The British Columbia Citizens' Assembly: a round table.
Summary
Panel Discussion
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The British Columbia Citizens' Assembly: a round table.
As part of its campaign platform in 2001 the current government of British Columbia promised to appoint a committee of citizens to assess all possible models for electing MLAs and to recommend changes to the current electoral system that could be put to a province wide referendum. The Government appointed Gordon Gibson to prepare a report on how the Citizen's Assembly should be organised. He presented his report on December 23, 2002. In April 2003 the Government responded by introducing a motion supporting the creation of a Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform and appointing a Special Committee of the Legislative Assembly to review the nomination of the Chair of the Citizens' Assembly and receive interim reports on the progress of the Assembly. The following extracts from the debates of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly illustrate a number of issues related to establishment of a Citizens' Assembly including certain areas where the Government proposals differ from the Gibson Report. For the full debate on this topic see British Columbia's Hansard for April 30, 2003.
********** Gordon Campbell, MLA (Premier of British Columbia): If you go back to 1858, this is the first time in 145 years we are actually giving the people of British Columbia a direct say in how they should elect the MLAs that are meant to serve them. After all, in a democracy, we should remember we are here at the service and the pleasure of the people of this province. On April 17, 1999, while still in opposition, I said that it was time we gave the people of B.C. the right to demonstrate how they want to elect their MLAs. I am proud to stand here today and say that this is the first government in the history of British Columbia, in the history of our country, that has given the people that right. There is no more fundamental tenet that we agree to as we seek office. The rules of the democracy should be designed by the people they serve, not by the power brokers who may wish that the democracy worked in their interests. It is by turning to the people and trusting the public that I believe we can re-establish the critical link between our democratic institutions and those that they are supposed to serve. As we entered office, we wanted to try to restore and re-establish the trust of the public for their public institutions. I can think of no more import...See the full content of this document
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