British Columbia Direct Democracy Party

Image - Photo by Landon Parenteau from Pexels

British Columbia Direct Democracy Party - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently gave $595 million to 'qualifying' journalists. Shortly thereafter the corona pandemic struck leading to a critical need for ventilators. Ventilators cost $10,000 each and BC has a shortage. $595 million is enough to buy 60,000 ventilators. If asked, would BC voters be more likely to support giving $595 million to journalists or would they rather that money be spent on ventilators for hospitals during the most disruptive pandemic in history? We'll never know because voters were never given a say in the matter.  

​This example was used for the purpose of illustrating how our current system of government disrespects voters and prevents them from having whatsoever any say in critically important decisions that could affect their very lives.  Would voters, if given a say in the matter, have chosen to gift $595 million to journalists, or would they have instead chosen to spend that money on vital medical equipment in order to save lives? The main point being that under our current system voters were not given any say in the matter. With BC Direct Democracy, they would be given a say.

In a 1991 referendum BC voters were asked whether they wanted something called direct democracy.  What is is direct democracy?  It is a system in which voters don't simply elect an MLA every few years.  Instead, under direct democracy voters participate directly in matters of government, voting several times a year, directly, on issues such as pipelines, the school system, health care, roads, taxation, 'carbon' taxes, 'gender' issues, housing affordability, government regulation, government spending, and whether $595 million should be gifed to journalists or spent on hospital ventilators.  
 
In the referendum on direct democracy, held at the same time as the 1991 provincial election, 85% of British Columbia voters said yes, they did want direct democracy. The 85% referendum approval number meant that in British Columbia there is extraordinarily wide support for direct democracy right across the political spectrum. It is impossible to reach such a high approval number without including voters of all political stripes.

BC Direct Democracy's primary purpose is to run in future elections in each of BC's 87 ridings candidates who are committed to making workable a system in which voters continue to have a say in matters of importance by making workable our currently unworkable direct democracy legislation.

BC Direct Democracy is a newly formed, non-partisan political party. It isn't right wing nor is it left wing. The need for such labels becomes irrelevant when each voter is able to represent themselves, directly, unimpeded and unfiltered, on issues of the day. ​

BC Direct Democracy's key principles:

• Voters paricipate directly in the running of their province. 
• Voters are able to put forward their own initiatives (ideas) and have those ideas brought before their fellow voters for possible adoption.
• Talent, skills, abilities, are found everywhere in the general population. Direct democracy provides a mechanism by which any voter with a good idea has a mechanism for bringing that idea forward and having it presented to his or her fellow voters for consideration and possible adoption.
• MLAs can be removed using the recall mechanisms inherent in direct democracy legislation.
• BC already has direct democracy legislation. BC Direct Democracy intends to make that legislation workable by removing obstructive rules and regulations. 
• BC Direct Democracy electoral candidates are required to sign a written, binding agreement under which requires that if elected, they are responsible not to the party but to those who elected them.

• Voters in each riding electing a BC Direct Democracy MLA would be issued voters cards and would immediately be able to participate in the decision making process.  In this manner, direct democracy would come to BC riding by riding. Here is an example of a chipped, electronic voters' card. This example is from the country of Estonia.  

Image - Submitted, British Columbia Direct Democracy Party, Chipped electronic voter card example from the country of Estonia

• Under BC Direct Democracy voting would be extended over a period of time convenient to voters and not held on one single day.
• Other than the fundamental direct democracy operating system itself, all of BC Direct Democracy's policies listed below were submitted by interested British Columbians. Policies not yet approved by a majority of party members remain in the Tentative Policies bin awaiting a member vote. During the startup period voter approval of Tentative Policies will not take place until membership reaches 1,000. 

​Summary of Tentative Policies

1. Balanced Budgets      
2. Crown Land Release Initiative
3.  Direct Democracy
4.  Education Curriculum Revision
5. Energy and Resources 
6. Equal funding for public, private, or religious schools
7. Freedom of Expression
8. Hardening of the Electric Grid
9. Health Care
10. Homelessness
11.  Human Rights Tribunals
12. Municipal Share of Provincial Fuel Tax
13. Racial Equality
14. Regulatory Reduction
15. Road Modernization
16. Independent Review of Government Regulation
17. MLA agreement to keep election promises
18. Equality of government grants to business
19. Failure to Enforce the Law
20. Freedom to assert factual information

Extensive, detailed rationales have been prepared for each of these policies that will be shown on the party's website bcdirectdemocracy.com, currently unpublished - to be launched once party registration has been completed with Elections BC. Unfortunately they are far too lengthy to include in this article.  

Getting Involved

BC Direct Democracy's success depends entirely upon whether British Columbians are as interested in direct democracy now as they were in their 1991 referendum. 85% of voters at the time expressed the desire to have the right to participate in government decision making.  

BC Direct is structured along standard business lines, as the Organizational Map below shows.    ​

Image - Submitted British Columbia Direct Democracy Party

Agreements have been prepared for all key personnel, setting out their duties, responsibilities, who they are responsible to, and so on. The party has an Operations Manual a copy of which will be provided to all key personnel. The Operations Manual is an essential organizational tool containing procedures, contact lists, a training manual, essential forms, bulletins, etc.

We plan to run candidates in each of BC's 87 electoral ridings. Anyone wishing to become involved with BC Direct Democracy should contact us. You can also download the following pdf candidate and party personnel application forms, fill them in, and either email them to the link above, or mail them to BC Direct Democracy, #286 – 32691 Garibaldi Place, Abbotsford, BC  V2T 5T7

The current pandemic has jolted Canada and British Columbia into the realization that 'business as usual' just won't cut  it any more.  Indeed, current events are challenging our very survival, and as Albert Einstein famously said, “We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” If there ever was a time to review our way of doing politics, this has to be it. A key component of BC Direct Democracy's system is the use of electronic voting using secure online voting, and while detractors are guaranteed to try to diminish our initiative by dredging up their standard argument that anything 'on-line' is unsafe, during the pandemic virtually every service has gone on-line. Government workers are working on-line, from home. ICBC is working on-line. Students are working remotely, on-line. Meetings – even government cabinet and ministerial meetings are now done on-line.  The list of those now working from home is endless, and far too extensive to publish here. The point is, the pandemic has demonstrated for everyone to see the capability of on-line communications.

Contact BC Direct Democracy