Crucial voting decision for B.C. Liberals Saturday

B.C. Liberals have much at stake as they gather Saturday for a constitutional convention in Vancouver.

Delegates are being asked to ratify a new voting system to choose their next leader in two weeks.

"That'll give the delegates the opportunity to vote on which system will take place on the 26th," said party spokeswoman Lillian Kim. "Whether it will be the one-member one-vote system or the preferential balloting system."

The preferential system is weighted to give rural ridings equal clout with urban ridings and has been recommended by the party executive.

Kootenay East Liberal MLA and former cabinet minister Bill Bennett, who was fired from cabinet for his criticism of Premier Gordon Campbell before he resigned, says if the new voting system is rejected Saturday, rural members will feel their votes don't count.

"We don't really have any influence over the choice of leader," said Bennett. "The new leader will be chosen in half a dozen ridings in Vancouver and Surrey."

The new system would allot each riding — urban or rural — 100 points.

Former Surrey MLA Gulzar Cheema believes the weighted system is unfair to Lower Mainland ridings, where thousands of new Liberal party members have been signed up.

"And everyone thought that they would all have an equal say. And I think now we are going backward," said Cheema.

The split in opinions in the party makes the outcome hard to predict.

Delegates in every riding will vote and two-thirds must support the new system if it's be approved.

Of the six leadership candidates, only George Abbott is from the province's interior and might benefit most if the weighted system wins out.

The other candidates are Christy Clark, Mike de Jong, Kevin Falcon, Ed Mayne and Moira Stilwell.