Other kinds of FEAR

The BC-STV referendum also had another type of FEAR demonstrated. With the results of the 2005 BC-STV referendum we saw how FEARFUL the POWERS THAT BE were when the referendum failed to pass by the slimiest of margins.

I would not be surprised that Mr. Campbell and the other politicians were close to having heart-attacks as they watched the results of the referendum materialize. The referendum receiving 57.69% of the Popular Vote and a truly awesome 97.47% of the Electoral Districts in favour of the BC-STV. The referendum missing by just 2.31% to becoming LAW and our new Electoral System. THIS WAS JUST TOO CLOSE FOR THE POWERS THAT BE!

I know some will say that this FEAR by the Politicians is my opinion and a guess on my part, that there is no real way that I can know that the Politicians were really FEARFUL of BC-STV. It is my OPINION but I believe it is a educated opinion and one that I can substantiate. Since the 2005 BC-STV referendum we have also gone through the 2009 general election and within about 9 months of the 2013 general election, so we have some time to have observe the POLITICIANS since the 2005 referendum.

• Upon winning the 2005 general election Mr. Campbell commented on the success of the BC-STV referendum and how unfortunate it was in coming so close to the 60% mark of the Popular Vote. That it was clear at how the VOTERS were committed to BC-STV that it clearly needed a second referendum. Mr. Campbell set the second BC-STV referendum for the fall of 2008 along with the MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. He promised that there would also be a fuller understanding of the complete BC-STV system before the second referendum. He also felt that the issue of ELECTORAL REFORM was of such high interest among the VOTERS that he was dedicating this term in office to this end.

 When we get through the usual flattery of the majority of British Columbians we have some tell-tale issues to look at.

1. With such a majority in favour of BC-STV Mr. Campbell had no real political choice but to promise a second referendum. The thing is he put it off for 3.5 YEARS until the second referendum. ALL POLITICIANS when forced to do something they would rather not will put it off as long as possible. This is in the hope that people will forget, or the passion for the issue will subside, or things will change. They will give all kinds of generalizations as to why such TIME is required! THERE IS NO REASON WHY THE SECOND REFERENDUM WAS NOT CONDUCTED WITHIN 12 TO 18 MONTHS - NOT YEARS!
2. The second little nugget is the promise of a fuller understanding of the BC-STV before the second referendum. This to me suggests that all the information about BC-STV was not provided in the 2005 referendum, WHY? It asks the question if the 2005 referendum was sabotaged by withholding information hoping that it would be to confusing for the general voter to pass?
3. The only thing that Mr. Campbell did concerning ELECTORAL REFORM during his 2005 term was to increase the number of ELECTORAL DISTRICTS from the 79 in 2005 to 85 in 2009. This type of minor adjustments is NOT ELECTORAL REFORM. However, one has to ask - was this an attempt to dilute the high percentage of DISTRICTS that passed the BC-STV in 2005?

There is more;

• In the fall of 2006 Mr. Campbell decided to move the second BC-STV referendum from the fall of 2008 to the general election in 2009. He waited a full year after the original referendum to postpone the second for another 6 months or so. WHY?

There are a couple of reasons for including the second referendum in the general elections;

1. It is much easier to LOOSE a issue among many other PROVINCIAL ISSUES. It can be buried and put on the back burner somewhere.
2. The expanded DISTRICTS (85 instead of 79) would not take affect until the 2009 election. If the second referendum was held in 2008 there would have only been the original 79 DISTRICTS. Putting the referendum off until the 2009 election meant the BC-STV would have to pass the majority of 85 DISTRICTS not 79.

There is more;

• In February 2009 'Elections BC' put into effect the 'BC-STV-gag Law'. No politician or political party was permitted to either promote or reject BC-STV publicly in ads or speeches or in any other manner until after the referendum.

This GAG-LAW on BC-STV three months before the referendum demonstrates just how FEARFUL the POWERS THAT BE were of the BC-STV actually passing the second referendum, even after 4 years. This GAG-LAW certainly went in the opposite direction of Mr. Campbell's promise of a fuller understanding of BC-STV before the second referendum, how can there be better understand if one is forbidden to speak about it?

There is more;

There was no OPPOSITION PARTY that tried to oppose Mr. Campbell's attempt to sabotage the second referendum. ALL the POLITICIANS AND POLITICAL PARTIES were on side with Mr. Campbell against the BC-STV. There was never any attempt by the OPPOSITION to promote any ELECTORAL REFORM - all the politicians had enough of ELECTORAL REFORM.

To be fair;

The Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform tried to have informational meetings in the 79 Districts to more fully explain the details concerning the BC-STV system. The problem was that they were badly organized and poorly advertised. I missed a few myself as the time was not convenient or I heard about it a day late, it was difficult to get to. I put some of this onto the media itself. The advertisements or notices of these meetings were definitely at a minimum and one had to actually hunt for them.

THESE ARE THE REASONS WHY I SAY THE POWERS THAT BE WAS VERY FEARFUL OF BC-STV.