1. Politics in British Columbia What do we want ?

2. What do we have now? What do we have now? 1Adversarial politics 1Adversarial politics 2Government dominance 2Government dominance 3Geographic representation 3Geographic representation 4 Votes ≠ Seats 4 Votes ≠ Seats 5Simple choices 5Simple choices

3. 1Adversarial politics Voters decide Voters decide Clear accountability Clear accountability Winning majorities vs. creating consensus Winning majorities vs. creating consensus Assumes 2-sided world Assumes 2-sided world An Alternative ? Consensual Politics An Alternative ? Consensual Politics Government vs. Opposition Government vs. Opposition

4. Consensual Politics Multiple participants Multiple participants Representing views not winning contests Representing views not winning contests Elections indicate preferences not make choices Elections indicate preferences not make choices Accountability blurred in coalitions Accountability blurred in coalitions

5. No political system is likely to be completely adversarial or consensual – it will have some features of each. Different electoral systems will push our politics in one direction or the other. Which do we prefer?

6. 2Government dominance Parliamentary theory turned upside down Parliamentary theory turned upside down Party discipline means cabinet decides Party discipline means cabinet decides Opposition ignored Opposition ignored The “friendly dictatorship” The “friendly dictatorship” An Alternative Legislative Authority An Alternative Legislative Authority

7. Restored Legislative Authority Weaken basis for cabinet control - party majorities - strong party discipline Weaken basis for cabinet control - party majorities - strong party discipline Legislature, not election chooses government Legislature, not election chooses government Party bargaining becomes major dynamic of system Party bargaining becomes major dynamic of system

8. Majority governments and their easy control over the legislature are one of the products of our electoral system. Do we want to try and change this? What would be the consequence for our politics?

9. 3Geographic Representation Citizens have specific representatives Citizens have specific representatives Communities have advocates Communities have advocates Ties politicians to voters Ties politicians to voters BUT BUT MLAs vote party line not constituents’ views MLAs vote party line not constituents’ views Is there an alternative basis for choosing MLAs? Is there an alternative basis for choosing MLAs?

10. Electoral systems that do not rely on local representatives allow other criteria to come forward. Would that be a good thing? Would voters lose anything of importance if they did not have a single, identifiable local representative in the legislature?

11. 4 Votes ≠ Seats No systematic relationship No systematic relationship Winners can be losers & vice versa Winners can be losers & vice versa Exaggerated majorities; weakened oppositions Exaggerated majorities; weakened oppositions Small parties shut out Small parties shut out

12. +-+-+-+- Encourages clear 2 party competition Encourages clear 2 party competition Keeps nuisance groups out Keeps nuisance groups out Focuses elections on choice of government Focuses elections on choice of government Unfair to unrepresented voters and parties Unfair to unrepresented voters and parties Legislature doesn’t encompass all views in province Legislature doesn’t encompass all views in province Weakens government accountability to legislature Weakens government accountability to legislature

13. A Proportional Alternative Vote shares to determine seat shares Proportional Representation Vote shares to determine seat shares Proportional Representation Requires abandoning exclusive use of single-member constituencies Requires abandoning exclusive use of single-member constituencies Elections centred on political parties, not individual representatives Elections centred on political parties, not individual representatives

14. Do we want a system of elections that will produce a legislature mirroring voters’ opinions, or do we want one to choose a majority government? Would a more proportional system be better? Why? How proportional might it be?

15. 5Simple choices The current system allows only a choice among a small number of names The current system allows only a choice among a small number of names Is that good enough? Do we need more choice? - among candidates and parties - among candidates of same party - to indicate preference ranking Is that good enough? Do we need more choice? - among candidates and parties - among candidates of same party - to indicate preference ranking Is this an issue? Is this an issue?

16. What do we want? Is our adversarial politics good ? Is our adversarial politics good ? Should MLAs have more influence over the government ? Should MLAs have more influence over the government ? Do we really need local representatives ? Do we really need local representatives ? Is the vote-seat imbalance a real problem ? Is the vote-seat imbalance a real problem ? Do voters get to make the kinds of choices they want ? Do voters get to make the kinds of choices they want ?