The CTF has long supported changing our voting system away from first past the post, but with an important caveat: the public must agree to the change through a referendum.

In the 2000s, BC voters were twice asked for voter reform – the CTF supported change both times, although the votes ultimately failed.

It was nice to see Gary Holman, the BC NDP’s democratic reform critic write in the Gulf Islands Driftwood that his party will make electoral reform an issue in the 2017 election – and will hold another referendum on system change:

The Official Opposition believes British Columbians should be asked to move to a system of proportional representation (PR), some form of which is used by over 80 countries in the world, including parliaments like our own in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and New Zealand. There are different types of PR systems, but they all ensure the proportion of seats each party wins in parliament reflects their share of the popular vote.

British Columbia has already voted twice on a specific PR system: the single transferable vote or STV.  The 2005 referendum resulted in 58 per cent support (just shy of an arbitrary 60 per cent approval threshold), but the second referendum in 2009 had the opposite outcome. The contrary results of two referenda suggest a clearer mandate from voters is necessary to proceed with electoral reform.

One approach to a referendum question that could be considered here was taken by New Zealand, first holding a referendum on whether to move to some form of PR. The specific type of PR could then be decided by government based on public consultation.

The threshold for success also must be a clear majority (not an arbitrarily high threshold), and government must support the referendum and subsequent consultation process with comprehensive and objective information, possibly under the auspices of Elections BC. If voters approve, an NDP government will hold the 2021 election under a PR-type system.

If only the Trudeau Liberals cared enough about democracy to ask the voters what they wanted!