Proportional representation is coming back. Supporters and opponents now have $500,000 each, donated by the provincial government, to try to make their case.

According to the opponents, led by Bill Tieleman, the single transferable vote (STV) is the wrong way to go:

“STV is a confusing and complicated electoral system that would take away accountable local elected representatives and replace them with regional MLAs in ridings with as many as seven members,” Tieleman said.

“STV also gives unequal weight to votes in different ridings, fails to deliver true proportional representation, especially for rural voters and would make it harder for independent and third parties to elect MLAs.”

Former NDP MLA David Schreck agrees: “STV makes your vote worth less.”

Meanwhile, Fair Voting BC is now the official representative of BC-STV, citing supporters ranging from Preston Manning and Bill Vander Zalm to Rafe Mair and Michael Byers.

After this cold winter, The Hook looks forward to a hot and stormy spring in BC politics.

Crawford Kilian is a contributing editor of The Tyee.