Editor:
Re: Low turnout on PR bad for democracy, NOW Opinion, Nov. 16
In his opinion piece, Keith Baldrey gives an example whereby a majority of voters support PR over FPTP but a “low turnout” would mean "less that 25 per cent of the population would change our voting system, which is at the heart of our democracy." Stating outright this is bad for democracy. Well then, how bad was it when the Liberals, in 2009, formed a majority government (nearly 60 per cent of the seats in the legislature) and ruled the entire province uncontested for four years having gained the support of barely 23 percent of eligible voters? They received 45.82 per cent of the popular vote with a turnout of only 50.99 per cent of eligible voters equalling 23.3-per-cent support. That is the "bad for democracy" situation that proportional representation seeks to remedy. Attempts to diminish the validity of the possible results with obviously hypocritical arguments regarding results already occurring under the current system is what I would suggest weakens democracy here. If a majority of the voters of British Columbia who choose to make their wishes known vote for PR, then PR should and will be implemented. As clearly stated from the very beginning of this referendum process
Robert Klingle, Burnaby
