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STV is not a solution

Letters

Editor,

Mr. Nick Loenen believes that anyone who opposes STV is being silly since they fail to understand it (Letters, The Chief, May 6). Asking the taxpayers to vote yes on something they fail to understand is even sillier. I do understand STV and believe that we deserve better.

I am not opposed to electoral reform. I just think that we should explore the advantages of other democratic electoral systems and even entertain the idea of fixing our existing system. After all, 53 years ago the Socreds abolished STV due to its questionable results.

Our current system allows us to easily determine the winning candidate. Where it lacks strength is in the existing configuration of the ridings. If they were re-designed by an independent committee, the popular vote could reflect each party's amount of seats and allow the best candidate to represent each riding.

The pamphlets that we all received on STV fails to explain which votes are used in the initial count and which votes are held back as transferable. This would definitely allow some votes to count a little more than others. A little creative computer programming could open the door to all sorts of improprieties.

Mr. Loenen has asked us to trust the Citizen Assembly and ignore STV opposition. Well, I believe that trust is something that you earn. After all, a government not known for its honesty created the assembly. I like to know how each member of the assembly voted in the last election. They were coached on how not to answer this question. The selection and the screening process also leave questions in my mind. I fail to see where the assembly has earned our trust.

As for ignoring the opposition, I would like to think that all British Columbians hear both sides of the story.

Perhaps we should further investigate a system that we all could accept and understand. Vote no and let us continue to explore a solution that will ensure the integrity of democracy in the greatest place on earth.

Doug Elliott

Squamish

Marketing association responds to pollster

Editor,

In a letter published in The Chief April 22, Glenn P. Robbins of Robbins SCE Research characterizes the market and survey research industry as a self-serving "club". The Marketing Research and Intelligence Association (MRIA) takes exception to Mr. Robbins' remarks.

MRIA (www.mria-arim.ca) is a not-for-profit association representing all sectors of the market and survey research industry in Canada. Our members include over 1,600 individual research professionals, small to large research agencies, and many buyers of research services, such as financial institutions, major retailers, insurance companies, telecommunications firms, and manufacturers. We develop and enforce world-class professional standards for the research industry across Canada; we promote the industry as a forum for Canadians to have input into public policy and corporate decisions that will affect them; we accredit research practitioners, and we audit research organizations.

Success in achieving our mission is measured by the quality of the relationship that our industry enjoys with Canadians. That's why privacy and consumer rights are core drivers for the professional development and education we insist on for our individual members; the high quality standards we demand from our corporate members; and the strict measures we maintain as leaders in corporate responsibility. MRIA members must adhere to a Code of Conduct and Ethical Practices that is one of the most rigorous in the world. We also operate the Canadian Survey Registration System, which performs an important service by providing the public with a toll-free telephone number to confirm the legitimacy of a given research survey and to ensure that any personal information requested is being collected and used for legitimate purposes.

Our association has the authority to impose sanctions where it is found that a member is in contravention of our Code of Conduct and Ethical Practices. At the current time, there are no outstanding complaints against members of MRIA.

Glenn Robbins is not an individual member of MRIA, nor is his company a corporate member of MRIA. Mr. Robbins and his organization are therefore not bound by MRIA's rigorous Code of Conduct and Ethical Practices.

As the authoritative voice of the market and survey research industry in Canada, MRIA is the exact opposite of a self-serving club: we are a broad, inclusive association rooted in protection of the public interest.

Membership in MRIA would bring enhanced credibility and professional reputation to Mr. Robbins and his firm if they were to join our voluntary, self-regulatory industry association.

Brendan Wycks

Executive Director, Marketing Research and Intelligence Association

Motherhood really is priceless

Editor,

In response to Shelley Franchini's "What do I do for a living? Everything" article (May 6) I am wondering if there was a misprint. She calls the man who values women a chauvinist. She seems appalled that he used the words "Mom" and "cop-out" in the same sentence as if it was an insult, but if she had read carefully he said that being a stay-at-home-Mom (a term she deems for every mother - hello! Then why do we have daycares?!) is priceless.

We mothers (be us stay-at-home or not) don't need to be told we're priceless, but it's nice. You don't have to be a female to be a feminist and I would call Bill Coleman of salary.com a feminist. Feminism has made leaps and bounds but some mothers are still defensive so we mustn't be there yet.

Mothers can only expect to be valued when we value ourselves. Sure there's no paycheque but any responsible mother has life insurance. That requires us to put a value on our life and so we don't need salary.com to tell us what it is... but its nice! And after all, who would trade motherhood for a (bigger) paycheque?

Stephanie Brown

Squamish

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