Re: 鈥淧eople of sa国际传媒 have spoken clearly,鈥� letter, Dec. 22; 鈥渟a国际传媒 voters turn down proportional representation, support first-past-the-post,鈥� Dec. 21.
It appears the majority of British Columbians who voted have chosen to stick with the current voting system rather than switching to one that鈥檚 more proportional.
While those in favour of changing to proportional representation are disappointed, those against have no reason to rejoice. In comparing democratic jurisdictions that use some form of proportional representation with those that use first-past-the-post, it鈥檚 obvious that the choice of voting system is of little help in dealing with the many serious issues facing humanity, which tells us that it鈥檚 not democracy that must be changed.
Disproportionate wealth concentration, child poverty, racism, ecosystem destruction, the existential threats of nuclear conflict and catastrophic climate change are the products of modern capitalist economic ideologies that ignore the will of the voting public and to some extent the politicians they put in power.
This last referendum and those that preceded it were a colossal waste of resources and time. 聽
What is needed is a public debate on corporate political influence and the economic model that is not only producing an ever-widening gap between the haves and the have-nots, it鈥檚 destroying our biosphere and our future.
Ken Dwernychuk
Esquimalt
