COURTENAY – Local MLA Ronna-Rae Leonard is inviting members of the community to a town hall on proportional representation. The event is from 7:00 to 9:00pm on Wednesday, February 7th at the Upper Florence Filberg Centre at 411 Anderton in Courtenay.

“Right now many people in British Columbia don’t feel their vote counts, and too many don’t see the point in voting,” said MLA Leonard. “This town hall is an opportunity for people to learn more about why we’re holding a referendum on how we vote, and to give feedback on what is important to them as we move forward.”

British Columbians will vote in a referendum this year on whether to move to a system of proportional representation. The government is currently collecting feedback from citizens that will help shape what that referendum will look like. People have until February 28th to fill out the online questionnaire.

At the February 7th town hall, people will participate in a mock election and small group discussions, as well as hearing from MLA Leonard and a representative from FairVote Canada. There will be refreshments and a draw for door prizes. There is no need to pre-register, but space is limited so people are encouraged to come early to avoid disappointment.

“I want to encourage as many people as possible to respond to the questionnaire and engage with the process,” said MLA Leonard. “We want people to feel that their voice is being heard and to see their values reflected in our electoral system. We want to make every vote count.”