This is a reference to the November 16 panel discussion, Arguments For And Against Our Present Electoral System.
First, I express thanks to the panelists and moderators, the press and radio stations, and all the interested people who came out to the panel discussion.
Thanks also to all those who helped the event to occur, and a special thanks to Danielle Daffe and Don Roberts, who put so many hours into this event.
A special thanks also to Steve Robertson, publisher of Yukon News, who showed a strong concern with our present governance and offered us some free advertising space.
And CBC Yukon gave us time on their Morning Show and newscasts of the event. I think your efforts greatly helped us to draw concerned citizens and make the event happen. The attendance showed that there are Yukoners who are interested in a better electoral system.
As the news people have said, a number of good arguments were presented both for and against our present first-past-the-post electoral system. Likewise, good arguments were presented for and against both preferential and proportional systems. The point was made that there are a multitude of different democratic electoral systems in the world, but the discussion was based on the types of systems in general.
We now have a by-election taking place in the Whitehorse Centre riding. Under our present electoral system, the winning candidate is the candidate with one more vote than the other candidates. Using preferential voting, using 1, 2, 3, for first, second and third choices, instead of X for one choice, we could have the winning candidate being chosen by more than half of the voters.
The Ad Hoc Group on Electoral Reform plan to give our cause a holiday break.
In January, we plan to raise our concern again.
If you would like to be part of this ad-hoc group, we would be pleased to have your insights and help.
Phone Don Roberts at 667-2005 or Dave Brekke at 633-4418 or email dave@electoralchange.ca
Handouts briefly describing a new system are available at Qualita Cleaners and the Feed Store.
Thanks again.
Dave Brekke, on behalf of the Ad Hoc Group on Electoral Reform
Whitehorse