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Newsletter
#20
December 3, 2004
Citizens'
Assembly on Electoral Reform
GREAT GIFT TO BC
Members of B.C.'s Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform wrapped up
their 11-month mission on the weekend with some last-lap drafting of
their final report, and announced that a copy of the report will be
sent
in the last half of January to every household in BC.
The Assembly also had its first visit Saturday from Premier Gordon
Campbell. He presented each member with a commemorative certificate
and, in turn, thanked them for their gift to the people of BC.
"You came with open minds. You came with open hearts. You came
ready to listen to people. . . Your diligence, your determination,
have been exceptional.
"It is a great gift you have given to all of us. You have given
new life
to public life in B.C."
Now, he noted, the decision on the Assembly's recommendation of a
new proportional voting system (called BC-STV) is up to the voters
of B.C., in a referendum next May 17, provincial election day.
"I hope everyone will listen to the public debate. . . . The
people are
engaging in a process that you have led, and that engagement is
invaluable to our province."
He later confirmed to reporters that an information office will be
set
up to give the public information on the BC-STV recommendation, but
it
will not promote or sell the recommendation. And while MLAs will be
free to speak on it, the government and cabinet will remain neutral.
Campbell urged the people of B.C. to learn about BC-STV, and to get
involved in debate and discussion.
Assembly chair Jack Blaney praised the premier for establishing the
Assembly, empowering it, and then giving it full independence from
government -- "an independence that was real, constant, and
greatly
valued by all members."
Added Blaney: "No government, in any democracy, has ever given
such a charge to non-elected citizens. You set new rules - the new
gold
standard - for the true engagement of citizens in democratic
governance.
. . . And it is now being copied in Ontario, and watched around the
world."
The new proportional electoral system the Assembly members are
proposing for the province is called BC-STV, short for British
Columbia Single Transferable Vote.
Under this system, voters rank candidates by numbers on the ballot
paper. BC-STV is designed to make every vote count, and to reflect
voters' support for candidates and parties as fairly as possible,
while
retaining local representation by MLAs.
It was proposed by the Assembly after 10 months of study, research
and
debate, including 50 public hearings and 1,603 written submissions
from
the public.
Now it's up to the voters of B.C., who will vote on BC-STV in a
referendum in the next provincial election. The government says that
if
voters approve the proportional BC-STV model in May, it will
introduce
legislation so the new system can go into effect for the 2009
election.
The Assembly held its last meeting Sunday, capping six fall weekends
of
deliberation and decision-making. The Assembly's final report, which
will include details of the proposed BC-STV system, will be made
public
December 10. Then the Assembly disbands and its office begins to
close.
FINAL REPORT
Copies of the report will be sent to all of BC's 1.5 million
households
in mid- to late January. It will also be distributed to
libraries,
municipal halls, First Nations offices, MLAs' offices, government
agents, and more.
Everyone on the Assembly newsletter list will receive a copy of the
Final Report. If you receive the newsletter by email, that is
how
you'll receive the Report. If your newsletter is mailed to
you, you
will receive a paper copy of the Report. Until December 31,
you can
request additional copies by calling the Assembly office at
604-660-1232 (toll-free: 1-866-667-1232) or by e-mailing [email protected].
The Report will also be printed in French, Chinese and Punjabi.
These
translations will be posted on the website, as well as available
from
the Assembly office through the end of December.
REFERENDUM
The Assembly's recommendation now goes to BC voters in a
province-wide referendum to be held along with the provincial
election on May 17, 2005.
On Saturday, Assembly members fine-tuned the question that BC voters
will decided on in the referendum. It now reads: "Should
British
Columbia change to the BC-STV electoral system as recommended by the
Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform?" Yes/No.
To pass and to become binding on the provincial government, the May
17 referendum would have to win with a "double majority",
as follows:
- Approval by at least 60% of the valid ballots province-wide,
- as well as, approval by more than 50% of the valid ballots in at
least
48 of the 79 constituencies. (That is, by a simple majority in 60%
of
the ridings.)
If the referendum passes, then the government must bring in
appropriate
legislation that would ensure the new electoral model can be in
place
for the election of May 2009.
These details are spelled out in the final version of Bill 52-2004,
the
"Electoral Reform Referendum Act".
This was passed in the legislature on May 18, 2004, and was given
royal
assent (thus formally becoming law) two days later.
WHERE TO GET MORE INFORMATION
Information on BC-STV can be found on the Assembly's website
www.citizensassembly.bc.ca. Additional resources are being
developed
and will be available on the website shortly.
ASSEMBLY WINDS DOWN
With the delivery of its Final Report to the people of British
Columbia,
the Assembly's mandate is complete. The office will also close
at the
end of December. The website, however, will be accessible at
least
until the referendum.
ASSEMBLY MEMBERS ORGANIZE
Many members of the Assembly feel that, while their mandate is
ended,
their responsibility to British Columbians continues. Having
completed
their intense study of electoral systems, members feel they have a
role
to play in communicating their recommendation. In the public
debate
leading up to the referendum in May, members feel they can serve as
a
valuable resource.
To coordinate communication activities, members are organizing an
"alumni" group. This group will remain non-partisan
and independent.
Members are eager to explain their recommendation to British
Columbians, so are available for speaking engagements and media
interviews.
The Assembly alumni are setting up a website which will be available
in
the New Year. This site will include contact information for
media
interviews and for anyone wanting to book a speaker. So, in
January,
check out www.bc-stv.ca.
TEACHING MOMENTS
Do you know educators - particularly secondary school social studies
teachers or post-secondary political science professors - who would
like
to use the Assembly's recommendation to inspire students to learn
about
citizen participation, voting and electoral systems? On the
Assembly
website, educators can find electoral system lesson aids, fact
sheets
and videos. (And these resources are currently being upgraded
and
expanded.) Simply go to the website and select "Learning
resources"
then "Educational resources".
KNOWLEDGE NETWORK DOCUMENTARY
Knowledge Network has been closely following the work of the
Assembly from the start. In January, it will air a one-hour
documentary on the Assembly. The first scheduled broadcast is
slated for January 27, 2005 at 9pm. Additional broadcasts are
planned.
HANSARD TV
Hansard TV will broadcast the Assembly's final weekend of plenary
sessions on Saturday December 4 and Sunday December 5, starting at
9am.
Hansard TV is also considering future broadcast dates of Assembly
sessions if there is public interest.
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