Editor:
There are a lot of reasons for us (B.C.) to change to proportional representation.
On voting night one of them came into focus. Despite an overwhelming success of her party, Christy Clark did not win her own seat. No doubt one of the members of her party will step aside and let her win in a by-election, but that is a persiflage of democracy. No one knows if that member did win on her/his own merit or simply because of the party she/he represented.
In simple proportional representation one votes for a party or for a member of that party. The votes for the party are automatically assigned to the party leader. The votes that the leader does not need to win a seat will "overflow" to the next member of that party. A vote for a member will stay with that member and if there are enough then a seat in the house is guaranteed. No elected member will ever have to relinquish a seat to yield to the leader of the party.
No doubt the proponents of "first past the post" will have objections, but they are all related to hanging on to power, as the main obstacle to changing the voting system is the current party in power.
Goze Vlasblom, Sechelt
