While the NDP may be officially neutral on STV, the two main media spokespeople for the No BC-STV Campaign Society have strong NDP backgrounds. President Bill Tieleman was an adviser to NDP Premier Glen Clark and Secretary-Treasurer David Schreck was an NDP MLA and strategist.
The B.C. chapter of the Canadian Union of Public Employees also has a position against STV and is telling its members that in pre-election phone calls.
Schreck and Tieleman are also regular NDP pundits or, as I prefer to call such things, talking heads.
Clearly, some progressives aren't all that progressive. They'd rather first-past-the-post or business-as-usual, knowing that a failure of this referendum could ring the death knell for electoral reform for decades, than support a system which would transfer power from parties to voters.
A true progressive would be excited about increased voter choice - both at the ballot and among MLAs after their election - improved local representation and increased proportionality. These 'progressives'? Ya gotta wonder.
Sure, they argue that if the NDP forms the government, it will: design its own Mixed Member Proportional system? merely legislate one into being?, ask the Citizens' Assembly to assemble again and design a MMP system?, hold another referendum on the party's favoured MMP design?
WE DON'T KNOW, because Carole James has avoided answering such direct questions.
Moreover, MMP was REJECTED by the Citizens' Assembly in favour of BC-STV (by a whopping 146 to 7 votes) and one or other form of MMP has been REJECTED by voters in other provinces.
Fortunately, not all NDP members have lost their principles. In fact, most haven't, including two NDP candidates who have come out in support of BC-STV.
“I don't believe in making perfection the enemy of the better,” said Mike Bocking, the NDP candidate in Maple Ridge-Mission. “My personal vote will be for STV....The first-past-the-post system has more warts on it than STV.”
Vancouver-Langara NDP Candidate, Helesia Luke, also said she will vote for BC-STV.
As for Tieleman, Schreck, and the leadership of BC CUPE, do they all suppose that British Columbians are STUPID? If BC-STV 'fails' to pass 60 percent this time but achieves clear majority support, expect a voter uprising. It won't be lost on voters which special interests were behind the axing of the reform.
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