October 26, 2003
Tel.1 250 335 1276
604 519 0064
Dear Mr. Carty,Thank you for the hand written, undated letter, which I received last week, The materials which I have provided for the information of your office with respect to my objections to the manner of the implementation of the legislation to bring about the Citizens’ Assembly, have in no way diminished my commitment to see an honest electoral evolution towards superior good management of collective affairs.
I am seeking the opportunity to present the case for the N.O.T.A. option. I am sure your aware I have been making overtures to Elections B.C. for this rather simple but potentially powerful formula for many years.
I have received letters recently from the Office of the Premier and Government House that encourage me. Perhaps that is because the notions of a random selection process and of gender balance are being accepted and because these are ideas which I have been advancing. In regard to that, I strongly suggest the women and the men sit in separate sessions to find accord, rather than in united meetings seeking consensus. I would also offer the idea that the seating should reflect the geographic distribution of constituencies.
Some further concerns are raised in my mind by the fact that the first nations are unlikely to have any representation, given the fact that few Aboriginal and Metis people register to vote. The efficiency of the Citizens’ Assembly system to select members has impressed me and the weighting of the random selection process is interesting. The problem remains that the groups being selected have already registered to vote, and the opportunity to engage the wider alienated population has largely been diluted.
All of which is offered in the spirit of Individual and Collective Enlightenment.
John Allen West