Horgan photo courtesy of CBC So, the ballots are almost in, and it looks like the referendum is going to elicit votes from about a third of voters. If the referendum is voted down, the obvious conclusion will be that the Pro Rep system did not generate enough enthusiasm to be put into practice. We’re…
Tag: BC Referendum
Politics
Democracy is Like House Insurance
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
Every year when it comes time to pay my house insurance, I take my policy in to the agent and we go through it to make sure I’m not wasting my money. It’s a smart move, going to your service provider and saying, “What’s my best deal?” But every once in a while I do…
Politics
Q & A on the Referendum
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
I had an interesting political discussion last weekend. It was a scene from a Joseph Conrad novel. Three old friends and a stranger sitting in the gathering gloom, sipping cool drinks against the summer’s heat, listening to the narrator spin his tale. My audience divided perfectly: one FPTP diehard, one Pro-Rep supporter and one new…
Politics
War and Peace: Two Views of an Election
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
To listen to the opponents of Proportional Representation, this new form of election will mean the end of democracy as we know it. More to the point, the way they like it. So it is useful to project how the political landscape might shift following a change. There are two ways to look at an…
Politics
The Bogus “Fair Referendum Calculator” – Spotting the Ad Scam
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
Front-page ad in the Vancouver Sun Wednesday from the “Fair Referendum BC” organization. Paid for by the KNOWB4YOUVOTE society. The hook was a “Result Calculator” that purported to give people the chance to figure out how fair the upcoming referendum is. The quote is “Use our Result Calculator to find out if a clear majority…
Politics
It’s Too Complicated!
by renaissanceadmin • • 1 Comment
This is one of the most common complaints about the referendum on Proportional Representation. It’s to be expected. However, it is important to note from whom those comments are coming. Are they coming from voters? Yes. And that’s fair; it’s a complicated question. If a voter finds a political concept too complicated, then it’s up…
Politics
The Referendum Question
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
The shoe has dropped; the referendum question is set. (Actually, there was no waiting for the other shoe to drop; it turns out there will be two questions, which could be problematic.) How did they do? The First Question Well, since they took my advice in the first instance, I can’t complain too much. The first…