Thoughts on Electing Legislative Representatives

As one who lives in a riding with an elected independent MLA, I would like to remind British Columbians of just what a vote does. We are voting for a person to represent us in our legislature. The legislature then creates a government from among its elected members and holds that government responsible to itself. We are not a republic and very rightly do not directly elect a government separately from the legislature. Vote the person; do not vote the party. Vote the person and you get a member representing you and your riding into the legislature; vote the party and you get a member representing that party back back to you and your riding from the legislature. A certain fashionable desire currently exists for proportional representation; sadly this desire is based on vote for the party thinking. Proportional representation will just perpetuate party structures (and place into the legislature people who have not necessarily received votes for them as a person) while a single transferrable ballot (multiple member not needed) will diminish parties, as it did the last time British Columbia used it. The real reform needed is to undo Dick McBride's big mistake when he introduced party politics into B. C. a century ago. Reduce the role of parties and eliminate party discipline and we can initiate policy right in the legislature, where it belongs, rather than on the convention floors and back rooms of political parties, have real debate focussed on actual issues rather party positions, and strengthen the independence of legislative committees.

Delta South Leads the Way

The current provincial election offers extra drama here in my own riding of Delta South.  We have a strong independent candidate who is a true contender for the seat.  So often independents are weak candidates who barely show in the polls.  Not so here,  our independent ran a close second in the last election, was wooed by both major parties before this election, and chose to remain independent for this election.  Our retiring MLA proved to be the most archetypal toe-the-line backbench MLA who functioned as her party's legislative representative to us, in Delta South, rather than as our representative in the legislature.  With a strong independent, committed to representing the riding first and not subject to any party whip, we can say, "Never more!"

The leaders of both major British Columbia political parties' first choice as party candidate in Delta South was Vicki Huntington and she turned them both down to remain independent.  The parties settled on alternative candidates, strong ones but still second choices.  This gives the election in our riding extra drama.  I also hope that it serves as a model for other potential strong independent candidates among other ridings for future elections.  Perhaps we can gradually break the stifling hold party discipline imposes on our politics.