The Written Word: Rafe Mair September 19th
By Rafe Mair
The recommended changes to the size and composition of the Legislature continue to cause controversy and properly so. The root cause of the problem is that the courts have ruled that all constituencies must represent the population with an allowable variation of 25%. This works well in, say, Prince Edward Island which has approximately the same population as Prince George or Richmond. When you have a province like British Columbia with almost its entire population in cities with huge areas lightly populated, you have a problem.
As we grope for a solution let’s speak openly about what an MLA does, or in fact, doesn’t do. If he’s in Cabinet, that is a full sized job especially when combined with MLA duties. I was a cabinet minister in a large constituency, Kamloops; large though not nearly so large as northern ridings. What I learned was two things – half my MLA duties could, and were, handled by good staff. The other half was getting my face and presence into everything I could so that, in aid of being re-elected, I had good exposure. Again I was aided by a good staff who, when I came into the constituency, made sure that the media were full of what I’d done.
Again, assuming the MLA is not a cabinet minister, his legislative duties are to attend and do what he’s told. There is this impression about – created by MLAs no doubt – that works in Victoria is an unbearable burden. That’s nonsense. It is assumed that backbench MLAs get to make policy, create legislation, work endlessly in Legislature Committees and decide matters of provincial interest. This is barnyard droppings. That’s how the Legislature was supposed to work, with power in the Legislature, with MLAs able to bring down a government that displeases them. In fact all the power is in the Premier’s office and the cabinet room.
I have a suggestion. In a large constituency, too big to be properly serviced, there should be satellite MLA offices in perhaps three or four areas of the riding. These would have staff and would service the immediate area, and plane fare would be paid for the MLA to visit, from time to time each of the offices.
The suggestion might be a lousy one but until a better one comes along it will have to do, I suppose.
Previous Story - Next Story
Email
Print
Facebook
Twitter
Digg
Del.icio.usReturn to Home
Posted by: diplomat on September 20 2007 1:05 PM
Pure ‘majority-rules’ is code for Greater Vancouver resource empire. With a majority population not native born and coming in some cases from places where power is a zero sum game, then I don't think rural BC should have to just trust these people, because they 'suppose' when it comes to important issues to the North.
I suppose Northern BC could form its own province with 9 regional districts electing (BCSTV) 4 MLA's per district having an actual in theory as well as practice independent self determining Northern BC. A balanced province of equals; tied to a common future destiny to be decided upon.
Rafe talks about all the problems of our current party controlled political system. A problem where the premier and the party leadership enslave the elected representatives to approved policy based on the us-vs-them game to play each other for the political parties own horse trading that in the end is designed to satisfy the interests of those ‘represented’ (often not the general good or the average citizen). Rafe seems to say that is life.
If Rafe’s vision was on the ballot against a Northern BC that was democratic and representative, then I think the majority choice of those that live and work in the North would be to support self determination over that of a colonial outpost.