West Prince group comes out on no side of P.E.I. referendum

A group of five West Prince residents has stepped up to fight against a mixed member proportional voting system on P.E.I.

The province will hold a referendum on electoral reform in conjunction with the next provincial election. It will ask if Islanders want to switch to a MMP system.

Former Progressive Conservative MLA Cletus Dunn and Gary Morgan, who once ran for the leadership of the party, are part of the group. Morgan said those opposed to MMP have been quiet.

"It's been pretty well a one-sided topic," said Morgan.

"The yes side is very motivated, of course, and so they've been working hard to get their points out and their issues out, and those of us who are not in agreement with that system have not raised a voice."

Members said his group is non-partisan, and that its primary concern is that MMP will lead to less representation from rural P.E.I.

Under the proposed MMP model, there would be fewerMLAs representing districts in the house, with both rural and urban districts being made larger.

There would be 18 district representatives and nine at large members of the legislature. Those nine seats would be assigned to parties, matching the proportion of votes each received in the election, and could be from either rural or urban areas.

Morgan said it's important for other people and groups against the proposed system to get organized.

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