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No time for PR snow job

Editorial
Viewpoint

On May 30, a few hours after the B.C. attorney general released his recommendations for this fall’s referendum questions on electoral reform, the group Fair Vote Canada sent out a “Take Action” memo to people on its mailing list, most of them obviously committed advocates for proportional representation (PR).

It read like a call to arms against the forces of darkness.

“The mainstream media will be full of opponent columnists attacking the question and attempting to whip up cynicism and frighten voters into choosing the status quo,” the memo stressed in italics. It went on to warn that the B.C. Liberals were activating supporters for the No campaign. Then, shifting to boldface, it urged members to “not let opponents drown us out in the media or muddy the waters with their innuendoes and fear-mongering.” In short, to “step up our game on the ground.” The first action item was to write a letter to the editor of the local paper, and a list of almost every newspaper in B.C. was provided, along with email addresses and some direct links.

Coast Reporter was not exactly inundated this week but we did get a few lookalike samples from around the province and a pair of letters from local PR advocates which are printed on the facing page. And while it’s premature to draw any fixed conclusions, early indications suggest that the organized Yes camp may turn out to be its own worst enemy.

What we’ve seen so far is a lot of heavy-handed cheerleading and regurgitating of the same generic talking points; browbeating the media for imaginary bias in simply trying to explain the questions; studied avoidance of any analysis whatsoever of the three voting systems on offer (two of which have never been tested); and craftily worded assurances that all will be well in the world as long as Yes is the answer.

If this kind of sanctimonious sell job is going to be the Yes people’s strategy, they can expect to alienate a lot of thoughtful voters who feel justifiably overwhelmed by the convoluted mess the NDP has put up, not inconceivably in order to “throw” the referendum so they can kick Andrew Weaver and the Greens to the curb.

Since adopting a more collaborative and respectful political system is the avowed aim of PR proponents, it would be wise for them to demonstrate those virtues during the upcoming campaign. Instead of shutting down debate on the relative merits – and inherent flaws – of the options presented, they should be leading it and embracing it as a necessary step to find the right path for BC.

Less cheerleading, less browbeating, more honest analysis, and maybe you guys can win this.

John Gleeson is editor of Coast Reporter in Sechelt