Columbians won that battle […]
In this Pro Rep deep dive, Seth Klein, the director of the B.C. chapter of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, dispels the myths of the No side, explains what proportional representation really is and how it will fix our democracy, and describes what your three Pro Rep options on the ballot are. This episode […]
Big business, political elites used the same playbook against Pro Rep in 1992 By Kate Williamson, guest writer I’m a New Zealander living in Vancouver, and I’ve been watching the anti-Pro Rep campaign in B.C. with intense and unenjoyable deja vu. Before I explain that, some history: New Zealand, like B.C., used to vote […]
And what exactly are they so worried about? “A proportional representation system will elect neo-nazis and right-wing extremists.” “This system is too confusing for regular people to understand.” “Under Pro Rep, rural communities will have no representation.” There is a lot of misinformation about Pro Rep flying around right now. (We’ve debunked these myths […]
Radical right-wing extremists are elected under first-past-the-post. Huh. You’ve probably heard this: proportional representation will elect more far-right extremists, white supremacists, sexists and general bad guys. It’s the No-to-pro-rep side’s favourite (only?) argument. They cite recent examples of Poland, Hungary and Austria to prove their claims. Part of this is true. Poland, Hungary and Austria […]
Don’t let them fool you. This vote is easier than you think. Have you ever felt like those in power don’t represent you? Or that your vote doesn’t make a difference anyway? You certainly aren’t alone. This fall, B.C. has one shot, one opportunity to ensure every vote counts. But you need to cast a […]
Top priority for reform supporters? Connecting with British Columbians under 35. “British Columbians split on whether to change our voting system,” announced the News 1130 headline after the latest Angus Reid poll. “It looks like the upcoming referendum on changing our voting system is going to be a toss up.” But dive into the demographics […]
An ode to the beautiful mix of rural and urban voters that make B.C. unique “All you spoiled brats in the city know how to do is spend the resource riches generated by hardworking rural B.C.” “Oh yeah? Who pays for all that highway infrastructure so you rednecks can drive around in your big trucks?” […]
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