“ET HAS been said that democracy is the worst. form of government,” said Winston Churchill, “except all the others that have | been tried.” Well said! The problem with democracy is deciding how much of the stuff works best. Having too much is almost as bad as having too little. It’s like a happiness pill for which nobody has yet figured out the optimum dosage. Let alone whether it’s safe for children. High on the problems list is our “first-past-the-post” election system where the winner takes all, no matter how thin his majority. It means a governing party can be elected with a majority of seats far greater than its share of the popular vote. Last September in Quebec the separatist PQ virtually ' tied with the Liberals at 44% of the popular, vote, yet won 77 of the 125 seats in the assembly. So why not proportional repre- sentation voting? Because it goes too far the other way. You wind up like Israel with umpteen par- ties, including the tiniest, in the legislature; no party with an absolute majority; constant stale- mate as a result. _: Australia’s preferential ballot seems healthier, except that they loused it up with mandatory vot- ing (you’re fined if you don’t). . This means the.20-30% of the electorate that hasn’t a clue what it's all about — and couldn't care Jess — can distort the result for the 70-80% who do know and ~ care about the issues. | Back in Canada, geography is another enemy of democracy. ‘Regional conditions differ greatly across this vast country. But” , Ontario and Quebec with 59% of - Coramons seats dictate all nation- al policy — and te hell with the _ Special needs or problems of B.C., Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia or Newfoundland, |. | The U.S. Senate, giving indi- vidual states a full voice in the legislative process, corrects any such imbalance. Canada’s Semiate, . in contrast, remains an unrepre- - _Sentative and toothless tiger. Indeed, Parliament itse1z still ‘runs on the same principles as in 18th century Britain: an all-pow- erful prime minister demanding mr ae ey . . Wiheng! LOT HRY RABUN KLAN Mae Bot ryt Sc ER TRG BAT LAR PAINE MOAI HPL IRR eS RET AILERON S RIED BERIT ALIN HPO RLY PTR AER ELMAR PL TO SIT SN ES NER ACE POURS .absolute loyalty from cabinet and caucus; any MPs flouting the party line on behalf of con- stituents liable to swift, harsh dis- cipline. Add rigid majority control of Parliament's agenda, elections within the five-year period at the prime minister’s pleasure, and we have in effect a series of benign four to five-year dictatorships. And yet ... where, would Reform’s “rule by referendum” plan — in theory the ultimate in populist democracy — lead us? What to do about the many issues that resulted ina 51%-49% split in the public vote? Would it mean abdicating leadership in govern- ment altogether? Would government, in fact, become redundant? Would all we really needed be an enlarged civil service to carry out the public’s ever changing whims? Plus taxes to pay for them? Just asking, Preston. Meanwhile, how right Winston was. Democracy — the only pos- sible way to govern a civilized society — is one royal pain in the butt! eee RARE MUSICAL TREAT Friday, June 9, at 8.p.m. in West - Van United Church when werld- renowned contralto Maureen Forrester performs with the B.C. Boys’ Choir directed by Gerald van Wyck. Tickets $20 (seniors and students $15) — call 926- ° 5230 for info and reservations. WRIGHT OR WRONG: Pick a winner. Anyone can pick a loser. NDER THE current NDP reign of pleasantness for all, free expression is continually threatened by the ominous doctrine of socialist fairness. The NDP’s Bill 33 Human Rights Act “amendment remains its showpiece legislation to stifle discussion deemed too unpleasant for simple members of the public to digest. But it’s not the NDP’s only assault on fun- damental democratic rights of expression. Take Victoria’s new election: legislation reform. For those angered by Ottawa’s con- tinued efforts to waste taxpayers’ money on its own election gag lav, which would make it a criminal offence for individuals to spend more than $1,000 to support or oppose par- ties or candidates during a federal election, that anger can now be focused closer to home. The NDP’s version of fairness at election time is to shut more people up. Under its new f THE MAJORITY WANTs sire \ GUN CONTROL... 1 Bur i HAVE To CONSIDER THE WiSHES OF THE MINORITY © proposed Elections Act reforms, for example, | individuals or groups would be restricted to spending no more than $2,000 advertising for or against a candidate or party. — > Major parties would be limited to $6 mil- lion. Faiv’s fair, socialist-style. ~ . 7 And out of concern for the public, who th NDP appear to consider incapable of thinking for themselves, media will be prohibited from publishing polls during campaigns. Socialist reasoning behind this ridiculous gag, according to the attorney general, is that the public is being misled by lies and inaccu- racies supplied by pre-election day polls. No restrictions, however, have been placed on the lies and ‘inaccuracies traditionally fed the public by aspiring politicians in their pre- election day campaigns. Fair’s fair. os The provincial government is here to nelp you, again. 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