Prince George Citizen December 8, 2018 by Prince George Citizen

Saturday, December 8, 2018 | Your community newspaper since 1916

CITIZEN PHOTO BY BRENT BRAATENTE

Master builder Iona Silvestre, a professional cooking student at the College of New Caledonia, puts the final touches on her gingerbread house. Silvestre’s gingerbread house is one of many that will be on display in the CNC library between Dec. 7 and Dec. 21.

Turnout low on last day of referendum RCMP against exempting trading cards from second-hand dealers bylaw

Amy SMART Citizen news service VANCOUVER — An advocate for maintaining British Columbia’s electoral system as it is questions whether residents really care about reform, given voter turnout figures released on the final day of the referendum campaign. Elections BC said it had received 41 per cent of eligible ballots by Friday morning in the referendum, which asks voters whether they would prefer to keep the existing first-past-the-post system or move to a form of proportional representation. Ballots could be returned by mail or in person and those received before the 4:30 p.m. deadline on Friday will be counted. “Forty-one per cent indicates to me that most British Columbians really don’t find proportional representation or our electoral system an extremely important topic,” said Bill Tieleman, Vote No spokesman, adding it’s likely that the turnout will remain lower than two previous referendums in 2005 and 2009. “It kind of indicates what we’ve said all along, that this referendum wasn’t necessary.” In 2005, voter turnout was 61 per cent. About 57 per cent of ballots were cast in favour of proportional representation, which did not meet the threshold of 60 per cent to make it binding on the government. Four years later, voter turnout

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Mark NIELSEN Citizen staff mnielsen@pgcitizen.ca

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Premier John Horgan and B.C. Green Party leader Andrew Weaver cheer following their speeches at a rally in support of proportional representation in Victoria on Oct. 23. Friday was the last day of the mail-in referendum on electoral reform. was 55 per cent and 61 per cent voted in favour of first past the post. The latest referendum is binding and the winner will be declared by a simple majority of votes cast. Tieleman said if the vote favours proportional representation, he’d question whether the electorate really supports the shift. If turnout remains in the range of 40 per cent and just over half of those votes are for change, that would mean only about 20 per cent of the electorate voted for proportional representation, while 80 per cent either voted against it

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or didn’t vote at all, he said. But Green party leader Andrew Weaver, who supports proportional representation, said the results should be accepted whatever they may be. If civic election results are accepted when turnout is lower than 41 per cent, then so should the referendum results, he said. “The reality is, this is our democratic system. We are entitled to vote, we can vote if we wish and if we choose not to vote, we make that choice accordingly,” Weaver said. — see ‘IT’S AN EXCITING, page 3

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Prince George RCMP is raising concerns about a proposal to exempt trading and collectible cards from a requirement under the city’s second-hand dealers and pawnbrokers bylaw that they be held for 30 days before they can be put up for sale. City council will consider the idea during its regular meeting on Monday in response to a request from Kelsy Polnik of Game Quest for the exemption, similar to one made in 2014 for video games. In preparing an amendment to the bylaw, city staff consulted with RCMP. Insp. Shaun Wright, who differed with the view that trading cards are the same as video games. “The concerns are that collectible and trading cards can be quite valuable and can also be quite rare or unique, allowing for identification and return to the rightful owner,” city planning and development manager Ian Wells said in a report to council. “They may also come with authentication paperwork that adds to the ability of the RCMP to positively identify those items. As such, it is useful for the police to have those items held

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for the 30-day waiting period, similar to other identifiable items such as electronics with serial numbers.” Wells advised council to take Wright’s position into account but, for the time being at least, pass the amendment through first and second reading. Once that is done, a public hearing on the issue will be held.

Also on the agenda • A formal public hearing will be held for a proposal to rezone 4585 Martin Rd. to single residential (RS2m) from suburban residential (RS1m) to create an additional lot in a subdivision proposed for the area. • A formal public hearing will be held for a proposal to close a portion of road at the corner of Marleau and O’Grady to consolidate the site with an adjacent property. • An informal public hearing will be held for a variance permit to allow construction of a pole barn and a greenhouse at 9644 Birchill Cres. • CNC president Henry Reiser and acting vice president academic Chad Thompson will provide an update on the college’s activities. The meeting starts at 6 p.m. and the public hearings at 7 p.m.

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