A political scientist is questioning the B.C. opposition leader’s reasoning against electoral reform.
LISTEN: Andrew Wilkinson’s stance against electoral reform in B.C. ‘a bad argument,’ says political scientist
“Those rural areas will lose their direct representation. They will not know who to call.”
But Simon Fraser University’s David Moscrop says he’s not buying it.
LISTEN: Newly elected BC Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson speaks with host Jill Bennett
“It’s a bad argument to say having a single representative is essential because it connects the constituent to the legislature… I mean that relationship is forgotten so many times along the road that it almost becomes meaningless,” said Moscrop.
Moscrop says even with proportional representation, voters will still have a representative to reach out to.
He also says he thinks the party is being lazy, considering it used a preferential voting system in its leadership race, and that the Liberals are trying to protect their base.
Wilkinson has also said of electoral reform that the mail-in vote is likely to produce a lower turnout, the 50 per cent-plus-one needed for approval will allow Metro Vancouver to outvote rural areas.
The provincial government is holding public consultation on electoral reform in advance of a referendum this fall.