Two special interest occupied parties run from and for the Vancouver-Victoria majority first and foremost. Thats not much of an incentive to vote... IMO the system lacks accountability that is transparent to the voter and so the voter doesn't see the value in participating. Furthermore the vote counting process isn't even transparent and so that brings into question the worth for an individual in legitimizing with a vote a system that doesn't represent ones values.

Democracy is becoming foreign to citizens because the powers that control the politics from bureaucracy and special interest groups want the voter to be as irrelevant as possible... this is what empowers their ability to influence events.

This means that the Liberals were returned to power with the votes of less than 1 in 4 BC voters.

I wish we'd seriously look at the Australian system...it's mandatory to vote there...non-voters are fined. Been that way since the 1920s.

The apathy here is disgusting.

Herbster: "This means that the Liberals were returned to power with the votes of less than 1 in 4 BC voters."

Sure, but if the NDP had gotten just a few more votes than the Liberals the sentence would read:

*This means that the NDP were voted into power with the votes of less than 1 in 4 BC voters.*

That's politics in B.C., a province which is split almost evenly into two partisan camps of supporters.

"The apathy here is disgusting."

After the last personal mudslinging provincial election campaign and the already started intense federal personal mudslinging ads I myself may finally give in to the apathy that I feel coming over me and stay away from the polling station on election day.

American style personal mudslinging in politics turns me off completely. I am interested in meaningful agendas, platforms and policies which now have taken a backseat during the campaigns in favour of dirty mudslinging and sly innuendo.

Disgusting? Yes, very.

hartbooks wrote, "I wish we'd seriously look at the Australian system...it's mandatory to vote there...non-voters are fined. Been that way since the 1920s."

If you would like to fill our prisons with repeat offenders who don't believe in choosing the lesser of two evils (more than 50% of potential voters), be my guest. How do you propose 45% of voters will pay to imprison 55% of the electorate?

Not voting is as much a choice as voting, it shows a lack of faith in the system. Since the majority feel this way, it might precept change in political parties.

Forcing people to vote wouldn't necessarily mean more votes... you can go into the voting booth and still not make a decision, ie: spoil your ballot.

None of this will change anything because this is EXACTLY what the politicians want. I voted but would not and could not put an X on the Liberals or NDP. It made me sick just the thought of it. Everyone complains but still and will always vote for the NDP or Liberals even though both parties have screwed British Columbians for years. No one wants to give a new party a chance just because of that...they are new. Well the way I look at it "THEY CANT DO ANY WORSE THAN THE OTHER TWO HAVE DONE!" and you even have proof that these parties have failed. Amazes me. Then you all complain. LOL Just wait and see what the Olympics and all the monies directed to the mainland does for us. You think the NDP failed? You are going to see the worst ever when this is all played out. The liberals are selling British Columbia off bit by bit to the highest bidders. But hey! It's what you voted for.

You don't put nonvoters in prison, you fine them . Still think that canidates should be elected with at least 51% of the votes that were cast in each riding. Might make the MLA's realize that they need to make at least 51% of the people in their riding belive in them.

The present system gives us a Majority Government either Liberal or NDP. So the Government in power can get things done. If they dont, then we could and should throw them out. We have done this with the Socreds. the NDP, and no doubt will do it with the Liberals.
So the system works. Our Government compared to some others around the world is pretty good. So is our standard of living. There is always room for improvement.

Canadians as a general rule like to bitch and bellyache, but seldom have the intestinal fortitude to get off their asses and do something. We are a nation of bitchers.

We bitch about taxes, politicians, gas prices, and every other subject you can think of, but we do nothing. We are pathetic, and this is reflected in the number of people who actually vote.

I would suggest that half the people who voted know very little or nothing about the party they voted for; Those who didnt vote propably know less.

We have this terrible habit of sitting on our butts whining, and blaming the Government for all the ;problems.

Much like a baby with a dirty diaper, we whine and cry, hoping someone will do something to make us feel better. We can do something about the baby and we should, however its time the adults learned to look after themselves.

Only about 1% of the population belongs to a political party. All the decisions and platforms of the parties are decided by the members. If anyone really wants to change things, that is where to do it.

I'm surprised that the unions haven't figured out that if they joined the provincial Liberals en masse, they could completely change all the policies of the party. They could elect their own delegates to the convention, thereby giving them the power to elect the executive, and change to party direction. All they'd need is a few more members in each riding than now exist.



Oh well, they'd rather complain than do something about it.

Complaining without action is wining.

There is no shortage of wining about the Provincial Government in this province. If you didn't vote, you have no right to complain. This means there should be 7% less winers the next 4 years.

I'm good with that.

people shouldn't vote, unless they want to vote. Making it mandatory is the dumbest idea since the invention of dumb ideas. It isnt even the system that is at fault. It is the pervasive negative attitude of canadians themselves.
We are as a people, increasingly negative and cynical. I think we are buying too much of the media and political hype out there. You know, the stuff that is telling us how hard we all have it here in Canada. How bad things are, how much taxes we pay.... Without stressing the point too hard that we are one of the wealthiest nations in the world, whos people really have nothing to complain about, it is hard to justify so much negativity and cynicism when it comes to politics.
Our politicians and our political system , for all their warts have done an astonishing thing. They have created and maintained one of the largest, most geographically and culturally diverse countries in the world. We are perpetually in a state of peace (domestically) and (relative to most of the rest of the world) prosperous and stable. We have not felt the need for revolutions, violent demonstrations or coups. Our politicians have not tried to use the military to seize or maintain power or civil order (well once maybe). While it is good and admirable to hold our politicians up to a high standard it is churlish not to admit that, as politics and politicians go we are doing pretty well on the bell curve.
SO why not vote? Because, all negativity aside there just isnt much reason to for most folk. If you dont believe that the NDP will shut the province down and put it on welfare then there isnt much reason to run to the polls to stop them. If you dont believe that a vote (or 10,00 votes for the green party will make a difference to our environment (or you just dont believe in that particular flavour of religion) then you dont need to trundle off to the polls to chuck a vote for or against them. If you dont think that the liberals are actually drying up the rivers to sell water to Donald trump then you dont need to stop them either. As for supporting a party because you believe in them, well that would require enthusiasm and involvement in the process. The former trait is required for the latter. Unfortunately the former isnt likely to show up in canadians soon. Most people get active in politics (ie vote)not to do something or support someone. They do so in order to prevent something or to thwart someone. At least that is politics as BC currently knows it. If we are not worried that things are going to go to hell if we dont do something, we wont. For the other 49 percent, well perhaps their experience has been that the party in power really had little effect on their lives.
I suppose what i am trying to say, in typical long winded fashion, is that people vote out of self interest. If the parties on offer do not represent a major difference in the lives of the voters, they are unlikely to feel inspired to vote.
That isnt an indictment of our political system or parties, it is more of an endorsement.

The current party in power was like a dirty diaper...it needed to be changed and for the same reason. I voted, but I am very dissapointed with the 50% or so of people who didn't. To all those who were complaining about those in power but did nothing to make a difference, why don't you just move to another province?

The other solution is to eliminate the problem. Adopt the British model and
get rid of these ineffective provincial assemblies which cost tax payers tens of millions of Dollars in only MLA salary across Canada, and have introduced unnecessary inconsistencies across provinces. The MPs in Ottawa are enough and we have our councilers and mayors. The MLAs who even don't care to meet with people have become a kind of luxury and burden.

Why should 100,000 Dollars per year be paid to each of 85 MLA in BC when around 50% of BC voters have not voted for any of them? That is 8,500,000 per year from BC tax money, without the election cost itself. 10 Million per year can go a long way in reducing homelessness in BC.

A simple question: any MLA can tell me how many homeless we have in BC, or in his/her region?

Can anyone tell anyone how many homeless there are in BC? No one knows so it would be pretty hard to assess the MLA's answers would it not?
I cant imagine giving up what regional voice we have to be ruled exclusively by our Eastern Overlords. Sheesh, north-south inequity is bad enough. Hedy fry anyone?

The homeless must pick up their welfare cheques someplace. The welfare department must know exactly how many people are homeless, which means that the Government also knows. There are other ways to determine how many people are homeless, however unless you plan to do something about it, why would you need to know the number.

People can get three meals a day, seven days a week at St. Vincents on 2nd Avenue.
They can get hampers two or three time per year. They can get free cloths from the St. Vincent store on 3rd. They can also get food from the Salvation Army on Patricia. There are other services available for them.

Why is it that some of these so called homeless people have Cell Phones and smoke expensive cigarettes. They also buy alcohol, and gamble at the Casino.

I think we need a better definition of homeless. Some people prefer to be homeless because this allows them to keep all of their welfare cheque to themselves, and they dont have to pay it out in rent. This system works in the summer only.

One thing is certain. At the end of the day, not to many God fearing Canadians will take one of these people into their homes and look after them. Why is that???

I don't think homeless people get welfare cheques. They may need an address for that.

If they do get cheques, it would only be for food and sundries, something like $184 per month.

The rental portion of the cheque is $325. If they pay more they don't get more, it has to come out of their food allowance. If they pay less than 325 for rent, they get only what they pay. If they are homeless and pay no rent, then they get no rent money from welfare.

WE SHOULD BE MADE TO VOTE.

I voted.
What a joke.
Like shellshadow I couldn't bring myself to vote for the liberals or the ndp. Neither could my fiance.
Nation of 'winers' ehh? Maybe. But some proactive, stir the pot, feet to the coals actions would help me decide.
Actions would speak louder than words and without a change in attitiudes (beyond the-we were elected therefore we do what we want mentality) I will not vote in another provincial election.
I will just run for office.

I was one of the 49% who voted. Not because I have a favorite. Far from it, as I think all these politicians can be trusted about as far as you can flick them with a broken finger.

Nope, I voted because of something my Grandfather told me many years ago...

"If you don't vote, you lose your right to complain."

Oooh baby, I need to complain!

Have a great weekend.