Smiles vs fear mongering

Movements are a funny thing. You can get involved in one and never know what is going to happen, but when it's the right thing to do, you actually feel something.

The positive power of whatever it is pushing you forward into a brighter future you're helping to create.

Proportional representation advocacy has been like that. Every step of the way, our path has been lined with a life improvement goal and camaraderie. This is in stark opposition to the No side, who have thrived on bitterness. 

Personified by Andrew Wilkinson, PR's opponents have resorted to soul-sucking falsehoods to find support.

They've claimed whoppers like currently invisible fringe groups will be elected (a vote threshold ensures they won't), they've said rural areas will lose their voices (PR actually enhances local representation), and that "stable" majorities get things done (the Liberals took hundreds of days off from sitting in the legislature during their day, ensuring exactly nothing got done).

These are just a few of the lies they have fed B.C. voters.

Who could reasonably fight against a system that is more fair, more democratic? Who wouldn't want increased voter turnout, higher environmental and economic performance, improved voices for Indigenous peoples, and a vote that finally counts? 

When you look at both sides of the debate, and one has smiles on their faces when they talk, while the other looks scared and miserable, this is a pretty good indication that the No side is only worried about their self interests.

I like fairness, and I think it's high time our voting methods tried their best to be that way. 

Tom Wharton, New Westminster