To the editor:
As a born-and-raised Vancouverite, I have voted in every municipal election, but I hate the at-large system. It's an annoying system where I have to vote for a "laundry list of candidates. I just want to vote for one person in my neighbourhood.
I lived briefly in Toronto and they had the ward system. For example, in the Toronto-Danforth ward, you just voted for one person. Toronto has 44 wards. Can you imagine if they used the at-large system?
I prefer the ward system for five reasons.
1. Cities that have the ward system don't have political parties-no NPA, Vision or COPE.
2. Every neighbourhood is guaranteed representation.
3. You don't need a big party machine to get elected. Ordinary people have a better chance of getting elected because they just have to campaign in their ward.
4. I saw the movie Milk and it was interesting how Harvey Milk tried getting elected under an at large system but always fell short, but when San Francisco switched to the ward system, he won and history was made.
5. A ward system has more accountability because the person in your ward actually lives there and hopefully is aware of the issues and problems of the area.
If the at-large system is so great, how come no other cities outside of B.C. use it? Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»originally had it, but the NPA killed it. That's why I will never vote for them.
Sadly, I'll be dead before Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»ever adopts the ward system.
Richard Chong, Vancouver
