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By Greg Fry

Democracy

Clare speaks on election reform committee

Jun 18, 2025 | 2:34 PM

QUESNEL — If you have an interest in strengthening our democracy, here’s a chance to have your say.

The Special Committee on Democratic and Electoral Reform is accepting written submissions about democratic engagement, voter participation and models for electing MLAs in British Columbia.

The committee is the result of an accord between the BC NDP and BC Greens and has seven MLAs participating, including Prince George-North Cariboo Conservative MLA Sheldon Clare who says he’s approaching the work with an open mind.

“We’re (BC Conservatives) taking it fairly seriously, we want to be able to hear submissions from people. We want to make sure that the people have their say and hear what they want. There have been several examinations of electoral reform in British Columbia in the past. We have had different voting styles – in the early 1950s we had a different style. But I know the Conservatives on this committee, we’re approaching this with an open mind.”

There have been three provincial referendums on electoral reform in B.C. this century and all three have failed – in 2005, 2009, and in 2018.

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What does Clare think about the use of new technologies to boost voter engagement? For example voting online or by cell phone?

“Well, I’m kind of a paper ballot in the hand guy. That’s where I come from. I’ve been though a lot of elections. I tend to favour that sort of a process myself. I do know that many people like technology, they find it faster, they think the counting is easier and so on. But there are also trust issues about technology that people have. So, I think one has to balance the use of technology with credibility.”

The Special Committee on Democratic Reform will be in Prince George at the Coast Hotel on July 9 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. The deadline to make a written submission is Friday, July 25 at 2 p.m.