Bob joined fellow Independent MLA Vicki Huntington for a Twitter town hall on democratic reform on Thursday, September 20th. They were looking for public input on how to improve BC’s parliamentary democracy. Topics of discussion included free votes in the Legislature, the status of independent MLAs, campaign finance reform, different ways to choose party leaders, the committee system, and improving citizen engagement.
The town hall was planned to coincide with Democracy Week, and the conversation came on the heels of the news that Christy Clark had criticized the hyper-partisan, “sick” nature of the BC Legislature. Bob’s response to the Premier’s comments is available here. Over 20 people participated in the Twitter town hall, and we have re-posted some of the conversation below.
There was also my comment about Constituency Associations only being allowed for Parties or already elected Independent MLA’s. There is a huge disincentive to candidates considering running as independents when they have no ability to offer the same tax credits as Parties and Independent MLA’s can.
This means that we are far more likely to get candidates elected under a party banner choosing to then sit as an independent (which is just fine) rather than having people seek office as an independent from the start.
Vicki Huntington was the only person to successfully seek a seat as an independent in BC in over 60 years as memory serves.
Ryan, and your Comment is very germane, it sits on the root of the problem. With Josephocracy, there will no longer be political parties. The People will no longer be Divided and Conquered. WE will, finally, become the Legislators.
If we could boycott ALL political parties in the 2013 Election, it would send a Message that would shake the Kleptocratic Establisment. NO more back benchers and Party Whips. < What's up with that? No more Campaign Spending; equal air time for [qualified] Candidates. A REAL Bicameral Sharing of Ruler-ship embodying a Corruption-free Design is what Josephocracy promises, Brand New political architecture which is 100 times better than democracy, communism, monarchies, ALL the past DISproven Systems.