Construction group tries again to stop BC electoral reform referendum – Parksville Qualicum Beach News



[ad_1]

A group representing the construction sector in British Columbia is making an even greater effort to stop the NDP government's referendum on electoral reform.

On Monday, the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association was to seek leave to appeal the British Columbia Supreme Court decision of August 28th that dismissed his interim injunction to end the referendum. .

In court documents, the badociation described the referendum question as "confused" and the "unclear" and "undefined" proportional representation options.

The referendum, for which mail-order votes were held last week, asks whether voters want to keep the first-past-the-post system or move to a proportional representation system. A second question presents three choices of proportional representation: dualist system, mixed system and rural-urban system.

The process was criticized for being too close to the October 20 municipal elections, not to provide voters with new voter registration cards, and to have begun the campaign process during the summer, when the legislature is not in session.

The badociation also alleges that the province "faked" the results by limiting campaign expenses and not properly explaining the available choices.

Each official side, vote PR B.C. and No. B. The Proportional Representation will receive $ 500,000 from public funds and will be allowed to spend an additional $ 200,000.

Judge Miriam Gropper dismissed the application for interim injunction because she stated that the badociation's claims were full of "rhetoric, conjecture and exaggerations".

In a statement, Attorney General David Eby said the referendum was an opportunity for British Columbians to decide their democratic future.

"By appealing the decision on the injunction to suspend the referendum on electoral reform, the ICBA continues to fight against the right of people to vote on how their provincial representatives are elected," he said. said Eby.

"As I said before, our government will vigorously defend citizens' right to vote on whether to change the voting system in BC or maintain the current system."


@ katslepian

[email protected]

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

[ad_2]
Source link