Dear Editor:
Fair Vote Canada (a registered third-party sponsor under the referendum rules) has raised local money from local individuals to pay for signs and flyers in support of proportional representation. Many voters are fed up with elections resulting in majority governments with only 35-40 per cent of the vote. The current first-past-the-post system only works in a two-party system, and in B.C. we have four major parties and in Canada there are five major parties.
We are the only group with visible lawn signs and small billboards in this referendum campaign, and with local volunteers who have been active in the community for weeks and months. We experienced some vandalism early in the fall – and a spate of thefts of lawn signs – we reckon we lost upwards of 50 or so in just a couple of days in October. But this weekend, someone took a knife and carved out the centre of one of our signs, and we can only assume that the fear-mongering generated by the No side supporters and the hostility to the fairness argument of proportional representation is leading some opponents to drastic measures. We are discouraged by this petty behaviour, and we probably don’t have the time or money to replace this sign.
And just a reminder to voters: Elections BC has opened a referendum office at 120 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver. It is open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. I do wish that these hours would have been longer and extended to the weekend. Deadline for Elections BC to receive your ballot is 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 30.
Alison Watt
North Vancouver
What are your thoughts? Send us a letter via email by clicking here or post a comment below.
