To the editor,
Electoral reform is no big deal. We already live in a proportional representation world. How so?
Under first past the post, one vote gets skewed to be worth more than it is, as in 39 per cent of the votes get 54 per cent of the seats and 100 per cent of the power. Proportional representation keeps the percentages where they are; no skewing.
Where is PR in our everyday world? How about this: If you live in a strata/condo complex, the vote cast by the owner of the penthouse carries just as much weight as the ground floor studio unit. No skewing. Let’s say someone in the complex wants to take out all the lawns and put in gravel so there’s no landscaping bill. Someone else wants to have a rose garden and a third brings forward their love of daisies and pansies for the hummingbirds and bees. What do they do?
They negotiate, they compromise, they discuss, they respect other points of view, and they arrive at a mutually agreeable solution. It takes longer but it keeps more residents happier for a longer time and protects their real estate investments.
Does every strata make decisions by precisely the same method? No. So don’t worry about which system we adopt; it doesn’t matter. They’re all an improvement. By bringing proportional representation to our electoral system, we’re really just catching up to how we run so many other aspects of our world. Other examples available on request.
Tom Rankin, Kamloops
The views and opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the writer and do not reflect the views of Black Press or the Nanaimo News Bulletin. If you have a different view, we encourage you to write to us or contribute to the discussion below.