NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release 2005OTP0105-000812 Sept. 12, 2005	Office of the Premier
B.C. TO HOLD SECOND REFERENDUM ON ELECTORAL REFORM

VICTORIA – British Columbians will choose between a Single Transferable Vote system and the current first-past-the-post system in a second, more informed vote on electoral reform in November 2008, and whichever system prevails will be the one used in the next provincial election on May 12, 2009.

 

“Nearly 58 per cent of those who voted in the May referendum voted in favour of STV, but the new model did not pass under the rules the legislature unanimously established,” said Premier Gordon Campbell. “Suggestions have been made that the outcome might have been different if voters were aware of how the STV would apply to their riding boundaries. We’re not going to re-write the rules after the fact or pretend that the vote succeeded when it did not, but neither can we ignore the size of the double majority that voted in favour of the STV model.

 

“We have listened to comments that the public wants more information about electoral reform to make a more informed choice. Showing voters what their riding would look like under the STV model may provide the critical piece of information that was missing at the time of the referendum.”

 

Premier Campbell outlined the process that will be followed:

• The government will ask the Electoral Boundaries Commission – which has to be appointed this fall to review electoral boundaries in time for the 2009 provincial election – to also consider how ridings would be configured under an STV system.
• The commission will be given an extended deadline to deliver its report by the spring of 2008.
• A referendum question will be crafted by the government and will be debated and voted upon in the legislature.
• Equal funding will be provided to support active information campaigns for supporters and detractors of each model.
• All MLAs, including cabinet ministers, will be free to speak and vote as they wish on the issue. The Premier will remain neutral.
• A binding provincewide vote will be held at the same time as the November 2008 municipal elections.
• Whichever model prevails will be the one used in the next provincial election on May 12, 2009, as set by law.

 

“The 161 members of the Citizens’ Assembly spent over a year considering electoral reform and they came to their conclusion after intensive investigation and public consultation,” said Campbell. “A sizeable majority of British Columbians reflected on their recommendations and voted to support it, and we cannot ignore the assembly’s work or the that majority. We will not re-do the work of the assembly or impose a system of our own choosing. Having considered this issue, we believe it is most appropriate to allow all British Columbians a second, more-informed, vote on STV.

 

“British Columbia is a national leader in democratic reforms – we made history with Canada's first-ever set election date, free votes in the legislature, and the non-partisan Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform,” said Campbell. “We are going to continue being a leader in democratic reform by giving the people of B.C. a second, definitive, vote on the electoral system.”

 

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The full text of the throne speech is available on the Legislative Assemble website at:

www.legis.gov.bc.ca/38th1st/4-8-38-1.htm (html version)
www.legis.gov.bc.ca/38th1st/Throne_Speech_2005_1st_38th.pdf (pdf version)

 

Media contact:	Mike Morton Press Secretary Office of the Premier 250 213-8218
Visit the Province's website at www.gov.bc.ca for online information and services.