1991 British Columbia recall and initiative referendum

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The British Columbia Recall and Initiative Referendum was a referendum held in British Columbia on October 17, 1991. It was concurrent with that year's general election. The referendum posed two questions. They were on whether elected officials should be able to be recalled and whether voters should be given a citizen's initiative. Both questions were decisively approved with over 80% of the electorate voting yes to both questions.

Contents

Lead up

British Columbia has had several referendums in its history. [1] A previous bill, the Direct Legislation Act , was passed by the Oliver government in 1919. the Direct Democracy Act was given royal assent in March of that year, but was never proclaimed. A similar statute was struck down by the Manitoba Court of Appeals later that year. These combined to leave the BC law in legislative limbo until it was removed in a 1924 statute consolidation. [2]

A promise to hold referendums was included in the British Columbia Social Credit Party (Socred) government's speech from the throne in April 1990. [3] In preparation, the Socreds had invited two experts from California familiar with recall and initiative to their annual convention. [4] Appropriate legislation was introduced on July 5, 1990. [5]

The two questions were:

A: Should the voters be given the right, by legislation, to vote between elections for the removal of their member of the Legislative Assembly? [6]

B: Should the voters be given the right, by legislation, to propose questions that the Government of British Columbia must submit to voters by referendum? [6]

Both of the questions were announced by Premier Rita Johnston during a news conference on September 5, 1991, although by then they were an open secret. NDP leader Mike Harcourt criticized the timing, saying that the Socreds had moved too slowly in launching the proposals. [4] Liberal leader Gordon Wilson also criticized the referendum, saying that it was intended to divert attention away from the scandal-plagued Socreds. [7] In response, Johnston said she could not comment on either timing or structure for the proposals because they would be decided after the referendum. [4]

The referendum was run by Attorney-General Russ Fraser. The total cost was 1.7 million dollars. The cost includes information pamphlets, advertising, toll-free information telephone lines, and costs related to running the referendum. [4]

The referendum also got caught up in the campaign going on at the same time. Both Premier Johnston and British Columbia New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Harcourt announced that they would be voting yes in the referendum. [4]

Results

There was overwhelming support for both questions. Support was over 80% of yes votes for both questions. [8] However, more than nine percent of ballots for question A were rejected, and more than eleven percent were rejected for question B. Turnout was slightly less than that in the general election. [2]

Question A: Recall

DistrictYesPercentageNoPercentageRejected
Abbotsford 1421482.46302317.541571
Alberni 1009283.81194916.191716
Bulkley Valley-Stikine 807780.18199619.821220
Burnaby-Edmonds 1600382.57337817.432247
Burnaby North 1537483.22309916.782173
Burnaby-Willingdon 1809181.9399918.12215
Cariboo North 989985.65165814.351294
Cariboo South 1060682.5224917.51439
Chilliwack 1652782.48351017.522372
Columbia River-Revelstoke 1023781.78228118.221531
Comox Valley 1843575.7591824.32424
Coquitlam-Maillardville 1831182.86378817.142026
Cowichan-Ladysmith 1665280.54402419.462319
Delta North 1678484.74302215.261517
Delta South 1729982.11377017.891226
Esquimalt-Metchosin 1753982.68367417.321915
Fort Langley-Aldergrove 1599884.32297515.681253
Kamloops 1459576.55447123.451587
Kamloops-North Thompson 1087677.86309322.141135
Kootenay 1177081.9260218.11651
Langley 1430183.97273116.031628
Malahat-Juan de Fuca 1493383.67291116.312046
Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows 1989783.01407316.991977
Matsqui 1383881.91305618.092046
Mission-Kent 1265780.24311719.761680
Nanaimo 1591979.64406920.362189
Nelson-Creston 1313178.50359721.501869
New Westminster 1556881.39356018.612019
North Coast 763180.83181019.171288
North Island 1218578.53333221.471385
North Vancouver-Lonsdale 1521483.53300016.471749
North Vancouver-Seymour 1846980.68442319.321224
Oak Bay-Gordon Head 1798273.08662426.922299
Okanagan-Boundary 1062777.94300822.062013
Okanagan East 1647781.05385218.952324
Okanagan-Penticton 1552978.04436921.962299
Okanagan-Vernon 1660279.65424220.352206
Okanagan West 2044780.58492919.422480
Parksville-Qualicum 1886679.54485220.462499
Peace River North 789782.66165717.341275
Peace River South 970686.15156113.851436
Port Coquitlam 1993184.68360615.321990
Port Moody-Burnaby Mountain 1766282387718430
Powell River-Sunshine Coast 1429477.4417422.61606
Prince George-Mount Robson 866883.05176916.951201
Prince George North 1155383.09235116.91368
Prince George-Omineca 1017082.66213317.341139
Richmond Centre 1326080.74316419.261484
Richmond East 1276482.34273717.661757
Richmond-Steveston 13098803275201314
Rossland-Trail 1188681.92262418.081653
Saanich North and the Islands 1891177.4552322.61786
Saanich South 1715379.15451820.851527
Shuswap 1553179.46401420.542448
Skeena 866878.86232421.141031
Surrey-Cloverdale 1869884.27349015.731726
Surrey-Green Timbers 1517186.88229113.121869
Surrey-Newton 1921485.88315814.122296
Surrey-Whalley 1211086.32191913.681339
Surrey-White Rock 2170282.62456617.382622
Vancouver-Burrard 1423379.22373420.781613
Vancouver-Fraserview 1389384.05263615.952054
Vancouver-Hastings 1356284.1256415.92526
Vancouver-Kensington 1371885.16239014.842204
Vancouver-Kingsway 1303386.16209313.842463
Vancouver-Langara 1484680.24365619.761454
Vancouver-Little Mountain 1604676.13503223.872166
Vancouver-Mount Pleasant 1163581.82258618.182310
Vancouver-Point Grey 1653671.62655328.381623
Vancouver-Quilchena 1549871.6614828.41593
Victoria-Beacon Hill 1567175.38511724.622599
Victoria-Hillside 1610279.59412820.411976
West Vancouver-Capilano 1684278.01474721.991705
West Vancouver-Garibaldi 1416879.01376520.991376
Yale-Lillooet 1122583.14227716.861883
Total109002380.8925752219.11135363
Source: [9]

Question B: Initiative

DistrictYesPercentageNoPercentageRejected
Abbotsford 1433584.78257315.221900
Alberni 1008486.36159313.642080
Bulkley Valley-Stikine 822183.53162116.471451
Burnaby-Edmonds 1594484.35295915.652727
Burnaby North 1535984.9273115.12556
Burnaby-Willingdon 1818584.03345615.972664
Cariboo North 992387.86137112.141557
Cariboo South 1074685.78178114.221767
Chilliwack 1664285.33286214.672905
Columbia River-Revelstoke 1049586.24167413.761880
Comox Valley 1899679.72483320.282948
Coquitlam-Maillardville 1846885.19321014.812447
Cowichan-Ladysmith 1690583.89324716.112843
Delta North 16385843122161816
Delta South 1688081.16391818.841497
Esquimalt-Metchosin 1759184.33326815.672269
Fort Langley-Aldergrove 1600085.95261514.051611
Kamloops 1525781.63343318.371963
Kamloops-North Thompson 1121282.13243917.871453
Kootenay 1218787.39175812.612078
Langley 1424485.42243114.581994
Malahat-Juan de Fuca 1507085.7251414.32306
Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows 2009085.52340114.482456
Matsqui 1396385.35239714.652995
Mission-Kent 1287483.45255316.552027
Nanaimo 1615482.5342617.52597
Nelson-Creston 1346482.66282417.342309
New Westminster 1573184.07298115.932435
North Coast 775984.05147215.951498
North Island 1279384.14241215.861697
North Vancouver-Lonsdale 1527585.51258814.492100
North Vancouver-Seymour 1842081.33422918.671467
Oak Bay-Gordon Head 1770173.38642026.622784
Okanagan-Boundary 1061180.36259419.642594
Okanagan East 1685484.98298015.022819
Okanagan-Penticton 1556080.7372119.33662
Okanagan-Vernon 1696183.65331416.352775
Okanagan West 2068484.23387415.774298
Parksville-Qualicum 1899981.66426618.342952
Peace River North 795985.52134814.481522
Peace River South 975988.86122311.141721
Port Coquitlam 2026086.99302913.012238
Port Moody-Burnaby Mountain 1789584.03340215.97672
Powell River-Sunshine Coast 1484782.4317117.62056
Prince George-Mount Robson 858884.64155915.361491
Prince George North 1149884.35213315.65641
Prince George-Omineca 1018884.29189915.711355
Richmond Centre 1334782.71279117.291770
Richmond East 1278284.41236115.592115
Richmond-Steveston 1322281.97290918.031556
Rossland-Trail 1198985.17208814.832086
Saanich North and the Islands 1881678.37519221.632212
Saanich South 1705379.55438320.451762
Shuswap 1566182.58330417.423028
Skeena 898783.63175916.371277
Surrey-Cloverdale 1860085.44316914.562145
Surrey-Green Timbers 1473386.38232413.622274
Surrey-Newton 1892886.18303513.822705
Surrey-Whalley 1193386.63184113.371594
Surrey-White Rock 2096081.74468118.263249
Vancouver-Burrard 1423280.18351819.821830
Vancouver-Fraserview 1371385.01241814.992452
Vancouver-Hastings 1334385.34229214.663017
Vancouver-Kensington 1342886.34212413.662760
Vancouver-Kingsway 1268887.26185212.743049
Vancouver-Langara 1490181.73333218.271723
Vancouver-Little Mountain 1636678.75441921.252459
Vancouver-Mount Pleasant 1153084.25215615.752845
Vancouver-Point Grey 1697274.38584725.621893
Vancouver-Quilchena 1556872.91578327.091888
Victoria-Beacon Hill 1556776.8470323.23117
Victoria-Hillside 1614681.58364518.422415
West Vancouver-Capilano 1676478.68454221.321988
West Vancouver-Garibaldi 1425880.45346419.551587
Yale-Lillooet 1137886.53177113.472236
Total109510083.0222390216.98163906
Source: [10]

Aftermath

British Columbia's legislation made a referendum binding only on the government that called it. As the Socreds had been defeated, the incoming NDP government was not required to enable recall and initiative. Nevertheless, Premier-elect Mike Harcourt announced that his government would be bound by the results. [11] As a consequence, the Recall and Initiative Act was passed and entered into force on February 24, 1995. [6] In 1998, MLA Paul Reitsma resigned his seat when it appeared that a recall petition would be successful and he could be the first person ever recalled under the legislation.

As of April 2023, according to Elections BC the Recall and Initiative Act has been invoked:

See also

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References

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  2. 1 2 Ruff, Norman (1993). "Institutionalizing Populism in British Columbia". Canadian Parliamentary Review . Archived from the original on 2004-11-24. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
  3. As spoken by The Honourable David Lam (1990-04-05). "Speech from the Throne". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia Hansard. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Justine Hunter (1991-09-06). "B.C. voters to face two referendums; Government dragged feet, NDP claims". Vancouver Sun. p. H9.
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  7. Ian Austin (1991-09-06). "Questions unveiled; Opposition says exercise is a smokescreen to divert attention". Vancouver Province. p. 6.
  8. "Electoral History of British Columbia Supplement, 1987-2001" (PDF). Elections BC. March 2002. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-10-09. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  9. "Referendum Summary". Statement of Votes. Elections BC. June 1992. Archived from the original on 2007-10-04. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  10. "Referendum Summary". Statement of Votes. Elections BC. June 1992. Archived from the original on 2007-10-05. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  11. Justine Hunter (1991-10-19). "Early referendum count shows B.C. voters want power to remove, rescind, recall". Vancouver Sun. p. B9.
  12. "Summary of Recall Petitions" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  13. Bob Mackin (2023-03-21). "Recall David Eby campaign falls far short of goal". Business in Vancouver. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  14. "Summary of Initiative Petitions" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 2023-04-13.