Dear Editor:

Whatever else one does in regard to this fall’s referendum on B.C.’s voting system, seeking some facts and reflecting upon one’s experience can guide our use of the mail-in ballot.

Do vote. The matter will move forward as decided by 50 per cent plus of those who mail in their ballot.

Elections BC will conduct itself as the independent watchdog on the process so that we can know where money is at work in the referendum process.

Accusations traverse the party lines where history extends back to B.C.’s first swipe at proportional representation, which brought the Social Credit Government to power in the early 1950s. Afterwards Pro Rep was dropped.

Over the course of the past 20 years both the Old Left and the Old Right have pined and opined for a Pro Rep system as their relative fortunes have swelled or faded in the current First Past The Post voting system.

Presently the charge is that Pro Rep is really a Green Party conspiracy to keep themselves and The NDP in power. I presume that had the Greens decided to take up with the Liberals last year that an opposite view would have emerged.

I have accessed the propaganda for both sides in the Pro Rep debate, remembering always that propaganda is a word that simply means “our truth.” Still, it’s all worth the read.

Close examination of either side’s propaganda features the same components meant to draw or drive the public to one side’s point of view – fear, exaggeration, virtuous tones, vilification, (even statistics) and on and on. So watch out!

We are challenged to reflect on our experience as voters in British Columbia and consider whether a change to Pro-Rep is timely and right.

On the two referendum questions I’ll vote firstly in favour of Pro-Rep and secondly for a Mixed Member system.

There are options on offer, so look into it. Then, please vote.

Dave Cursons

Cawston, B.C.

Editor’s note: Dave Cursons has long been an active member of the Green Party.