A New Voting System For British Columbia

The Vancouver Isand Party recently posted its recommendation for a Mixed Member System (MMS) of voting for the October 2018 referendum on the Government website. Your comments are most apppreciated.

Dr. Robin M. Richardson, Ph.D.
Leader
The Vancouver Island Party

The Vancouver Island Party (VIP), in proposing a mixed First Past The Post (FPTP) and Proportional Representative (PR) system of voting called the Mixed Member Seat (MMS) system for the October 2018 referendum, strongly recommends that the following principles be adopted:

• 1. The major regions of British Columbia be recognized as follows:
• a. Vancouver Island, organized into 2 large regions.
• b. Vancouver, the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley, organized into 3 or 4 large regions.
• c. The BC Interior, organized into 3 or 4 large regions.
• 2. There be no change in the number of MLAs from the current system.
• 3. There be a combination of
  – First Past The Post (FPTP) and
  – Proportional Representative (PR)
  MLAs in each region.

An example of how this would work, using Vancouver Island as an example, would be:

• 1. Reduce the current 14 ridings to 7 larger ridings as follows:
Region One – South Vancouver Island
• a. Saanich North and the Islands, Saanich South and Oak Bay – Gordon Head.
• b.Victoria – Beacon Hill and Victoria – Swan Lake.
• c. Esquimalt – Metchosin and Langford – Juan de Fuca.
Region Two – North Vancouver Island
• d. Cowichan Valley and Nanaimo – North Cowichan
• e. Nanaimo
• f. Parksville – Qualicum and Mid-Island – Pacific Rim
• g. Courtenay – Comox and North Island.
• 2. Each larger riding will elect one MLA using the FPTP system (e.g., 3 MLAs in South Vancouver Island and 4 MLAs in North Vancouver Island) and one MLA from a list from all political parties and independents using the PR system (e.g., 3 MLAs in South Vancouver Island and 4 MLAs in North Vancouver Island).
• 3. The electoral system that we recommend is a combination of FPTP and PR. It is called the Mixed Member Seat (MMS) system. Countries and regions who use this system are Germany, New Zealand and Scotland.

Conclusion:

The Vancouver Island Party MMS system proposal recognizes the importance of the major regions of British Columbia; it combines the best of two voting systems.

On this important ballot question, for the October 2018 Referendum, we strongly urge the Government of British Columbia to adopt this MMS system as the alternative to a continuation of the FPTP system.